The Washington herald., 1907-10-10
THEY SWAP WIVES
Trial Marriage a Success in
Alaska, Says Explorer.
ESKIMOS SETTLE PROBLEM
T+t- 'ogist just Back from Far
Asserts that SavnEes Far
from Christianity and Civil
Live Ideal Existence, the
zen Wen Taken Care OF.

carriage among the Eskimos Of
...os.o ond in the region of the Aacken-
zie River is a complete success, and the
life and morals of these people excel
those Of any civilized country. in the Opin-
ion of V. Stefansson. ethnologist of the
Lethngwell-MiggelseH polar expedition,
who has just returned from the far North.
Mr.. Stefansson went through some eX-
citing experiences. and the results of his
chronological studies Of the Eskim0s will
probably delight the heart of Mrs Par
sons, the wife Of Representative Parsons,
who wrote The Family which book
caused much discussion at the time Of
its publication.
This entire problem, he says. is worked
out 20 perfection, divorce and family jars
among this race being practically un-
known
In every instance, declares Mr.. Stefans-
son, he found that those farthest away
from religion and civilization as eXem-
puhed by the white man, had much
higher moral and physical standard than
those who have been Chrisuanized and
civilized.
This conviction. he says. is borne out
by the almost unanimous testimony Of
the traders and the Canadian mounted
police. who penetrate this country. Their
eXemplihCauon Of the family, he asserts,
is superb, and cannot be equaled any
where.
They Marry Young.
when boy reaches the age of fifteen
OF sixteen years he mgrries q girl Of
about the same age, or "a year younger, "
says Mr.. Stefauss0n. There is no cere-
mony IN this union, and it is seldom a
permanent one. Cases are rare where
couples first united have remained to-
gether II is sometimes the second, and
generally the third union, which proves
lasting
This last marriage usually takes place
when the couple reaches young manhood
and womaahood. and its ties are rarely.
if ever, broken. II n couple, upon first
mating. for any reason proves uncon-
genial, the one wishing to do SO, simply
maTTies some one else.
There are no hard feelings. and there
is no complaint, as it is considered that
neither party has cause for complaint
"A peculiar feature of these matches is
the fact that young couples are as "a rule
not very afectionate. which is ii peculiar
contrast, as when permanently settled,
and reaching the age of from twenty-five
TO thirty-fve, they become anecuoDate
and loving in the extreme. and never un-
necessarily leave one another's side
Children Are Few.
Naturally. you ask what becomes Of
the children sprinE.ng from the trial mar
riages, but this is also easily disposed of,
and in a most satisfactory way.
Children are few in this region from
various physiological reasons. In some
instances they remain with the mother.
in others with the father. but majority
are adopted by other and settled couples
Their care is no burden or expense, as
these people are communists In every
sense of the word, and even should a
mother who Was crippled or aiing keep
her children, they would never want as
food and clothing and every need of life
is held in common by the community
This IS another aspect In which the
Chrisu8nized EskimOs compare uufa-
v0Tablv with the so-caIlcd savage broth
ers. for where civilization has tainted
them they are selfish and unwilling to
share.
"On the other hand. if a family living
in the remote regions has food enough
to keep them only one day. and starva-
ton is staring them i'm the face, they
would no more think of refusing TO share
their food with any one who came along
than W1shingtoniau would have OF re-
fuslng a stranger a drink of water at the
public pump. This cOmmunistic idea is
absent only where traders and mission
aries. iuu0ceutly enough, have taught
them white mems methods and manners"
lIr. StefdnssUn arrived in the city yes
JeTday morning. and has been the guest
Of the Sigma Nh Phi Fraternity of the
National Law School
He left last night for New York, on his
way 70 join his family in Boston Nj.
Stefansson was formerly ethnologist Of
the Peabody Institute of Harvard Uni
versity and Boston newspaper man.