244 
LAST VOYAGE OF CAPT. ROSS. 
to adopt towards those harmless creatures; for personally they 
had not offered any offence to him or any of his crew. It would 
indeed be idle to expect any very high, or refined notions of 
morality among a half civilized horde, but taking into consider¬ 
ation the whole of their conduct, with the strong and almost 
irresistible temptations to which they were constantly exposed, 
they appeared to be regulated by feelings, that with very few 
exceptions, did them great credit. The affection between parents 
and children, and between man and wife or wives, for they take 
more than one if they can maintain them, was strongly marked, 
and yet infidelity on either side appeared to be no crime; the 
ladies were by no means shy of their favors, but the previous 
ceremony was gone through, of asking the consent of the hus¬ 
band, which in no case was refused, with this provision however, 
that the present which was made on the occasion was to become 
his undisputed property. The only unfeeling part of their con¬ 
duct, (but which is common to the Indians as well as the Esqui¬ 
maux,) is that of forsaking the aged and helpless, and leaving 
them to their fate, and the same is the case with regard to widows, 
who are not fortunate enough to obtain a second husband. On 
the other hand it must be observed, that the women have much 
more influence and are more respected than generally happens in 
half civilized societies, nor are they subjected to that degree of 
labour and drudgery, which usually prevails in them; their duties 
being generally confined to domestic concerns, preparing skins, 
making and repairing clothes, cooking and taking care of their 
children, whom they suckle to the age of three and sometimes 
four years. The Esquimaux women are by no means prolific, a 
family of four children being considered a large one ; nor does it 
appear to be a prevailing opinion amongst these people, that the 
man is happy who has his quiver full of them, for as they may 
be considered to be a wandering race, the transportation of a 
large family becomes a matter of serious consideration. It is the 
scarcity of food which most generally impels the Esquimaux to 
change their dwelling, for having little foresight or providence 
for the future, they seldom lay up such a supply as to secure 
them from occasional scarcity. 
An Esouimaux is by nature a glutton; he will devour four or 
