Note 7 — Chapter II · GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION OF SLAVERY.

Rink’s account applies especially to Western Greenland at the time of the first European settlement, but may be taken as a general description of the Eskimos7. According to him the family in the restricted sense comprehended foster-children, widows, helpless persons adopted as relatives and more or less treated as servants. They were regarded as subordinate members of the family but never subjected to any corporal punishment8. He then describes their social organization, but makes no mention of slavery9. The question remains whether these helpless persons are to be called slaves. This does not very clearly appear; but, happily, we have more detailed accounts of the several Eskimo tribes.