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Xon^on : 

MORAVIAN   CHURCH    AND    MISSION   AGENCY, 

32,  Fetter  Lane,  E.C. 


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PRICE  THRELPENCE. 


•    ** 


WITH 


The    Harmony 


TO 


Labrador. 


NOTES     OF    A    VISIT 


BY  THB< 


REV.    B:    LA  TROBE 


TO   THE 


MOEAVIAN    MISSION    STATIONS 


ON   TUB 


NOKTH-EAST  COAST  OF  LABKADOB. 


London : 
MORAVIAN    CHURCH    AND    MISSION    AGENCY, 

33,    FETTER    LANE,    E.C, 


LONDON  : 

O.  NORMAN  AND  SON,  PRINTERS,  HART  KTREEl, 

COVENT  G\RDEN,  W,C, 


CONTENTS. 


Introductory  Remarks 

Arrival  at  Hopedale,  the  Southern  Station 
The  iiqth  Voyage  of  the  Society's  Vessel 

Hopedale 

A  Stroll  "  to  the  Heathen  "... 
Joys  and  Sorrows — A  Marriage  and  a  Funeral 

Three  Native  Helpers 

A  Communion  and  Festival  Sunday  at  Hopedale 
A  Pleasant  Sail  from  Hopedale  to  Zoar     . 

ZOAR 

A  Climb  to  the  top  of  the  Ship  Hill  at  Zoar 
From  Zoar  to  Nain  between  Islands    . 
The  First  Evening  at  Nain     .... 
Interchange  of  Visits  with  the  Eskimoes  . 
Two  Eskimo  Groups  taken  at  Nain 

"  God's  Acre  " 

A  Busy  Week  at  Nain 

From  Nain  to  Okak 

The  most  primitive  Station  in  Labrador     . 
Walks  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Okak. 

From  Okak  to  Ramah 

"  Ramarsuk  "  (neat  little  Ramah) 

An  Eskimo  Village 

On  the  Beach  at  Ramah         .... 

A  Faithful  Native  Helper     .... 

Leaving  Ramah  .        .  .... 

Sunset,  Moonrise  and  Aurora  Borealis 

Arriv<>.l  at  Hebron 

The  Visiting  Missionaries'  Levee 

A  Sledge  Drive 

My  last  Sunday  in  Labrador  .... 

Music  on  the  Water 

Homeward  Bound       


PaOE 

I 
2 
3 
5 
5 
7 
9 
II 

13 
M 
15 
i6 

I? 

i8 

21 
23 
25 
27 

30 

33 
34 
35 
38 

41 
42 

43 
44 
45 
46 

47 
51 
53 
53 


-^"Oeot^ 


ILLUSTRATIONS. 


"The  Harmony  " 
Hopedale    .... 
Titus,      Native      Helper 

Hopedale 
Eskimo  Houses  . 
A  Group  of  Widows  at  Nain 


AT 


FACE 

I 

The  Choir  at  Nain  . 

PAGE 

.      22 

4 

Ice  Aground 

•      29 

Ramah         .... 

•      36 

10 

Tents  at  Ramah 

•    37 

19 

An  Eskimo  in  his  Kayak. 

•    42 

21 

'Travelling  in  Labrador  . 

•    49 

LABRADOR 

Is  an  extensive  triangular  peninsula  on  the  north-east  coast  of  British 
North  America,  Lat.  50°  to  G20  N,,  Lon.  560  to  780  W.  ;  bounded  N.  by 
Hudson's  Straits,  E.  by  the  Atlantic,  S.E.  by  the  Strait  of  Belle  Isle, 
separating  it  from  Newfoundland,  S.  by  the  Gulf  and  River  St.  Lawrence  and 
Canada,  and  W.  by  James'  Bay  and  Hudson's  Bay.  Its  area  is  estimated  at 
420,000  sq.  miles.  The  vast  interior,  inhabited  by  a  few  wandering  Nascopie 
Indians,  is  little  known  ;  the  coast,  mainly  but  sparsely  peopled  by  Eskimoes, 
is  rugged,  bleak  and  desolate.  Seals  abound,  and  the  sea  is  well  stocked  with 
cod  and  other  fish.  The  wild  animals  i.iclude  deer  (caribou),  bears,  wolves, 
foxes,  martens,  and  otters.  The  Eskimo  dogs  are  trained  to  draw  sledges,  to 
which  they  are  attached  in  teams  of  from  eight  to  fourteen. 

The  temperature  in  winter  ranges  lower  than  that  of  Greenland,  the 
thermometer  often  showing  a  minimum  of  700  below  freezing-point  of  F.'  Iiren- 
heit.  The  climate  is  too  severe  to  ripen  any  cereals,  an  1  the  flora  is  very 
limited. 

The  Moravian  Mission  to  the  Eskimoes  on  the  north-east  coast  of 
Labrador  was  established  in  1771  by  a  colony  of  brethren  and  sisters  from 
England  and  Germany,  who  on  July  ist  reached  Unity's  Harbour,  and  at  once 
began  the  erection  of  a  station,  calling  it  Nain.  An  earlier  attempt  in  1752 
under  the  direction  of  John  Christian  Erhardt  had  failed,  the  leader  of  the 
little  band  of  missionaries  r-'.nd  the  captain  of  the  ship,  together  with  several 
men  of  the  crew,  having  been  killed  by  the  natives.  Five  more  stations  were 
subsequently  added — viz.,  Zoar  and  Hopedale  to  the  south,  and  Okak, 
Hebron,  and  Ramah  to  the  north  of  Nain.  The  distance  from  Ramah  to 
Hopedale  is  about  three  hundred  miles. 

Since  the  year  1770,  when  the  "Jersey  Packet"  was  sent  out  on  an 
exploratory  trip,  the  Society  for  the  Furtherance  of  the  Gospel  has  main- 
tained regular  communication  with  Labrador  by  despatching  each  year  a 
s'  'p,  specially  devoted  to  this  missionary  object.  Eleven  different  ships 
have  been  employed  in  this  service,  ranging  from  a  little  sloop  of  seventy 
tons  to  a  barque  of  two  hundred  and  forty  tons.  Of  these  only  four  were 
specially  constructed  for  Arctic  service,  including  the  vessel  now  in  use, 
which  was  built  in  the  year  1861.  She  is  the  fourth  of  the  Society's  Labrador 
ships  bearing  the  well-known  name  "  The  Harmony." 


"  THE    IIAKMOXY.' 


WITH  THE  HARMONY  TO  LABRADOR. 

Notes  of  a  Visit  by  Tin-:  Ri:v.  13.  La  Trobe. 


HAT  can  a  summer  visitor  tell  of  Labrador,  that  gi'eat 
drear  land  whose  main  feature  is  winter,  the  long  scvcro 
winter  which  begins  in  October  and  lasts  until  Juno  ?  I  have  been 
sailing  over  summer  seas,  where  in  Avintcr  no  water  is  visible,  but 
a  wide  Avaste  of  ice  stretching  thirty,  forty,  fifty  or  more  miles  from 
the  snowy  shores.  In  the  same  good  ship  "  Harmony,"  I  have  been 
gliding  between  the  innumerable  islands  of  the  Labrador  archipelago 
and  up  the  fine  fjords  stretching  far  inland  among  the  mountains, 
but  in  winter  those  bays  and  straits  and  winding  passages  are  all 
white  frozen  plains,  the  highways  for  the  dog-sledge  post  from 
station  to  station.  I  have  visited  each  of  our  six  mission-stations, 
dotted  at  intervals  of  from  forty  to  ninety  miles  along  some  250 
miles  of  the  grand,  rocky  coast,  but  I  have  seen  them  in  their 
brightest  and  sunniest  aspect,  and  can  only  imagine  how  they  look 
when  stern  winter  has  come  to  stay  for  months,  and  the  thermometer 
frequently  descends  to  forty,  fifty,  sixty,  sometimes  oven  seventy 
degrees  below  freezing  point,  Fahrenheit.  I  have  spent  happy, 
busy  days  in  those  Christian  villages,  nestling  close  by  the  shore 
under  the  shelter  of  one  or  another  hill  that  cuts  off  the  icy  northern 
blasts  of  winter.     But  I  can  fancy  that  their  ordinary  aspect  is  very 


2  ARRIVAL   AT   IIOPKDALE. 

different  to  the  bustle  and  interest  of  the  "  shiptime."  I  havo 
enjoyed  the  kindly  lio8j)itiility  of  successive  mission-houses,  one  as 
neat  and  clean  as  the  oilier.  IJut  I  have  seen  none  of  them  luilf 
buried,  as  they  often  are,  in  snowdrifts  of  fifteen  or  twenty  feet 
deep.  The  summer  sun  scnf  down  jjowerful  mys  into  the  Avindows 
of  the  pleasant  pue8t-clif„,nl)er  usually  facinj^  southward,  but  in 
mid-winter  the  Okak  mission-house  lies  in  the  shadow  of  a  great 
hill  for  "weeks,  and  at  other  stations  the  sun  describes  a  low  curve 
over  the  opposite  mountains,  and  does  little  more  than  shed  a  feeble 
ray  of  cheer  upon  tlio  mid-ilay  meal. 

One  unpleasant  experience  of  the  warmer  season  I  have  shared 
with  our  missionaries,  which  they  .ire  spared  in  winter.  That  is 
the  inconvenience  of  the  swarms  of  mosquitoes  and  sand  flies,  wliich 
make  them  almost  glad  when  the  brief  summer  yields  to  a  cooler 
autumn. 

On  the  other  hand  many  phases  of  Labrador  life  do  not  change 
with  the  season  of  the  year,  least  of  all  the  spiritual  verities  wliich 
there,  as  elsewhere,  concei-n  the  welfare  of  the  bodies  and  the  souls 
of  men,  and  the  eternal  principles  which  should  rule  the  life  that 
now  is,  as  well  as  that  which  is  to  come.  The  Christian  life  of  the 
dwellers  in  those  mission-houses,  and,  thank  God,  of  the  goodly 
congregations  gathered  around  them,  has  its  source  in  a  perennial 
fountain,  flowing  summer  and  winter  from  the  upper  sanctuary. 
This  is  the  matter  of  main  interest  to  my  readers,  therefore  I  will 
ti'anscribe,  or  rather  adapt,  some  diary  pages,  hoping  they  may 
convey  correct  impressions  of  the  daily  surroundings  and  local 
conditions  under  wliich  our  dear,  self-denying  missionaries  are 
constantly  toiling  to  win  souls,  and  build  up  truly  Christian  con- 
gregations. 

» 

ARRIVAL  AT  HOPEDALE,  THE  SOUTHERN  STATICM. 

HoPEDALE,  Zoar,  Nain,  Okak,  Hebron,  Ramah ;  these  are  our 
Labrador  mission-stations  in  order  from  south  to  north,  and  as  we 
visited  them  in  the  "  Harmony,"  with  one  exception.  Froo  Okak 
we  went  straight  to  Ramah,  and  returned  southward  to  Hebron, 
whence  we  sailed  for  Europe.  Each  station  consists  of  the  mission 
premises  anu  a  group  of  Eskimo  dwellings,  situated  on  the  shore  of 
a  bay,  affording  safe  and  convenient  anchoi'age  for  the  ship  which 
brings  supplies.  From  Hopedalc  to  Ramah  is  about  250  miles, 
*'  as  the  crow  flies,"  but  the  ship  traverses  a  hundi^ed  miles  more  in 
its  passages  from  place  to  place.  The  distances  between  the  stations 
are  about  as  follow's  : — 

Hopedale  to  Zoar  90  miles        Okak  to   Hebron  70  miles. 
Zoar  to  Nain  40     „  Hebron  to  Ramah  60       „ 

Nain  to  Okak         80     „ 

The  accompanying  log  of  our  voyage  gives  a  resume  of  its  history. 
I  will  take  up  my  more  detailed  sketches  on  the  day  when  we 
arrived  at  Hopedale,  the  southern  station. 


THE  119th  voyage  op  the  society's  vessel 


8 


THE 


August  ih-(l,  1888.^  It  is  six 
weeks   all    but  n,  day  since  wo 
left  Loiulou.     Wo     night   liavo 
reaclictl    Hopedalo    three    days 
ago,  for  wo  were  within  eighty 
miles.     ]3nt  a  dense  fog  made  it 
impossible  to  ventui'c  among  tho 
islands,  where    drift   ice    might 
bo    added    to    the    dangers    of 
rocki^'.     So  wo  have  been  driving 
to  and  fro  for  the  last  three  days 
and    nights    over    a   high    sea, 
studded    with   icebergs    hidden 
from  us  by  a  thick  white  mist, 
which  made  everything  wet  and 
cold.     It    has    been    tho    least 
pleasant  and  most  anxious  j)art 
of    our  voyago   hitherto.     This 
morning  the  fog  cleared  away, 
and  Ave  could  see  how  good  the 
Lord   had    been   to  us,  for  the 
icebergs  were  still  surrounding 
us,  but  had  never  been  permitted 
to  come  nigh  our  vessel.     (Not 
till  later  did  wo  know  how  well 
He  had  not  only  protected  but 
piloted  us.     Drift  ice  beset  the 
whole   coast,  but  during    those 
three  days  it  cleared  away  south- 
ward. Nor  could  we  have  reached 
Hopedale  by  the  usual  southerly 
I'outo,  past  the  Gull  Island,  even 
on  August  3rd.     The  course  by 
which   we    were    taken,    nolens 
volcns,  was  the  only  one  open). 
As  morning  wore  on  our  swift  progress  brought  us  to  tho  outer 
islands,   bare   bleak  rocks,   at   whose  base  the  sea  was  bi'eaking 
terrifically.    The  first  Avas  Ukalck  (the  hare),  about  equal  distance 
from  Nain,  Zoar,  and  Hopedale.    We  turned  southward,  our  good 
ship  speeding  along  before  a  favoui'able  breeze  and  rolling  heavily. 
Many  icebergs  of  all  shapes  and  sizes  were  visible  ai'ound  our  now 
widened  horizon.     Tremendous  waves  wei-e  beating  against  their 
gleaming  white  sides,  and  sending  the  spray  high  towards  their 
towering  pinnacles,  in  one  case  clean  over  a  huge  berg  perhaps  150 
feet  high. 

Presently  the  Eskimoes  at  their  northern  fishing-places  caught 
sight  of  us.  Yonder  are  two  boats  sailing  from  that  barren  island, 
and  wo  can  now  see  three  or  four  Eskimoes  in  each.  As  we  over- 
take them  they  fire  their  guns  and  shout.  See,  on  that  island  to 
the  right  is  a  regular  little  encampment,  two  or  three  tents,  ar.d 
men,  women,  and  children  rum.  nig  about  excitedly,  waving  their 


THE  119th   VOYAGE    OF 
SOCIETY'S  VESSEL 

(28th  of  present  bavquo  "  Harmony.") 

Juno  20.  Wed. — Farciccll    Service    in 
London  Docks. 
„    23.  Sat.— Left  LoN-noN. 
July    3.  Tucs.— Avr.    nt    STnoMXESs 
(Orkney  Isles). 
„      0.  Fri.— Lett  Stuomxfss. 

{I'Uidon  to  Labrador,  41  days.) 

Aug.    3.  Fri.— Arr.  at  HorKD.VLE. 
,,     13.  Mon.— Left  „ 

„     14.  Tues.— Arr.  at  Zo.ui. 
„     19.  Sun.— Left 
,,     19.  Sun. — Arr.  at  N.ux. 
„    27.  Mon.— Left       „ 
„    29.  Wed.— Arr.  at  Okak. 

Sept.  5.  Wed.— Left 
,,      9.  Sun. — Arr.  at  Eajiah. 
„     14.  Fri.— Left  „ 

,,     17.  Mon. — Arr.  at  Hedron. 
,,    25.  Tues. — Left  ,, 

{Stay  in  Labrador,  53  days.) 

Oct.  26.  Fri.  —  Ee-entcred      London 
Docks. 

{Homeward  Voyage,  31  days.) 

The  whole  voyage  occupied  125  days, 
or  close  upon  18  weeks. 


4 


THE    IIOtII   voyage    OF   THE   SOCIETY'S   VESSEL. 


arras  and  hallooing-.  Soon  tliey  launch  their  boats  and  row  after 
ns.  The  Ship  Hill  has  been  visible  for  some  time.  Now  we  see 
the  i-ed  roof  of  the  mission-honse,  and  the  little  cu])ola  of  the  church. 
Thank  God  !  the  flag  is  flying  at  the  mast-head,  i.e.,  at  the  top  of 
the  station  flngstafl';  no  death  has  occurred  in  the  mission  circle. 
Yonder  Eskimoes  on  the  rocks,  congregated  about  thei  •  little  cannon, 
fire  their  salutes  and  shout  their  welcome.  Now  we  are  sailing 
into  the  harbour.  With  mingled  feelings  I  scaii  the  mission-house. 
Yes,  there  are  some  of  the  missionaries  at  the  door.  They  run 
down  to  tlie  pier,  launch  their  boat  and  are  coming  off  to  us,  rowed 
by  two  men  and  two  women.  I  recognize  old  Boaz  from  his 
photograj)h  ;  and  that  is  Verona,  good  faithful  soul.    Bat  there  are 


IIOPEDALE.    (See  next  page.) 


only  Mrs.  Dam,  and  the  Brethren  Kaestner,  Asboe,  and  Hansen. 
Where  are  the  rest  ?  Mr.  Bourquin  has  not  arrived  from  Nain ;  no 
news  from  the  North ;  Mr.  Dam  is  ailing,  and  must  return  to 
Europe  with  us.  Mrs.  Asboe  and  Mrs.  Kaestner  await  us,  so  we  are 
soon  oS  in  the  boat  to  get  another  warm  welcome  at  the  door  of  the 
mission-house,  about  half-past  Ave. 

I  am  conducted  to  the  guesfc-chamber,  and  ere  long  we  meet  at 
the  tea  table,  around  which  the  whole  mission  family  is  assembled 
vpith  their  visitors.  First  our  gratitude  is  expressed  for  the  many 
mercies  to  each  and  all,  included  in  the  safe  arrival  of  the 
"  Harmony,"  and  then  ensues  a  lively  interchange  of  news  and 
mutual  interests. 


HOPEDALE. 

I  >,ILL  content  myself  with,  a  few  explanations  of  the  accom- 
panying view  of  the  station  from  the  bay.  In  winter  the 
aspect  of  the  Avliole  landscape  would  be  very  riuch  whiter,  and 
the  foregroiTnd  not  water,  but  ice.  The  bare,  rocky  ship  hill 
which  forms  the  background  still  liad  considerable  patclies  of 
snow  when  we  arrived  early  in  August,  but  it  melted  from 
day  to  day  during  our  stay,  for  the  summer  sun  assei'ts  its 
power  during  its  brief  sway.  The  mission-L  use  in  the  centre  of 
the  picture  is  connected  with  tlie  church  by  a  covered  passage,  and 
the  building  with  the  three  gable-ends,  on  the  other  side  of  it,  is  the 
store.  The  gardens,  really  wonderful  in  results  when  the  climate 
is  considered,  are  situated  at  some  distance  to  the  rear  of  the 
mission  premises.  The  Eskimo  village  lies  mostly  to  the  right, 
where  only  one  or  two  log  huts  are  visible  in  the  picture.  Some  of 
the  native  houses  are  behind  the  mission  premises,  including  that 
of  Jonas  and  his  capable  wife  Lydia,  perhaps  the  neatest  and  best 
furnished  home  of  an  Eskimo  to  bo  found  in  Labrador.  The  three 
windows  to  the  right  of  the  front  door  of  the  mission-house  belong 
to  the  rooms  occupied  by  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Asboe.  If  tliere  be  as  much 
snow  this  winter  as  last,  they  may  be  in  the  dark,  part  of  the  time. 
The  three  centre  windows  of  the  upper  story  show  Mv.  Hansen's 
rooms,  and  on  each  side  of  these  are  the  dwolliugs  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Kaestner  and  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lundberg. 


A    STROLL    "TO    THE    HEATHEN." 

The  only  "road"  in  all  Labrador  is  the  broad  path  at  Hebron 
traversed  by  the  only  wheeled  vehicle  in  the  country,  a  queer 
little  wagon  drawn  by  dogs,  and  used  to  fetch  water  for  the  house. 
But  great  service  to  succeeding  genei'ations  of  missionaries  has  been 
rendered  by  those  who  have  employed  some  of  their  leisure  in 
making  pleasant  paths  leading  to  points  of  view  or  places  of  interest. 
For  such  a  remote  settlement,  Hopedalo  is  rich  in  well-made  walks, 
though  they  are  by  no  means  so  extensive  as  the  winding  paths  in 
the  fir  woods  behind  Nain,  the  oldest  station.  And  as  I  can  bear 
".ntness,  the  present  generation  of  missionaries  have  at  each  staMon 
fairly  done  their  duty  in  adding  to  the  roads  along  which  their 
successors  in  the  sex'vico  shall  take  their  social  strolls  or  their 
lonely  prayerful  walks  in  comniunion  Avith  the  best  of  friends. 

What  an  illustration  of  the  spiritual  service  in  such  a  land  !  The 
pioneer  finds  all  in  the  roughest  phase  of  nature.  With  infinite 
trouble  and  jiains  he  pi'cpares  the  way  of  the  Lord,  making  the 
rough  places  jilain  ;  hero  he  takes  away  the  rocks  and  stones  which 
bar  the  way,  there  he  builds  up,  so  making  His  paths  straight. 


G  A   STROLL   "  TO   THE    HEATHEN." 

And  where  the  good  "work  has  been  begnn,  other  missionaries 
follow  on  the  same  lines  ;  and  so  by  grace  it  shall  go  forward,  until 
the  glory  of  the  Lord  shall  be  revealed  and  all  flesh  shall  see  it 
together. 

One  of  the  Hopedale  paths  leads  "  to  the  heathen,"  and  what 
more  interesting  spot  could  wc  visit  than  those  three  mounds, 
which  are  all  that  remain  of  the  former  winter  dwellings  of  the 
original  heathen  population.  One  by  one,  and  sometimes  several 
at  once,  when  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  was  powerfully  bringing  home 
to  their  hearts  the  Gospel  preached  by  the  early  missionaries,  the 
inmates  of  these  abodes  moved  from  their  pagan  surroundings  and 
began  to  make  themselves  Christian  homes  around  the  mission- 
houses. 

On  our  way  to  the  long  uninhabited  ruins  of  this  older  group  of 
abodes,  we  will  pass  through  the  Christian  village,  which  has  thus 
sprung  up  at  Hopedale  as  at  all  the  other  stations.  It  consists  of 
irregular  groups  of  little  log  houses,  planted  with  little  attempt  at 
symmetry.  Their  Eskimo  owners  have  no  idea  of  a  street.  Perhaps 
some  day  the  conoaption  may  occur  to  them  as  they  read  in  their 
Bibles  of  "  the  street  which  was  called  straight."  Nor  do  they 
need  any  words  in  their  language  for  "  rent,"  "  rates,"  or  "taxes." 
Here  in  the  south  and  at  the  station  most  influenced  by  civilization, 
the  majority  of  the  little  houses  are  built  of  logs  and  even  roofed 
with  wood.  Some  are  covered  with  turf.  The  dwellings  of  our 
people  in  the  north  are  much  more  primitive.  Each  house  has  its 
low  porch,  a  very  necessary  addition  in  this  land  of  "winter's  frost 
and  snowing." 

Between  the  houses  and  in  their  porches  lie  many  dogs.  One  of 
these  wolf-like  creatures  follows  us  over  the  rocks  to  the  burial- 
ground,  and  thcii  runs  off  to  fish  on  his  own  account.  The  dogs 
scour  the  shore  for  miles  in  search  of  food^  for,  with  the  exception 
of  those  belonging  to  our  stores,  they  mostly  have  to  forage  for 
themselves.  They  like  seal  and  reindeer  meat,  but  there  are  times 
when  they  can  get  neither  flesh  nor  fish.  Then  they  turn  vege- 
tarians, spriug  over  the  fences  of  the  mission  gardens  and  help 
themselves. 

We  enter  the  iiTCgular  encijsure,  where  lie  the  bodies  of  many, 
who  have  fallen  asleep  during  the  hundred  years  that  Hopedale  has 
stood.  Here  are  some  Eskimo  graves  with  little  headstones^ 
bearing  brief  inscriptions,  but  more  mounds  without  identification. 
In  one  corner  lies  a  group  of  graves  of  touching  interest — the 
missionaries  and  their  children — who  have  caken  sepulchre  possession 
hero. 

Thence  our  way  lies  along  the  shore.  What  is  that  noise  ?  It  is 
a  whale  blowing  in  the  smooth  water.  Look,  yonder  rises  the 
column  of  spray,  and  now  a  great  fin  appears  for  a  moment  over 
the  surface.  Wait  awhile,  and  the  monster  will  blow  agair.  Yes, 
there  he  is,  spouting  and  diving  j  on  the  whole,  wo  can  hear  more 
than  we  can  see  of  him. 

