Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-07-07
ROMANCE IN ARCTIC WOOING.
Sometimes Suitor Seizes Lady by
Hair and Drags Her Home.
rom the Pittsburg Gazet

from The Pitsburg Gazette.
Arctic women marry young and occa-
sionally several times before they are
suited or suit their permanent husbands
Arctic courtshps are brief. and there is
seldom love making beforehand.
Usually a bachelor in search Of a wife
and Eskimos marry when yet mere boys
goes to the house Of the fair one, seizes
her by the hair, or anywhere else that Of
fers firm hold, and drags her to his
home, she meantime shrieking and strug-
Cling as if she were being murdered,
while her family gaze indifferently or
smilingly on at her courtship. The more
high bred the girl the greater her strug-
giles and outcries and the longer she keeps
these up. 1t being considered the correct
thing for her to carry on for two or
three days, even to the extent of running
home after her place upon the Eskimo
bench-portioned among from three to ten
families-has been assigned her.
In addition to this place and it's warm
skins. her bridegroom often presents her
with a new lamp. lamp table and water
pail Although the young husband may
be aware that his wife entertains an af-
lection for him. If she carries her observ-
ance of her wedding customs too far ne
sometimes cuts the soles OF her feet
slightly so that she cannot run away. By
the time her feet are well she is a con-
tented housewife. Occasionally a girl
really objects to her capturer, when. if he
will not release her-and q peace loving
Eskimo rarely wants an unwilling wife
the girl learns to endure patiently her
fate.
Another way of wooing is to visit the
young peoples house of village and
there select wife. Each village has such
a house for unmarried persons. The youth
selects a wife, and IL they like each other
and their respective parents have no OBJ
jections, a brief trial marriage is followed
by the ceremony OF taking home the bride
in less violent fashion than by the hair of
her head.
Eskimo couples are generally kind and
affectionate toward each other, and the
wife Is usually we'll treated according to
her code. This admits only of entire ODE
dierce upon the part of the wife. although
henpecked husbands are not unknown.
She must submit to being exchanged when
her husband and some friend arrange the
matter without consulting her. and for as
long or short a time as her lord pleaSes.
These exchanges are OGen arranged for
her interest, however, as when she can
not accompany her husband on a hunting
expedition and he takes friends wife in
stead, leaving the friend in charge Of his
own; or when a h0mesick girl wants to
visit her people, when. If her husband
cannot take her. some other man under
takes the journey and leaves his wife as
hostage. Refractory wives are exchanged
also by way of punishment.
AS Eskimo always travels with his wife
or borrowed one: therefore, the wifeless
plight of our explorers awakens astonish-
ment and compassion. Willing ladies are
offered them. one being recommended TO
Count Won Moltke as having the longest
hair in the settlement and a perfectly new
foxskin DRESS" both highly priced posses
sions in arctic land.