The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-04-30
MAYBECONVERTED IN GBUNCH
ATTEMPT TO CHRISTIANIZE AN
ESKIMO TRIBE.

Father TurauetiI on His Way 10 the Frozen
North 10 Discuss with ChieT Nyrimayok
Polar Monarch, the Conversion OF
Ills REPRESENTATIVES, or the Mission.
QUEBEC, April 2o.-The christlanlzatlon
OF one OF the largest tribes Of Eskimos in
the world IL at present depending upon the
result Of a conference between the chief
Nyrimayok. who reigns as absolutely a.
any other earthly king, and a Roman
Catholic missionary, Father Arsene nir-
quetil, who has started out on a 1 900 mile
journey TO keep a tryst made with the
copper colored monarch a year ago.
The uncounted thousands Of Nyrimayok's
subjects roam the wilds Of the frozen north
from Hudson Bay to the Beaufort Sea. II
Ia believed that the chiefs conversion ia as
sured, and this will mean the conversion Of
all his people. There Is quite a little ro-
nance about the chiefs invitation to the
missionary to meet him in the far north
and in connection with the readiness Of the
other 20 undertake the perilous journey Of
900 miles upon which he is now engaged.
For many years Nyrimayok. with the
suspicion and reserve characteristic Of his
race. had scowled at every suggestion OF
Christianity, at no time showing open
hostility to the missionaries, but always
doggedly refusing 10 follow their advice
For hours at time he would sit and listen
10 their patient explanations. Then he
would grint and stalk on into the woods
with no appearance Of having been affected
by their story.
It IL understood that he was much i'm
pressed by the peril and suffering endured
by the priests for the sake Of the natives
for endurance Of physical pain is the test
Of superiority among the uneducated I'M
christianised red men.
One day last spring. just before the
caribou began their northward migration,
the Eskimo chief who was then at the
northernmost point Of Reindeer Lake,
in Athabasoa;> called at st. Peters Mission
there and with some show Of ostentation,
though with his usual kingly dignity some
what changed by his apparent sincerity,
invited Father Turquetil 70 visit his camp,
1 900 miles north as the crow flies. He
also told him that IL he would make his
homo among his people he would build
him hut and provide sustenance for him.
Bishop Pascal, under whom Father
Turouetil is working, and 10 whom he told
the story Of NyTimRyok, has not only en-
couraeed him TO undertake the difficult
mission, but declares II 10 be as important
as any which has ever come before the
missionary branch Of the Church.
OF the Journey before Father Turquetil
a description II given by Father Caste,
a missionary who travelled 700 miles Of
the distance as long ago as 1868, when he
was the first white man 20 traverse the
country. Parties Of surveyors are the
only other white men known to have ven
tured into these barren wilds.
Before undertaking his journey north
ward from St. Peters Mission Father
TuTquetil had TO travel 900 miles from
Prince Albert TO reach the mission, The
first 200 miles is easy-a four days paddle
down the broad Saskatchewan River.
Across Cumberland lake the pasSa &c
is not hard. save that II Ia the first long
stretch Of consant rowing agaipst the
stream, for from Reindeer Lake down
through a series Of rivers and little lakes
the water rushes rapidly on lite way 10 the,
Saskatchewan, Lake Winnipeg or Hudson
Bay.
The portages further north are long and
bad. and almost the whole Of the last 500
miles has TO be tTamped, for in that dis
lance the stream rushes with a noisy roar
In a close series Of cstaracts among giant
dragged rocks always half buried In the
foam into which the water ia churned.
This part Of the trip sometimes takes six
OF seven weeks and il 10 hoped that Father
Turquetil got over II and reached st. Peters
Mission before the winter frost set in.
North OF Reindeer lake the country
which the father Il now supposed to be
traversing Is the real frozen north OF to-day.
It il being made on ski and sledge. IL takes
durance.
There will be tramping, shutting day
after day over the binding snow, even
at this season Of the year, and much later,
though calm and blow, either meaning
temperature Of many degrees below zero,
across succession OF dreary wastes, broken
here and there by great masses, OF rocks
and glaciers, over which the traveller on
foot must stumble and slip; by forests whose
fallen tree trunks and tangled underground.
the accumulation OF centuries, make travel
ing discouragingly difficult. and again
by streams whose oataracts defy the cold
10 freeze them.
And then there will be night after night
in which the father and his guides must dig
deep down into the snow 10 build little
shelter into which they can cuddle in their
furs when the cold Il extreme II the dogs
are tame which few Of them are, they will
be taken into these little excavations, 50
that the humans may enjoy the warmth
which IL given on from their bodies. IL they
are wild, the faithful little brutes will sneak
on by themselves when night draws nigh
and they have had their evening meal,
and will dig holes In the snow and make
their own sleeping p laoes therein.
The most powerful potentRte Of the polar
regions. whom Father Turuuetil IL now on
his way to meet is most interesting per-
sonality and a type Of the best men Of the
northland; apparently about As, tall. strong,
square shouldered agile, n crack shot with
the rife, sportsman OF seemingly infallible
arm and eye, and fisherman Of rare skill
He knows not only the secrets OF the beasts
Of the forest and field and the inny felix in
the rivers. lakes and seas, but also the secrets
Of the lives Of his human subjects His mind,
which acts slowly enough In things not ma
tive to him, Il keen and penetrating, and in
the judgments which he makes in disputes
among his people, Tor whom he Ia arbitrator
in all matters Of importance, he IL surpris-
ingly wise and just
His authority Is complete and Ia never
questioned. The Eskimos obey him out
Of respect for his prowess and his powers
and also for love OF him.
diamonds for Drawing Fine Wire.