2 8o The National Geographic Magazine 



ing the deliberations the maiden receives 

 special consideration and enjoys vari- 

 ous dignities. If circumstances favor, 

 her kinswomen erect a jacal for her, and 

 even if circumstances are adverse, she 

 is outfitted with a pelican robe of six 

 or eight pelts and other matronly requi- 

 sites. 



When all parties concerned are event- 

 ually satisfied a probationary marriage 

 is arranged, and the groom leaves his 

 clan and attaches himself to that of the 

 bride. Two essential conditions — one of 

 material character and the other moral — 

 are involved in this probationary union. 

 In the first place, the groom must be- 

 come the provider for and the protector 

 of the entire family of the bride, includ- 

 ing the dependent children and such 

 cripples and invalids as may be tolerated 

 by the tribe — /. e. , he must display and 

 exercise skill in turtle-fishing, strength 

 in the chase, subtlety in warfare, and all 

 other physical qualities of competent 

 manhood. This relation, with the at- 

 tendant obligations, holds for a year — 

 z. e., a round of the seasons. During 

 the same period the groom shares the 

 jacal and sleeping robe provided for the 

 prospective matron by her kinswomen, 

 not as privileged spouse, but merely as 

 a protecting companion ; and through- 

 out this probationary term he is com- 

 pelled to maintain continence — /. e., he 

 must display the most indubitable proofs 

 of moral force. 



During this period the* always digni- 

 fied position occupied by the daughter 

 of the family culminates. She is the 



observed of all observers, the subject of 

 gossip among matrons and warriors 

 alike, the recipient of frequent tokens 

 from designing sisters with an eye to 

 shares of her spouse's spoils, and the 

 receiver of material supplies measuring 

 the competence of the would-be hus- 

 band. Through his energy she is en- 

 abled to dispense largess with lavish 

 hand, and thus to dignify her clan and 

 honor her spouse in the most effective 

 way known to primitive life, and at the 

 same time she enjoys the immeasurable 

 moral stimulus of realizing that she is 

 the arbiter of the fate of a man who be- 

 comes warrior or outcast at her bidding, 

 and through him of the future of two 

 clans — I. e., she is raised to a responsi- 

 bility in both personal and tribal affairs 

 which, albeit temporary, is hardly lower 

 than that of the warrior chief. In tribal 

 theory the moral test measures the char- 

 acter of the man ; in very fact, it at the 

 same time both measures and makes the 

 character of the woman. Among other 

 privileges bestowed on the bride during 

 the probationary period are those of re- 

 ceiving the most intimate attentions 

 from the clanfellows of the groom ; and 

 these are noteworthy as suggestions of 

 a vestigial polyandry or adelphogamy. 

 At the close of the year the probation 

 ends in a feast provided by the proba- 

 tioner, who thereupon enters the bride's 

 jacal as a perpetual guest of unlimited 

 personal privileges (subject to tribal 

 custom', while the bride passes from a 

 half-wanton heyda}^ into the duller rou- 

 tine of matronly existence. 



The Whaling: Steamer Eric leaves Syd- 

 ney, Nova Scotia, the latter part of July, 

 to carry supplies and, letters to Peary. 

 Mr. H. L/. Bridgman, Secretary of the 

 Peary Arctic Club, will probably accom- 

 pany the relief party. 



The Baldwin -Ztegfler North Polar Ex- 

 pedition is on the way to the Arctic re- 

 gions. Mr. Baldwin, before leaving, 

 declined to outline his plans beyond 

 stating that Franz Josef Land would be 

 the base of the Arctic campaign. 



