The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1886-08-05
Frozen and Famished."

EIGHTY PERSONS IN LABRADOR PERISH OF
COLD AND HUNGER. ICY CORPSES OF MEN,
WOMEN AND CHILDREN sTREWN ALONG
THE COAST.
The Canadian government will send steam
er from Quebec to the coast of Newfoundland
and Labrador to carry such donations as charit-
ably disposed persons may desire to send to the
starving people there. In Quebec alone over
81 600 worth of provisions have been subscrib-
ed so far and it is believed Ontario will do as
much or more. The New FounlIand govern
ment is not in Il position to give the immediate
aid which the necessities of the case demand.
TERRIBLE SUFFERING.
The suffering of these starving, ill-clad fish
crmen has been known for over a month, but
the above is the first step taken to relieve their
distress. Deputation after deputation has ap
piled for aid in vain, and the Indian guide and
government interpreter, who has just returned
from Cape Chidey, the extreme northwestern
pcint of Labrador reached by sledge, gives a
heartrendng account of the terrible destitution
and suffering which the Esquimaux and Indian
farmers are enduring along the Labrador coast.
On Cape Chidley two hundred and fifty souls
are distributed over an area of several miles.
The entire food supply gave out early in March.
The seal catch was very small. AS the season
wore on the seal failed to come near enough to
shore to be caught.
The cold was intense, and many of the older
people died of exposure and lack of nourish-
ment. On June II, when the guide left, the
mercury stood at eighteen below zero and had
been lower.
EIGHTY PERSONS DEAD.
The ice for several hundred miles was solid
for depth of from ten to one hundred feet,
and snow was piled mountains high. At least
eighty persons have perished since March 1,
between Cape Chidey and Cape Mugford, and
only four survivors We're found in the rude
shantes along the coast. These accompanied
the guide to Cape Mugford. The bodies of
eighteen victims were found frozen stiff. The
clothing had been taken from them, evidently
to help keep life in the bodies of the miserable
survivors who in turn had died while out fish
ing or after seal. Seventeen bodies We're found
along shore. Twenty-four persons, including
six women and three small children, are known
to have perished at Cape Mugford, where on
June 20 there We're only twenty barrels of meat
and forty barrels of corn-four. The potatoes
had been gone since early in May. There We're
less than one hundred quintalS of fish and no
clothing in store at all. The residents, number
ing about three hundred persons, were worn
and pinchcd rom famine and cold. In the out
lying districts at least one-half of the popula-
ton had succumbed to the grim destroyer.
\ GLOOMY PROSPECT.
There was 40 sign of the ice breaking up,
and the natives had nothing to exchange for
food or clothing Seventy-Ive E>qumauN from
Astoria, SIX miles from the cape, made an at
tack on the stores at Mugford. The men We're
rendered desperate by their suffering and that
of their wives.
Further particulars say that the EsquimauN
who demanded fooG from the stores at Mug
ford, which could not be given them, owing to
the needs of the inhabitants and the small
supply. made u rush for the harbor storehousc,
Where the flour and fish We're stored. The
men of the small settlement gathered to defend
their only hope of existence and Il desperate
fight enSued, in which four of the marauding
EsquimauN We're nearly killed and two of the
Storehouse defenders were seriously injured.
The EsquimauN. finding that they could not
obtain food by force, retreated and sent in
several of their number to ask for Il small
quantity of food, which they said was absolute
ly necessary to the continued existence Of their
wives and children. Two hundred pounds of
flour and fifty pounds of frozen cod were
given them.
THE MORTALITY IN ASTORIA.
1t was reported that in Astoria alone, out Of
thirtI-ivc or forty families, OF total of two
hundred persons, over one hundred had died
mostly all women and children. In Main the
catch of fish had not been sufficient to afford
food to the inhabitants. The season, which
opened on May l. was very backward, and had
it not been for the seal industry, which was
tolcrably good, not soul would De living.
i MOI 80 much suderin@ ,lthomtb rnan, hate
died. In Webuck and Indian harbors fish is
the only food beside small quantity of corn
meal. They have hnI No IrrrtaLln, snr,.
March / and thn nronl,. ,ro ,Imost witbnut
clothing. At UoncJalr not over twcntv-tiyr
families remain out of tbe entirn fornrr non,.
lation.
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pif''o OF SlAfN AlioN'