Over  i-ock  and  moss,  variegated  with  lovely  little  flowers,  we 


JOTS   AND    SORROWS.  7 

reach  the  path  which  skirts  the  okl  heathen  sites.  Little  more  than 
the  outline  of  the  former  turf  houses  is  visible.  The  turf  roof  has 
fallen  in,  or  heen  carried  away,  but  the  low  mounds  which  formed 
the  walls  rer^ain,  as  also  the  roofless  curving  porch,  which  in  each 
opened  out  to  the  sea.  More  than  one  hundred  persons  of  both 
sexes  and  aU  ages  ai'e  said  to  have  inhabited  these  three  houses,  and 
theii  heathen  life  here,  with  its  cruelties,  sorceries,  and  other 
unhallowed  phases,  can  better  be  imagined  than  described.  It  must 
have  been  a  great  advance  for  them  in  every  respect  when  they 
moved  to  the  mission-station,  established  nearly  half  a  mile  away, 
and  began  to  learn  the  faith  and  hope  which  have  given  it  its 
name.  In  those  days  there  must  have  been  a  good  many  such 
heathen  villages  along  this  coast  with  a  nomad  population  far  more 
numerous  than  now. 

Thence  we  easily  ascend  the  ship  hill,  over  rock  and  moss,  and 
occasional  patches  of  snow.  The  view  is  really  grand,  though 
bleak  and  bare.  Hundreds  of  rocky  islands  lie  between  us  and  the 
seaward  horizon,  while  to  north  and  south  one  can  scarcely 
distinguish  them  from  the  bold  headlands  which  stretch  out  into 
the  ocean.  Northward,  the  white  sails  of  from  thirty  to  forty 
fishing  schooners  are  gleaming  white  in  the  sun.  Hundreds  of 
these  craft  pass  up  the  coast  from  Newfoundland  every  summer, 
and  the  spiritual  intex'csts  of  their  crews  are  faithfully  sought  at 
Hopedale.  Sometimes  the  Sunday  afternoon  English  service  is 
attended  by  more  than  two  hundred  such  visitors.  As  we  descend 
the  hill  and  return  to  the  station  past  the  well-kept  gardens,  wo 
make  our  first  acquaintance  w'ith  mosquitoes,  but  they  do  not 
trouble  us  much  to-day. 


JOYS  AND  80RR0WS-A  MARRIAGE  AND  A  FUNERAL 

EAcn  mission-station  is  a  little  world  in  itself ;  it  has  its  own  joys 
and  soi'rows,  and  complete  cycle  of  events  in  the  human  lives  lived 
here  for  a  time  by  the  will  of  God,  who  has  His  purposes  of  love  in 
each  and  all.  I  have  touched  many  of  these  joys  and  sorrows 
during  my  brief  stay  here. 

In  the  godly  family  of  this  Hopedale  mission-house,  it  is  a  time 
when  the  clouds  return  after  the  rain.  Little  Hildegard  Kaestner 
has  been  lying  for  some  days  between  life  and  death,  but  at  last  we 
can  rejoice  with  her  parents  in  a  degree  of  hope.  The  child  has 
even  shoAvn  a  faint  interest  in  her  toys.  (I  am  grieved  to  hear  on 
my  return  that  the  little  one  passed  away  while  her  father  was  absent 
with  me  on  duty.)  Our  English  missionary  sif  '^er  has  also  been 
passing  through  woman's  time  of  trial  and  honoiir,  and  we  are  now 
able  to  rejoice  with  her  and  her  husband  in  the  gift  of  a  little  girl, 
their  firstborn.     God  bless  and  keep  mother  and  child  ! 

My  visits  with  Mr.  Dam,  the  pastor,  and  his  wife,  to  some  of  tho 
Eskimoes'  houses  have  been  singularly  sad.  Titus'  wife,  Katharina, 
formerly  a  good  and  able  woman,  has  fallen  into  a  pitiable  state  of 
insanity,  which  is  not  only  a  sore  sorrow  to  the  good  man,  but  also 


b  JOYS  AND   SORROWS. 

a  f^reat  hindrance  to  his  earning  a  livelihood.  Tlicn  wo  wero 
suddenly  sunimoned  to  the  next  house,  where  wc  found  Hormino 
dying.  In  the  morning  she  went  out  fishing  Avith  her  husband, 
Wilhadus.  Both  m  ere  taken  \'ery  ill  with  one  of  those  colds  which 
are  so  fatal  to  the  Eskimocs,  and  he  feared  he  should  not  be  able  to 
bring  hei'  home  alive.  She  was  nearly  gone,  and  he  very  ill,  when 
they  did  ai-rive.  We  found  her  on  the  floor,  surrounded  by 
sympathizing  and  helpf'il  neighbours.  But  there  was  little  to  be 
done  ;  life  was  fast  ebbing.  Mr.  Dam  knelt  and  prayed  beside  her, 
then  blessed  her,  and  she  feebly  responded  to  his  words.  The 
women  laid  her  down  comfortably,  and  as  tlicy  sang  hymns,  amid 
tears  and  sobs,  she  passed  away  to  be  with  tbe  Lord,  on  whom  she 
believed.  G?od  be  praised  that  there  is  such  hope  and  comfort  in 
this  event. 

Hermine  died  on  Thursday,  and  the  funeral  was  on  Saturday 
afternoon,  when  a  little  child  Avas  also  buried.  The  first  part  of  the 
service  was  in  the  church.  Then  the  congregation  reassembled 
just  outside,  the  men  by  themselves  and  the  Avomen  apart.  The 
larnfer  coffin  Avas  borne  on  the  shoulders  of  six  men,  the  little  one 
was  carried  by  two.  The  whole  congregation  appeared  to  bo  the 
moui'ners,  nor  was  poor  Wilhadus  Avell  enough  to  folloAV  his  wife's 
remains  to  their  last  resting-place.  After  singing  a  A'crse  in  front 
of  the  church,  the  procession  moved  sloAvly  ouAvard  to  the  burial 
ground,  where  Mr.  Kaestner  read  the  litany,  and  the  responses  and 
singing  were  beautifully  x'everent.  At  his  signal  the  coffins  were 
lowered  into  the  graves,  and  he  spoke  the  concluding  blessing  at 
each. 

I  was  present  at  a  marriage  service  last  Sunday.  Tlie  young 
bridegroom  and  bride  sat  together  on  two  stools  in  the  middle  of 
the  church.  They  were  simply  and  plainly  dressed  in  clean  Avhite 
"  sillapaks,"  i.e.,  light  calico  tunics  edged  with  bi'oad  braid,  mostly 
red.  The  woman's  was  rather  more  ornamental  than  the  man's, 
and  had  a  longer  tail  hanging  OA^er  her  skirts.  She  had  a  ring  on 
one  finger,  but  that  played  no  part  in  the  ceremony.  In  his  opening 
address  the  minister  named  the  pair.  William  Tuktusna  comes 
from  the  South,  and  possesses  both  Christian  name  and  surname, 
which  is  unusual  for  an  Eskimo.  The  woman  is  called  A  malic. 
Both  replied  Avith  a  clear  "  Ahaila"  (yes)  to  the  usupI  questions  of 
the  marriage  service.  They  then  gave  the  hand  to  one  another,  and, 
kneeling  down,  a  prayer  and  the  Old  Testament  blessing  confirmed 
the  solemn  contract,  into  which  they  had  entered  before  G(id.  As 
usual  the  congregation  sang  the  response,  "  Jesum  akkane,  Amen  " 
(In  the  name  of  Jesus,  Amen). 

Amalie  cried  a  little  during  the  ceremony,  and  more  as  she 
folloAved  her  husband  out  of  the  church,  but  the  heathen  custom  of 
feigning  sorroAv  on  such  an  occasion  is  dying  out.  At  first  she 
I'cfused  William's  offer,  made  through  their  missionary,  but  after- 
wards she  thought  better  of  it.  May  the  Lord  give  them  a  happy 
and  holy  union  of  heart  and  life  ! 


9 

THREE  NATIVE  HELPERS. 

I  HAD  a  visit  this  afternoon  from  the  tlireo  "  native-helpers  "  liero  afc 
Hopcclale.  Tliey  came  to  interview  Vug  angajokak  from  London 
(anga-yo-kak  =  chief  or  elder)  and  their  pastor  kindly  interpreted. 
1  am  pleased  to  know  these  worthy  men.  They  ai'c  true  Eskimoes 
in  modes  of  thought  and  expression,  and  they  are  true  servants  of 
God,  faithfully  serving  this  congregation  of  their  countrymen  in 
many  Avays.  Among  the  duties  of  their  office  arc,  visitiug  tho 
sick,  admonishing  tho  negligent,  settling  disputes,  and  affection- 
ately exhorting  those  who  are  under  Church  discipline.  They  arc 
also  chapel-servants,  and  evidently  glad  to  be  door-keepers  in  the 
house  of  their  God.  At  the  fishing  or  hunting  pluccs  they  often 
hold  seiwices,  and  sometimes  they  preside  at  the  meetings  at  Hope- 
dale.  At  the  celebration  of  the  recent  centenary  each  of  the  three 
delivered  a  powerful  address. 

Let  me  introduce  them  to  my  readers. 

The  first  and  oldest  is  Joshua,  a  decided  Christian  of  many  years' 
standing.  His  wife  Bertha  is  also  a  chapel-servant,  a  real  mother 
in  the  congregation,  and  a  true  helpmeet  to  her  husband.  They 
are  a  thrifty,  diligent,  nmch.  respected  couple,  whose  influence  and 
example  is  blessed  to  those  around  them.  Next  Febi'uary  4tli  they 
will,  D.V.,  celebrate  their  golden  wedding,  an  event  unknown  as 
yet  in  Labrador.  Though  Joshua  cannot  read,  he  frequently 
addresses  the  congregation  with  power,  suitability,  spirituality, 
and  some  originality.  In  his  public  prayers  he  almost  invariably 
adds  a  petition  "  for  our  Queen  Victoria  ;  because  she  is  only  a 
woman."  On  one  occasion  he  said  to  his  countrymen:  "  Those  of 
you  who  can  read  know  that  it  says,  they  shall  come  from  the  East 
and  the  West,  and  the  North  and  the  South,  and  shall  sit  down  in 
the  kingdom,  but  the  children  of  the  kingdom  shall  be  cast  out. 
Our  fathers  were  heathen,  but  we  are  children  of  the  kingdom.  If 
ive  fail  of  the  grace  of  God,  we  shall  not  only  be  cast  into  hell,  but 
into  outer,  outer,  outer  darkness."  It  made  a  great  impression 
on  them.  At  another  time  he  di'cw  a  comparison  between  tbe 
Israelites,  who  entered  Canaan  with  Joshua,  and  tlie  spiritual 
Israelites,  who  witli  Jesus  shall  enter  on  the  millennium. 

The  second  is  Daniel,  a  gifted  man  with  a  humble  spirit  and 
considerable  missionary  zeal.  Year  by  year,  as  Epiphany,  "  tho 
Heathen  Festival,"  comes  round,  he  has  sleepless  nights  of  deep 
sorrow  in  liis  heart  for  tliose  who  know  not  Jesus,  the  Salvation  of 
God.  Twenty  years  ago,  stirred  by  the  example  of  John  King,  tho 
bush-negro  evangelist  in  Surinam,  Daniel  Avcnt  in  his  own  boat  to 
his  heathen  countrymen  in  the  far  north  of  Labrador.  He  found  a 
companion  of  like  sentiment  in  Gottlob  of  Hebron,  who  afterwards 
rendered  such,  excellent  service  at  Ramali.  More  recently  Daniel 
induced  Titus  of  Hopedale  to  accompany  him  on  a  winter  journey 
to  some  of  the  European  settlers  and  half-breeds  in  the  neighbour- 
hood of  that  station.  When  they  arrived  at  the  log-house  of  one  or 
another  of  these  dwellers  in  the  remote  bays,  Daniel  at  once  told 


10 


THREE    NATIVE    HELPERS. 


their  errand  with  as  much  humility  as  earnestness.  Their  simple 
testimony  of  tlic  Saviour  from  sin  was  well  received.  When  they 
returned  lo  Hopedale  Daniel  had  a  great  deal  to  tell  the  missionaries 
of  the  utterances  of  his  companion,  hut  very  little  to  remark  about 
his  own  sayings  and  doings.  Ho  frequently  accompanies  his 
missionaries  on  their  evangelistic  or  pastoral  journeys  not  only  as 
driver  of  the  dog-sledge,  but  as  helper  of  their  spiritual  work. 

The  third  of  my  visitors  is  the  above  mentioned  Titus,  also  a 
man  of  ripe  years  and  Christian  experience.     The  way  in  which  his 


TITUS. 

Native  Helper  at  Hopedale. 


zeal  and  spirit  of  service  supplement  the  gifts  of  his  friend  Daniel 
IS  a  striking,  illustration  of  the  Spirit's  dividing  to  every  man 
severally  as  Ho  wills  Daniel  is  a  man  of  quick  perceptions;  Titus 
of  prompt  action.  The  two  may  bo  walking  together  and  talking 
of  the  spiritual  welfare  of  the  congregation  sS  much  upon  their 
hearts  and  prayei-s.  Daniel  mentions  some  matter  which  he  fears 
IS  displeasing  m  God's  sight.     "  Yes,  yes,  that  is  so,"  says  Titus  ; 

.L  ,,^^''^^^''TT^  '*'  ^"*  y°'^  '^^•^  ^''g^^*-  We  must  testify 
against  that.       And  testify  he  does,  on  the  first  opportunity,  witla 


A   COMMUNION   AND   FESTIVAL    SUNDAY   AT   HOPEDALE.  H 

such  vigour  that  the  abuse  is  rebuked  and  stopped,  yet  with  such 
tact  that  none  can  bo  offended  at  his  faithful  outspokenness. 

For  some  j-ears  Titus  has  served  as  assistant  schoolmaster,  and 
like  his  friend  Dnniel  he  takes  part  in  the  music  of  the  sanctuary, 
having  a  good  babs  voice.  Daniel  sings  tenor  in  the  choir,  or  plays 
the  violoncello. 


A  COMMUNION  AND  FESTIVAL  SUNDAY  AT  HOPEDALE. 

Sunday,  Augtist  12th. — To-day  the  festival  of  the  thirteenth  of 
August,  the  spiritual  birthday  of  the  renewed  Brethren's  Unity,  has 
been  celebrated  in  this  far  northern  congregation,  incorpoi'ated  in 
the  one  bond  with  those  in  Germany,  England,  America,  and  our 
various  mission-fields  scattered  thousands  of  miles  apart  over  the 
surface  of  the  globe. 

In  the  early  morning  the  congregation  band  played  suitable 
chorales  in  good  timo  and  tune,  and  the  solemn  strains  were  well 
adapted  to  prepare  hearts  and  feelings  for  the  spiritual  privileges  of 
the  day. 

At  nine  o'clock  Daniel  kept  the  morning  blessing.  Picture  the 
neat  clean  church,  simple  and  suitable  for  the  worship  of  an  Eskimo 
congregation.  Behind  the  table  sits  the  worthy  native-helper.  To 
his  right  hand  the  missionaries  face  the  men  and  boys  ;  to  his  left 
are  the  missionaries'  wives,  and  opposite  them  a  more  numerous 
company  of  women  and  gii'ls.  The  benches  are  without  backs. 
The  little  organ  is  played  by  Ludolf,  an  Eskimo,  well  and  devo- 
tionally,  and  the  singing  is  further  accompanied  by  other  musicians 
with  one  clarionet,  five  violins,  and  a  violoncello.  The  choice  of 
tunes  i-'s  such  as  would  puzzle  most  congregations  in  England. 
The  people  ai*e  very  devout  in  their  demeanour  and  sing  well. 
Their  faces  are  mostly  brown,  with  high  cheek  bones,  but  on  the 
whole  they  are  much  lighter  in  complexion  than  photogi-aphs  had 
led  me  to  conclude. 

Daniel  did  his  part  reverently  and  simply,  for,  as  he  had  told 
mo  before  by  word  and  gesture,  God  has  made  the  V  gart  and  the 
mouth.  His  long  and  earnest  prayer,  spoken  extempore  in  his 
own  language,  was  evidently  well  prepared,  and  thoroughly  suitable 
to  the  occasion.  He  asked  the  Lord  to  be  among  us  with  His 
blessings,  His  faithfulness,  and  His  mercies.  He  continued :  '*  O 
Saviour,  Thou  hast  all  fulness  ;  Thou  wast  able  and  willing  to  bless 
the  brethren  at  Hei'rnhut  a  hundred  and  fifty  years  ago,  bless  us 
now.  True,  we  are  worse  and  much  lower  than  they  were,  but 
Thou  canst  do  it.  Bless  us  to-day.  Wo  are  very  bad,  but  Thou 
wilt  bless  those  among  us  who  believe.  As  to  those  who  do  not 
believe,  bless  them  too,  and,  if  possible,  let  them  be  partakers  of 
Thy  salvation. 

"  Wc  think  of  our  teachers,  those  who  have  come  to  us  and  those 
who  are  about  to  leave  us  by  the  '  Harmony.'  O  bless  them  .for 
their  works'  sake.  We  do  not  always  obey  them  as  we  ought. 
Help  us  to  be  more  obedie^it.     Lord,  do  these  things  for  us,  and 


12  A  COMMUNION  A.^D  FESTIVAL  SUNDAY  AT  HOPEDALE. 

thougli  WO  arc  not  able  to  praise  Theo  sufficiently  hero  on  earth,  wo 
will  praise  Tliee  in  heaven  for  ever." 

"  The  next  service  was  commenced  with  a  choir  piece,  when  the 
organ  and  other  instruments  accompanied  seven  singers,  four  women 
and  thrco  men.  The  women  especially  had  voices  of  power  and 
compass.  Alto,  tenor,  and  bass  were  fairly  sustained,  as  well  as 
soprano,  and  the  whole  effect  was  good.  The  piece,  which  Avas  not 
easy,  but  suitable  in  liturgical  character,  was  well  rendered  both 
in  forte  and  piano  passages.  This  time  Ambrose,  another  native, 
presided  at  the  organ,  and  Ludolf  played  the  first  violin. 

Mr.  Kaestuer's  sermon  on  1  John  iii.  1  was  followed  by  a  bap- 
tism, in  Labrador  suitably  the  closing  part  of  the  public  service. 
The  congregation  as  ever  take  up  the  long  responses  well  and 
devotionally,  and  in  this  service  the  children  repeat  portions  of 
Scripture  (1  Pet.  iii.  21,  Tit.  iii.  5,  and  Matt.  xix.  1-i).  These  wcro 
spoken  distinctly  and  simultaneously  by  the  boys  and  girls.  The 
infant  having  been  brought  up  to  the  table  by  the  parents,  the 
minister  baptized  it  with  the  formula  Susannah,  Jcsusib  tokkun- 
ganut  baptipngit  Atatab,  Ernerublo,  AneiTcrublo  ajunginerub 
attinganut.  (Susannah,  into  the  death  of  Jesus  I  baptize  thee,  in 
the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost.) 

I  took  the  English  service  at  three  o'clock.  Soon  after  we  again 
assembled  in  the  cluu'ch,  for  the  Eskimo  choir  had  sent  a  depu- 
tation  to  request  that  they  might  sing  some  more  of  their  pieces 
for  us.  The  programme  of  their  really  excellent  performance 
included  such  pieces  as  Hosanna,  Christians  Awake,  Stille  Nacht, 
Morgernstern  (Morning  Star),  and  an  anthem  (Ps.  9G)  containing 
effective  ducts  for  tenor  and  alto.  When  they  had  finished  I  siwke 
a  few  words  of  thanks  and  farewell,  and  then  Mr.  Dam  bade  good- 
bye to  the  people  he  had  loved  and  served  for  ten  years.  They 
were  much  moved  at  the  thought  of  parting  with  their  faithful 
pastor  and  his  wife. 

Shall  I  ever  forget  that  communion  at  seven  ?  I  felt  it  a  great 
privilege  to  partake  of  the  Lord's  Sujjpcr  with  my  brethren  and 
sisters  in  Labrador.  How  much  He  has  done  for  these  dear 
missionaries,  simjile  earnest  Christians,  experienced  in  the  things 
of  God,  men  and  women  of  mighty  faith,  who  do  "  move  moun- 
tains." How  much  hath  God  wrought  for  these  dear  Eskimo 
Christians,  who  sit  down  at  His  table  with  beautiful  reverence  and 
real  appreciation  of  this  act  of  faith. 

The  benches  not  needed  for  the  communicant  congregation  had 
been  removed  from  the  centre  of  the  church.  On  the  men's  side 
two  empty  benches  stood  together,  on  the  women's  three  or  foui*. 
After  the  trombonists  had  played  a  solemn  chorale  outside,  the 
iSrst  chai^el  servant  Joshua  and  his  wife  Eertha  opened  their 
respective  doors,  and  about  twenty  men  and  more  than  thirty 
women  entered  from  right  and  left  and  took  their  seats.  Both 
men  and  women  were  all  attired  in  their  light  braided  sillapaks, 
and  they  are  very  particular  to  have  clean  ones  for  this  service. 
The  women  who  are  communicants  have  a  lock  of  the .  ^'r  plaited  in 
front  of  each  ear.     The  vessels  used  on  this  occasion  wore  presented 


A    ri.EASAXT    SAIL   FUOM    UOrEDALK   10    ZOAR.  13 

to  tins  congregation  by  two  Amciicau  ladies,  who  recently  visited 
Hopedalo.  They  wore  present  on  a  similar  occasion  and  were 
much  struck  by  the  solemnity  and  reality  of  the  service.  In 
grateful  remembrance  of  the  kindness  of  our  missionaries  they 
have  sent  this  valuable  and  beautiful  gift  of  communion  plate. 

Though  unacquainted  Avith  the  language,  1  was  able  to  follow 
the  .simple,  familiar  communion  service.  Tho  words  of  institution 
sounded  solemn,  as  pronounced  in  Eskimo,  and  truly  wlien  one 
knelt  with  tho  congregation,  and  partook  of  the  bread  and  wine, 
one  eouUl  discern  the  Lord's  body,  and  feel  that,  though  these  dear 
people  have  their  temptations  and  their  failings,  yet  there  arc 
many  souls  hero  who  feed  on  tho  Bread  of  Life  and  live  by  Him. 
When  He  cometh  it  will  be  manifest,  and  even  now  He  is  glorified 
here  in  them  that  believe. 

After  the  -^ommunion  wc  went  down  to  tho  boat  to  embark. 
The  rock  that  stretches  out  into  the  harbour  was  crowded  with 
Eskimoes,  who  had  hurried  to  bid  their  departing  missionaries  a 
loving  farewell. 


A    PLEASANT   SAIL   FROM    HOPEDALE   TO   ZOAR. 

Ttiesday,  August  lith.  —  Wo  arc  nearing  tho  second  station. 
Leaving  Hopedale  about  dawn  yesterday  we  made  good  progx'css 
northward,  sailing  quietly  between  innumerable  islets,  all  bleak, 
bare,  uninhabited  rocks.  We  saw  many  small  icebergs.  In  the 
evening  one  singularly  shapely  and  beautiful  berg  floated  past  us, 
tijiped  with  violet,  which  contrasted  with  the  curious  yellow  tint  of 
one  side,  tho  pure  white  of  the  mass  and  the  living  green  of  tho 
waves  rippling  at  its  base.  The  sunset  and  tho  northern  lights 
were  veiy  fine. 

When  I  went  on  deck  this  morning  tho  island  of  Ukalek,  or 
"The  Hare,"  was  astern,  various  rocky  islets,  imperfectly  marked, 
or  altogether  omitted  on  tho  chart,  were  on  both  sides  of  us,  and 
Zoar  far  ahead  among  tho  distant  hills.  Our  vessel  was  almost 
imperceptibly  gliding  in  that  direction.  May  the  Lord,  who  alono 
knows  the  rifts  and  rocks  of  this  marvellous  coast,  bring  us  safely 
thither,  and  guide  mo  aright  amid  the  difficulties  of  the  pi*esent 
situation  there  !  These  people  have  learned  no  wisdom  or  thrift,  in 
spite  of  all  tho  love  find  patience  shown  them,  and  they  have  made 
the  past  winter  a  most  trying  time  for  their  devoted  missionaries. 

