My dear fellow-travellers from Hopedale used to be stationed at
Hebron, and it is astonishing to see how affectionately these people
gather around them. Their temporary abode here is the schoolroom, and
it is just as well that it is a good size and easily accessible. 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 Abraham 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 in Hamburg to allow
themselves to be brought over and exhibited. They were very home-sick
for Labrador, but they never returned, for one after another was taken
fatally ill. The last survivors died in Paris early in 1881. The
Christians 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 energy and resource. Last year she
lost her good husband Hieronymus, 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 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 widow of Gottlob, whose grave
we saw at Ramah. 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 capacity both for
imparting 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 were 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 the 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 the 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 the little boat. She has recovered from the
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 sufficient influence or force of character to lead
his countrymen at critical times. He is, however, a humble child of
God, and growing in grace as well as experience. 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."