helper here. The younger
person is Nicholina, bright and strong in mind and heart though rather
bent and crippled in body. Here, as formerly at Ramah, she serves as
school mistress, and I am told has considerable capacity both for
imparting knowledge and for maintaining discipline. She stands in
regular correspondence with several friends of the mission in Europe.
She had something to tell them in her last letters, for not long ago
she and her mother with eight other Eskimoes were nearly drowned in
the bay about where the "Harmony" lies at anchor. A sudden gust of
wind capsized the sailing boat, in which they were coming home from
their fishing place. One good feature of the Eskimo character is their
presence of mind in danger. There was no panic, though the boat sank
instantly. Happily she was towing a little flat. One of the men
promptly cut the rope, and so all were brought safe to land, some in
the flat, others hanging on to its sides. Old Marianna was one of the
latter, and when her numbed hands lost their hold, they tied her
wrists to the gunwale of the little boat. She has recovered from the
shock and exposure, but like the rest has been impoverished, for they
lost their all in the boat, which went down.

Thomas, Enoch, and John are the three native helpers. Since the death
of Hieronymus, Thomas has been the oldest in the office, but, as he
feels, has not yet sufficient influence or force of character to lead
his countrymen at critical times. He is, however, a humble child of
God, and growing in grace as well as experience. John has a little
speech to make, and here is the literal translation of it:--"Sometimes
when we are busy, we do not always use the Scriptures daily. Mostly we
do. The distress of our body often causes us to seek the Word of God.
If the everlasting Gospel were well considered by all, there would be
visible love."

A SLEDGE DRIVE.

_September 22nd, 1888._--My good friends are determined that I shall
see a real sledge and team of dogs start and travel. So after dinner
the sledge is brought to the gate of the mission premises. It consists
of a couple of iron-bound wooden runners about fifteen feet long and
eight inches high, across which many cross-pieces of wood are secured
with thongs. Nails would soon be pulled out or broken off on a journey
over hummocky ice or uneven ground. First the sledge is laden with
everything necessary for a winter journey. A great white bear skin is
fold