[598]. Compare, among other instances, Capt. Holm’s observations in East Greenland: “Som Overhoved i Huset [which is the village] fungerer den ældeste Mand, naar han er en god Fanger, etc.” (Geogr. Tids., vol. 8, p. 90.)
[599]. Rink, Tales and Traditions, p. 28. Compare also Crantz, vol. 1, p. 181.
[600]. Bessels, Naturalist, vol. 23, pt. p. 873.
[601]. Compare Rink, Tales, etc., p. 29: “But if an animal of the largest size, more especially a whale, was captured, it was considered common property, and as indiscriminately belonging to every one who might come and assist in flensing it, whatever place he belonged to and whether he had any share in capturing the animal or not.” (Greenland). Gilder (Schwatka’s Search, p. 190) says that on the northwest shore of Hudson Bay all who arrive while a walrus is being cut up are entitled to a share of it, though the man who struck it has the first choice of pieces. At East Cape, Siberia, the Krause Brothers learned: “Wird nämlich ein Walfisch gefangen, so hat jeder Ortsbewohner das Recht, so viel Fleisch zu nehmen, als er abzuschneiden vermag.” (Geographische Blätter, vol. 5, pt. 2, p. 120).
[602]. Tales, etc., p. 29.
[603]. Op. cit., p. 272.
[604]. Tales, etc., p. 25.
[605]. Op. cit.
[606]. Compare what the Krause Brothers say of the “chiefs” on the Siberian coast (Geographische Blätter, vol. 5, pt. 1, p. 29): “Die Autorität, welche die obenerwähnten Männer augenscheinlich ausüben, ist wohl auf Rechnung ihres grösseren Besitzes zu setzen. Der “Chief” is jedes Mal der reichste Mann, ein ‘big man.’”
[607]. See, also, Dr. Simpson, op. cit., p. 273.