e sin in secret, and attempt to deceive us
by their untruths and hypocrisy. With some this produced repentance
and reflection, and they begged to be forgiven and borne with; but two
persons were dismissed, and two excluded from the communion. In
general there was great lukewarmness of heart observed among the
people, and we had but few instances of genuine conversion." They were
also invited by their heathen friends in the north to come and eat
whale-flesh, and all our remonstrances were in vain, for they
answered, "that if they stayed at Okkak they must suffer hunger." An
epidemic disease again visited this settlement, and carried off seven
individuals very suddenly, which struck such terror among the people,
that the greater part of them fled from the place to escape the
contagion; but the missionaries remarked, that neither upon the sick
or the dying, nor upon the healthy, was any salutary effect produced.
The dogs too were attacked with a similar disorder, and many died
along the coast--a serious loss to the Esquimaux.

Meanwhile the awakening at Hopedale continued to go forward, and early
in the summer extended itself to the children. The young, as well as
the old, had been addicted to a gross and loathsome sensuality,
which, although both they and their parents considered as trivial, yet
they kept it carefully concealed from the missionaries. It happened
now, however, that a grandmother, who herself perceived the iniquity
of these depraved practices, caught her grand-daughter repeating some
of the acts for which she had formerly chastised her; but instead of
beating her, she carried her to the missionary to whom she was ordered
to confess every thing. Surprised and horror-struck at the disclosure,
the missionaries immediately spoke to the parents and children, and
with great earnestness and plainness represented to them the
criminality of such doings. To their inexpressible grief they found
that the corruption had extended even to the youngest, and that some
of the parents had concealed, and even now excused their conduct; they
therefore held a special meeting with the parents and children, and
addressing them according to their capacities, warned them in the most
forcible manner of the frightful consequences of these secret sins,
and exhorted all earnestly and affectionately to flee to the
Saviour--throw themselves at his feet--implore his mercy and
forgiveness, and pray to be delivered from the slavery of sin an