ABORIGINAL INHABITANTS.	399
" They are bad housekeepers, lavish when food is plenty, and in consequence starving in spring. Some have commenced gardens, but this also they follow negligently. February, in their language, is the `hunger month.' Their improvidence is partly owing to their chief dependence being the sea, which always offers them something, or the tundras, which furnish them with roots. If both fail them, there remain only patience and resignation.
" Yet there are some exceptions, and particularly one: settlement in Aliaska, called Paulosk. They use their provisions with a praiseworthy economy, and hence seldom suffer from want. They were the first to learn from the Kadiak missionaries the cultivation of the potato, which they have carried on so well since the commencement of this century that they plant annually, and have always saved the seed. They have more leisure to themselves than most Aleuts, as there are no Russians in the settlement.
" They are universally reproached with laziness. It has been even said that an Aleut will lie and suffer from thirst for hours, unless some one sends him after water. I do not doubt the truth of it in some cases.
"It must be remembered that their indolence depends on circumstances, and that they are as active and busy when the hunting season comes, or they are at work carving, as they are indolent at other times. Their indolence while working for the Company is as great as their activity when working for themselves ; so that under different circumstances they appear like different individuals. Those who have lived among the Russians are great drunkards, and they are all passionately addicted to the use of tobacco.
" They incline to sensuality. Before the teachings of the Christian religion had enlightened them, this inclination had full sway. The nearest consanguinity only, put limits to their passions. Although polygamy was general, nevertheless, there were frequent secret orgies, in which all joined. The strange guest shared all marital rights with his host. The bad example and worse teachings of the early Russian settlers increased their tendency to licentiousness. The introduction of Christianity abolished many of these customs (some of which had a religious significance) with polygamy ; but still secret orgies were held, and the births were very much fewer than they should have been up to
1825-1827. Child-murder is very rare, the belief still being that it brings misfortune on the whole village, and that the murdered babe is heard crying every night.
" However, I am able to declare that the tendency to dissipation de-creases day by day, the number of births has almost doubled, notwith-