In fact, they can make several such decisions without losing caste.

On the last expedition, as on those of former years, I found that a number of matrimonial changes had taken place among my Northern friends since I was last among them.
[Illustration: ESKIMO CHILDREN] It would be worse than useless to attempt to engraft our marriage customs upon these naive children of Nature.

Should an arctic explorer consider it his duty to tell a young Eskimo that it was not right for him to exchange wives with his friend, it would be well for the explorer to have his supporting argument well prepared beforehand, for the censured one would probably open wide his eyes and inquire, "Why not ?" These people of the ice-land, like all intelligent savages, are remarkably curious.

If confronted, say, with a package containing various supplies unknown to them, they will not rest until they have examined every article of the lot, touched it, turned it over, and even tasted it, chattering all the while like a flock of blackbirds.

They exhibit, too, in marked degree, all the Oriental capacity for imitation.
Out of walrus ivory, in some respects their substitute for steel,--and a surprisingly good substitute it is,--they will construct amazingly good models or copies of various objects, while it does not take them long to master the use of such tools of civilization as may be put into their hands.