CHAPTER IV.[ToC]
Esquimaux visit the English settlements—pernicious consequences—dreadful accident—famine—unexpected supply of food and skins.—Emigration from Okkak—missionaries' care of the wanderers, who return disappointed.—Terrible tales from the south.—Inquirers separated from the heathen.—Popish priest attempts to seduce the converts.—Brother Rose inspects Hopedale.—Karpik the sorcerer.—Peter's fall.—Visits to the south renewed.—Parting address of the brethren.—Epidemic.—Death of Daniel—of Esther.—Conversion and peaceful end of Tuglavina.—Last days of Mikak.—Indians come to Hopedale.—Rose's remarks on the internal state of the missions.—Instances of the power of grace among the Esquimaux—striking observation of one of the baptized.—Jonathan's letter to the Greenlanders.—Affecting confession of Solomon.—Conduct of a young woman sought in marriage by a heathen.—State of the settlements at the close of the century.—Prospects begin to brighten.—Remarkable phenomenon.—Avocations of the missionaries—their trials—preservation of their vessels—of their settlements—their brotherly love.
Eleven years had the brethren now laboured for the conversion of the Esquimaux amidst many difficulties and dangers, when circumstances occurred which threatened to blast these fair hopes of success. In the summer of 1782, the Esquimaux, for the first time since missionaries had settled in the country, visited the English settlements in the south. Tuglavina had persuaded Abraham, one of the baptized of Nain, to go with him to Chateau Bay; and when they returned in October, they reported that the Commander-in-chief had been quite overjoyed to see baptized Esquimaux, and wished that more of them might come to visit him, for he also had been baptized, and hoped that his soul after death would go to heaven. He had reproved Mikak for not being baptized, and warned then all against murders and adultery. Abraham had bought a boat and still owed half of the price, yet he and Tuglavina had each received a present of a musket and powder and ball, nor had the women been sent empty away; also, while they were there, they had had plenty to eat, a gratification of no minor importance.
By these splendid accounts of their kind reception, a general desire was excited among their countrymen to go likewise to the south; and the next consequence was, insolence and opposition to the missionaries and teachers. If they were reminded to be sparing of their winter provisions, they sarcastically replied, by reminding the brethren of the manner in which Tuglavina and Abraham had been treated by the "good" Europeans in the south; or if they came into the mission-house and got nothing to eat, they immediately exclaimed, with the Europeans in the south we can have plenty to eat. And when one was turned out from the palasadoes, he angrily remarked, the Europeans have no palasadoes. By these representations the greater part of the baptized were seduced and deceived; the brethren with meekness endeavoured to put them right, reminded them that at their baptism they had promised to love Jesus only, and to follow him, not to leave the congregation of the faithful, and to obey their teachers. They also particularly described the dangers to which they would be exposed in their journey to the south, and desired them to consider the impressive warnings the Commander-in-chief had so lately given them—but all was in vain.
In the following winter, a famine broke out among the Esquimaux in Nain; their number amounted to eighty-two souls, whereof thirty-five were baptized and candidates for baptism. All these looked to the brethren when in want of the necessaries of life, who afforded them assistance to the utmost of their ability; but received little thanks for their kindness, for if they did not give them what they thought enough, they upbraided them with the conduct of the good Europeans in the south.
On the 4th December a dreadful accident happened at Ankpalluktak, about six hours distant from Nain. A large mass of snow was precipitated from a mountain and overwhelmed an Esquimaux winter house, wherein were thirty persons, young and old. No one could escape to tell the tale of their disaster or procure assistance; but it happened, by the merciful providence of God, that Nathaniel, with another Esquimaux, went to Ankpalluktak to bring Sirmek to Nain; to their astonishment they found him lying half-frozen, unable either to stand or walk, yet still alive. They then heard a voice from the midst of the ruins, by which they perceived there were still some persons alive beneath the snow; and hastening back to Nain with Sirmek, they returned with additional hands, and the necessary tools from the brethren. They soon found that there were more Esquimaux within, and by great exertion and labour succeeded in extricating nine persons from the rubbish, but one of them was so much bruised that she died very soon after. By this visitation twenty-one persons lost their lives. The Esquimaux were greatly alarmed by it for a little, but the impression soon wore off, and all was forgotten.
In January and February 1783, the famine increased among the natives, and the brethren redoubled their endeavours to supply their necessities, which however appears only to have had the effect of encouraging their indolence, for so long as they could get food in this way they would not stir abroad, or make the least exertion to supply their own wants. If urged to go in search of food, they alleged that hunger prevented them; "for," said they, "when we go out and catch nothing it makes us the more hungry." If advised to go and hunt, they replied, "We have no gun." Yet did not this waywardness tire the patient benevolence of the missionaries; but, like children of their Father in heaven, who causeth his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sendeth rain on the just and unjust, when the famine had reached its height, brother Lister sent to Okkak to fetch a sledge load of dried fish.
Ere they arrived, news was brought that the Esquimaux in the island of Kerniteksut, two hours distant from Nain, had been so fortunate as to find a dead whale. On hearing this, the whole inhabitants of the country hastened to the place to satisfy their hunger; an immense number of foxes came for the same purpose; these they killed, and thus the starving natives were supplied both with food and riches, the skins of these animals forming a principal article of exchange with the Europeans. But this last occurrence proved that wealth among savages, as well as in more civilized countries, is not always a blessing; it renewed anew the desire to go to the south, as the greater part were now in circumstances to carry merchandize thither, to barter with the good and kind Europeans. Nothing then was spoken of but trade in the south, and they could hardly wait for the season to undertake the journey. When the brethren visited them in the spring, they treated them with the greatest indifference and even insolence; the gospel of Jesus found no access to them; and though, through a certain dread of the missionaries, which they could not cast off, they were not so outrageously brutal as formerly; yet in secret they returned to the indulgence of many of their vile practices.