Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1919-07-30
LABRADOR COAST
SWEPT BY DEATH
Smallpox and Spanish Influenza
Play Havoc With
ESkimoS.
BODIES DEv0URED BY Dogs
Moravlan Missionary Tells Almost I'm.
belicvablc Story OF SuHerIngs in
Northern Labrador-Mode Of
Living Is Fatal.

st. Johns, n. f. Spanish "nn,"
smallpox and measles wiped out more
than onc-thlrd Of the Eskimo popua-
ton Of Labrador during the months of
November ANA December Of last year.
The Rev. w. w. rerrctt Of the Mora
Wan mission at lIopcdale, where he
has spent y 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 nt the begin
ming OF November ''t'u" broke ont at
Hebron and spread rapidly among the
inhabitants, That the disease was
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 thc epidemic
had passed It's 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 ns soon as they passed
away, but when the entire settlement
became Ill, the victims were left where
they died. those who had recovered in
y..t, to, Inv
them under Inc ground. Households
who had Succumhcd one by one We're
left unburcd, and the dogs, who were
unable to procure food because the
hunters had been al III. became mad
and entered the cabins, consuming the
flesh from the bodies of Che dead.
When it became known that the cpl
demic vas raging, some outside assist
ancc arrived. and an effort was made
to give the dead Christine burial. The
dogs, however, after consuming the
human flesh, became wild, and 1t was
impossible to undertake putting the
corpseS in the frozen ground. The
next best thing was to bury the corpses
ut sea. Before even this could be at
tempted the few remaining at Hebron
We're compelled to shoot the dogs, as
even the living were not safe from
them.
While tits he ror Of death and ruf-
feriDg was going on at Hebron Ike
epidemic was raging Mt Okak. The
ESkimoS, rs In Hebron, huddled to-
gether in their small huts, quickly be
came affected, until the whole populu.
ton was either stricken or deud I'll"
daily death rate was appalling, whole
families dying within reW hours The
mission all the while was unccasing In
It's work for the afflicted, but they also
fell victims to Me disease. which
meant that the Eskimos were left help
less. When tn" new Year daWned only
a few cmaciatcd Eskinos were found
to be alive.
Mode Of Living Is Fatal
Mr.. pcrrrtt said that when the Eslli-
mos We're stricken, their mode of liv-
ing and environment was agauS- their
surviving. AS soon Gs the illness fell
upon them they were Obliged to take
shelter in the small, stuny 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 uoces-
sary for sustennnCc in cold climns
having been Overtakrn 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