ristian life, the activity of the converted
Esquimaux, in their temporal concerns, increased. The missionaries in
the different settlements had erected saw mills; the Esquimaux, under
their direction, kept them frequently in employment, and built
substantial store-houses for themselves, for preserving their winter's
stores; and when the scarcity of food in their own neighbourhood
obliged them to go to a distance in search of seals or whales, or to
the cod-fishing, their anxiety to return, to enjoy the benefits of
instruction from their teachers, and of communion with their
fellow-Christians, quickened their diligence in their necessary
avocations. At the close of 1810, the number of the inhabitants at the
three settlements amounted to 457, of whom 265 belonged to the
different classes of communicants, baptized and candidates for
baptism.

Hitherto the settlements, though occasionally visited by the
contagious diseases that periodically afflicted the country, had never
known more than a partial sickness; but in 1811, the small society at
Hopedale suffered severely from an epidemic, which, so far as we are
able to judge from the symptoms mentioned in the diary, quoted below,
bore some distant resemblance to the spasmodic cholera. "On the
evening of the 24th of July, we were all suddenly thrown into the
greatest confusion, by the arrival of a boat, with our people, from
Tikkerarsuk, one of their provision-places in the south:
Mark--formerly Siksigak--was dead, and several others dangerously
ill. When they went out in the morning, they were all in good health,
but were suddenly seized with a nervous affection, which, in a very
short time, terminated fatally; notwithstanding every assistance,
Samuel died in the night. Next morning another boat arrived, and
brought Adam and Isaac, both dead, though they had yesterday been both
fishing in their kaiaks; the four dead bodies were obliged to be
immediately buried, as they quickly showed signs of corruption. The
same evening, Daniel brought in his boat four dying persons; at five
o'clock the younger, Mark, died. On the 26th, early in the morning,
the widow Rebecca, and in the forenoon, young Philip departed; before
twelve o'clock, the bodies became so offensive, that it was necessary
to inter them. All were filled with alarm and terror, but to our
comfort we also remarked submission to the will of the Lord. The sick,
in general, declared they were willing to go to the Saviour whe