The  mirage  yesterday  and  to-day  is  a  wonderful  freak  of  nature. 
At  times,  nothing  can  he  seen  as  it  really  is.  Icebergs  and  islands 
are  flattened  to  one  dead  level,  or  doubled,  so  as  to  appear  now  like 
long  bridges,  now  like  high  towers.  The  rapid  changes  in  tho 
appearance  of  solid  masses  ai-e  marvellous.  All  day  wo  have  been 
slowly  sailing  westward,  new  pi'ospjcts  of  distant  hills  ever  opening 
up  as  we  passed  headland  after  headland.  Presently  the  barren 
rocks  began  to  be  clothed  with  firs  here  and  there,  but  the  life- 
lessness  of  the  scene  was  stx-iking.    Once  we  caught  sight  of  two  or 


14  ZOAR. 

throo  Eskimo  tents  on  a  Httlo  island,  but  no  human  beings  woro 
visible.     Only  a  solitary  grampus  raado  tlio  circuit  of  our  ship. 

At  length  wo  round  the  last  cape,  and  enter  Zoar  Bay.  Presently 
wo  come  in  sight  of  the  station  buildings  between  the  fir-clad  slope 
and  the  shore.  There  is  the  store,  now  tho  mission-houso  and 
church  appear  from  behind  yonder  rock.  Tho  Eskimoes  are  firing 
their  sliots  of  welcome,  answered  by  I'ockets  from  tho  ship.  Thank 
God,  tho  station  flag  is  flying  at  tho  mast-head  !  Tliat  tells  us  that 
neither  illness  nor  accident  have  been  pei'mitted  to  carry  off  any  of 
tho  missionaries. 

Look  behind  3'ou.  The  hills  are  glowing  with  a  glorious 
"  Alpcngliihen" — an  evening  effect  as  splendid  as  it  is  surprising. 

Now  we  are  nearer.  Tliey  are  launching  the  "  Emily,"  the 
station  boat.  Rowed  by  natives,  she  comes  alongside  almost  as 
Boon  as  our  anchor  is  down,  and  all  tho  resident  missionaries  climb 
on  board,  followed  by  a  number  of  Eskimoes. 

Soon  our  hosts  carry  us  off  to  the  hospitable  little  mission-house, 
which  somehow  or  another  manages  to  find  comfortable  quarters 
for  all  the  visitors.  I  am  writing  up  my  diary  in  Mr.  and  Mr. 
Rinderknccht's  pleasant  rooms,  Avhicli  I  am  to  share  with  Mr. 
Kacstner,  who  is  on  his  Avay  to  Nain  to  take  part  in  our  conference 
there.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Martin  arc  occupying  the  spare  room  below  us, 
and  the  Lundbergs  have  also  turned  out  to  make  room  for  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Dam.  Where  our  hosts  have  taken  up  their  abode  meanwhile 
remains  a  riddle  for  the  present.  (The  riddle  was  solved  in  a 
subsequent  tour  of  inspection  of  the  house,  when  I  found  that  the 
one  resident  couple  had  retired  to  the  garret  and  the  other  to 
a  workshoii  on  the  ground  floor.) 


ZOAR. 

In  its  sun^mer  aspect  this  is  a  singularly  lovely  place.  Yet,  I  see 
each  station  at  its  best,  and  can  only  guess  at  the  changes  which 
snow  and  ice  will  work  in  the  landscape.  Were  this  spot  in  Europe, 
it  would  soon  be  a  favourite  summer  resort.  Being  in  Labrador, 
however,  the  summer  visitors  would  speedily  fly  from  the  swarms 
of  mosquitoes  and  sand-flies.  Tliese  appear  as  soon  as  the  weather 
is  at  all  warm  and  are  a  veritable  plague  in  the  summer  evenings, 
which  would  else  be  so  enjoyable.  And  when  these  myriad  tor- 
mentors with  wings  and  stings  are  gone,  rude  winter  cuts  short  the 
autumn. 

As  usual  in  Labrador,  the  little  mission-station  lies  on  the  north 
side  of  the  bay,  so  that  tho  wooded  hill  behind  shields  it  from  the 
northern  blasts.  This  fir- clad  slope  makes  Zoar  much  more 
friendly  in  appearance  than  any  other  station.  Hopedale  is  bare 
and  treeless  in  its  general  aspect  and  so  in  less  degree  are  Nain 
and  Okak,  though  all  three  have  fir-trees  in  their  neighbourhood. 
Ramah  and  Hebron  are  beyond  the  limit  of  even  these  hardy  ever- 
greens,  and  the  latter  looks  very  bleak  and  rocky.     Pleasing  as  is 


A    CLIMIl    TO    THE    TOl'  OF  TIIK   SlltP   IIH.L    AT    ZOAR.  1 


K 


the  first  impression  of  Zoar,  tho  conviction  soon  grows  upon  ono 
that  tho  site  has  its  serious  diHadvantaufes.  Fii-st  niul  foremost 
among  those  is  the  fact  that  it  is  not  favoui'ablo  to  success  in  scaling 
and  fishing,  so  that  it  is  not  easy  for  tho  inhabitants  to  make  a 
livelihood. 

The  pretty  mission-house  afl'ords  convenient  accommodation  for 
two  missionary  families.  It  is,  as  usual,  connected  with  tho 
church  by  a  covered  passage.  To  the  right  of  these  buildings  tho 
littlo  Eskimo  village  stretches  along  the  shore,  to  their  left  aro 
situated  tho  well-stocked  mission-gai'dens,  from  which  pleasant 
paths  have  been  made  thi-ough  tho  woods  beyond,  Between  the 
church  and  the  rocky  beach  stands  the  store,  and  not  far  off  tho 
salt-house  and  tho  boai-^'ouse.  The  powder-house  is  always  situated 
on  some  rock  at  a  safe  distance  from  tho  station,  for  tho  ]<]skimoos 
burn  a  considerable  quantity  of  this  dangerous  material  in  their 
ceaseless  war  Avith  seals,  walrusses,  reindeer,  and  other  animals, 
including  an  occasional  black  or  Avhito  bear. 


A  CLIMB  TO  THE  TOP  OF  THE  SHIP  HILL  AT  ZOAR. 

The  ascent  to  tho  spot  whence  tho  approach  of  tho  ships  can  best 
be  descried  is  by  no  means  so  easily  accomplished  at  Zoar  as  at 
Hopedalo.  But  the  hour's  stiff  climb  is  richly  rewarded  by  a 
magnificent  prospect.  Our  path  lies  first  through  tho  fir  woods, 
then  over  a  bare  plain  on  which  tufts  of  beaxTtiful  and  very  vai'icgated 
mosses  alternate  with  rocks  and  withered  roots.  This  is  evidently 
tho  site  of  a  forest,  which  at  no  very  distant  date  has  been  killed 
by  the  terrible  climate.  Up  again  through  low  thick  brushwood 
and  over  great  rocks,  till  at  last  wo  I'cach  the  summit.  Seaward 
we  can  see  the  course  by  which  tho  "  Hai'mony  "  came  in.  Northward 
tho  eye  ranges  along  tho  rugged  coast  with  its  innumerable  islands 
and  deep  fjords.  Yonder  sheet  of  water  is  not  an  ai-m  of  the  sea, 
but  a  great  freshwater  lake,  long  an  object  of  superstitious  dread 
to  tho  Eskimoes.  Neither  in  summer  or  winter  dared  they  cross 
it,  until  their  missionai'ies  did  so,  for  they  believed  a  monster  dwelt 
in  it,  who  could  eat  up  the  man  and  his  kayak,  or  sledge,  dogs  and 
driver.  Inland  one  sees  mountain  after  mountain,  whose  wild 
slopes  are  traversed  by  no  hunian  foot  unless  tho  Nascopio  Indian, 
or  "  mountaineei',"  may  pass  that  way  in  pursuit  of  the  reindeer. 
None  of  these  natives  of  tho  great  unknown  interior  have  visited 
our  stations  this  year.  In  the  Zoar  bay  beneath  us  the  "  Harmony  " 
is  riding  at  anchor  near  tho  mission  premises,  and  now  wo  can  see 
the  whole  curve  of  the  other  great  bay,  which  approaches  Zoar  from 
the  north.  The  "  itiblek,"  as  the  Eskimoes  call  a  lovv  narrow  neck 
of  land  between  two  such  arms  of  the  sea,  is  but  a  few  hundred 
yards  across.  To  the  east  of  yonder  waterfall  is  a  level  place  on 
the  shore  of  the  larger  fjord,  which  was  once  thought  of  as  a  site 
for  this  station.  But  it  would  have  been  too  much  exposed  to  the 
east  wind. 


16  FROM    ZOAR   TO    XAIX. 

What  a  clIfTercnt  lanilscapo  tlii.s  will  bo  in  winter,  wlicn  all  tlioso 
waterways  anionfjf  tho  islands  aro  frozen  !  It  must  be  very  difliculfc 
even  for  ar.  Eskimo  sle(l<,'o  driver  to  know  liis  way  through  tho 
snow-eovenMl  labyrinth  on  so  large  a  scale,  indeed  almost  impossible 
when  till'  driving  snow  hides  his  landmarks.  Hut  He,  to  whom 
wo  aro  wont  to  commend  our  travellers  by  hind  and  sea,  cares  also 
for  those  who  traverse  tho  ice-plains  of  Labrador,  that  they  may 
Bcrvo  Uim  or  join  ]Iis  people  in  worship.  Not  only  our  nn'ssionarie.s 
but  the  settlers  have  often  experienced  His  goodness  in  answer  to 
prayer  in  moments  of  perple.vity  or  danger.  It  is  indeed  praise- 
worthy that,  to  gain  a  blessing  for  their  souls,  tlio  latter  are  willing 
to  run  tho  risks  and  bear  the  expenses  of  a  two  or  three  days'  sledgo 
jonruey  to  tho  stations,  often  in  terrible  cold.  Sometimes  their 
children  aro  sorely  disappointed  when  tho  parents  cannot  venture 
to  take  them  to  tho  Christmas  or  Easter  Festival.  Last  Christmas 
Eve,  two  boys,  aged  sixteen  and  fourteen,  started  from  their  liomo 
in  Kamarsuk  bay  and  walked  through  deep  snow  to  Zoar,  Avhieh 
they  reached  after  ten  laborious  hours.  English  services  are  held 
for  tho  settlers  at  tin's  station  as  well  as  at  Hopedale,  though  they 
aro  more  frecjuent  at  the  southern  place  owing  to  tho  visits  of  tho 
crows  from  tho  Newfoundland  iishing  schooners. 


FROM  ZOAR  TO  NAIN  BETWEEN  ISLANDS. 

Our  voyage  from  Zoar  to  Nain  occupied  just  twelve  hours.  Wo 
left  about  ,^.'30  a.m.,  and  our  anchor  went  down  again  before 
5.30  i\M.  The  day  Avas  lino  and  warm,  and  tho  sconeiy  changed 
continually.  Often  tho  way  seemed  barred  before  us,  but,  as  wo 
sailed  on,  a  narrow  strait  opened  to  right  or  left,  and  as  we  neared 
Nain  our  voyage  between  tho  islands  became  more  and  more 
interesting.  Presently  some  Nain  Eskimoes  caiigbt  sight  of  tho 
"  Harmony,"  and  posted  ott"  to  the  station  in  their  sailing  boat, 
which  kept  ahead  the  whole  way.  Two  men  came  to  meet  us 
in  their  kay.'iks,  and  paddled  alongside  for  some  time,  their  light 
skin  boats  skimming  over  tho  water  as  easily  as  the  flock  of  ducks 
which  had  just  crossed  our  bows.  Passing  the  island  Taktuk,  a 
salute  fired  by  the  one  Eskimo  visible  was  followed  by  such  a 
concert  of  howls  from  his  dogs  seated  in  a  row  on  a  rock  as 
made  us  all  laugh.  Next  the  Kauk  came  in  view,  a  great  rock 
looking  like  a  skull,  or,  as  its  name  implies,  "a  forehead,"  a  very 
recognizable  landmark  often  anxiously  looked  for  on  sledge  jour- 
neys. Paul's  Island,  with  its  deep  inlets,  was  to  our  right,  and 
now  a  good  wind  sent  us  forward  past  headland  after  headland  till 
Nain  came  out  from  behind  the  Siiderhucke.  Fir.st  we  could  see 
the  Eskimo  village,  whose  inhabitants  were,  as  usual,  firing  their 
guns  and  shouting  ;  then  tho  cliurch  came  in  sight,  and  the  mission- 
house  with  flag  at  tho  mast  head  ;  then  the  store  and  tho  little 
pier,  which,  as  we  approached,  Avas  crowded  with  Eskimoes  singing, 
"Now  let  us  praise  tho  Lord." 


17 


THE  FIRST  EVENING  AT  NAIN. 

Nai'x  was  the  tliird  Btation  visitoci  on 
our  voyaj^o  nortlnvard  uloiig  tho  bkak 
bnt  {^'raiul  coast  of  Labrador.  Hopedalo 
and  Zoar  had  already  been  loft  behind 
in  tho  south;  Okak,  Hebron,  and  Ra- 
mah,  all  to  the  north  of  Nain,  had  yet 
to  be  touched  at  in  thoir  turn.  Each 
successive  station  has  its  own  distinctivo 
feai  urcs  and  so  presents  fresh  interest  to  tho  visitor.  Nain,  tho 
oldest  of  all,  is  rich  in  associations  with  tho  past  as  well  as  very 
interest iuf,'  in  tho  life,  spiritual  and  temporal,  of  tho  niission-houso 
and  tho  Eskimo  dwelliniq^s,  which  constitnto  this  little  Christian 
villa<^e  of  three  hundred  inhabitants. 

Angmt  lOlh. — I  take  up  tho  story  on  tho  Sunday  evening,  when, 
about  a  quarter  ])ast  five  o'clock,  the  "  Harmony  "  came  to  her 
ancliorago  some  three  to  four  liundred  yards  from  tho  mission 
premises  on  tho  north  shoi'o  of  tlio  Nain  bay.  It  is  a  mercy  wheu 
no  iu'cldent  occurs  on  the  arrival  of  a  sliip  at  a  station,  for  tho 
I'jskinioes  are  rather  wild  in  their  ex[m;ssion  of  their  joy,  and 
rather  careless  in  handling  powder.  Just  a  year  ago  they  burst  a 
little  cannon  in  welcoming  the  "  Gleaner."  Tho  pieces  flow  in  all 
directions  about  tho  heads  of  those  standing  round.  Yet  by  God's 
great  goodness  not  one  was  hurt.  One  man's  cap  was  knocked  off 
by  a  Hying  fragment  of  ii-on. 

Our  (Irst  Avelcomc  to  Nain  was  from  sonio  members  of  tho  raig. 
sion-band,  avIio  at  once  came  aboard  tho  "  Harmony  "  in  their  boat. 
Rowing  ashoi'o  with  them,  wo  visitors  received  a  second  kind 
welcome  at  the  mission-house.  It  was  rather  curious  that  my 
fellow-travellers,  the  Martins,  should  arrive  at  their  destination  five- 
and-twenty  years  to  the  day  after  Mr.  Bourquin.  whom  Mr.  Martin  is 
eventually  to  succeed  in  the  px'esidoncy  of  this  raisrLn.  I  Avas 
conducted  to  the  pleasant  guest  chamber.  On  my  .abi,  lay  two 
dear  letters  from  home,  the  first  and  last  recc'  ^-tl  after  leaving 
Stromness.  During  our  stay  at  Zoar  the  mail  steamer  came  from 
Newfoundland  to  liopedale  where  she  is  duo  every  fortnight,  while 
the  coast  is  free  from  ice.  This  time  she  came  on  to  Nain,  which 
she  is  bound  to  visit  twice  in  the  season  at  tho  captain's  discretion. 
She  never  touches  at  Zoar  between  these  two  stations. 

When  wo  met  as  a  family  f(jr  tho  evening  meal,  Mr.  Bourquin 
expi'ossed  our  thanks  to  tlie  Lord  for  all  his  goodness  and  mercy 
involved  in  another  safe  arrival  of  the  mission-ship.  The  con- 
gregation did  tho  same  at  tho  thanksgiving  liturgy,  which 
commenced  at  7  p.m.     The  Church  here  is  older  and  larger  than 


any  other  in  tho  land.      Tho 


smging 


Avas   good,  rather   quicker 


than  at  liopedale.   About  forty  men  and  sixty  women  occupied  the 
same  relative  positions  to  the  minister  behind  the  table  and  to  the 


is  INTL'RCnANQE  OF  VISITS 

missionary  brethren  and  sisters  to  right  and  ?pft  of  him,  as  at 
Hopcdale  and  Zoar.  The  short  benches  at  each  ^nd  of  tlic  long 
church  were  respectively  occupied  by  three  male  and  three  female 
chapel  servants.  The  latter  were  dressed,  not  in  European  fashion, 
but  in  the  national  costiime  of  skin  trousers  with  the  fur  outside. 

9  P.M.  I  am  seated  in  my  room  after  a  pleasant  social 
hour  with  interchange  of  mutual  tidings.  Every  i^rovision  has 
been  made  for  my  comfort  in  this  neat,  clean  guest-chamber. 
What  interesting  scenes  of  human  life  as  well  as  fine  views  of 
Labrador  scenery  are  visible  from  its  windows  south  and  west ! 
Grand  rocks  from  five  hundred  to  eight  hundred  feet  in  height 
rise  nearly  perpendicularly  from  the  opposite  shore  of  the  bay. 
Hero  comes  a  man  paddling  his  kayak  jmst  the  "Harmony"  as 
she  lies  at  anchor.  What  is  uji  among  the  dogs  ?  They  are  all 
howling  and  running  along  the  beach,  and  now  they  have  set  on 
one  unfortunate,  which  is  hustled  and  bitten  until  he  escapes  and 
hobbles  away  yelping. 

Here  is  a  Avoman  comi)  to  fetch  water  from  the  trough.  I  wish 
I  could  draw  her,  for  she  is  an  odd  figui'e  in  trousers  and  high 
boots.  The  tail  of  her  sillapak  almost  trails  on  the  ground,  and  in 
its  capacious  hood,  a  baby  is  seated  looking  out  on  the  world  with 
great  content. 

10  P.M.  It  has  grown  dark  whilst  I  have  been  writing  up  my 
cliary.  What  a  concert  the  dogs  are  giving  us  now.  They  are 
howling,  barking,  and  sometinies  fairly  screaming,  each  and  all  con- 
tributing their  full  share  of  the  nneai-thly  noises.  10.10.  A.11 
is  still :  may  it  last !  It  is  time  I  retired  to  rest,  for  one  must  be 
up  betimes;  0  a.m.  is  the  hour  in  all  these  mission-houses,  for 
morning  prayers  are  at  G.30  sharp.  One  more  look  out  of  my 
window.  The  moon  is  rising  above  the  opposite  hills  and  casting 
a  broad  band  of  light  aci'oss  the  rippling  waters. 


INTERCHANGE  OF  VISITS  WITH  THE  ESKIMOES. 

"  Good  luck  to  you,  sir  !  "  That  was  meant  for  "  Good-bye," 
and  is  the  sort  of  English  the  Eskimoes  to  the  south  of  Hopedale 
have  learnt.  Both  at  that  station  and  here  at  Nain  I  have  had 
curious  visits  from  such  as  prided  themselves  on  their  knowledge 
'^f  my  mother-tongue.  Some  spoke  it  very  fairly,  but  my  conversa- 
tion with  the  natives  was,  of  course,  mostly  through  an  interpreter. 
These  visits  are  quite  a  feature  of  mission-house  life.  One  after- 
noon at  Hopedale  Jonas  and  his  wife  Lydia  came  to  see  me.  The 
good  man  said  :  "  As  there  are  so  many  souls  here,  I  would  ask  our 
angayokaks  (elders  or  superiors)  in  London  and  Berthelsdorf  for 
God's  sake  to  let  us  have  teachers,  as  long  as  there  are  people  here. 
We  cannot  do  without  them.  We  have  undying  souls,  and  must 
be  cared  for."  With  tears  he  added,  "  When  I  cannot  sleep,  I  ask 
God  for  this.  We  thank  the  angayokaks  very  much.  I  hope  God 
will  grant  those  who  are  leaving  us  a  good  passage.  We  may  never 
meet  again  on  earth,  but  I  hope  we  shall  in  heaven." 

I  had  specially  interesting  visits  from  some  of  the  native-helpers 


WITH    THE    ESKIMOES. 


10 


at  different  stations.  They  expressed  their  humble  sense  of  nn- 
worthiness,  and  their  gratitude  for  the  benefits  Avhieh  come  to  them 
and  their  countrymen  thi'ough  tlic  mission.  They  also  promised 
faithfully  to  stand  by  their  missionaries.  My  conviction  is  that 
the  spiritual  life  of  each  congregation  very  much  deptuids  on  tho 
Christian  charactei',  stability,  and  influence  of  its  native  leaders. 
Visits  of  the   Er.kimoes  to  my  room,  however,  took   up  much 


CO 

M 

03 

O 

K 


M 


precious  time  of  the  missionary  requested  to  interpret,  so  I  pro- 
fen-ed  to  get  one  of  the  pastors  to  accompany  me  on  a  round  of 
calls  in  the  village.  Let  my  visits  to  the  native-helpers  at  Naiu 
give  It  view  of  the  interiors  of  some  of  the  better  dwellings. 

IVednesday,  August  22wcZ. — Mr.  Bourquin  kindly  conducted  me  to 
the  homes  of  Jonathan,  Abraham,  and  Matthew.  Through  the 
little  porch  or  vestibule,  where  the  dogs  lie,  one  enters  the  house. 
Sometimes  there  are  two  rooms,  one  for  sleeping  and  the  other  the 
dwelling  room  ;  but  mostly  the  beds  are  in  corners,  more  or  less 
partitioned  or  curtained  off.     A  little  stov,e  serves  for  warmth  and 

2  * 


20  INTERCnANOE    OF   VISITS   WITH    THE    ESKIMOES. 

cooking.  A  small  table  stands  by  the  wall,  and  there  are  one  oi* 
two  short  benches,  but  the  articles  of  furniture  most  frequent  aro 
the  boxes,  which  accompany  the  Eskimo  in  his  nomad  life,  and 
hold  his  possessions,  whether  he  be  in  his  house  at  home,  in  his 
boat  fishing,  or  in  his  tent  at  some  distant  hunting-  place.  Tho 
walls  of  the  houses  are  ornamented  here  and  there  with  pictures 
ciit  out  of  old  Illustrated  London  News  or  Graphics.  Some  remains 
of  Christnifis  ornamentation  showed  considerable  taste.  Tho 
present  is  not  a  favoui'able  season  to  gain  a  good  impression  of  tho 
lious'js,  as  their  owners  are  most  of  their  time  aAvay  from  homo 
hunting  and  fisliing.  Before  Christmas  they  have  a  thorough  turn 
out  and  clean  up,  and  then  await  the  usual  visit  from  tlieir  mis- 
sionaries, who  wisely  speak  a  word  of  commendation  where  it  is 
deserved.  Undoubtedly  the  invariable  neatness  of  tho  mission- 
houses,  and  the  special  care  bestoAved  upon  the  churches,  have  a 
great  influence  on  the  cleanliness  of  the  Eskimo  dwellings. 

Husbands  and  Avives  were  at  home  in  all  three  houses  visited 
to-day.  Jonathan  spells  his  own  name  "  Jonatan."  He  is  a  godly 
and  Avorthy  man  of  mild  disposition  yet  decided  Christian  character. 
His  Leah  is  also  a  natiA^e-helper  among  her  sex,  and  a  chapel 
servant.  Tliey  gaA-e  us  a  friendly  Avelcome.  True,  it  did  not  occui'^ 
to  them  to  ask  us  to  sit  doAvn ;  but  our  Eskimocs  are  pleased  if 
one  takes  a  seat  in  their  houses  Avithout  the  asking.  Jonatan's 
grandchild  Avas  sleeping  on  one  of  the  beds,  and  its  young  mother 
sat  in  a  comer  sewing.  The  little  harmonium  by  the  Avail  belonged 
to  her  husband,  who  lives  Avith  his  parents.  The  older  peoplo 
thanked  me  for  the  visit,  and  desired  their  greetings  to  the  great 
teachers  OA^er  the  water. 

Our  second  call  Avas  on  Abraham,  or  more  correctly  "  Abraha," 
for  tho  genius  of  the  Eskimo  language  ahAays  requires  a  namo 
to  end  Avith  a  vowel.  He  is  also  an  excellent  and  intelligent 
native  assistant.  He  and  his  Pauline  were  A'cry  pleased  to  see  us, 
and  expressed  themselves  in  the  same  strain  as  the  former  couple. 
As  his  harmonium  and  A'iolin  sIioaa',  he  is  very  musical ;  indeed,  ho 
is  a  leading  member  of  the  Nain  choir. 

Lastly  Ave  called  on  MatthcAv  and  his  young  wife.  His  quiet, 
ratlier  shy  demeanour  and  humble  estimate  of  himself,  as  a  recently 
appointed  office-bearer  in  the  congregation,  pleased  me  well.  Per- 
haps his  house  Avas  the  neatest  and  best  furnished  of  the  three. 

