The labor standard., 1919-10-01
LABRADOR COAST
 SWEPT BY DEATH
Smallpox and Spanish Influenza Play Havoc With
 EskimoS.
BODIES DEVOURED BY DOGS
Moravian Missionary Telfs Almost un- believabIe Story of Sufferings in Northern Labrador-Mode of
 Living Is Fatal

St. Johns, N. F.-Spanish "fu," smallpox and measles wiped out more than one-third of the Eskimo popula- tion of Labrador during the months of November and December of last year. The Rev. w. w. Perrett of the Mora vian mission at Hopedale, where he has spent 27 years, reached the New foundland shores few days ago. He told an almost unbelievable story of the sufferings of the Eskimos of north erp Labrador.
 Shortly after the mission ship liar mony had left the coast ct the begin-. ming of November ''f1u" broke out at Hebron and spread rapidly among the contagious was unknown to the Es- k:mo, who were living in small huts. and whole families were affected and died off. Bishop Martin and those at the mission did what was possible un- der the circumstances, but they, too. were stricken, and when the epidemic had passed its course only eight chil- dren, five women and one man of the native population of 100 were living.
 Mad Dogs Eat Human Flesh.
 At the outbreak the dead were buried almost as soon as they passed away, but when the entire settlement became i'll, the victims were left where they died. those who had recovered in the meantime being too weak to lay them under the ground. Households who had succumbed one by one were left unburied, and the dogs. who were unable to procure food because the hunters had been all i'll. became mad and entered the cabins, consuming the flesh from the bodies of the dead.
 When it became known that the cpl demic was raging. some outside assist ance arrived, and an effort was made to give the dead Christian burial. The dogs, however, after consuming the human flesh, became wild, and it was impossible to undertake putting the corpses in the frozen ground. The next best thing was to bury the corpses at sea. Before even this could be att tempted the few remaining at Hebron were compelled to shoot the dogs, as even the living were not safe from them.
 While this horror of death and suf- fering was going on at Hebron, like epidemic was raging at Okak. The Eskimos, as in Hebron. huddled to- gether in their small huts, quickly be- came affected, until the whole popula- tion was either stricken or dead. The daily death rate was appalling. whole families dying within few hours. The mission all the while was unceasing in its work for the afflicted. but they also fell victims to the disease, which meant that the Eskimos were left help less. When the new year dawned only few emaciated Eskimos were found to be alive
 Mode of Living ls Fatal.
 MT. Perrett said that when the Eski- mos were stricken, their mode of liv- ing and environment was against their surviving. As soon as the illness fell upon them they were obliged to take shelter in the small. stuffy huts, where there was neither fresh air nor sum- shine, and here they remained until they died. They were also without seal meat and fats, which are neces- sary for sustenance in cold climes, having been overtaken by the epidemic just as the hunting season opened, and. their constitutions thus weak ened, they became easy prey to the scourge. Many who had recovered from their illness died later for want of nourishment