190 THE HUDSON BAY ESKIMO. 



stauces tlie former wife seldom resents the intrusion upon her affections 

 and rights but occasionally gives the other a severe thrashing and an 

 injunction to look to herself lest she be discarded also. The children 

 of the cast- ofi" woman are frequently taken by her and they go to live 

 with her relatives as menials on whom devolve the labor of severest 

 kinds, she being glad to obtain the refnse of the hovel to support her 

 life in order that her children may be well taken care of. 



Some wives are considered as very "unlucky'' and a Jr trial are 

 cast oft' to shift for themselves. A woman who has obtained the reputa- 

 tion of being unlucky for her husband is eschewed by all the men lest 

 she work some charm on them. 



In social relations the head of the family comes first, and the oldest 

 son second, the other sons following according to respective ages. 



The s(ms of the first wife, if there be more than one wife, take ])re- 

 cedence over those of the second or third wife. It may be that a 

 man has lost his first wife and takes another. The sons of these two 

 are considered as those of one wife so far as their relation to each 

 other is concerned. When the father becomes superanuated or his 

 sons are old enough to enable him to live without exertion, the man- 

 agement of affairs devolves on the eldest son, and to the second is 

 delegated the second place. Each may be occupied in different affairs, 

 but the elder alone chooses what he himself shall do. 



If the father live to a great age, and some of the men certainly at- 

 tain the age of more than 80 years, he may have great grandchildren 

 about him, and these never fail to show respect for their ancestor. 



All this family may dwell in a single tent, or in two or more tents. 

 Where the leader directs, there they all repair, although each one 

 who is at the head of a family may be left to employ himself as he mjiy 

 prefer. These sons, with their wives and children, form a community, 

 which may have other persons added to it, namely, the persons who 

 are related to the wives of the sons. There may be but one community 

 in a locality, and this is locally known to the white people as the " gang" 

 of the head man. 



Families whose members have decreased in number by death or by 

 marriage may seek the companionship of one of these communities for 

 protection. The new arrival at once acknowledges his dependence and 

 is, in a manner, under the influence, if not control, of the leader of the 

 community which he joins. 



A new born babe must not be washed until six or eight hours have 

 elapsed. It is then placed to the breast and rarely gets any water to 

 drink until old enough to help itself to it. 



The child may be named while yet in utero. There being no dis- 

 tinctions for sex in names the appellation can scarcely be amiss. Sev- 

 eral names may be acquired from the most trivial circumstances. Old 