I  wish  I  could  have  heard  Abraham  or  Jonathan  speak  at  some 
sei'vice.  I  am  told  their  addresses  correspond  Avith  their  disposi- 
tions. The  former  is  Avaim  and  vigorous,  the  latter  more  calm  and 
affectionate  in  tone.     MatthcAV  has  vet  to  overcome  his  diffidence. 

By  the  way,  AAdien  I  AA'eiit  OA^er  to  the  ship  to-day,  I  found 
Abraham  and  his  family  on  board.  His  little  two-masted  smack 
was  lying  alongside  the  "  Harmony,"  ready  for  a  start  to  his  fishing 
place.  It  contained  an  interesting  variety  of  possessions.  Tent- 
poles  and  oars  lay  along  both  sides,  and  his  knyak  AA-as  lashed  to 
the  right  gunAvale.  Tackle,  tent,  skins,  ut  >  js,  and  boxes  Avero 
secured  in  the  boti  om  of  the  boat,  and  in  a  small  pen  at  the  boAvs 
lay  his  scA^en  dogs. 


21 

TWO  ESKIMO  GROUPS  TAKEN  AT  NAIN. 

Mr.  Jannasch  is  the  pliotographor  among  our  Labrador  missionarios, 
and  we  have  to  thank  him  for  somo  excellent  pictures  of  porsons 


A    OKOUr   Oi'    WlUOWrf   AT   NAIX, 


and  places  in  that  cold  land.     Copies  of  these  may  be  obtr.ined  at 
our  Agency  (No.  32,  Fetter  Lane,  London,  E.G.),  and  we  should  bo 


22 


TWO   ESKIMO   GROUPS   TAKEN   AT    NAIN. 


glnd  to  encourage  him  by  a  larger  sale  for  liis  interesting  cabinet, 
sttreoscopic  and  carfe  cle  i-i.-<it>'  pliotograplis.  As  he  is  resident  at 
Nain,  most  of  his  scenes  or  groups  are  taken  at  or  near  that  station, 


H 
O 


but  last  winter  he  tcok  his  camera  with  him  on  a  sledge  journey  to 
Hope  dale. 

The  two  groups  which  we  have  had  reproduced  for  our  pages  aro 


god's  acre.  23 

cliaracteristic,  but  those  whose  portraits  are  given  might  remark 
that  justice  has  scarcely  been  done  to  their  faces.  The  first  is  a 
group  of 

Widows  at  Nain.  It  was  a  good  day  for  lonely  Eskimo  women 
of  this  class  when  the  Gospel  came  to  their  shores.  I  made  a 
poino  of  inquiring  at  each  station  as  to  the  status  of  the  widows  and 
the  fatherless,  and  found  that  everywhere  they  are  well  cared  for. 
Indeed,  the  widows  invariably  stand  in  the  first  rank  of  those  foi' 
whom  regular  employment  is  found  by  the  Society  for  the  Further- 
ance of  the  Gospel.  They  gratefully  acknowledged  this.  Several  of 
them  also  gave  me  a  special  commission,  which  1  hereby  discharge  to 
the  best  of  my  ability.  It  was  this,  "  Give  mtj  greeting  to  all  the 
tvidows  in  Europe."  Perhaps  they  thought  it  would  be  as  easy  for 
the  visitor  from  England  to  do  this  on  his  return,  as  to  inquire  after 
all  the  widows  In  Labrador. 

The  five  aged  women  in  our  picture  are  Adolfina  (standing 
behind),  Marta  (seated  to  her  right),  and  Hulda  and  Beata  (to  her 
left).  Anialia  (in  the  centre  of  the  foreground)  is  attired  in  skirts 
after  European  fashion,  though  she  has  on  a  pair  of  the  Eskimo 
boots  indispensable  in  such  a  land.  The  rest  arc  dressed  in  full 
Eskimo  costume.  It  will  be  seen  that  their  sillapaks  and  trousers 
are  ornamented  with  broad  coloured  braid,  and  the  hood,  whicli 
falls  back  over  their  shoulders,  is  edged  with  dog's  skin  and 
adorned  Avith  a  strip  of  embroidery.  Hulda  is  a  Avorthy  door-keeper 
in  the  church,  and  a  valued  servant  in  tlie  mission-house  of  many 
years'  standing.     The  other  group  represents 

The  Choir  at  Nain.  We  have  already  referred  to  the  musical 
taste  and  ability  of  many  of  the  Eskimoes,  and  those  at  Nain  are 
not  behind  the  Hopedalers  in  this  respect.  The  man  with  the 
violoncello  seated  in  the  centre  is  Abraham,  the  native  helper  men- 
tioned in  a  previous  paragraph.  To  his  right  is  Nathanael,  with  a 
violin.  He  is  the  schoolmaster  at  Nain,  and  his  wife  Frederika  is 
seated  at  his  right  band.  One  day,  in  1887,  Nathanael  was  seen 
shaking  his  fists  at  the  mission  house.  What  had  I'uffled  his 
temper?  He  had  been  told  by  some  fishermen  that  Queen  Victoria, 
to  mark  her  Jubilee,  had  sent  a  present  of  a  suit  of  clothes  to  every 
schoolmaster  in  her  dominions.  As  his  had  not  reached  him,  ho 
suspected  the  missionaries  of  withholding  it.  This  is  a  chai^ac- 
teristic  instance  of  the  credulity  with  which  the  Eskimoes  accept 
the  statements  of  sti'angers  and  the  mistrust  they  are  too  apt  to 
show  towards  those  who  have  long  proved  themselves  their  most 
disinterested  friends. 


"GOD'S  AChL"  -  - 

The  burial  ground  at  Nain  is  the  best  kept  in  Labrador.  Others 
are  neat  and  tidily  arranged,  but  this  decidedly  beai's  off  the  palm. 
It  is  finely  situated,  commanding  a  view  seaward,  and  an  Easter 
morning  service  in  this  peaceful  resting-place  of  the  departed  must 
be  impressive  indeed,  as  the  rising  sun  sheds  his  first  rays  across 


u 


GOD  S    ACHE. 


805 

Harriott 

18G5— 1882 


741 

Eleonora 
1819—1879. 


frozen  sea  and  snowy  islands  on  a  company  of  Christian  Eskimoes, 
rejoicing  in  Hira  who  is  the  Resurrection  and  the  Life,  and  not 
sorrowing  liopelessly  for  their  dead.  I  know  no  better  name  for 
such  a  sacred  enclosure,  where  the  bodies  of  those  who  have  died 
in  the  Lord  are  sown  in  hope,  than  the  beautiful  German  term, 
"God's  Acre," 

Scarcely  any  grass  gi'ows  within  the  oblong  space  surrounded  by 
wooden  palings,  but  here  and  there  patches  of  moss  or  low  beny 
bushes  threaten  to  hide  the  neat  little  slabs  of  wood  placed  by  the 
missionaries  on  the  graves  of  the  native  Christians.  If  left  to  the 
Eskimoes,  this  duty  to  their  departed  relatives  and  friends  would 
cither  be  done  carelessly  or  forgotten.     These  simple  "  headstones," 

of  which  I  give  two  

specimens  as  copied 
into  my  notebook,  are 
perhaps  about  twelve 
inches  by  eight.  The 

place   for    the    next     ,^_^__^^____^_^. 

gi*ave  in  each  row 
(men,  women,  bojs,  girls)  is  indicated  by  long  poles  likely  to 
appear  above  the  highest  snow  in  Avinter.  Here  at  Nain,  and 
indeed  at  all  the  stations  except  Okak,  where  the  soil  is  clay,  it  is 
possible,  though  in  Avinter  very  troublesome,  to  dig  a  grave  all  the 
year  round.  At  Okak  the  coffin  must  be  laid  in  the  snow  until  re- 
turning spring  thaws  the  fro7,en  ground.  As  already  stated,  the 
Eskimoes  have  no  surnames,  and  their  graves  show  a  great  repeti- 
tion of  certain  Christian  names,  as  Abel,  Abia,  Zeeharias,  Thomas, 
Susannah,  Katarina,  &c.  There  is  a  greater  variety  on  the  female 
side.  At  Zoar  I  noted  some  curious  ones — Persida,  Botille,  Tercsia 
Dina,  and  Justine.  "  Helena-Helenalo  "  evidently  means  mother 
and  child,  both  bearing  the  name  Helena.  "  Eillipusib-kitorn- 
ganga  "   and    "  Davidib-kitornganga "    mean   the  child   of    Philip 

and  the  child  of  David.  Mostly,  the  little 
wooden  "headstones"  lie  flat  on  the  grave; 
those  at  Okak  are  placed  npi'ight,  as  in  the 
accompanying  sketch,  and  record  the  names  of 
several  persons  buried  beneath. 

Where  the  paths  cross  one  another  at  right 
angles,  in  the  older  Labrador  chui'ch^-ards, 
there  is  always  a  specially  interesting  gi'oup  of 
graves.  There  lie,  in  sui'C  and  certain  hope 
of  a  joyous  resurrection,  the  bodies  of  good 
men  and  Avonien,  who  have  taken  sepulchre 
possession  of  this  land  for  their  Loi'd.  Here, 
too,  many  sorrowing  missionary  parents  have 
had  to  lay  little  ones,  early  taken  home  in  this 
bleak  climate.  Ah,  what  stories  are  written 
on  those  simple  gravestones,  when  one  can  read 
between  the  lines ! 
The  "  God's  Acre"  at  Nain  is  as  rich  in histoi'ical  associations  as 
any.     Christian  Larson  Drachard,  one  of  the  pioneers  of  this  mission 


64  a 

lleinrich 

1873. 


^  A    BUSY    WEEK  AT    NAl.V.  25 

was  buried  hei'C  in  1778  ;  and  beside  the  stone,  on  whicli  is  inscribed 

his  honoured  name  in  full,  is  a  rough  slab 

from  the  shore,  i)laced  on  his  grave  by  his 

•own  desire.    Side  by  side  to  right  and  left  of 

the  path  separating  the  last  resting-places  of 

the  married   men  from  those  of  the  single 

missionaries    lie    Christopher    Brasen    and 

Gottfried   Lehmann,  drowned  in    1774   on   ^l- 

their  return  voyage  from  finding  a  site  for     \- 

Okiik,  the  second  station  in  this  land.     Not  \ 

many  days  after  I  stood  beside  their  graves  I 

sailed  close  by  the  island  on  which   their 

sloop  was  wrecked,  Jind  on  whose  rocks  the 

angry  sea  cast  their  bodies. 

I  will  close  this  chapter  Avith  a  contrast.  Leaving  the  peaceful 
Christian  burial  ground,  Ave  climb  the  hill  behind  the  station.  In 
a  lofty,  lonely  valley  we  find  many  heaps  of  great  sLones.  We  will 
examine  one.  Remove  one  or  two  of  the  boulders,  and  look  in. 
On  the  ground,  rather  than  iu  it,  lies  a  human  skeleton,  perfect 
with  the  exception  of  the  skull.  We  go  on  to  the  next  heap;  it  is 
empty.  In  a  third  Ave  find  a  skull  and  one  or  two  bones.  Others 
contain  scarcely  any  human  remains,  but  some  Eskimo  utensils 
Avere  evidently  the  property  in  life  of  the  natives  Avhose  bodies  were 
laid  there  bj'  their  countryme:i.  It  Avas  customary  to  bury  the  pos- 
sessions of  the  dead  Avith  them,  and  very  interesting  curiosities 
used  to  be  found  in  all  these  graves. 

Yes,  tliese  are  hcatlicn  (jnivcs,  and  the  bodies  in  them  are  those  of 
Eskimoes  who  have  died,  ere  they  heard  the  Avords  of  life  from  the 
lips  of  missionaries  sent  by  the  Church  of  Christ  to  proclaim  His 
sah'ation  at  this  end  of  the  earth.  No  inscriptions  mark  the  tombs 
of  thes^e  nameless  pagans,  yet  those  rude  stoneheaps  have  a  voice 
for  those  who  have  ears  to  hear.  Methinks  they  appeal  loudly  on 
behalf  of  myriads  still  living  without  God  and  dying  without  hope. 
''  How  shall  they  believe  in  Him  of  Avliom  they  have  not  heard,  and 
how  shall  they  hear  Avithout  a  preacher,  and  how  shall  they  preach. 

except  they  be  sent  ?  " 

♦ 

A   BUSY   WEEK   AT  NAIN. 

Tiii^  Aveek  spent  at  Nain  may  serve  as  a  specimen  of  my  stay  ateacli 
station  in  turn.  We  arriA'ed  here  on  Sunday,  August  IDth,  iu  the 
evening.  ISIonday  and  part  of  Tuesday  were  taken  up  by  con- 
ferences on  the  s[)iritual  prosperity  and  temporal  regulations  of  the 
Labrador  Mission.  Tuesday  afternoon  pi'oved  the  most  conA'cnient 
time  for  my  special  meeting  Avith  the  congregation,  when,  as  at 
every  station,  I  gave  the  assembled  men  and  Avomen  the  gx'eeting  and 
message  sent  them  by  the  mission  authorities  at  home.  Opportunity 
being  afforded  them  to  reply,  some  of  the  native  helpers  and  others 
expressed  their  pleasure  that  a  visitor  had  come  from  Europe,  and 
their  gratitude  that  Christians  on  the  other  side  of  the  ocean  had 
sent  missionaries  to  their  forefathers,  and  still  maintained  teachers 


26  A   BUSY  WEEK  AT    NAIN. 

among  them.  They  also  asked  questions  and  gave  their  opinions 
on  very  various  topics.  I  promised  to  convey  their  salutations  to 
"  their  angayokaks  in  London  and  Herrnhut."  This  meeting  lasted 
about  two  hours,  and  was,  as  elsewhere,  an  arduous  time  for  the 
missionary  who  acted  as  my  interpreter.  It  seemed  easier  to  him 
to  render  into  Eskimo  my  own  address  given  in  English,  than  to 
interpret  all  the  speeches  made  by  the  natives  in  reply. 

Insjiection  of  the  premises,  8tt)res,  archives,  &c.,  continued  con- 
ferences, and  other  businesses  filled  up  tlio  remaining  days  of  tho 
week  during  which  the  "  Harmony  "  lay  at  anchor  near  the  station, 
^leanwhile  tho  disembarking  and  embarking  of  hor  outward  and 
homeward  cai'goes  went  on,  and  when  she  was  ready  to  sail  wo  were 
ready  to  go  northward  with  her.  In  the  intervals  of  daily  duty  I 
enjoyed  pleasant  walks  and  talks  with  one  or  another  member  of  the 
mission  band  in  the  extensive  plantation  behind  the  station,  tho 
growth  of  more  than  a  hundred  years  of  careful  cultivation.  Not 
till  Saturday  did  we  find  time  for  more  distant  expeditions,  when 
grand  views  rewarded  our  ascent  of  tno  hills  to  the  north  and  south 
of  the  Naiu  Bay.     They  are  about  70^)  or  800  feet  in  height. 

Most  of  the  week  the  majority  of  the  natives  were  away  fishing, 
but  several  of  the  men  and  boys  wf\e  earning  daily  wages  by  assist, 
ance  Avith  the  cargo.  For  those  at  the  station  evening  services  Avero 
held  in  the  church.  These  varied  in  character,  one  was  a  singing 
meeting,  another  a  liturgy,  a  third  a  Bible  reading,  when  the  two 
last  chapters  of  II.  Corinthians  were  the  portion  of  Holy  Scripture 
taken  in  course.  When  there  was  no  Eskimo  service,  the  mission 
family  and  their  guests  met  in  their  dining-room  for  mutual 
edification  with  the  German  Bible  and  hymn-book.  As  to  tho 
latter,  by  tho  way,  the  book  itself  was  seldom  needed,  for  most  of 
the  company  knew  tho  hymns  by  heart.  So  the  week  sped  aAvay, 
bringing  the  Sabbath  again. 

Sunday,  AiKjust  'lOth. — The  Church  Litany,  and  not  the  so-called 
**  Catechism  Litany,"  -svas  used  at  the  9  o'clock  service.  At  10  a.m. 
Mr.  Dam  preached  with  fervour  on  the  text  for  the  day,  John  x.  10, 
of  course  in  Eskii  o.  The  sermon  Avas  followed  by  the  baptism  of 
little  Esther,  the  infant  daughter  of  Joash  and  Wilhelmina.  After 
the  service  the  parents  passed  me  on  their  Avay  home.  But  Avhere 
is  the  baby  ?  NoAvhere  \  isible,  but  the  hood  on  the  mother's  back 
is  bulky  and  moves. 

At  three  o'clock  I  conducted  the  usual  English  service  on  the  deck 
of  the  "  Harmony."  A  good  many  natives  were  present,  rather  out  of 
curiosity  than  as  able  to  understand,  though  it  is  astonishing  to  find 
how  many  have  managed  to  pick  uj)  a  little  English,  especially  at 
the  southern  stations. 

At  five  we  again  gathered  in  tho  church  for  a  short  Eskimo 
liturgy  of  praise  to  the  Triune  God,  Avhen  our  vessel  and  her 
passengers  Avere  commended  to  the  renewed  care  of  the  faithful 
Creator.  Our  CA'ening  meal,  the  last  in  this  hospitable  mission- 
house,  Avas  folloAved  by  farcAvell  Avords  and  some  commendatory 
hymns  in  German.  Then  avo  "parting  guests"  Avent  on  board 
the  "Harmony,"  accompanied  by  most  of  our  hosts,  who  lingered 


FROM    NAIN   TO    OKAK.  27 

long  with  lis.  As  wo  got  into  tho  boat,  tho  Eskimocs  bado  us  an 
affectionate  good-bye,  "Aksunai,  aksuse."  (Aksunai,  Bo  thou 
stronj^,  or  its  plural,  Aksuse,  Be  yo  strong,  are  used  both  for 
"How  do  you  do  ?"  and  "  Good-bye.") 


,1 


FROM   NAIN  TO  OKAK. 

Monday,  August  27///,  1888. — Wlien  1  rose,  our  ship  was  being 
slowly  towed  by  her  boats  out  of  tho  bay  in  search  of  a  fair  breeze. 
About  eleven  we  had  to  put  down  tho  anchor,  as  wind  and  current 
forbade  our  attempting  to  pass  between  "  the  Turnpikes,"  two  rocks 
in  the  narrow  channel  before  vs.  Here  wo  lay  all  tho  day  among 
islands.  Barth,  to  our  loft,  is  so  called  in  honour  of  Dr.  Barth  ot' 
Calw,  the  compiler  of  a  Bible  history  translated  by  our  missionaries 
into  Eskimo,  as  well  as  into  tho  languages  of  several  other  people  evan- 
gelized by  our  church.  Rhodes,  to  our  right,  is  named  after  James 
Rhodes,  a  native  oi;  Gomersal,  Yorkshire,  who  was  a  missionary  hero 
for  twcnty-si.x;  years,  1771-1797.  Lister,  the  snowy  hill  beyond, 
perpetuates  the  memory  of  Christian  Lister,  another  Yorkshireman, 
who  crowned  seventeen  years  of  service  iii  Labrador  by  thirteen  in 
Jamaica.  It  is  well  to  be  thus  reminded  that  the  British  Province  of 
'our  missionary  Unitas  Fratrum  had  sevei'al  representatives  in  this 
/mission  field  a  hundred  years  ago.  William  Turner  (twenty-two 
years'  service,  1771-93)  was  a  native  of  Halifax  ;  and  James 
Bramagin  (1775-94)  of  Lurgan  in  tho  north  of  Ireland  ;  Samuel 
Towle  (1782-91)  came  from  the  neighbourhood  of  Ockbrook,  Derby- 
shire, and  Hemy  Shaw  (I8OG-I0)  was  again  a  Yorkshireman. 
Further,  Mary  Butterworth  (1771-Si),  of  Birstal  in  Yorkshire,  gave 
herself  to  this  mission  as  the  wife  of  Jens  Haven,  its  founder ;  and 
later  Mary  Waters  (181'2-ol),  of  Dukinfield  in  Lancashire,  marx'icd 
George  Kmoch  for  similar  service. 

Yonder  fjord  running  far  inland  is  tho  Nunaingoah  Bay,  which, 
conveniently  for  the  natives,  embodies  the  foreign  name  given  to 
their  station.  Nain  itself  is  behind  that  neck  of  land,  on  which  our 
friends  have  lit  a  fire  as  a  signal  that  they  perceive  our  vessel  has 
not  as  yet  been  able  to  leave  them  very  far  behind. 

What  a  study  of  colour  this  evening  effect  would  make  !  Tho 
sun  has  just  set  and  the  sky  to  the  north  and  west  is  orange,  shading 
off  into  yellow  along  the  horizon.  Between  these  curiously  bright 
hues  and  their  fainter  reflection  on  the  rippling  water,  the  nearer 
islaiids  are  black  as  ink  and  the  further  mountains  indigo. 

Tuesdaij,  August  28tJi. — Besides  the  missionary  pair,  who  arc 
accompanying  mo  all  tho  way  from  Hopedale  to  Europe,  my 
fellow  passengers  are  now  tho  superintendent,  who  has  acceded 
to  my  request  to  go  with  us  to  Okak,  and  a  young  missionary, 
transfeiTed  fi-om  Nain  to  Ramah. 

When  I  went  on  deck  this  morning  avo  had  passed  the  Turnpikes 
and  were  gliding  very  slowly  seawards  between  islands.  The  one 
which  faced  us  all  the  morning  is  called  Tappe,  after  a  worthy 
missionary,  still  living,  who  served  some  years  in  Labrador,  before 


28  FROM   NAIN   TO    OKAK. 

going  to  Jerusalem  in  1867,  to  ho  the  first  "  house-father  "  of  tho 
Leper  Homo.  About  noon  afresh  breeze  sent  us  northward  swiftly 
and  safely  through  several  narrow  and  awkward  passages.  We  passed 
two  or  three  Newfoundland  iishing  schooners,  whoso  crews  were 
doubtless  interested  to  see  the  "  Dutch  Bark,"  or  the  "foreigner" 
as  they  called  tho  "  Harmony."  Our  other  vessel,  the  **  Gleaner, 
calls  at  St.  John's,  so  she  is  not  a  foreigner  in  the  estimation  of 
Newfoundland  mariners.  About  two  o'clock  wo  were  off  tho  island 
memorable  for  the  shipwreck  in  which  Brasen  and  Lehmann  lost 
their  lives.  Later  wo  jiassed  the  rocks  on  to  which  Liebisch  and 
'J'urner  escaped  as  by  a  miracle,  when  a  sudden  storm  broke  up  tho 
ice  over  which  they  had  been  travelling.  Tho  scene  must  have 
been  terrific.  One  moment  the  frightened  dogs  drawing  their 
sledges  were  being  urged  at  utmost  speed  over  the  leagues  of  heaving, 
cracking  ice.  The  next,  the  shore  was  reached,  and  the  missionaries 
wore  overwhelmed  with  astonishment  as  they  turned  .and  looked 
upon  a  rfiging,  foaming  sea,  whoso  wild  waves  had  already  shattered 
the  frozen  surface  as  far  as  tho  eye  could  x'cach.  Even  the  heathen 
Eskimoes  Avith  them  joined  in  praising  God  for  the  wonderful 
deliverance. 

This  part  of  the  coast  is  rugged  and  gmnd.  Thei'e  is  a  good  deal 
of  snow  on  the  heights  of  Aulatsivik  and  the  northern  extremity  of 
that  great  island  is  a  bold  precipitous  cliff.  PortManvers,  at  tho 
mouth  of  tho  narrow  strait,  which  separates  Aulatsivik  from  the 
mainland,  figures  so  prominently  as  a  name  npon  most  maps  of 
I>:tbrador,  that  one  might  supjxjse  it  to  be  at  least  tho  capital.  But 
there  aro  no  inhabitants  there,  nor  indeed  all  along  the  coast  between 
Nain  and  Okak.  Kiglapeit,  to  the  north,  is  so  splendid  a  mountain 
range  that  I  am  quite  sorry  Ave  shall  pass  it  in  the  dark.  We  aro 
getting  more  into  the  open  sea  as  evening  advances,  and  there  aro 
icebergs  to  be  seen  here  and  there. 

