oar I noted some curious
ones--Persida, Botille, Teresia Dina, and Justine. "Helena-Helenalo"
evidently means mother and child, both bearing the name Helena.
"Fillipusib-kitornganga" and "Davidib-kitornganga" mean the child of
Philip and the child of David. Mostly, the little wooden "headstones"
lie flat on the grave; those at Okak are placed upright, as in the
accompanying sketch, and record the names of several persons buried
beneath.
/--------\
/ \
| 644 |
| Andrew |
| 1862 |
| -------- |
| 959 |
| Marcus |
| -------- |
| 642 |
| Heinrich |
| 1873. |
+----------+
| |
| |
Where the paths cross one another at right angles, in the older
Labrador churchyards, there is always a specially interesting group of
graves. There lie, in sure and certain hope of a joyous resurrection,
the bodies of good men and women, who have taken sepulchre possession
of this land for their Lord. Here, too, many sorrowing missionary
parents have had to lay little ones, early taken home in this bleak
climate. Ah, what stories are written on those simple gravestones,
when one can read between the lines!
The "God's Acre" at Nain is as rich in historical associations as any.
Christian Larsen Drachard, one of the pioneers of this mission was
buried here in 1778; and beside the stone, on which is inscribed his
honoured name in full, is a rough slab from the shore, placed on his
grave by his own desire. Side by side to right and left of the path
separating the last resting-places of the married men from those of
the single missionaries lie Christopher Brasen and Gottfried Lehmann,
drowned in 1774 on their return voyage from finding a site for Okak,
the second station in this land. Not many days after I stood beside
their graves I sailed close by the island on which their sloop was
wrecked, and on whose rocks the angry sea cast their bodies.
/\
/ \
/ \
/ D. \
/ \
/ 1778. \
/ \
\ _Sep. 18._ /
\ /
\ /
\ /
\ /
\ /
\/
I will close this chapter with a contrast. Leaving the peaceful
Christian burial ground, we climb the hill behind the station. In a
lofty, lonely valley we find many heaps of great stones. We will
examine one. Remove one or two
|