Their mercurial temperament is Nature's provision for carrying them through the long dark night, for if they were morose like the North American Indians, the whole tribe would long ago have lain down and died of discouragement, so rigorous is their lot.
In managing the Eskimos it is necessary to make a psychological study of them, and to consider their peculiar temperament.

They are keenly appreciative of kindness, but, like children, they will impose upon a weak or vacillating person.

A blending of gentleness and firmness is the only effective method.

The fundamental point in all my dealings with them has been always to mean just what I say and to have things done exactly as ordered.

For instance, if I tell an Eskimo that if he does a certain thing properly he will get a certain reward, he always gets the reward if he obeys.