Come  into  the  captain's  cabin  and  look  at  this  little  budget  of 
letters.  They  arc  notes  from  Eskimoes  at  our  southern  stations  to 
their  relatives  and  friends  in  the  north.  Some  ai'e  funny  little  pen- 
cilled scraps  folded  and  oddly  directed,  c.r/.  "  Kitturamut-Lucasib, 
Okak."  That  means  "  To  Keturah  (the  Avife)  of  Lucas  or  Luke,  at 
Okak."  Our  Eskimoes  seem  to  have  a  talent  for  phonetic  spelling  ; 
*•  ilianur;"nut  "  is  evidently  "To  Eleanor,"  and  "  Amaliamut- 
kuniliusiji,  Okak,"  is  meant  for  "  Amalia  (the  wife)  of  Cornelius  at 
Okak."  Some  arc  very  respectable  epistles,  and  I  doubt  not  tho 
Christian  tone  of  most  Avould  please  us  could  avo  read  the  Eskimo 
language,  Avith  its  strange  long  Avords.  Here  is  a  good-sized  letter 
folded  and  directed  in  a  bold  clear  hand,  "  Sosaneraut-Andoneb, 
Hibron  "  (To  Susannah,  the  wife  of  Antony  at  Hebron).  It  is  not 
sealed,  so,  as  Ave  shall  scarcely  understand  a  word  of  its  contents,  we 
Avill  venture  to  open  it  and  glance  at  them.  It  is  a  AA^ell- written 
letter,  coA'cring  three  pages  of  blue  foolscap  paper,  so  it  must  be 
couA'cying  a  good  deal  of  ncAA'S  to  Antony  and  Susannah.  The  writer 
names  himself  at  the  commencement,  "  Boas-Kcdoralo."  "Lo  "  is 
Eskimo  for  "  and,"  and  "  Kedora  "  is  another  phonetic  Aversion  of 
Keturah.     He  closes  his  long  epistle  with  "Amen." 


FROM    NAIX    TO    OKAK. 


29 


The  Eskimoes  also  write  tlio  names  of  their  missionaries  witli 
considerable  variations  as  to  spellinof.  "  Pinsilamut  "  mijfht  bo  tlio 
address  of  a  letter  to  Mr.  Bindschcdler,  and  I  liave  seen  "  Karizinia" 
stand  for  ]\[r.  Kretselinier.  TIk^  nritives  liavo  no  idea  of  such  titles 
as  Mr.  or  IMrs.,  and  they  still  call  the  luiijority  of  their  missionaries 
by  tlieir  Christian  names. 

Weihicsdai/,  August  2i)t1i. —  5  A.M.     The  sun  just  rising.     Wo  aro 


o 


between  Lundberg  Island  and  the  Saddle,  so  named  from  its  shape. 
Its  "  stirrups,"  two  little  rocks,  are  supplemented  by  a  great,  white 
berg.  To  the  south-west  Kiglapeit  is  still  visible,  and  to  the  west 
are  the  hills  on  Okak  Island,  including  "  Smith  Hill,"  so  called 
after  Tiger  Schmitt*  of  South  African  fame.  I  did  not  know 
before  that  the  good  man  had  also  been  a  missionary  in  Labrador. 


♦See  "  Conquests  of  the  Cross''  (au  adnuiablc  Missionary  Serial,  published 
by  Cassell  &  Co.),  Tart  I.,p.  20. 


30  THE    MOST   I'KIMITIVE    STATION 

How  roady  ouv  forefathers  wore  to  po  any  where,  everywhere,  if  only 
they  could  "  win  one  Houl  for  the  Saviour  !  "  The  grandest  moun- 
tain in  the  landscape  is  Cape  Mugford.  Yes,  it  does  look  like 
Salisbury  Crags  on  a  largo  scale,  as  a  niissiouary  remarked  to  nio 
last  year  on  the  Calton  iiill  in  Edinburgh. 

In  the  eourso  of  the  morning  Okak  came  in  sight,  visible  at  a 
mnch  greater  distance  than  any  other  station.  Another  hour  and 
we  hail  entered  the  bay  and  were;  approaching  our  anchorage.  A 
very  numerous  company  gathered  on  tiie  pier  and  sang  ;  how  or 
what  I  could  not  hear  for  the  rattling  of  our  iron  cable.  Then 
the  "  Kitty  "  came  off  to  U9,  bringing  the  missionaries  Schneider, 
Stecker,  and  Schaaf,  and  seventeen  natives. 

Soon  after  we  got  ashore  to  bo  welcomed  also  by  the  three  sisters, 
the  mist,  which  we  had  s(!cn  gathering  round  the  Saddle,  came  in 
from  the  sea,  iirst  drawing  a  broad,  white  stripe  straight  across  the 
entrance  of  the  bay,  then  gradually  enveloping  (jverything.  Experi- 
ence of  driving  to  and  fro  ott'  this  coast  in  such  a  fog  makes  one 
doubly  thankful  to  bo  safe  ashore,  with  our  good  ship  riding  at 

anchor  in  the  bay. 

» 

THE  MOST  PRIMITIVE  STATION  IN  LABRADOR. 

Our  dear  missionaries  who  dwell  in  Labrador  for  the  King's  work 
have  cerhiinly  not  much  space  in  their  small  sitting-rooms  and 
smaller  bedrooms,  for  each  family  is  content  with  two  apartments, 
easily  warmed  in  winter.  They  meet  in  the  common  dining  room 
for  meals,  the  household  worship  or  conference,  and  the  sisters  take 
it  in  turns,  a  week  at  a  time,  to  preside  over  the  kitchen  depart- 
ment, where  they  have  the  aid  of  an  Eskimo  servant.  Besides  the 
ministry  and  the  pastoral  care  of  their  congregations,  the  brethi'en 
share  between  them  a  vast  variety  of  constantly  recurring  temporal 
duties,  for  in  Labrador  there  is  no  baker,  greengrocer,  and  butcher 
round  the  corner,  and  no  mason,  carpenter,  plumber,  painter  or 
glazier  to  be  called  in  when  repairs  are  needed.  The  missionaries 
must  discharge  all  tliese  offices,  as  well  as  be  their  own  gardener  and 
smith,  and  on  occasion  doctor,  dentist,  chemist,  or  anything  else 
that  may  be  necessary.  These  genei'al  remarks  hold  good  of 
mission  life  at  every  station,  but  in  many  respects  Okak  is  the  most 
primitive  of  the  six,  and  not  least  in  the  appointments  of  the  mission- 
house,  like  all  the  rest,  biiilt  of  wood. 

Glance  round  the  two  rooms  kindly  set  apart  for  the  English 
guest.  They  are  the  same  size  as  the  simple  domain  of  any  one  of 
the  three  mission  families  resident  here.  The  sitting-room  is  about 
fourteen  feet  by  twelve ;  its  panelled  walls  are  coloured  a  blue- 
green.  The  floor  is  boarded,  and  over  the  middle  a  carpet  is  laid. 
In  front  of  the  sofa,  the  seat  of  honour,  stands  a  little  table,  and  the 
high  back  of  my  antique  chair  is  within  a  foot  of  it  as  I  write  at  the 
bureau  against  the  opposite  wall.  By  the  way,  what  convenient 
pieces  of  furniture  these  bureaus  are,  especially  to  a  visitor  who  has 
so  much  writing  to  do  !  The  other  chair  is  of  like  pattern,  with 
seat  stuffed  and  covered  with  sealskin.     It  stands  between  the  door 


IX   L.VDRADOR.  81 

into  tlio  bodrofim  find  tlio  hi^li,  white  stove.  Of  course  open  fire- 
])Iace.s  lire  unknown  in  Ijiihnnlor,  noi*  would  they  cn'octujilly  warm 
the  rooms.  In  the  corner  by  the  door  the  Eskimo  l)onch  is  the 
rc<;uhir  institution.  Sometimes  my  door  opens,  a  native  enters,  sits 
down  and  smiles  at  me.  When  we  have  exohan{^ed  the  usual 
greetintjjs,  "  Ak.sunai"  (be  strong,')  and  "Ahaila"  (yes),  my  Eskimo 
vocabulary  is  nearly  at  an  end,  and  I  liavo  to  fetch  an  interpreter. 
A  cupboard  and  a  stool  complete  the  inventory  of  my  furniture. 
]Jo  my  readers  wish  to  look  into  the  bedroom  about  fourteen  feet; 
by  six?  Two  little  bedsteads  and  anotlier  bureau  scarcely  leave 
room  to  ])ass  to  the  window.  The  profdiet's  table,  chair,  and 
candlestick  are  there,  also  a  washsland,  a  stri[»  of  carpet  by  the  bed, 
a  little  looking-glass,  and  some  useful  rows  of  hooks:  I  think  that 
is  all;  but  in  my  endeavour  to  give  a  correct  idea  of  the  godly 
simpllcit}'  of  such  a  mission-house,  I  would  not  for  anything 
misrepresent  the  hospitable  care,  of  which  at  every  station  I  havo 
the  most  pleasant  and  grateful  remembrance. 

Now  look  out  of  my  wiudinv.  High  hills  close  in  the  bay  where 
the  "Harmony"  lies  at  anchor  some  distance  from  the  shore.  Yes- 
terday a  strong  wind  nuide  her  roll  even  in  the  harbour.  The  mission 
/remises  stand  within  a  few  yards  of  the  beach  and  the  little  pier 
runs  out  into  the  water  just  in  front  of  the  gate.  Tlio  tide  is  out 
now,  aiid  the  ligliler  which  is  bringing  the  stores  from  the  shiji  has 
got  aground.  The  mate  and  some  Eskimoes  are  trying  to  push  it 
oif,  and  among  the  vest  two  women  are  standing  in  the  water  and 
pushing  manfully.  Their  position  and  occupation  illustrate  the 
utility  of  their  national  female  costume  of  trousei's  and  boots. 
Skirts  would  be  impracticable  when  they  go  out  boating  and  fish- 
ing with  their  husbands  or  trudge  through  the  deep  snow,  which 
lies  on  the  ground  more  than  half  a  year.  Nevertheless  they  look 
odd  to  an  unaccustomed  eye.  The  children  are  comical  miniatures 
of  their  fathers  and  mothers,  anvl  sometimes  it  is  difficult  to  tell 
whether  they  are  boys  or  girls. 

Do  you  see  the  station  boat  lying  a  little  way  from  the  end  of  the 
pier?  She  is  named  the  "  Kitty,"  and  has  an  interesting  history. 
Many  years  ago  she  brought  to  Okak  the  five  survivors  of  the  ship 
"Kitty"  lost  in  the  ice  of  Hudson's  Bay.  The  captain  and  ten 
men  escaped  in  the  larger  boat,  but  fell  into  the  hands  of  heathen 
Eskimoes,  who  treachei'ously  murdered  them  all.  Those  in  the 
smaller  boat  rounded  Cape  Chndley  and  were  driven  by  the  wind 
among  the  islands  near  Okak.  Here  they  were  seen  by  Eskimoes 
belonging  to  the  station.  Emaciated  and  famished,  they  feared  a 
cruel  death,  but  to  their  astonishment  the  natives  helped  them 
ashore,  took  them  into  their  little  hut  of  sods,  wrapped  them  in 
skins,  and  supplied  them  with  food.  Very  beautiful  to  those  ship- 
wrecked mariners  sounded  the  singing  and  very  solemn  the  prayers 
at  the  morninj?  and  eveninc:  devotions  of  their  Eskimo  deliverers. 
As  soon  as  the  wind  permitted,  the  natives  brought  them  to  the 
station,  where  they  w^ere  carried  ashore  to  this  mission-house  and 
received  every  attention.  They  were  in  a  deplorable  condition  and 
the   missionaries   had  to   perform   some    surgical    operations    oa 


82  THE    MOST    PRIMITIVE    STATION 

severely  frost  bitten  limbs.  When  recovered,  three  of  them  went 
to  the  south,  and  the  other  two  woi'kod  tlieir  passage  home  in  the 
"Harmony." 

Hero  come  a  number  of  women  and  childi'on  I'unning  to  the  pier. 
Several  of  the  women  have  babies  in  their  hoods.  There  must  bo 
something'  of  special  intci-est.  Yes,  tlio  fishermen  from  the  schooner 
are  coming  ashore  in  their  boat,  and  I  perceive  their  ling  is  flying 
half-mast  high,  indicating  a  death  aboard  their  vessel.  They  camo 
into  the  bay  yesterday,  piloted  by  some  of  our  Eskimocs,  and  bring- 
ing a  dying  comrade.  Their  request  for  medicine  was  at  onco 
granted,  but  the  poor  man  lay  unconscious.  His  "  mates  "  said  ho 
hati  not  lacked  spiritual  exhortation  and  comfort,  adding  simpiy 
and  humbly,  "  several  of  us  know  the  way,  sir."  So  they  did,  as 
was  evident  from  further  observation  of,  and  conversation  with 
them.  They  wei'c  very  grateful  for  Christian  literature.*  Now 
they  have  come  for  boards  to  make  a  coffin  for  their  dead  comrade, 
and  the  Eskimo  women  and  children  watch  the  strangers  with 
curiosity,  but  not  rudel}^.  On  the  whole,  I  think  our  Eskimocs 
very  well  behaved.  Their  Christianity  has  certainly  improved 
their  manners  in  everyday  life,  as  well  as  made  them  remarkably 
devout  in  church. 

There  is  the  church  bell.  Being  the  first  Monday  in  the  month, 
it  is  the  missionary  prayer-meeting.  Let  ns  go.  The  interior  of 
the  church  is  similar  to  that  at  Hopcdale  ah'cady  described,  and  tlio 
congregation  is  more  numerous.  Edification  predominates,  but  one 
or  two  amusing  items  may  be  noted.  The  babies  are  rather  nois}'. 
Should  one  or  another  get  too  obstreperous,  however,  the  mother 
slips  it  into  her  hood  behind,  and  marches  to  the  door  on  the 
■women's  side.  The  worthy  widow,  who  acts  as  chapel  servant, 
opens  the  door  and  then  closes  it  upon  the  little  disturber  of  tho 
peace.  It  is  also  amusing  to  a  stranger  to  watch  the  organ-blower, 
for  this  humble  but  important  service  to  the  sanctuary  has  a 
prominent  place  here.  The  office  is  fulfilled  by  a  woman,  clad  in 
Eskimo  fashion,  and  when  the  hymn  is  given  out  she  places  ono 
booted  leg  on  the  lever  of  the  belloAvs  and  then,  hymn  book  in  hand, 
treads  Avind  into  the  instrument  as  vigoi'ously  as  she  sings.  During 
the  concluding  hymn  a  number  of  little  heads  and  nmfHed  up  littlo 
bodies  appear  above  the  four  or  five  row3  of  women;  they  belong  to 
tho  babies  who  have  already  been  aeard  and  now  are  seen  as  their 
mothers  lift  them  up  to  slip  them  into  the  hoods  of  their  sillapaks. 
The  babies  being  tiius  stowed  away  on  their  backs,  the  mothers  are 
ready  to  stand  up  and  file  out  at  the  end  of  the  service. 

But,  as  I  said  before,  edification  predominates,  and  truly  it  is 
edifying  to  hear  the  hearty  singing  and  see  the  reverent  demean- 
our of  all  chisses  of  this  Eskimo  congregation.  I  may  here  add  that 

*  This  gives  me  an  opportunity  of  recording  thanks  to  the  Driuiimond  Tract 
Institute  for  a  free  .supply  of  l)right  Christian  publications  in  English,  which 
have  been  distributed,  and  will,  I  trust,  bear  some  fruit.  From  the  Religious 
Tract  Society  and  other  benefactors  we  have  also  recoivcd  valuable  help  for 
evangelistic  efforts  among  English-speaking  sailors  or  settlers  on  the  Coast  of 
Labrador. 


IN  LABRADOR.  33 

after  being  pi'csent  at  between  thirty  or  forty  services  at  our  six 
stations,  I  do  not  remember  seeing  a  single  boy  or  girl  talking  or 
laughing  with  a  neighbour  in  church.  Had  one  done  so,  no  doubt 
he  or  she  would  have  received  a  timely  rebuke  from  some  native- 
helper.  The  Eskimoes  at  Hopedale  have  been  known  to  take  tho 
Newfoundland  fishermen  to  task  for  irreverence. 


WALKS   IN   THE   NEIGHBOURHOOD  OF   OKAK. 

The  word  Okak  signifies  "the  Tongue."  The  station  is  situated 
on  a  hilly  island,  Avhich  for  nearly  half  the  year  is  practically  part 
of  the  mainland,  for  the  broad  straits  are  bridged  by  thick  ice.  The 
heights  ai'ound  our  little  settlement  command  fine  views  of  the 
surrounding  mountains  and  fjords.  The  island  of  Cape  Mugford 
is  one  of  the  grandest  objects  in  the  barren  landscape,  and  the 
Kaumajets,  a  noble  range,  stretch  away  to  the  north  of  it. 

Thursday,  August  30th. — Had  an  interesting  walk  over  moor- 
land in  search  of  the  site  of  Kivalek,  one  of  the  old  heathen 
villages,  from  which  the  population  of  Okak  was  dmwn.  On  a 
grassy  plain  we  found  the  roofless  remains  of  many  turf  huts. 
They  are  similar  to  the  mounds  near  Hopedale,  already  described, 
but  larger  and  more  numerous.  One  cannot  but  view,  with  a  sad 
interest,  these  remnants  of  the  former  abodes  of  pagans  Avithout 
hope  and  without  God  in  the  world.  "Let  them  alone,  they  are 
Tcry  happy  in  their  own  religion."  So  some  would  tell  us;  but  was 
it  so  here  ?  Is  it  so  where  the  true  light  has  not  yet  shined  into 
pagfiu  darkness  ?  No,  here,  as  everywhere  in  heathenism,  the  works 
of  the  flesh  were  manifest.  And  these,  as  the  Bible  plainly  tells  us, 
and  as  missionary  experience  abundantly  confirms,  are  "  fornication, 
uncleanness,  lasciviousness,  idolatr}^,  sorcery,  enmities,  strifes, 
jealousies,  wraths,  factions,  divisions,  parties,  envyings.  drunken- 
ness, revellings,  and  such  like."  But  through  the  power  of  tho 
Gospel  old  things  have  passed  away.  Heathen  Kivalek  is 
uninhabited,  and  though  the  flesh  yet  lusteth  against  the  Spirit  in 
the  lives  of  the  dwellers  at  Christian  Okak,  yet,  thank  God,  the 
Spirit  also  lusteth  against  the  flesh,  and  the  fruits  of  the  Spirit  ai'e 
manifest  there,  as  at  the  other  stations. 

Tiiesday,  Septemler  4th. — Before  we  had  done  breakfast  the  flag 
was  flying  at  the  mizen-gafE  of  the  "Hai^mony,"  summoning  her 
passengei's  to  start  for  Ramah.  We  speedily  packed  our  baggage, 
but  the  wind  died  away  ere  the  anchor  could  be  lifted,  and  we  did 
not  sail  out  of  the  bay  till  the  next  morning.  So  some  of  us  utilized 
the  interval  for  the  ascent  of  the  Sonnenkoppe,  so  called  because  it 
hides  the  sun  from  Okak  for  several  weeks  of  the  year.  High  on 
the  hill  was  a  pond,  which  superstitious  natives  believe  to  bo 
inhabited  by  a  sea-monster  left  there  by  +he  flood.  A  larger  lake  is 
named  after  our  Irish  missionary  ]3ramagin.  Arrived  at  the 
summit,  a  very  wide  pi'ospect  over  innumerable  mountains  and  blue 
sea,  dotted  with  white  icebergs,  rewarded  our  climb.  Far  below 
us  we  could  see  the  mission-house,  centre  of  blessed  influence,  for 

3 


•8^  FROM    OKAK   TO    KAMAU. 

the  Eskimo  village,  divided  into  Lower  Okak  by  the  beach,  and 
Upper  Okak  on  the  slope  beyond.  Strange  to  think  that,  with  the 
exception  of  one  settler  family  in  Saeglek  Bay,  the  nearest  group 
of  fixed  human  habitations  is  at  Hebron,  seventy  miles  to  the  north. 
Easier  than  the  ascent  was  the  descent,  over  rocks  and  stones, 
beautifully  variegated  mosses,  and  low  vegetation  changing  its  hue 
to  a  brilliant  red  as  the  autumn  advances. 


FROM   OKAK  TO   RAMAH. 

Wednesday,  September  t>th. — Abon.o  ten  o'clock  this  morning  a 
strong  breeze  sprang  up,  and  we  speedily  \ei\  behind  us  the  friendly 
red-roofed  mission-house  at  Okak.  When  we  entered  the  open  sea 
and  tux'ned  northwards  we  passed  near  a  grounded  iceberg,  curiously 
hollowed  out  by  the  action  of  the  waves.  The  seaward  face  of 
Cape  Mugford  is  even  grander  than  its  aspect  from  the  heights 
around  Okak.  It  seems  to  bo  a  perpendicular  precipice  of  about 
2000  feet,  with  white  base,  and  a  middle  strata  of  black  rocks  sur- 
mounted by  castellated  cliffs.  Presently  the  remarkably  jagged 
peaks  on  the  island  of  Nennoktuk  came  out  from  behind  the  neai'ei* 
headland.  There's  a  sail  to  the  right  of  it !  No,  she  is  not  another 
schooner  ;  she  is  two-masted  and  square  rigged,  and  therefore  the 
"  Gleaner,"  the  only  bx'igantine  in  these  waters.  So  the  two 
Moravian  vessels  pass  one  another  within  a  mile  or  two,  the 
"  Gleaner  "  on  her  way  southward  fi-om  Hebi'on  to  Okak,  whence 
she  will  take  Mr.  Bourquin  home  to  Nain,  the  "  Harmony  "  pur- 
suing her  northward  course  past  Hebron  to  Ramah.  The  captains, 
who  are  cousins,  exchange  a  salute  by  running  up  their  flags,  but 
the  sea  is  too  rough  to  put  down  a  boat. 

Thursday,  Septcmher  Gth. — We  have  had  a  rough  night.  This 
morning  we  are  off  Hebron,  but  twen/  five  miles  out  to  sea.  We 
have  just  passed  "  the  Watchman,"  an  island  which  serves  as  a 
waymark  for  the  entrance  to  that  station.  I  asked  the  mate,  who 
once  spent  a  winter  there,  whether  the  missionaries  or  the  Eskimoes 
could  see  us  from  the  heights  near  it.  He  replied  that  thei'e  was 
no  doubt  of  it,  but  that  he  had  looked  out  in  this  direction  from 
those  hills,  where  no  drop  of  water  was  visible;,  nothing  but  an 
illimitable  plain  of  ice  stretching  far  beyond  where  we  are  now  sailing. 

Siinday,  9*h. — Safe  at  Ramah,  thank  God,  and  not  out  in  the  fog, 
which  now  envelopes  sea  and  land.  The  last  two  days  have  been  a 
trial  of  patience.  Wo  have  seen  the  entrance  to  this  Nullatatok 
Bay  all  the  time,  and  longed  to  reach  the  desired  haven,  yet  have 
not  been  able,  owing  to  calms  and  conti'aiy  currents.  This  Labrador 
coast  becomes  ever  bolder  and  grander  as  one  sails  northward. 
Here  the  sncwy  mountains  are  quite  Alpine  in  appearance.  This 
morning  the  thick  mist  hides  all  but  the  base  of  these  magnificent 
hills,  but  the  enormous  rocky  masses,  rising  so  quickly  from  the 
water's  edge  into  the  heights  veiled  from  us,  give  some  idea  of 
their  grandeur.  Our  captain  is,  indeed,  well  acquainted  with  their 
aspect  or  he  would  not  have  ventured  to  enter  this  bay  under  such 
circumstances- 


85 


RAMARSUK"  (NEAT  LITTLE  RAMAH). 

ISSIONARIES  all  over  the  world 
are  perhaps  too  fond  of  multi- 
plying Scripture  names  of  their 
stations.  In  our  own  fields  we 
have  already  three  Bethanys 
and  three  Bethesdas.  We 
should  have  had  three  Ramahs 
too,  had  not  the  natives  of 
Australia  themselves  greatly 
improved  the  appellation  of 
theirs  by  adding  to  it  a  syllable 
meaning  "  home  "  or  mother's 
place.  It  seemed  so  homelike 
to  the  Christian  Aborigines, 
who  moved  thither  from  Ebenezer,  the  older  station,  that  they 
at  once  called  it  Ramahyuck  (Ramah,  our  home).  Perhaps  as  the 
Ramah  on  the  Moskito  Coast  is  also  known  as  Ramah  Key,  the 
uoi'thern  station  in  Labrador,  founded  in  1871  to  mark  the  ceuutry 
of  that  mission,  should  abide  plain,  simple  "  Ramah,"  otherwise 
the  above  combination  would,  I  understand,  have  suited  the  genius 
of  the  language,  and  its  significance.  "  Neat  little  Ramah " 
certainly  expresses  the  character  of  the  lonely  missionary  settle- 
ment. 

