Americus times-recorder., 1919-08-22
LABRADORCOAST
SWEPT BY DEATH
DUETOSMALLPOX

81. JohnS, N. F.-SpaniSh "1u,"
smallpox and measles wiped out more
than one-third of the Eskimo popula-
ton of Labrador during the months of
November and December. of last year.
The Rey. W. w. Perrett of the Nora
Wan 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
ern Labrador
Shortly after the mission ship Har-
mony had left the coast at the begin
ming of November 'flu'' broke out at
Hebron and spread rapidly among the
inhabitants. That the disease was
contagious was unknown to the Es-
kimo, 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 chill
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 III, became mad
and entered the cabins, consuming the
flesh from the bodies of the dead.
When it became known that the epi-
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 tt 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 at
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, a 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-
ton 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 Is Fatal.
Mr. Perrett said that when the Eski-
mos were stricken, their mode of lfv-
! 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 sun
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 blythe epidemic
lust as the hunting season opened
and. their constitutions thus weak
ened, they became easy prey to the
4 scourge Many who had recovered
from their illness died later for want
of nourishment,