136 (i- Holm. 



of large quantities of various foods, if they had any themselves, so 

 that we returned home from them with a full load. Nay, they 

 even carried their generosit}' to such a pitch that they made us 

 presents of whole seals. Sometimes, however, it happened that 

 they wished for some definite thing in return from us. 



Amongst those who behaved with the greatest disinterestedness to 

 us, I ought to mention our friend Ilinguaki (fig. 1), a capital fellow, who 

 was the headman in the umiak which went with us up to Angmag- 

 salik. He had just been on a trade journey south. In his behaviour 

 to us he was unvariably most amiable and modest. Both he and his 

 family always made us presents of large portions of the seals which 

 they had caught, so that as long as we travelled with him we al- 

 ways had great abundance of flesh and blubber. But he never 

 asked us for anything whatever in return. If we gave him a pre- 

 sent, he came back at once with a present in return, thereby often 

 depriving himself of valuable objects. The East Greenlanders can- 

 not conceive of accepting anything without giving something in re- 

 turn. The flesh and blubber, however, was not considered of any 

 account, as long as they had enough of it themselves. 



IlingiiakVs whole family were excellent and most amiable people: 

 we have never had the least occasion to complain of them. They 

 were always very eager to help us in every way. When we had 

 pitched our tent in the evening, they often came to see us and would 

 sit quietly for hours, and amuse themselves by looking at the 

 veriest trifles. If we had anything to do, they were most anxious 

 not to be in our way and crept out of the tent again at once. 

 None of them ever wore a sour look to us, but they have always 

 been only too glad to be allowed to sit a little with us and 

 get a pinch of snuff. We could not have found more capital tra- 

 velling companions than this family. When we were about to take 

 leave of them next year, Ilinguaki had settled to give me a fine 

 dog ; but when he heard that I had no room in the boat to take 

 a dog, he racked his brains to find other things to give me which 

 I should value, and he brought me a pair of bear-skin breeches, a 

 fox-skin cap, and a nicely carved eye-shade and other things Avliich 

 he doubtless set great store by himself^). 



When we helped sick people, not only was the sick person 

 himself extremely grateful, but all the inmates of the house over- 

 flowed with thanks and presents. However it is possible that this 

 was not so much a matter of gratitude as an outcome of the idea with 



'J Cook gives instances of similar disinterestedness amongst the Nooti<a Indians. 

 (Cook: Voyage to the I^acific Ocean 1770-80. Vol. II, p. 2<S().) 