The  village,  if  one  may  dignify  this  small  group  of  human 
dwellings  by  that  name,  stands  on  a  little  plain  evidently  won  by 
degrees  from  the  sea,  for  the  successive  beaches  can  be  traced.  The 
mission  premises,  the  old  house,  the  new  house,  and  the  church 
with  its  little  belfry,  are  one  continuous  building  facing  the  bay 
southward,  and  exactly  one  hundred  feet  in  length.  Behind  are  the 
store  buildings,  and  the  low  turf  huts  of  the  natives  stretch  west^vard 
along  the  strand.  They  are  so  like  grassy  mounds,  that  from  any 
distance  one  would  ask,  "  Bat  where  do  the  Eskimoes  live  ?  " 

The  missionary  dwelling  is  primitive  enough,  even  as  enlarged. 
During  our  brief  stay  here,  I  have  the  honour  of  occupying  the 
original  house,  built  about  twenty  years  ago.  It  is  but  a  room 
divided  by  a  curtain,  but  it  served  the  first  missionary  couple  here 
as  dwelling-room,  bedroom,  church,  and  everything  else.  What 
a  grand  view  there  is  from  the  window  over  the  deep  land-locked  bay, 
in  which  the  "  Harmony  "  is  lying  at  the  only  available  anchorage. 
No  one  would  guess  that  it  would  take  more  than  half-an-hour  to 
row  across  the  smooth  water,  or  in  winter  to  walk  over  its  frozen 
surface  to  the  opposite  shore,  where,  as  on  this  side,  precipitous 
bluffs  rise  almost  from  the  water's  edge.  All  nature  around  is  on 
a  grand  scale,  and  those  snow-clad  mountains,  which  look  over  the 
shoulders  of  the  nearer  cliffs,  are  quite  Alpine  in  effect.  Climb  to 
the  dizzy  heights,  which  tower  threateningly  six  or  seven  hundred 
feet  above  the  station  and  you  find  you  nro  not  half  Avay  to  the 
summit  of  the  neai*est  hill.     It  must,  indeed,  be  a  r^an^nificent 

3  * 


m 


RAMAKSUK. 


view  fi'om  thence  towards  the  great  mountains  in  the  interior, 
whose  everlasting  snows  cover  long  ridges  at  least  five  or  six 
thousand  feet  in  height.  Seawards,  the  Ramah  Hill,  a  remarkable 
perpendicular  rock,  surmounts  the  nearer  cliffs.  It  looks  as  if, 
standing  on  the  crag,  one  could  di'op  a  stone  into  the  water  at  its 
base,  1000  feet  below. 

All  this  is  grand,  but  grander  still  is  the  quiet,  unconscious 
devotion  of  the  worthy  missionary  pair,  who  live  in  this  lonely  bay, 
tending  the  little  Christian  congregation  already  gathered,  and 
seeking  the  salvation  of  the  heathen  Eskimoes  to  the  north.  Of 
these  there  are  perhaps  sixty  or  seventy  dwelling  between  Ramah 


liAJIAH. 


and  Cape  Chudley,  the  northern  point  of  Labrador.  I  am  heartily 
glad  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Schulze  have  now  a  helper  in  Mr,  Eckliardt,  and 
trust  the  little  missionary  band  will  have  increasing  joy  in  souls 
won  for  the  Lord. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  the  fourth  morning  after  leaving 
Okak  we  entered  Nullatatok  Bay  through  a  thic^'  mist.  Beautiful 
days  followed,  showing  the  Ramah  sceneiy  to  advantage,  but  the 
weather  was  rather  wintry.  Snow  fell  once  or  twice,  though  not  in 
sufficient  quantities  to  lie,  and  one  morning  we  had  ice  on  the  bay. 
Yet  at  midday  the  sun  was  quite  hot.  The  arrival  of  the  *'  Harmony" 
at  Ramah  on  Sunday  (September  9th,  1888),  interfered  with  the 


HAMARSUK. 


37 


usual  morning  worship.  We  passengers  came  ashore  for  the  after- 
noon service,  Mr.  Schulze  read  the  Litany  and  then  Mr.  Dara 
addressed  the  congregation  in  Eskimo,  centreing  nearly  all  the  black 
eyes  in  eager  attention  to  the  Word  preached.  The  chapel  beino- 
small,  the  people  were  rather  near  to  the  benches  occupied  by  the 


missionary  brethren  and  sisters,  and  this  proximity  was  evident  to 
the  organs  of  gmell.  Several  being  away  at  their  fishing  places, 
thex'e  were  only  about  a  dozen  men  and  boys  and  rather  more 
women  and  girls  Avith  an  extra  sprinkling  of  lively  and  healthy- 
looking  babies.     !Most  were  cliaracterized  by  an  air  of  independence 


38  AX   ESKIMO   VILLAGE. 

amusingly  illustrated  at  the  close  by  the  oldest  man,  who  asked 
aloud  when  the  visitoi'  from  London  was  going  to  speak  to  them. 

And  what  of  the  spiritual  life  of  this  little  congregation  ?  In 
reply  I  will  give  neither  my  own  impressions,  nor  the  missionary's 
testimony  to  his  flock,  apt  sometimes  to  be  influenced  by  his  estimate 
of  what  they  should  be.  I  will  call  in  a  casual  witness.  Last  year 
Eugenia,  a  Christian  Eskimo  from  Hopedale,  visited  all  the  congre- 
gations, travelling  to  and  fro  by  dog-sledge  with  the  post-sledges. 
She  remarked  to  her  missionary  :  "  The  Ramah  and  Okak  people, 
those  are  the  best  in  the  country.  At  Ramah  I  was  quite  shamed 
by  their  desire  after  truth.  They  said,  'You  know  these  things; 
teach  us,  we  are  so  stupid.'  " 


AN  ESKIMO  VILLAGE. 

Now  for  a  visit  to  our  Eskimoes  in  their  own  dwellings,  as  the 
two  missionaries  are  ready  to  accompany  me  and  interpret  for 
me.  It  may  not  be  a  pleasant  expedition  in  every  respect,  as 
within  and  without  there  is  a  pervading  fishy  smell.  Rows  of 
drying  fish  hang  on  frames  high  enough  to  be  out  of  reach  of  the 
dogs,  who  sniff  about  CA'erywhere,  sometimes  climbing  into  the 
boats  to  see  if  any  fish  be  left.  Those  red  rows  are  trout,  the  white 
ones  ai-e  cod. 

When  we  arrived  here  last  Sunday,  two  families  were  living  in 
skin  tents.  One  has  now  taken  down  the  temporary  abode  and 
removed  into  the  more  permanent  winter  residence,  a  low  turf  hut. 
We  will  enter  the  other  tent.  Frederick,  the  owner,  is  not  at  home, 
but  his  wife,  Susannah,  is  there  with  her  two  childi-en.  Whilst 
she  inquires  after  her  former  missionaries  and  sends  a  grate- 
ful greeting  to  the  widoAV  of  the  late  Samuel  Weitz,  take  the 
opportunity  to  glance  around  the  tent.  It  is  more  spacious  and 
better  furnished  than  one  would  think.  We  can  all  three  stand 
upright  in  the  middle  of  it,  which  is  not  possible  in  ev^  vj  house. 
Deer  skins  spread  on  a  raised  platform  at  the  further  end  make  two 
beds.  In  that  open  box  are  hymn-book,  liturgy-book,  and  some 
volumes  of  the  Eskimo  Bible.  Nest  it  are  a  set  of  very  fair  cups 
and  saucers,  but  it  seems  incongruous  for  the  china  to  stand  on 
the  mud  floor.  Various  utensils  lie  about,  but  there  is  neither  chair 
nor  table. 

We  cannot  stay  long,  however,  for  we  are  going  to  visit  every 
house  in  the  place.  The  first  house  is  Gottlob's.  He  came  hither 
from  Hebron,  and  has  enjoyed  a  better  education  than  the  Ramah 
jjeople,  most  of  whom  grew  up  in  heathenism.  His  wife's  baptismal 
name  is  Lydia ;  as  a  heathen,  she  was  Auinasuak.  This  is  one  of 
the  best  huts,  but  the  best  are  poor  inside  as  well  as  outside,  com- 
pared to  many  log-houses  I  have  seen  further  south.  Through  the 
low  porch,  without  any  remonstrance  from  the  dogs,  we  reach  a 
lower  door.  It  is  hot  inside.  Yes,  there  is  a  stove  to  the  left,  and 
it  appears  to  be  the  only  article  of  furniture  in  the  room  entered. 


AN   ESKIMO   VILLAGE.  39 

Beliiiid  the  partition  is  a  very  different  chamber.  It  is  furnished 
with  the  usual  couches  spread  with  skins,  and  on  the  edge  of  one 
of  these,  Lydia  is  seated.  She  does  not  rise  to  greet  her  visitors, 
nor  does  it  occur  to  her  to  offer  a  seat.  What  shall  she  oifer  ?  A 
box  ?  As  witli  the  rest  of  those  visited,  her  welcome  takes  the 
form  of  a  good-humoui-ed  laugh.  One  or  two  objects  in  her  room 
testify  to  a  refinement  unusual  for  this  station.  A  guitar  hangs 
on  the  wall  near  a  cage  with  a  bird  in  it,  and  against  the  partition 
stands  a  piano.  Fancy  such  an  instrument  in  a  low  turf  hut,  even 
though  it  bo  but  an  old  square  piano !  Here,  as  elsewhere,  wo 
speak  a  few  words  of  kindly  greeting  and  spiritual  interest,  and 
then  take  leave  with  "  Aksunai." 

The  occupant  of  the  next  hut  is  not  at  home.  This  is  indicated 
by  two  great  slabs  of  slate,  one  at  the  entrance  to  his  porch  and 
one  over  his  front  (and  only)  window.  These  are  more  for  pro- 
tection against  prowling  dogs  than  dishonest  men. 

Now  we  come  to  the  dwelling  of  the  oldest  couple,  William  and 
Hulda,  whose  heathen  names  wei'c  Nochasak  and  Aksuana.  They 
are,  respectively,  fifty-five  and  fifty,  but  look  older.  Two  sons  live 
with  them,  of  Avhom  the  elder  is  married.  Both  parents  are  at 
home,  and  the  daughter-in-law  with  her  first  baby  in  her  arms. 
Here  first  I  notice  the  curious  lamp,  a  sort  of  dish  hollowed  out  in 
a  soft  stone.  The  wick  is  a  kind  of  moss  which  floats  in  seal-oil, 
and  gives  a  feeble  flame  apparently  moi'e  for  warmth  than  for  light, 
for  the  houses  nre  not  dark. 

Next  to  Wii'iam's  stand  the  I'oofless  remains  of  an  unoccupied 
dwelling,  which  may  serve  to  show  how  these  huts  are  built.  It 
is  a  square  enclosure  three  or  four  feet  in  height ;  the  back  is  dug 
out  of  the  sloping  bank,  the  front  wall  is  built  up  with  turf.  Put 
a  roof  over  this  and  your  house  will  be  made.  Two  upright  posts 
in  the  middle,  about  seven  feet  in  height,  will  serve  as  the  supports 
for  the  frame  of  your  roof,  which  will  also  be  covci'cd  with  turf. 
The  low  door  must  be  in  front,  facing  the  bay,  and,  both  for  warmth 
and  as  a  shelter  for  tlie  dogs,  must  invariably  be  protected  by  a 
low  covered  porch.  Whether  he  be  dwelling  in  his  turf  hut  or 
sheltering  in  some  snow  hut,  quickly  buih,  for  n  night  away  from 
home,  the  Eskimo  enters  his  abode  by  a  little  tunnel,  at  the  further 
end  of  which  is  the  door.  Just  above  this  comes  the  windoAv-fi*ame, 
sometimes  on  a  slant,  better  perpendicular.  The  window  of  his 
turf  hut  is  semi-transparent  seal  bladder  unless  the  owner  of  the 
mansion  can  afford  and  obtain  glass.  N"ow  your  house  is  complete, 
but  lacks  interior  fittings.  If  you  are  an  Eskimo,  you  do  not  Avant 
many.  Your  two  poles  supporting  the  roof  may  help  you  to 
partition  off  the  sleeping  places,  cither  Avitli  boards  or  Anth  curtains. 
These  are  raised  about  a  foot  from  the  ground,  and  the  edge  of  the 
bed  is  the  general  seat. 

Let  us  continue  our  visits  to  the  inhabited  houses,  one  next  the 
othei',  in  an  irregular  row.  Outside  them  the  children  are  playing 
aboiit  and  seem  to  enjoy  life.  Here  and  there  one  may  see  a 
sledge,  or  a  kayak,  the  skin-covered  boat  such  as  is  used  by  the 
men.     The  larger  umiak,  or  women's   boat,  is  now  scarcely  met 


40  AN   ESKIMO   VILLAGE. 

With  in  Labrador.  There  are  one  or  two  light  wooden  skeleton 
frames  of  kayaks,  bnt  most  arc  tightly  covered  with  white  smooth 
skins,  cleverly  sewn  together  by  the  women.  Look  at  this  one 
lying  on  the  grass ;  it  is  ubout  fifteen  feet  long,  but  you  can  lift  the 
end  of  it  quite  easily.  The  owner  paddled  home  in  it  this  morning 
from  his  fishing-place  at  the  head  of  the  fjord,  and  sold  fifty-two 
trout  off  the  top  of  it  to  the  captain,  as  he  passed  the  "  Harmony." 
His  bone-pointed  harpoon  and  .a  hook  with  a  long  handle  arc 
strapped  on  top  of  the  canoe.  Beside  it  lies  his  paddle,  which  the 
Eskimo  wields  so  deftly  and  silently  that  even  a  seal  may  fail  to 
detect  his  swift  approach.  Its  blades  at  both  ends  ai*e  beautifully 
finished  off  with  bone.  I  see  his  gun  is  carelessly  left  in  the  round 
man-hole  in  which  he  sits  when  afloat.  It  may  bo  loaded  ;  I  hope 
the  children  will  let  it  alone. 

Passing  Daniel's  empty  hut,  for  he  and  his  family  arc  away 
fishing,  wo  call  on  Ikkaujak  and  Sakkearak  (now  John  and 
Ernestine),  and  then  on  Matthew  and  his  Avife  Verona,  who  not 
long  ago  were  known  as  Swanzi  and  Akkusane.  Matthew  is 
interested  to  show  and  explain  the  weapons  of  the  chase.  His 
racket-shaped  snow-shoes  arc  the  shortest  I  ever  saw.  Longer 
ones,  unless  like  the  Norwegian  skydder,  would  bo  unpractical 
among  these  mountains.  His  harpoons  hang  on  the  wall  next  his 
gun.  The  blunt  one,  pointed  with  a  walrus  tooth,  is  used  in  the 
body  of  a  seal,  but  the  iron-pointed  one  is  needed  when  the 
animal's  head  alone  is  obovc  the  Avater  or  the  ice.  Both  are  cleverly 
put  together  with  wood,  bono,  and  thongs,  so  arranged  that  when 
necessaiy  head  and  haft  easily  come  apart. 

Some  of  these  Ramah  P^skimoes  arc  perhaps  5  ft.  10  in.  in 
height,  and  most  of  them  look  robust  and  strong  ;  but  little  Paul's 
door  is  very  low,  and  I  must  bend  double  to  enter  his  hut.  His 
heathen  name  was  Simigak  and  his  wife's  Ikkiuek  Avhen  they  camo 
from  Naclivak  in  1881.  He  is  not  at  home,  but  his  Adolfinc  gives 
us  a  Avelcome  in  Eskimo  fashion.  There  is  a  stove  in  the  corner, 
and  on  it  a  pot  Avith  some  pieces  of  salmon  in  it.  A  few  trout  are 
strung  up  to  the  roof.  I  notice  a  clock  in  the  comer,  but  am  told 
that  it  is  broken.  Perhaps  Paul  can  mend  it ;  at  any  rate,  Avhilo 
I  Avas  at  Hopedale  some  ^eAvfoundland  fishermen  entrusted  their 
ship  clock  to  an  Eskimo  for  repairs. 

The  last  hut  in  the  village  is  Frederick's.  Some  of  his  goods  are 
here,  but  most  are  in  the  tent  Avhere  Ave  found  his  Avife  and  family. 
A  foAV  pictiTres  are  pasted  on  his  walls.  Many  houses  at  other 
stations  arc  almost  papered  with  pages  from  the  Graioliic  and 
Illustrated  London  Neivs. 

What  is  your  impression  of  Eskimo  abodes  now  you  have  seen 
their  interiors  ?  Well,  they  are  not  prepossessing  to  a  European 
with  the  ordinary  notions  of  what  belongs  to  the  necessai^ies  of  life, 
yet  they  are  airier  and  cleaner  than  I  had  expected  from  their 
exterior  aspect.  I  am  assured  that  there  is  much  Christian  life  in 
those  queer  homes,  and  that  in  many  a  heart  there  a  "  candle  of 
the  Lord"  has  been  lighted,  Avhich  shines  for  the  illumination  of 
the  dark  North.     If  honourud  Avith  an  invitation  to  a  meal  in  some 


ON   THE    BEACH    AT    KAMAlt.  41 

Eskimo  but,  I  would  ratlier  it  -wero  not  at  Ramali.  In  tho  southern 
stations  there  are  some  tidy  log-houses,  where  one  need  not  hesitate 
to  sit  down  to  table  with  Christian  Eskimoes,  who  have  learnt 
cleanly  and  tidy  habits  from  intci-course  with  and  tho  example  of 
missionaries.  Here  there  arc  no  tables  ;  the  peoi)lo  have  scarcely 
learnt  the  use  of  forks,  and  are  apt  to  handle  the  knives  in  eating* 
in  a  Boraewlif  o  uncouth  fashion.  The  meat  is  taken  in  the  teeth 
and  cut  off  near  the  mouth,  so  that  the  upward  motion  of  the  blado 
seems  to  endanger  tho  nose  at  every  bite,  especially  in  the  case 
of  very  small  children  with  a  very  big  knife. 

Do  my  readers  want  to  know  about  the  gardens?  TI'  re  are 
none.  Gardening  is  no  employment  for  the  Eskimoes  ;  the  severity 
of  the  climate  and  their  migratory  habits  forbid  it.  Nor  do  they 
seem  to  have  much  taste  for  flowers,  though  they  see  them  in 
the  missionaries'  gai'dens.  They  appreciate  the  vegetables  grown 
there,  but  they  do  not  care  for  the  trouble  of  raising  them  for 
themselves. 


ON  THE  BEACH  AT  RAMAH. 

Returning  along  the  beach  we  see  Matthew's  skin-covered  canoo 
lying  upside  down  on  the  grass,  and  we  induce  him  to  give  us  a 
specimen  of  kayak  navigation.  He  picks  up  the  end  of  his  light 
craft,  runs  round  so  as  to  bring  it  right  end  foremost  to  the  sea, 
and  pushes  it  over  the  beach  till  thi-ce-fourths  or  more  are  in 
the  water.  Then  he  steps  lightly  over  the  fl^at  toil,  paddle  in  hand, 
sets  himself  deftly  in  the  man-hole,  and  in  a  moment  he  is  afloat, 
joaddling  to  and  fro  with  quiet  powerful  strokes.  Returning  at 
full  speed,  he  runs  his  ka^-ak,  which  only  [draAvs  a  few  inches, 
straight  on  to  the  shore;  stepping  lightly  over  the  front  of  it, 
he  stands  dry  shod  on  the  beach  and  drags  his  kayak  out  of  tho 
water. 

Further  along  a  little  group  of  Eskimoes  have  just  finished 
unloading  a  boat,  which  has  brought  goods  from  the  ship.  Let  us 
join  them,  for  I  want  to  sec  a  Avliip,  such  as  they  use  in  driving  the 
dog-sledge.  My  request  is  interjiretcd  and  one  of  tho  natives 
•runs  to  fetch  his.  Truly  it  is  a  formidable  instrument.  Tho 
wooden  handle  is  only  a  few  inches  in  length,  but  the  lash  is 
more  than  thirty  feet.  It  is  made  of  many  thongs  of  stout,  tough 
sealskin  soAvn  together,  and  tapering  till  a  single  thong  goes  off 
almost  to  a  point.  The  owner  gives  us  a  specimen  of  its  powers 
by  cracking  it,  but  I  am  glad  he  does  not  practice  on  anything 
living.  Stepping  backwards  from  us,  he  drr.gs  the  whip  out  to  its 
full  length,  so  as  to  be  sure  he  is  beyond  reach  of  us,  then  deftly 
throws  the  lash  behind  him.  Now  a  rapid  movement  of  the  hand 
and  arm  sends  the  long  lash  back  towards  ns,  and  a  quick  turn  of 
the  wrist  makes  tho  end  of  it  crack  like  a  pistol.  I  have  purchased 
that  implement,  but  I  doubt  if  any  amount  of  pi'acticc  Avould  enable 
me  to  perform  the  feat  of  cracking  it  with  safety  to  myself  and  tho 
bystandei's. 


42 


A   FAITHFUL   NATIVE    HELPER. 


To  the  cast  of  the  mission- 
liouHC  there  is  a  pretty  water- 
fall about  ten  or  twelve  feet  in 
depth.  It  is  the  last  leap  of  a 
rnountain  brook,  which  in  sum- 
mer flows  swiftly  down  the 
deep  ravine,  which  it  has  out. 
Higher  up,  a  part  of  the  pure, 
clear  stream  is  diverted  as  the 
water  supply  for  the  mission- 
house  and  the  native  huts.  As 
at  Hopedale  and  Zoar,  this  runs 
off  a  trough  about  a  hundred 
yards  from  the  house.  At  Nain 
and  Okak  it  is  conducted 
straight  into  the  kitchen,  when 
desired.  In  winter  every  sta- 
tion is  liable  to  the  freezing 
f)f  the  ordiiuuy  supply,  and 
then  water  must  bo  fetched 
from  a  distance,  or  if  none  can 
be  found,  snow  or  ice  must  be 
melted.  Icicles  are  hanging 
from  the  trough  here  to-day,  for 
though  the  sun  is  warm  now, 
there  were  four  or  live  degrees 
of  frost  last  night,  and  the  wind 
is  still  keen.  In  spring,  when 
a  tluiw  sets  in,  this  little  stream 
is  a  source  of  danger  to  Ramah. 
Its  deep  channel  is  filled  with 
snow,  and  the  pent-up  torrent, 
seeking  an  outlet,  is  apt  to 
escape  from  its  usual  bounds 
and  start  an  avalanche  dow-n  the 
«teep  declivity.  When  the  thaw 
becomes  general,  there  is  a 
grand  series  of  leaping  cataracts 
and  roaring  rapids  in  that 
ravine. 


A  FAITHFUL  NATIVE  HELPER. 

I  WOULD  that  young  Gottlob, 
now  living  at  Ramah,  might 
turn  out  as  good  a  man  as  liis 
late  namesake.  Let  me  take 
you  to  old  Gottlob's  grave, 
you  the  story 
his     family. 


and   thei'c  tell 
of    himself    and 


M 

a 


CO 

r. 


The  little  "God's  acre"  is  scarcely  an   acre,   and  it   should   bo 


LEAVINO   RAMAH.  -AS 

enclosed.  F'at  slaty  stones,  suitable  for  a  wall,  lie  around  in  nlmn- 
diincc,  brought  down  by  the  avalanche,  which  a  year  or  two  ago 
endangered  the  station,  but  happily  did  no  more  damage  than 
destroy  the  powder-house  and  devastate  the  burial-ground.  Kegs 
of  powder  and  tombstones  were  carried  far  out  on  to  the  if )  of  the 
bay.  Most  of  the  latter  were  recovered  unbroken  and  replaced,  and 
among  them  the  one  of  which  ,/o  are  in  search.  Hero  it  is,  a  simple 
square  slate  tablet  of  touching  interest.  The  Eskimo 
inscription  informs  us  thatGottlob  was  born  in  181G. 
He  was  the  child  of  heathen  parents  at  Nachvak,  and 
grew  up  in  paganism.  Presently  ho  came  under  the 
influence  of  the  Gospel  and  was  baptized  at  Okak, 
exchanging  his  heathen  name  of  Nikkartok  for  tho 
Christian  name  which  his  subsequent  life  adorned. 


(ioTTLOll. 

unulilauktok 

181G. 

nngerarpok 

14  Septbr.  1878. 


In    1867   ho   joined    Daniel    of    Hopedalo    in    an    endeavour   to 
evangelize   the    northern   heathen,   among    whom    his    childhood 
had  been  spent.     After  this  he  settled  with  his  family  at  Hebron, 
Ijut  when  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Weitz  commenced  the  station  at  Hamah 
in  1871  Gottlob  volunteered   to   accompany   them.     Ho   and   his 
family  proved  useful  helpers  of  the  missionary  ellbrt.     His  wife 
Marianna  was  also  born  a  heathen,  and  named  Xukupjuna.     She 
is  now  a  native  helper  at  Hebron.     His  daughter  was  exceedingly 
valuable  as  the  schoolmistress,  and  when  an  organist  was  needed 
Nicholina    fulfilled    the    office    to    the    best    of    her    ability    by 
playing   the  melody  with  one    finger   on  the    very   little   harmo- 
nium, which  still  does  duty  at  Ramah.     That  was  a  simple  service 
rendered  in  simplicity  of  spirit,  yet  in  such   a   climate  possibly 
attended  with  suffering.     A  missionary  sister   lately  resident   at 
Hebron  told  me  she  had  often  played  the  organ  there  with  a  blister 
at  the  end  of  each  finger,  for  the  intense  cold  made  the  touch  of 
tho  keys  like  contact  Avith  red-hot  iron.     But  to  return  to  Gottlob. 
For  seven  years  he  lived  and  laboured  among  his  countrymen, 
from  whom  he  had  at  times  to  bear  obloquy  on  account  of  his 
Christian   fidelity.       He   died  September  14th,  1878,  and  this  is 
the  comprehensive  record  of  him  in  the  Eamah  Church  book  :  "  In 
life  and  death   Gottlob  placed  his  whole  trust  in    tho   crucified 
Saviour,  in  whom  he  found  pardon,  peace,  and  joy." 


