Another small inland tribe is the Shaunuktungmiut, who occupy territory to the southwest of Chesterfield inlet. Little is known about this people, except that they are a small tribe allied to the Kenipitumiut.
Coming to the natives of Baffin island, the Nugumiut tribe inhabit the country about Frobisher bay, and at present have their headquarters at the whaling settlement at Cape Haven, being employed about the station, during the periods of open water, in chasing whales, walrus and seals. Their number is sufficient to man four whaleboats, requiring about twenty able-bodied men, and the total population does not exceed 120 persons.
Eskimos at Blacklead, Cumberland Gulf.
The natives of Cumberland gulf congregate about the whaling stations of Kekerten and Blacklead, where they are employed for a large part of the year by the whalers. According to the Rev. Mr. Peck, who has now resided several years among them, the total population numbers about 380 souls.
The natives living on the north side of Hudson strait are not numerous, and are split up into three tribes. The Sikosilingmiut live in the inland region of King Charles cape, at the eastern entrance to Fox channel. A number of families from this tribe crossed a few years ago to Nottingham island, and are living there now, having been visited in 1901, when they were found to be without firearms, and were killing deer by chasing them with dogs and shooting them with bow and arrow.
The Akolingmiut tribe reside in the neighbourhood of Big island, in the central part of the north shore of Hudson strait. These are among the oldest known Eskimos and came in contact with the earliest white explorers of Hudson bay. Old writers mention their filthy habits, and the present generation appears to keep up the reputation of their ancestors, as being the most degraded of all the tribes. For a number of years the American whalers had a station on the coast, at Spicer harbour, some miles to the westward of Big island, but it has long been abandoned. At present the Scotch whaling steamer Active enters the bay annually, and on arriving at Big island takes on board the entire tribe, after which the ship proceeds to the whaling and walrus grounds of Fox channel and Roes Welcome, where the men are employed in the chase of these animals. A few years ago the firm to which the Active belongs established a station on the south side of Southampton, and imported a number of the Big island natives. These natives, being provided with modern rifles, soon killed off or frightened away the deer in the neighbourhood. The old inhabitants of the island (Sagdlingmiut) being armed only with bow and arrows and spears, were unable to compete with the better armed strangers, and as a result the entire tribe, who numbered 68 souls in 1900, died of starvation and disease during the winter of 1902. The whaling station was abandoned in the summer of 1903, after the death of the original natives, and the great island is now uninhabited except by a few natives from Big island who stay at the old whaling station.
The white men belonging to the whaling station have now been quartered at Repulse bay, and a number of the Big island natives have also been taken there; it is likely, therefore, that they will spread disease and disaster among the Aivilliks and Nechilliks of that region. Some regulation should be made to prevent this unauthorized movement of the natives, or similar wholesale slaughter will again occur.
The Eskimos of the Atlantic coast of Labrador have long been under the direct influence of the Moravian missionaries, and are in consequence much more civilized than the others. The Moravians first arrived on the coast in 1770, and since then have established mission stations along the shores from Hamilton inlet northward to Cape Chidley. Their policy has been to collect the natives into bands about these stations. To accomplish this, they have erected each mission at some place where the natural resources are abundant. The missionaries have kept the Eskimos as free as possible from contact with the floating, white, fishing population, and to do so, have obtained exclusive trading rights from the Newfoundland Government. Their scheme is a sort of parent-hood, by which they supply the natives with food and clothing, taking the product of their hunt in exchange; this scheme seems to work very satisfactorily, the natives being content, while their welfare is attended to without their being pauperized. There is no premium put on laziness and false piety, as is so often the case where the missionary makes a free distribution of food and clothing to the natives. Then it often happens that the good, industrious hunter, who goes away from the station to provide for his family, receives none of the gifts, which are given to the shiftless individuals who hang about the station in a state of pious poverty. The Moravian Eskimos must provide for themselves by work of one kind or another, and the shiftless ones only receive sufficient to keep life going, without any of its luxuries. These people have all been taught to read and write, there being a number of books printed in the language; the majority of these are of a religious character, but there are some on geography, history and other secular subjects, so that all the natives have a fair knowledge of the outside world. From their long contact with the missionaries, they are devout Christians, have completely lost many of their ancient beliefs and customs, and now conform closely to the manners and customs of civilization.
The natives of Cape Chidley, some half-dozen families, have for a few years been under the care of the Rev. Mr. Stewart. He has had some difficulty instilling the Christian doctrines, and in weaning them from their ancient customs and beliefs.