Part 18 (1/2)

The Indians, with their bundles on their shoulders, filed ashore, made their way to a hut the kindly Moravian missionary let them use, and sat in muddy, weary silence round the walls

The Eski out, staring at these queer folk as if they had dropped from the moon

But other Eskiers what shore life was like

They got busy at the stove, boiled water, and presently handed about large cups of tea, with sugar and biscuit

The Indians devoured the refreshry The Northern Indians lead lives that are often sharpened with hunger for long periods together You can see it in their lank fraaunt faces The southern Indians, nearer the flesh-pots, with kindly priests at work a them, look roly-poly, chubby and content

It was a very silent party The Indians who had been so bold as to come this far to the sea were probably ho ponds and cold swirling streams, the hordes of mosquitoes and the caribou of their lone spaces at Indian House Lake The cluster of houses at Nain looked to them as New York would seem to one who had always dwelt in the heart of the Maine woods

By er to begin trading

A southern Indian translated

They had brought deerskins chiefly There are few valuable furs in their part of Labrador, but they did their best towith the few they were able to find

You can i before the start of the expedition: ”Oh, if we only had some beaver or et a silver or a cross fox? Those people down there at the coast know such a lot, and are so rich, and so particular! Nothing but the very best we have will do”

They held up a bearskin with great pride They had a wolverine,--the only sort of fur on which snoill not freeze,--several wolf-skins, and moccasins, embroidered The translator would point to what they wanted on the shelves Then they would take the object in their hands and weigh it very carefully, thinking of all those portages on the homeward trail--probably twenty at least--over which every ounce ht lots of tea--one ay prints Other things to which they took a fancy were tobacco, cartridges, fish-hooks, matches, needles, and pearl buttons

First they handed over the skins, and received ans were ly at an accordeon and tried to play on it and were enchanted with the squawks that caht a clay pipe, and spent all his ti it They were not allowed to smoke in the store, but they spat wherever they pleased

Doctor and Mrs Grenfell are out on the war-path against this disgusting custom, and they have had very hard work to persuade even the ”liveyeres” that there is danger concealed in germs that cannot be seen, when saliva dries and the wind blows it about In all this glorious fresh air it is mournful to think of the -trouble, because of stifling houses and unclean habits

The Indians at first were extrehed and chatted In the party were three wo, and she was showered with presents--kettles, cups and saucers, perfu she wanted--and every tihed aloud And each tiift, one of the other wo for her Human nature is the same on the Labrador as on Coney Island

It took two days for the, and wrap up their purchases, and say farewell

By this time Indians and Eskimo were sworn friends

The Eskimo crowded to the end of the little pier, and knelt down to reach over and grasp the hands of the parting guests There were shouts of ”Yomai!” from the Indians, and various cries in answer fro on their heels, the Indians trimmed their sails to the breeze and were borne swiftly round the point to be seen no more

How different is all this froe people in the world!”

IX

ALONE ON THE ICE