LEAVING  RAMAH. 

Friday,  ScpfemhcrlitJi. — Came  aboard  last  night  for  an  early  start; 
weighed  our  anchor  about  6  o'clock  this  morning.  The  wind  was 
light  and  several  of  tho  natives  towed  us  out  of  the  bay  in  the  ship's 
boats.  Ere  we  started  the  resident  missionaries  brought  their  last 
batch  of  letters  for  Europe,  and  bade  us  farewell.  They  had  been 
wi'iting  most  of  the  night.  Now  tho  good  folk  will  rest  after  the 
excitement  and  bustle  of  shiptime.  It  will  be  a  year  before 
they  have  visitors  again,  unless  it  be  a  missionary  brother  from 
HelDx  n  or  Mr.  MacLaren,  the  Hudsons  Bay  Company's  agent  at 
Nachvak. 


44  8UNSKT,  MOONRISE  AND  AURORA  BOREALIS. 

It  wns  most  interesting  to  move  slowly  out  of  the  bay,  passing 
point  after  point,  each  headland  opening  up  new  vistas  of  gi-and, 
snowy  mountains  at  the  heads  of  the  bays  southwards,  Avhilst  north- 
wards tlio  great  cliff  of  the  Kamah  Hill  looks  down  ujjou  us. 
Having  brought  the  "  Harmony  "  round  the  first  jwint  into  more 
open  water,  where  she  can  bettor  avail  herself  of  the  occasional 
light  pufls  of  wind,  our  Eskimoes  came  aboard  for  their  breakfasts 
and  presently  rowed  away  in  their  boats.  They  bade  us  a  hearty 
"  Aksunai  "  and  went  down  the  side  evidently  well  pleased  with 
their  wages.  Nor  were  they  sorry  to  leave  the  ship,  which  was 
beginning  to  roll  a  little.  Accusconied  as  they  are  to  brave  high 
waves  in  their  kayaks  or  flats,  they  nevertheless  felt  the  motion  of 
the  vessel  and  were  afraid  of  seasickness,  Befoi'O  starting  John  had 
to  splice  his  oar  with  a  strip  of  seal  hide.  I  watched  him  put  it 
round  the  handle,  then  holdingon  totheoar  with  both  hands  get  tho 
rope  in  his  teeth  and  pull  his  lashing  tight  with  all  the  strength  of 
Lis  back.     So  tho  teeth  served  him  at  each  turn. 


^ 

SUNSET,  MOONRISE  AND  AURORA  BOREALIS. 

Now  wo  have  got  fairly  out  to  sea.  Tho  light  land  breeze  has 
ceased  and  wo  arc  lying  becalmed.  What  a  sunset  there  is  over 
that  Alpine  range  of  snowy  mountains !  Yonder  dark  hills  to  tho 
north  of  Ramah  arc  glowing  as  if  they  were  red  hot  tlirongh  and 
through.  True  this  is  a  glory  that  fadeth,  yet  the  cloudless  sky 
long  retains  the  brilliant  hues,  and  the  scaAvard  horizon  has  a  bi'oad 
red  band  shading  off  above  and  below  into  blue.  Still  more  beauti- 
ful is  the  paler  pink  reflection,  tinting  the  smooth  surface  of  the 
water  on  all  sides  of  us  save  the  west.  There  the  bun  has  just 
gone  down,  and  tho  lingering  glories  of  the  sky  are  reflected  on  tho 
rippling  waves  in  a  wonderful  network  of  bright  j'cllow  and  deep 
oi'ange.  Look  southward  again,  now  that  the  darkness  is  beginning 
to  tell  on  the  scene.  Over  yonder  great  iceberg  the  rising  moon 
sends  a  path  of  silvery  light  across  the  water,  now  a  broad  waving 
band,  now  innumerable  sparks  and  circlets  dancing  like  fairy  lights 
upon  the  gently  swelling  sea. 

All  this  is  beautiful,  but  what  follows  is  a  rarer  sigl   . 
"  Mr.  La  Trobe,  the  northern  lights." 
"  Thank  you,  captain,  I  will  be  on  deck  in  a  moment." 
I  have  seen  many  pictures  of  the  Aux'ora  Borealis,  and  we  havo 
already  had  some  fine  displays  during  this  voyage,  but  I  never 
witnessed  anything  like  this.     Truly  the  heavens  declare  the  glory 
of  God  and  the  firmament  sheweth  His  handiwork  !     Undulating 
bands  of  bright  white  light  are  swiftly  scintillating  across  the  sky, 
now  curving  upAvards  from  the  horizon,  noAv  stretching  in  broad 
stripes  right  over  the  zenith.     Sometimes  the  Aurora  is  stationary 
and  the  smooth  surface  of  the  sea  reflects  the  steady  light ;  in  tho 
next   moment   it  is  moving    I'apidly  all    over  the  heavens.     The 
swifter  the  motion  the  more  brilliant  the  red  or  pink  or  green,  which 
at  times  fringes  the  lower  edge  of  the  broad  white  bands  of  light. 


45 

ARRIVAL  AT  HEBRON. 

Monday,  Septemher  17th. — Early  this  morning  I  went  on  deck  and 
found  wo  were  a  considerable  distance  outside  the  Kangertluksoak 
Fjord.  Wo  were  much  nearer  the  entrance  for  the  greater  part  of 
yesterday,  but  a  strong  contrary  wind  kept  us  tacking  to  and  fro 
the  whole  day,  till  the  darkness  made  it  impossible  to  I'each  Hebron, 
which  lies  in  a  little  side  bay  to  the  north  of  the  great  fjord. 
There  were  many  large  icebergs  around  us,  and  wo  passed  (juito 
floso  to  some  floating  fragments,  which  proved  to  be  great  lumps  of 
ice,  necessitating  a  turn  of  the  lielm  to  avoid  collision  with  them. 
It  was  evident  from  the  number  of  these,  that  a  berg  had 
recently  broken  up.  I  was  told  that  yesterday  a  large  piece  fell  off 
one  near  us  with  a  crack  like  a  cannon  shot.  I  would  like  to  seo 
an  iceberg  turn  over,  as  they  sometimes  do,  but  I  do  not  wish  to  be 
too  near  it  in  that  case.  Last  niyht  the  wind  fell  and  the  currents 
drifted  our  little  vessel  perilously  near  one  of  the  great  bergs, 
which  Avas  probably  aground.  It  was  an  anxious  time  for  those  on 
the  watch,  but  the  Lord  preserved  us. 

The  headland  to  the  north  of  us  is  Capo  T^'^ivak.  Uivak  is  simply 
the  Eskimo  word  for  jjiomontory,  and  the  names  of  Capo  Webuck 
on  this  coast  and  Quebec  in  Canada,  are  evidently  derived  from  it. 
There  is  a  board  on  that  little  island,  and  through  tlio  glass  one  can 
read  the  letters  S.  E.  What  does  that  stand  for  ?  Well,  that 
identifies  "  Friday  Island,"  so-called  after  Sophia  F'-eitag,  the  wife 
of  a  worthy  missionary.  Once  the  captain  of  a  st  jamer  read  it 
S.E.,  so  ho  steered  north-west,  and  safely  entered  Hebron  Bay. 
Ho  afterwards  congratulated  our  captain  on  having  put  up  so  good 
a  way-mark. 

To-day  tb.e  wind  has  veered  round  a  little  to  the  north,  which 
enables  us,  at  last,  to  run  straight  in  at  the  mouth  of  Kangert- 
luksoak Fjord,  past  three  great  icebergs,  which  stand  in  a  ro\,  as 
if  to  defend  the  entrance.  The  sailors  call  them  "  men-of-war." 
Our  rapid  progress  soon  brings  us  in  sight  of  the  mission  premises, 
whose  red  roofs  stand  out  against  the  bare  rocky  background  of 
the  steep  hillside,  tinted  a  warm  red-brown  by  the  autumn  hues  of 
the  mosses.  There  is  the  church  Avith  its  cupola  in  a  line  with  tho 
long  one-storied  mission-house.  The  store  buildings  and  the  boat- 
Louse  are  nearer  the  landing  stage.  Some  skilful  tacks  bring  us 
into  the  Plebron  Bay,  and  ore  long  tho  "  Harmony  "  lies  at  her 
anchorage,  here  farther  from  tho  station  than  at  any  other  place 
on  the  coast.  What  a  lively  scene !  Ten  or  a  dozen  boats  have 
already  came  round  us — these  Eskimoes  are  bold  sailors — and  our 
anchor  is  scarcely  down  before  wo  are  boarded  in  friendly  fashion  by 
numerous  natives.  Yonder  white  boat  is  the  "Harp,"  and  it  brings 
four  good  gentlemen  in  sealskin  coats.  The  patriarch  of  tho  band 
is  our  venerable  Mr.  Krotschmer,  who  came  to  Labrador  in  1852. 
This  year  he  leaves  his  loved  land  after  thirty-six  years  of  service, 
during  which  ho  has  been  homo  once,  twenty-seven  years  ago.  Ho  is 
followed  by  the  missionaries  Kahle,  Wirth,  and  Hlawatschek,  who 
report  their  wives  and  children  all  well.  - 


46  THE   VISITINQ    MISSlOXARIEs'   LEVEE. 

Ere  long  we  visitors,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Dam  and  myself,  are  ready  to 
go  ashore  with  them.  Landing  from  the  boat,  we  climb  the  hill 
to  the  mission-house,  farther  from  the  shore  than  any  other.  The 
sisters  and  children  welcome  us  at  the  door,  and  for  the  sixth  time 
I  enjoy  the  liospitality  of  a  Labrador  mission  family. 

The  chapter  entitled  "  A  busy  week  at  Nain  "  would  serve  as  a 
general  description  of  the  time  spent  at  this  or  any  of  the  stations. 
Conferences  with  the  missionary  band,  daily  sei'vices  in  the  Church 
or  the  house,  the  special  meeting  for  my  address  to  the  congregation, 
visits  to  and  from  the  natives,  inspection  of  the  mission  premises 
and  their  surroundings,  pleasant  strolls  in  tlie  intervals  of  daily 
duty  and  the  routine  of  a  mission-house,  one  or  two  more  extensive 
walks  on  the  hills  around,  pi'ofitable  evenings  in  the  mission  circle, 
all  these  made  eight  days  at  Hebron  pass  very  quickly,  whilst  as 
ever  I  was  lovingly  cared  for  by  my  hosts.  Hebron  is,  to  use  the 
expressive  term  of  the  Newfoundland  fishermen,  a  "blusterous" 
place.  It  is  beyond  the  northern  limit  of  trees  on  this  part  of  the 
coast,  and  the  wind  sweeps  down  the  bare,  rocky  slopes  with  great 
force.  This  is  the  reason  for  the  exceptional  construction  of  the 
mission  px-cmises. 

♦ 

THE  VISITING  MISSIONARIES'  LEVEE. 

My  dear  fellow-travellers  fi'om  Hopedale  used  to  bo  stationed  at 
Hebron,  and  it  is  astonishing  to  see  how  affectionately  these  people 
gather  around  them.  Their  temporary  abode  here  is  the  school- 
room, and  it  is  just  as  Avell  that  it  is  a  good  size  and  easily  acces- 
sible. Look  in  upon  them  at  any  hour  of  the  day,  and  you  will 
probably  find  that  they  have  Eskimo  visitors.  Last  Sunday  they 
held  quite  a  levee,  for  men,  women,  and  children  flocked  in  after 
service  to  greet  them. 

Come  and  make  acquaintance  with  some  of  these  Eskimo 
brethren  and  sisters.  Several  are  introduced  as  relatives  of  Abra- 
ham and  Tobias,  who  visited  Germany  and  France  in  1880.  In 
their  letters "  "home  the  poor  fellows  confessed  that  there  was  far 
more  sea  between  Labrador  and  Europe  than  they  had  any  idea  of, 
before  they  and  some  heathen  from  Nachvak  were  induced  by  an 
agent  of  Hagenbeck's  .  Hamburg  to  alloAV  themselves  to  be 
brought  over  and  exhib-::ed.  They  were  very  home-sick  for  Labra- 
dor, but  they  never  returned,  for  one  after  another  was  taken  fatally 
ill.  The  last  survivors  died  in  Paris  early  in  1881.  The  Chris- 
tians among  them  did  credit  to  their  profession,  had  their  daily 
worship,  exercised  a  good  influence  over  the  heathen  members  of 
the  party,  and  died  in  simple  trust  in  Jesus  as  their  Saviour. 

Sarah  needs  no  introduction.  I  had  heard  of  her  before  reaching 
Hebron,  and  one  cannot  be  in  the  place  long  without  making  her 
acquaintance.  She  is  a  woman  of  enei'gy  and  resource.  Last  year 
she  lost  her  good  husband  Hioronymus,  the  oldest  native  helper  at 
Hebron.  She  continues,  however,  to  be  a  leader  in  the  concerns  of 
the  community,  and  her  influence  is  good.  She  is  a  prominent 
chapel  servant,  and  a  leading  singer  in  the  choir.     To  be  sure,  tact 


A    SLEDGE    DRIVF.  47 

is  needed  to  keep  Sarah  in  good  humour,  and  direct  her  energies 
into  useful  channels.  She  has  a  turf  house  for  winter  occupation, 
but  when  I  visited  her  she  was  living  in  her  summer  abode — a  log 
hut.  The  interior  was  very  tidy.  In  the  outer  room  I  noticed  a 
harmonium  ;  and  in  the  inner  one,  besides  a  table  and  some  chairs, 
there  were  pictures  and  ornaments  and  a  sewing  machine,  on  which 
she  kindly  did  some  work  for  me. 

Seated  near  us,  among  the  numerous  visitors  in  the  schoolroom, 
are  a  mother  and  daughter,  whose  names  are  already  well  known  to 
us.  That  dark-looking  old  woman  is  Marianna,  the  widoAv  of 
Gottlob,  whoso  grave  we  saw  at  Ilamah.  She  is  now  a  valued 
native  helper  here.  The  younger  person  is  Nicholina,  bright 
and  strong  in  mind  and  heart  though  rather  bent  and  crippled 
in  body.  Here,  as  formerly  at  Ramah,  she  serves  as  school 
mistress,  and  I  am  told  has  considerable  cai^acity  both  for 
iniijarting  knowledge  and  for  maintaining  discipline.  She  stands 
in  regular  correspondence  with  several  friends  of  the  mission 
in  Europe.  She  had  something  to  tell  them  in  her  last  letters, 
for  not  long  ago  she  and  her  mother  with  eight  other  Eskimoes  wei'o 
nearly  drowned  in  the  bay  about  where  the  "  Harmony  "  lies  at  anchor. 
A  sudden  gust  of  wind  capsized  the  sailing  boat,  in  which  they  were 
coming  home  from  their  fishing  place.  One  good  feature  of  tho 
Eskimo  character  is  their  presence  of  mind  in  danger.  There  was 
no  panic,  though  the  boat  sank  instantly.  Happily  she  was  towing 
a  little  flat.  One  of  the  men  promptly  cut  tho  rope,  and  so  all  were 
brought  safe  to  land,  some  in  the  flat,  others  hanging  on  to  its  sides. 
Old  Marianna  was  one  of  the  latter,  and  when  her  numbed  hands 
lost  their  hold,  they  tied  her  wrists  to  the  gunwale  of  tho  little  boat. 
She  has  recovered  from  tho  shock  and  exposure,  but  like  the  rest  has 
been  impoverished,  for  they  lost  their  all  in  the  boat,  which  went 
down. 

Thomas,  Enoch,  and  John  are  the  three  native  helpers.  Since 
the  death  of  Hieronymus,  Thomas  has  been  the  oldest  in  the  office, 
but,  as  he  feels,  has  not  yet  suflicient  influence  or  force  of  character 
to  lead  his  countiymen  at  critical  times.  He  is,  however,  a  humble 
child  of  God,  and  growing  in  grace  as  well  as  exper>nce.  John  has 
a  little  speech  to  make,  and  here  is  the  literal  translation  of 
it : — "  Sometimes  when  we  are  busy,  we  do  not  always  use  the 
Scriptures  daily.  Mostly  we  do.  The  distress  of  our  body  often 
causes  us  to  seek  the  Word  of  God.  If  the  everlasting  Gospel  were 
well  considered  by  all,  there  would  be  visible  love." 


A  SLEDGE  DRIVE. 

Septemher  22w(Z,  1888. — My  good  friends  are  determined  that  I  shall 
see  a  real  sledge  and  team  of  dogs  start  and  travel.  So  after  dinner 
the  sledge  is  brought  to  the  gate  of  the  mission  premises.  It  con- 
sists of  a  couple  of  iron-bound  wooden  runners  about  fifteen  feet 
long  and  eight  inches  high,  aci-oss  which  many  cross-pieces  of  wood 
are  secured  with  thongs.  Nails  would  soon  be  pulled  out  or 
broken  off  on  a  journey  over  hummocky  ice  or  uneven  ground. 


48  A    SLEDGE    DRIVE. 

First  the  sledge  is  laden  with  everything  necessary  for  a  winter 
journey.  A  great  white  bear  skin  is  folded  and  laid  along  tho 
front,  making  a  comfortable  seat.  That  bruin  must  have  been  an 
enormous  creature.  The  box  comes  about  the  middle ;  it  contair.3 
the  traveller's  traps.  ]3chind  it  some  coats,  a  gun,  a  harpoon  (wo 
may  see  a  seal  if  we  go  on  the  ice),  some  wood  (we  shall  want  a 
fire  for  camping  out,  and  I  hope  matches  have  not  been  forgotten), 
the  coats  of  the  men,  a  sleeping  sack  and  a  pair  of  sealskin  trousers. 
Those  two  oval  frames  like  a  large  lawn  tennis  bat  without  handle, 
are  a  pair  of  snow-shoes.  All  these  traps  are  secured  by  a  sealskin 
thong  passing  over  the  ends  of  the  cross-boards,  and  pulled  tight. 
It  would  not  do  to  lose  anything  on  the  way. 

Now  scat  yourself  there  in  front  of  the  box.  But  the  dogs  are 
not  attached  to  the  sledge.  Seat  yourself ;  they  are  all  harnessed. 
Each  has  a  band  of  sealskin  round  his  neck  and  another  round  his 
body,  and  to  this  simple  harness  is  attached  the  sepai'ute  trace  or 
thong  by  wliich  he  does  his  share  in  pulling  the  sledge.  In  one 
moment  tho  sledge  rope  will  be  passed  through  the  lo'^ps  of  all  their 
ti'aces,  and  they  will  be  off  almost  before  you  can  say  "  Hoo-eet," 
for  they,  like  the  Elskimoes  standing  round,  seem  to  enjoy  the  fun. 
We  are  supposed  to  start  southward  for  Okak,  and  to  come  home 
by  way  of  Ramah.  I  seat  myself  and  get  a  good  hold,  with  my 
back  against  the  box  and  my  feet  well  off  the  ground.  "  Hoo-eet ! " 
The  dogs  ai'e  directed  by  the  voice,  and  that  is  the  word  used  to 
start  them.  Shout  "  Owk,  Owk,"  and  they  will  run  to  tho  right, 
or  "  Ra,  Ra,  Ra,"  and  you  will  soon  find  yourself  going  to  the  left. 
Say,  "  Ah,  Ah,"  and  your  dogs  will  lie  down.  Now  you  have  all 
your  directions  so  "Hoo-eet,"  wc  axe  off,  gliding  easily  over  the 
grass,  for  snow  and  ice  there  is  none  this  warm  autumn  day  after  a 
night  when  there  were  two  or  three  degrees  of  frost.  So  it  is 
rather  hard  for  the  dogs,  when  we  turn  the  corner  of  the  mission 
enclosure  and  ai'e  going  a  bit  up-hill  through  the  long  grass. 
Thomas,  one  of  the  Eskimoes,  is  running  in  front  of  the  dogs  in 
his  sealskin  boots  with  the  fur  outside — a  handsome  i)air.  Enoch 
is  minding  the  sledge,  now  running  beside  me,  now  throwing  himself 
down  on  it  in  front  of  me,  or  lifting  the  front  end  of  the  runners 
from  right  to  left,  or  vice  versa  to  turn  a  corner  or  avoid  a  stone. 
"  Owk,  Owk,"  ho  shouts  as  wo  wish  to  turn  the  corner  to  the  right. 
A  third  Eskimo,  who  is  running  between  us  and  the  dogs  with  the 
whip,  takes  up  the  sound  and  the  dogs  obey.  But  as  it  seems  hard 
for  them  through  the  long  grass,  I  get  off  and  run  after  till  we  come 
to  the  corner  by  the  church.  It  Avill  go  easier  along  the  path  to  the 
left.  I  seat  myself  again  and  the  driver  cries  "  Ra,  Ra,  Ra.*' 
Away  we  go.  It  is  well  I  was  wary  of  the  stones,  another  inch  and 
that  rock  just  passed  would  have  given  me  a  sore  foot  or  a  sprained 
ankle.  "  Owk,  Owk."  Wo  leave  the  path  on  our  left  and  tui'n 
away  to  tho  right  over  rocks  and  moss.  Tlic  gi'ound  is  broken  but 
the  long  rur.ners  of  the  sledge  make  it  go  fairly  smoothly.  "  Ah, 
Ah,"  or  as  Thomas  pi'onouuces  it  long  drawn,  "  Aw,  Aav."  At  this 
sound  the  dogs  stop  and  lie  down,  with  their  tails  curled  over  their 
backs.      We  are  supposed  to  have  arrived  at  a  halting  place  where 


A   SLl'DGU    DUIVK. 


m 


60:  A   SLEDGE   DRIVE. 

wc  shall  camp  out  for  tlic  niglit.  The  "wood  is  unloaded ;  to  make 
the  fire  would  be  the  first  thing  and  then  perhaps  a  snow-house  for 
a  shelter.  The  sleeping  sack  is  ready  to  be  my  night's  couch  on 
the  floor.  Meanwhile,  the  dogs  lie  quite  contentedly,  and  we  use 
the  first  opportxanity  to  count  them.  There  arc  foiirtecn  in  harness 
and  two  are  running  beside  them  of  their  own  accord,  entering  into 
the  spirit  of  the  thing  in  spite  of  their  fear  of  that  formidable  whip. 
Nine  of  these  useful  animals  belong  to  the  mission.  Their  names  are 
Yauerfritze,  Purtzelmutter,  Purtzel,  Caro,  Pius,  Fanny  (an  ex- 
ceptionally friendly  Eskimo  dog),  Ammi,  Kakkortak  and  Takkolik. 
The  others  belong  to  different  natives. 

