The daily morning journal and courier., 1900-05-12
THE ESKIMO TRIBES.
AN INTER ESTING ACCOUNT or THE
 EFFECTIVE
Work of the Nloravian Missionaries in
 Labrador.

account of his visit last year to the Mo-
 ravian mission stations on the coast of
 Labrador, published by the Colonian
 and Continental Church society. Canon
 Pilot has the warmest admiration for
 these devoted missionaries, and de-
 scribes in glowing terms the good Wofk
 done by them. The change among the
 Eskimos under their care is complete.
 They have left behind all their heather
 practices and superstitions, and though
 far from faultless, they have become, in
 the majority of instances exemplary
 Christians, and are free from many
 vices that contaminate their fellows in
 large centers of population. Their sim
 pie childlike piety is often very touching
 and their conduct commendable.
 Drunkenness is unknown among them
 at the stations, but at times traders
 bring intoxicating liquors and exchange
 them for skins and then the usual evil
 consequences follow; but such supplies
 are very limited. The missionaries
 found it necessary to prohibit dancing
 in the rules of the church.
 The Eskimos have no games peculiar
 to themselves, but the missionaries have
 introduced some, such as draughts and
 dominoes, which they have learned to
 play with some skill and much enjoy
 ment, their highest stakes being three
 matches. Aunt Sally" pole with
 tin can for a head, is shield at with
 stones ands is encouraged among the
 children, as it leads to accuracy of aim.
 Minnie seal and deer hunts are also practiced by the youngsters. It is the privilege and also the duty of the chill
 dren to break in the pups. A tiny, sleigh Is provided and the dogs are har- messed and the team started, parents watching all the while with proud and eager eyes the little chaps that can keep in creek and order the unruly un- trained team of baby CUTS. Other
 games" -"hide-and- seek" hockey"
 (with sealsl1in cuff for balD, ''cross- tag" Ca game something like 'tierce" played at Sunday school picnice)-are engaged in, all introduced by the mis- sionaries. Thus even amid the ice and snows of dreary Labrador young life yindicates its right to gladness.
 These Eskimo dogs are very useful, almost indispensable but far from beautiful or amiable. Canon Pilot says
 
 long bristling hair, treacherous eyes, and ugly looking fangs. They are a cross breed between a wolf and some native dog. They are the scavengers of the place, and devous fish and fat Last winter a child three years old was so mangled by these brutes that it died within a short time. I heard of a girl thirteen years old who ripped when going to the well for water and the hungry pack was upon her instantly and tore her in pieces. When they have tasted human blood it is no longer safe to keep them; they are shot, to the no small loss and inconvenience of their masters"
 But without their dogs the Eskimos would fare badly. When in winter they travel far into the interior in search of game or fur these hardy brutes carry them over the snowfields on their sleighs with incredible speed; and in the spring they are no less needed to hunt the seal and walrus on the icefioes. They can travel sixty miles in day and never taste food till the days work is over. Their skill in driving a team of five to thirteen dogs, harnesSed in pairs with a 1 leader out some distance ahead, is mar | vicious. The driver, seated on his come tick, with a long whip of walrus hide, | "can with sudden flick take the tip off the ear of a leading dog, and, if he de- sired, even cut if off All this rough, hard life is natural to native, but to Europeans means discomforts innumer- abe. The Moravian missionaries bear it all cheerfully and after a time become | ;,, +ba of ticks. Dr. Grenfell of the Deep Sea mission is one of the most accomplished | dog, drivers, and has traveled thousands of miles in his cometick when engaged | in his arduous duties.
 The wives of the missionaries take | part in teaching the natives; but Canon Pilot tells that in addition they perform l all the household duties-scrubbing, | washing, cooking, sc. Each one in | turn is 'house-mother' for a week, and | upon her devolves the customary work, | washing, cooking and baking, in which | she is assisted by an Eskimo woman, | who comes at six o'clock in the 1norn- ing, and retires to her own hut outside at the same hour in the evening. No | natives are permitted to live in the house. The kitchen is a model of order and cleanliness. Indeed the law of or der and cleanliness seems to be held of | paramount importance among the brethren, and punctuality and method | the rule of their life. They rise at six in the morning, on the tolling of the bell. After family prayer each one goes to his work till nine, when the bell sum mons them to the frugal meal provided by the housewife. Work is resumed till noon-the dinner hour-and supper is taken at six. All meals are taken in the common room. There are 2 morning and an evening recitation of litany, with singing of hymns in the church for all
 In matters of church organization they claim that their orders are Episco- pal, handed down from the church of the United Brethren. There are three grades of ministers-bishops presby- ters and deacons. Bishops have no special position or authority as bishops, but have seat and vote in their syn ods, which are composed of the ministers and delegates from the congregation, and are convened periodically. As a general rule, the minstersT salaries are raised by the congregations as far as -hnv are a ahlp Their chi1drer arc ed11-