present
of a suit of clothes to every schoolmaster in her dominions. As his
had not reached him, he suspected the missionaries of withholding it.
This is a characteristic instance of the credulity with which the
Eskimoes accept the statements of strangers and the mistrust they are
too apt to show towards those who have long proved themselves their
most disinterested friends.

"GOD'S ACRE."

The burial ground at Nain is the best kept in Labrador. Others are
neat and tidily arranged, but this decidedly bears off the palm. It is
finely situated, commanding a view seaward, and an Easter morning
service in this peaceful resting-place of the departed must be
impressive indeed, as the rising sun sheds his first rays across
frozen sea and snowy islands on a company of Christian Eskimoes,
rejoicing in Him who is the Resurrection and the Life, and not
sorrowing hopelessly for their dead. I know no better name for such a
sacred enclosure, where the bodies of those who have died in the Lord
are sown in hope, than the beautiful German term, "God's Acre."

______________ ______________
| | | |
| 805 | | 741 |
| _Harriott_ | | _Eleonora_ |
| 1865-1882 | | 1819-1879 |
|______________| |______________|

Scarcely any grass grows within the oblong space surrounded by wooden
palings, but here and there patches of moss or low berry bushes
threaten to hide the neat little slabs of wood placed by the
missionaries on the graves of the native Christians. If left to the
Eskimoes, this duty to their departed relatives and friends would
either be done carelessly or forgotten. These simple "headstones," of
which I give two specimens as copied into my notebook, are perhaps
about twelve inches by eight. The place for the next grave in each row
(men, women, boys, girls) is indicated by long poles likely to appear
above the highest snow in winter. Here at Nain, and indeed at all the
stations except Okak, where the soil is clay, it is possible, though
in winter very troublesome, to dig a grave all the year round. At Okak
the coffin must be laid in the snow until returning spring thaws the
frozen ground. As already stated, the Eskimoes have no surnames, and
their graves show a great repetition of certain Christian names, as
Abel, Abia, Zecharias, Thomas, Susannah, Katarina, &c. There is a
greater variety on the female side. At Z