Our  imaginary  night  has  been  short  enough,  and  wo  are  sup- 
posed to  be  preparing  for  a  new  start.  "  Look,  see,"  says  Thomas 
to  me,  and  pours  some  water  on  the  iron  of  the  runners,  for 
the  sledge  has  meanwhile  been  turned  upside  down.  Were  it 
winter,  that  water  would  at  once  freeze  on  the  iron  and  form 
a  splendid  smooth  surface  for  the  sledge  to  run  on  over  ice 
or  snow.  "  Hoo-cet."  The  sledge  has  been  turned  right  again 
and  repacked,  and  the  dogs  get  wp.  No,  there  is  nothing 
left  behind.  "  Hoo-eet ;  "  away  we  go.  It  is  astonishing  how 
widely  the  dogs  spread  themselves  in  pulling.  However,  the 
course  of  the  sledge,  as  it  follows  them,  deiDcnds  more  on  the 
nimble  drivers.  See  yonder  dog  is  getting  to  the  wrong  side  of 
that  post,  by  way  of  illustrating  the  difficulties  of  travelling 
through  a  wood.  Hebi'on  is  beyond  the  northern  limit  of  trees, 
but  our  missionaries  at  Hopedale  ^;ave  often  great  ti-ouble  in  passing 
through  forests  of  stunted  fir-u  ,es.  The  front  dogs  also  have  got 
their  traces  foul  of  the  two  other  posts  in  our  forest  of  three  trees 
without  any  branches.  So  we  are  brought  to  a  standstill  until,  all 
the  harness  being  cleared,  we  are  ready  for  a  fresh  start  down 
that  slope  to  the  right.  "  Owk,  Owk,"  is  the  word,  but  at  the 
brook  our  wild  career  is  brought  to  a  svidden  stop.  Our  specimen 
sledge  trip  would  not  be  complete  without  an  accident.  The  bed 
of  the  little  stream  proves  just  too  wide  for  the  sledge  to  clear  it, 
and  the  points  of  the  runners  have  bored  into  the  further  bank. 
The  .thong  of  the  sledge  has  broken  in  two  places  with  the  jerk, 
and  the  dogs  who  were  pulling  Avith  might  and  main  are  suddenly 
released.  Four  or  five  have  been  caught  by  our  nimble  Eskirnoes, 
but  the  majority  are  off  home.  Were  the  station  three  hours  or 
three  days  distant  and  we  were  left  in  the  snow  it  would  be  a  bit 
different  to  the  present  situation.  The  station  is  about  three 
minutes  distant,  and  we  have  time  for  a  good  laugh  before  our 
dogs  are  caught  and  brought  back.  What  has  become  of  the 
passenger?  Oh,  he  is  unhurt  j  the  shock  did  not  even  unseat  him. 
There  he  sits  on  the  sledge,  which  stretches  like  a  little  bridge 
from  bank  to  bank.  It  is  freed  from  the  earth,  and  the  dogs  arc 
again  attached,  after  a  fierce  little  quarrel  between  two  or  three  of 
them,  just  to  keep  up  their  credit  as  quarrelsome  creatures.  Order 
and  obedience  restored,  "  Hoo-eet,"  away  we  go  homeward,  but  at 
a  more  moderate  pace,  for  it  is  uphill.  By  the  mission-house  the 
road  bends  to  the  left,  "  Ka,  Ka,  Ka."     At  the  corner  a  number  of 


LAST   fiDNDAY    IN    LADRADOR.  61 

"vvomen  are  standing  and  laughinj^,  and  as  the  sledge  approaches, 
they  run,  according  to  tlieiv  usual  custom,  and  throw  themselves 
on  to  it,  so  the  poor  dogs  finish  their  course  with  an  extra  load, 
and  are  quite  willing  to  lie  down  in  ohodicnce  to  the  final  command, 
"Ah,  Ah."  If  you  were  on  a  real  journey,  you  would  learn  by 
experience  to  avoid  that  interjection  in  your  conversation,  for  the 
weary  animals  would  at  once  take  the  permission  to  stop  and  lie  down. 
Now  the  dogs  are  released  from  their  harness  and  run  away  to 
their  respective  homes  with  glee.  The  sledge  is  unloaded,  and  its 
contents  carried  off  by  their  ownoi-s.  "  When  did  you  leave 
Ramah  ?  "  says  the  missionary  to  Thomas.  "  Yesterday  morning," 
replies  the  good  fellow,  keeping  up  the  joke  with  thorough 
appreciation.  I  give  them  my  hearty  thanks,  "  Nakungmek,"  for 
Thomas  and  Co.  have  not  only  given  me  a  great  pleasure,  but 
provided  interest  for  young  friends  at  home,  to  whom  I  may  detail 
my  winter  journey  on  a  sunny  autumn  afternoon  at  Hebron.  A 
real  midwinter  Labrador  sledge  journey,  with  the  thermometer  far 
below  zero  of  Fahrenheit  and  the  wind  blowing  hard  and  cold,  is 
not  .so  pleasant,  especially  if  the  dogs  be  quite  invisible  because  of 
the  driving  snow.  Should  the  traveller  then  bo  pitched  off  the 
sledge,  and  the  drivers  not  perceive  his- absence  at  once,  they  may 
lose  one  another  for  ever.  But  God  has  watched  over  our  travellers 
])y  sea  and  land,  by  ice  and  snow  on  many  an  errand  of  spiritual 
imjiort  to  the  settlers,  or  journey  from  station  to  station. 


MY   LAST  SUNDAY   IN    LABRADOR. 

Snndaij,  Scptemher  2Srd. — Morning  prayers  in  German  with  the 
house-family.  Our  venerable  senior  missionary  read  the  texts 
and  the  Gospel  for  the  day,  and  gave  out  suitable  hymns,  which  were 
well  sung  by  the  company  of  brethren,  and  sistei'S,  and  children 
assembled  in  the  dining-room  around  the  long  table.  Breakfast 
is  enlivened  with  cheerful,  godly  converse,  and  shortly  after  we  join 
the  Eskimo  congregation  in  the  first  service  of  the  day.  I  like  this 
church  as  well  as  any  in  the  land.  It  is  proportionate,  simple,  neat 
and  light.  Mr.  Wirth  takes  his  place  behind  the  table,  and,  wlifit 
with  residents  and  visitors,  there  is  a  goodly  row  of  missionary 
bretliren  and  sisters  to  right  and  loft  of  him,  facing  the  Eskimo 
congregation.  Among  the  latter  the  white  faces  of  a  settler  family, 
the  Metcalfs  from  Napartok  Bay,  are  conspicuous.  Though  tho 
language  be  strange,  I  have  already  grown  familiar  with  the  liturgic 
forms  of  worship  and  can  follow  either  the  "  Church  Litany," 
familiar  to  one  in  Ii^nglish  and  German,  or  the  admirable  responsive 
compilation  of  texts  known  as  tho  Catechism  Litany.  The  Litter  is 
chosen  this  morning,  and  it  is  quite  possible  that  a  negro  congrega- 
tion in  Surinam,  or  a  Kaffir  congregation  in  South  Africa  may  bo 
using  the  same  form  of  sound  words,  for  it  exists  both  in  Negro 
English  and  in  Kaffir. 

At  10  we  are  again  summoned  to  the  house  of  prayer  by  the  belJ. 
Mr,  Dam  is  tho  preacher,  and  is  evidently  moved  by  tho  thought 


62  LAST   SUNDAY    IN    LAniJADOR. 

that  this  may  bo  his  last  sormon  in  Eskimo  for  many  a  day.  A 
hymn  and  a  prayer,  fervent  and  brief,  precede  the  giving  out  of  his 
text.  Rev.  i.  12-20.  The  sermon  is  listened  to  attentively  by  old  and 
young,  of  whom  considerably  more  than  a  hundred  are  present.  Old 
Zippora  is,  as  ever,  at  her  place  at  the  end  of  the  bench.  Blind 
though  she  is,  sho  often  walks  miles  to  church  over  uneven  ground 
or  hummocky  ice,  when  away  at  the  fishing  places.  She  seems  to 
take  her  part  in  the  Avorship  of  the  sanctuary  thoroughly,  whether 
in  response  or  sacred  song,  or  as  listener  Avith  animated  face  and  at 
times  an  overfloAving  heart.  While  I  am  looking,  her  fingers  seek  the 
corner  of  her  a])ron,  and  lifting  it  she  Avipes  the  tears  from  her  sight- 
less eyes. 

But  the  eloquent  flow  of  AA'ords,  mostly  unintelligible  to  me,  comes 
to  a  close.  A  hymn  is  sung,  and  the  Ncav  Testament  blessing 
pronounced.  Then  the  procession  from  the  missionary  benches  files 
out  through  the  schoolroom  into  the  mission-house  and  the  people 
disperse  to  their  homos.  Mere  mounds  they  look  as  I  see  them  from 
my  windoAv.  But  thoy  are  Christian  homes,  Avhence  rises  prayer 
and  praise. 

I  was  mistaken.  The  congregation  had  not  dispersed,  for  the 
choir  Avished  to  give  me  a  specimen  of  their  powers.  I  returned  to 
the  church  and  listened  to  a  fair  selection  of  sacred  music,  including 
a  long  piece  (Psalm  xcv.  G,  7),  avcU  sustained  by  a  choir  of  about  a 
dozen  men  and  Avomen,  and  two  or  three  instrumentalists.  When 
they  ceased,  I  spoke  a  few  words  of  thanks  and  farewell. 

Dinner  was  as  usual  A'cry  literally  "  the  mid-day  meal."  Soup 
was  folloAved  by  a  joint  of  reindeer  venison,  Avhich  was  a  treat  to  me, 
as  beef  or  mutton  Avould  be  to  my  hosts.  The  A'cgetables  had  been 
grown  in  the  mission  garden.  After  coffee  I  Avent  over  to  the  ship 
for  the  afternoon  service  aboai'd,  rowed  by  four  Eskimoes,  Thomas, 
Clement,  one  of  the  organists,  Daniel,  and  Heinrich.  In  their  en- 
deavour to  converse  with  me  they  brought  out  some  amusing  scraps 
of  English,  and  little  Heinrich  informed  me  his  name  in  my  language 
was  "  Harry." 

Whilst  I  was  preaching  to  the  crew  there  was  an  afternoon  meet- 
ing ashore.  I  returned  for  our  solemn  farewell  service  Avith  the 
missionary  band.  Here,  as  at  each  previous  station,  this  was  an 
occasion  of  deep  feeling.  My  parting  Avord  Avas  founded  on 
(2  Corinthians  xiii.  11)  "  Finally,  brethren,  farewell.  Bo  perfect, 
be  of  good  comfort,  be  of  one  mind,  live  in  peace ;  and  the  God  of 
love  and  peace  shall  be  Avith  you."  So  I  took  leave  of  "  brethren," 
■who  are  faithfully  serving  their  Lord  iii  this  cold  country.  Truly 
hero  is  tho  patience  and  the  faith  of  the  saints.  The  God  of  all 
grace  bless  each  missionary  family,  comfort  and  strengthen  them 
in  all  their  Avork,  and  perfect  that  Avhich  concernoth  them  and  their 
people  !  How  wonderfully  He  can  and  does  help,  I  have  experienced 
on  this  voyage  and  visit  to  Labrador,  and  so  at  the  close  of  my 
visitation  record  my  humble  praise. 


58 

MUSIC  ON  THE  WATER. 

After  tbo  evonino;  meal  wo  went  down  to  the  shore  and  embarked. 
The  people  crowded  the  pier,  and  many  a  hand  was  stretched  out 
with  a  hearty  "  Aksanai."  As  we  rowed  away  they  were  singing, 
and  when  their  voices  sounded  fainter  across  the  waterThomas  began 
of  his  own  accord  the  following  hymn  in  his  own  language  : — 

"  0  Lord  !  lift  up  thy  countenance 

Upon  thy  Churcli,  and  own  us  thine  ; 

Impart  to  each  thy  peace  divine, 
And  blessings  unto  all  dispense. 

'Tis  our  desire  to  follow  thee, 

And  from  experience  to  proclaim 

Salvation  in  thy  blessed  name  : 
0  bless  thy  servants'  ministry." 

The  other  Eskimoes  rowing  our  boat  sang  with  him,  until  wo 
reached  the  "  llarmony." 

We  were  having  a  quiet  time  of  cheerful  converse  in  the  cabin, 
when  the  sound  of  singing  again  called  us  on  deck.  A  procession 
of  eight  or  ten  boats,  the  bow  of  one  almost  touching  the  stern  of 
the  other,  was  I'owing  slowly  round  and  round  the  ship,  and  the 
people  in  them  were  singing  sweet  Christian  songs  to  the  measured 
beat  of  the  oars.  Sarah  was  in  the  first  boat,  evidently  the  leader 
and  director  of  the  proceedings.*  Hymn  after  hymn,  in  well- 
sustained  parts,  sounded  beautifully  over  the  still  water,  and  not 
till  it  was  getting  quite  dark  did  they  row  away,  singing  "  Vic- 
toria," i.e.  "  God  save  the  Queen,"  in  honour  of  the  English 
visitor.  Her  Majesty  has  very  loyal  subjects  in  that  unknown 
corner  of  her  realm  ;  and,  by  the  way,  some  of  them  charged  me  to 
bring  home  an  "  Aksunai  "  to  her,  too. 

Ihiesday,  September  25th. — Yes,  "good-bye;"  yet,  when  your 
vessel  is  not  a  steamer,  but  dependent  on  the  wind,  you  may  have 
repeated  "  good-byes,"  as  often  happens  in  Labrador.  Not  till  this 
afternoon  could  the  "  Harmony  "  hoist  her  .sails  and  speed  away  to 
the  broad  Atlantic.  As  soon  as  the  Eskimoes  saw  our  sails  being 
unfurled,  they  again  came  ai'ound  the  vessel  in  their  boats,  and 
anew  commended  us  to  the  Divine  protection  in  their  version  of  a 
very  favourite  hymn  of  Count  Zinzendorf's  ("  Jesu  geh  voran  "). 

"Jesus,  day  by  day, 
Guide  them  on  their  way." 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

The  story  of  our  homeward  voyage  must  be  told  in  short.  Wo 
had  more  stormy  days  than  bright  ones,  and  more  contrary  winds 
than  fair  breezes.     We  left  Hebron  on  Tuesday,  Septi  mber  25th, 

*  For  those  who  may  be  interested  to  know  what  hymns  were  chosen,  and 
what  tunes  were  sung  (without  accompaniment),  by  the  natives  on  this  occasion, 
I  will  append  the  numbers  in  our  new  English  Hymn  Book,  as  far  it  contains 
their  selection,  C46,  788,  755,  834,  and  1135.  The  melodies  included  our  Tunes 
132,  26,  09,  205,  106,  and  140. 


5-4  HOMEWARD    BOUND. 

and  on  the  followinGf  Sunduy  found  ourselves  among  Greenland 
icnhergs  and  fogs.  Ho  wo  had  to  turn  soutlnvards  and  run  on  that 
tack  for  two  days.  Thou  a  moderate  side  Avind  followed  the  strong 
contrary  gale,  and  wo  made  good  steady  progress  eastward.  This 
was  undoubtedly  pleasant  after  the  heavy  rolling  and  pitching  of 
the  previous  days.  For  two  weeks  and  more  nothing  was  to  bo 
seen  but  sea  and  sky,  yet  both  had  their  interest  and  beauty.  The 
sunsets  were  lovely,  and  the  phosj)horesccnt  light  in  the  water  at 
night  especially  so.  The  wake  of  the  ship  was  luminous  for  a  long 
distance,  and  the  cresis  of  the  waves  shone  all  around  us.  Once  I 
was  leaning  over  the  taffrail  late  in  the-  evening,  when  a  shoal  of 
fish  passed.  There  were  thousands  of  them,  and  each  one  was  a 
living,  moving  centre  of  li;^ht.  Ilottle-nosed  whales  gambolled 
around  us  when  wo  were  within  a  few  hundred  miles  of  Labrador, 
and  later  on  "  schools  "  of  porpoises  occasionally  visited  ns.  The 
latter  often  sprang  clean  out  of  tlie  water,  and  seemed  to  take 
special  delight  in  crossing  the  bows  of  the  "Harmony."  On 
October  10th,  wo  sighted  the  first  ship  since  leaving  Labradoi-,  and 
a  day  or  two  later  tacked  southward  near  the  coast  of  Ireland  to 
make  the  entrance  of  the  British  Channel.  There  a  trial  of 
patience  awaited  us.  A  hard-hearted  east  wind  barred  our  progress, 
and  with  long  tacks  we  seemed  to  make  headway  only  by  inches. 
Yet  the  little  "  Harmony  "  bravely  held  on  her  way,  Avhen  larger 
vessels  had  given  up  the  fight. 

Sunday,  Odohcr  21st. — Up  at  six,  to  find  the  Scilly  Isles  in  siglit. 
The  Bishop's  rock  and  St.  Agnes  lighthouses  Avero  ])lainly  visible. 
But  the  old  east  wind  is  back  again.  Tlie  light,  fair  breeze  of 
yesterday  evening  sent  us  forward  fifteen  miles  in  an  hour  or  two, 
and  seventy  or  eigh.ty  miles  of  tacking  to-day  has  barely  secured 
as  much  progress.  Visited  the  men  in  the  forecastle,  a  small 
gloomy  looking  place,  yet  fair  as  such  accommodation  goes.  The 
good  fellows  are  cheery  and  happy  there,  indeed,  tliey  have  been 
jileasaut  and  faithful  to  duty  thi'oughout  the  entire  voyage.  God 
grant  them  the  true  blessedness  avc  have  told  them  of  in  this 
morning's  and  previous  Sunday  services. 

Monday,  22?jc?.  — Weathered  the  Wolf  Rock  by  this  tack.  Sighted 
Land's  End,  with  its  white  houses,  and  the  Longships  lighthouse  on 
its  lofty  rock.  A  steamer  passing  us  into  Penzance  answered  our 
signals  and  will  report  us  we  hope. 

Tuesday,  2Srd. — Four  weeks  away  from  Labrador.  Four  months 
absent  from  home.  How  much  longer  yet  ?  To  Avindward  of  the 
Lizard  this  morning.  That  is  good,  for  we  could  have  run  for 
Falmouth  hai'1  our  had  it  bloAvn  harder  from  tho  east.  But  the 
Avind  ha,3  died  uway  altogether.  Tho  Lizard  tAvin  lighthouses  and  tho 
white  Avails  surrounding  t'lcm  are  plainly  visible,  as  we  lie  becalmed. 

Wednesday,  2Uh. —  Got  a  fair  Avind  yesterday,  Avhicli  carried  us 
forward  past  the  Eddystono  Lighthouse.  We  are  uoav  nearino* 
Start  Point,  and  have  shown  our  signals.  They  Avill  be  seen,  and 
reported  cither  at  that  lighthouse  or  at  Prawlo  Point,  and  it  is 


HOMEWARIt    ItOUND.  65 

quite  a  relief  to  think  our  prcsonco  in  the  Channel  will  soon  bo 
known  in  London.  Wluit  a  contrast  thci'O  is  between  our  own 
shores  and  the  coast  of  Labrador.  Here  one  is  never  out  of  sij^ht 
of  some  guidin<(  light,  th''re  not  a  lio-hthousc — not  a  buoy.  Such 
a  voyag^o  makes  one  the  more  thankful  for  the  experience  and 
faithfulness  of  our  own  valued  ship's  officers,  tried  servants  of  the 
Society  for  the  Furtherance  of  the  Gospel,  ^^ho  have  the  interests 
of  that  society  and  of  the  mission  at  heart,  and  whoso  annual 
voyat^es  to  Labrador  involve  a  i'ull  share  of  responsibility  and 
anxiety. 

Thursday,  26th. — Passed  the  Isle  of  Wight  this  morning',  and 
Beachy  Head  in  the  afternoon.  As  night  came  on  the  long  rows 
of  electric  lights  on  the  marine  parades  of  Eastbounie,  Hastings, 
and  St.  Leonard's  were  very  effective  across  the  water.  Got  our 
pilot  aboard  at  Dungeness  just  before  midnight. 

Friday,  26th. — ITomG  again  !  How  infinitely  good  is  the  gr<acious 
Lord,  who  permits  one  to  go  on  LL's  errands,  and  meanwhile  takes 
care  of  all  that  is  so  dear !  We  were  olT  ^largate  when  I  went  on 
deck,  about  7  a.m.,  and  shortly  afterwards  sccui-cd  a  powerful  little 
tug,  which  towed  the  "Harmony"  swiftly  up  tlie  Thames  to 
London  Docks,  where  she  now  lies  at  her  usual  moorings,  awaiting 
the  hundred  and  twentieth  voyage. 

"  Then,  at  the  vessel's  f;lad  rctiu'ii, 

The  absent  meet  again  ; 
At  home,  our  hearts  within  us  burn 

To  trace  the  cunning  pen, 
Whose  strokes,  like  rays  from  star  to  star, 
Bring  happy  messages  from  far, 
And  once  a  year  to  Britain's  shore 

Join  Christian  Labrador." 

I  lay  down  the  pen  Avhich  has  transcribed  those  lines  of  Mont- 
gomei'y's  as  a  fitting  close  to  my  chapter,  "  Homeward  Hound." 
If  it  has  had  any  "  cunning,"  it  has  been  simply  because  I  have 
described  what  I  have  seen  with  my  own  eyes  in  Christian 
Labrador.  Traversing  nearly  three  hundred  miles  of  that  grand, 
but  bleak  and  desolate-looking  coast,  I  met  with  scarcely  any 
heathen.  Only  at  Ramah  I  found  one  or  two  who  had  no 
Christian  names,  because  they  had  not  yet  publicly  professed 
Christ.  They  were,  liowevcr,  candidates  for  baptism,  and  their 
few  heathen  countrymen  to  the  north  of  that  station  are,  from 
time  to  time,  attracted  to  the  sound  of  the  Gospel.  Hut  if  the 
mission  in  that  land  be  nearing  the  close  of  the  evangelistic  phase, 
our  task  is  not  done,  and  still  Ave  hear  the  voice  of  the  Divino 
Spirit  saying:  Separate  me  this  one  and  that  one  for  the  work 
whereunto  I  have  called  him  in  Labrador. 


56 


CONCLUSION. 


Yet  I  liopo  and  pray  f(ir  a  wider  result  from  these  papjes  than 
increased  interest  in  tlio  one  field  so  closely  connected  with 
Britain  by  the  good  ship  **  Harmony."  Labrador  in  its  turn  is 
linked  to  all  the  mission  provinces  in  the  world-wide  parish  given 
to  the  little  Moravian  Church,  and  I  trust  this  glimpse  into  the 
life  and  labours  of  our  devoted  missionaries  there  will  (quicken  the 
loving  intercessions  of  my  readers  for  their  fellow  labourers  in  all 
our  own  fields,  and  for  the  whole  great  mission  work  of  the 
Church  of  Christ. 

I  will  conclude  with  a  stirring  stanza*  from  another  poet,  who 
found  a  theme  and  an  inspiration  in  contrasting  the  wretched 
condition  of  the  people  of  Labrador,  prior  to  the  arrival  of  mission- 
aries, witli  the  wonderful  change  wrought  among  the  poor  Eskimoes 
through  their  noble  efforts  under  the  blessing  of  God. 

"  When  round  the  great  white  thronj  all  nations  stand, 
When  Jew  and  Gentile  meet  at  God's  right  hand, 
Wlicn  thousand  times  ten  thousand  raise  the  strain — 
'  Worthy  the  Lamb  that  once  for  us  was  slain  !  ' 
When  the  bright  Seraphim  with  joy  prolong 
Through  all  eternity  that  thrilling  song — 
The  heathen's  universal  jubilee, 
A  music  sweet,  0  Saviour  Christ,  to  Thee — 
Say,  'mid  those  happy  strains,  will  not  one  note, — 
Sung  by  a  hapless  nation  once  remote, 
But  now  led  Home  by  tender  cords  of  lovo. 
Rise  clear  through  those  majestic  courts  above  ? 
Yes  !  from  amid  the  tuneful,  white-robed  choirs, 
Hymning  Jehovah's  praise  on  golden  lyres, 
One  Hallelujah  shall  for  evermore 
Tell  of  the  Saviour's  love  to  Labkadok." 

*  Lahradoi;  a  Poem  in  three  jntrt^,  written  to  commemorate  the  centenary  of 
the  Moravian  Labrador  Mission,  by  B.  Tiurr  Ellis. 


G.   NORMAN-  &  SON,  I'RINTKRS,  HART  STREliT,  CUVE.NT  GARDEN. 


^    THE    "HARMONY."    ••• 


Captain:  HENRY  LINKLATER. 

Length  (Extreme) 

Breadth     

Depth 

Length  of  Mast 

Tonnage  

Launchid,  April  24//J,  1861. 

1 20    ft. 
a7i" 

87    » 
251  tons. 

The  average  duration  of  the  outward  voyage  with  the  present 
vessel  has  been  41^  days,  including  a  short  stay  at  Stromness  in  the 
Orkneys.  The  homeward  voyage  has  been  accomplished  on  an 
average  in  23  days,  including  the  course  up  channel  to  the  West 
India  Dock.  The  whole  voyage,  including  the  stay  on  the  coast 
and  visit  to  six  stations  there,  has  averaged  1 175  days. 


The  Temperature  of  Labrador. 

At  Hopedale,  the  most  southerly  of  our  mission  stations,  ther- 
mometrical  observations  during  several  years  give  +  86°  Fahrenheit 
as  the  greatest  heat  (July  26,  1 871),— 104°,  or  72°  below  freezing 
point,  Fahrenheit,  as  the  greatest  cold  (February  2nd,  1873).  The 
average  temperature  for  the  year  is— ^5°  F.  For  four  years  the 
month  of  July  was  the  only  one  in  which  there  was  not  a  fall  of 
snow.  The  average  temperature  of  Edinburgh,  which  lies  in  about 
the  same  degree  of  latitude  as  Hopedale,  is  -f  47°  F.  At  the  Ho- 
spice of  St.  Bernard  in  the  Alps,  which  is  situated  at  an  elevation 
of  7192  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea,  the  average  temperature  for 
the  year  is  not  quite— 3°  F.  There  winter  and  spring  are  much  less 
cold,  summer  and  autumn  much  less  warm  than  in  Labrador.