All these things filled his heart with the most pungent sorrow, preyed upon his mind, and wasted his body—­and he cried to the Lord for relief and help in this distressing situation.  Once, when writing down his heavy mournful cogitations in his journal, the master of the shallop entered his cabin, and seeing him in tears, inquired whether he was going to make a complaint to the owners?  “No,” replied he, “but I mean to complain of you to God, that he may notice your wicked conduct on the present occasion, for ye have taken his name in vain, and ye have mocked his word!” Struck with this address, the captain entreated his forgiveness, and promised that from henceforth he would do every thing to promote his design, which he faithfully performed, and landed him next day at Quirpont or Quiverant, a harbour in an island, off the north-east extremity of Newfoundland.

Here he landed in a most propitious moment—­a number of unprincipled wretches had arrived, and were holding a council to concert a plan for destroying the Esquimaux.  Instantly the missionary went to them boldly, showed them the Governor’s proclamation, and strongly remonstrated with them; yet it was not without difficulty that he persuaded them to lay aside their diabolical design.  To this harbour the natives frequently resorted to trade, or rather more frequently to steal; and here his first interview took place with the Esquimaux, which he records in his diary in the following manner:  “September 4 1764 was the joyful day I had so long wished for, when one Esquimaux came into the harbour to see if Captain Galliot was there.  While I was preparing to go to him, he had turned, and was departing to return to his countrymen, who lay in the mouth of the harbour, with the intelligence that the Captain had sailed.  I called out to him in Greenlandish that he should come to me, that I had words to say to him, and that I was his good friend.  He was astonished at my speech, and answered in broken French; but I begged him to speak in his own language, which I understood, and to bring his countrymen, as I wished to speak to them also, on which he went to them and cried with a loud voice, ‘Our friend is come!’

“I had hardly put on my Greenland clothes when five of them arrived in their own boats—­I went to meet them, and said, ’I have long desired to see you.’  They replied, ‘Here is an innuit.’  I answered, ’I am your countryman and friend.’  They rejoined, ’Thou art indeed our countryman!’ The joy on both sides was very great, and we continued in conversation for a considerable time, when at last they invited me to accompany them to an island about an hour’s row from the shore, where I should find their wives and children, who would give me a cordial welcome.  I well knew that in doing this I put myself entirely in their power; but conceiving it to be of essential service to our Saviour’s cause that I should venture my life among them, and endeavour to become better acquainted with their nature, I turned simply to Him, and said, ’I will go with them in thy name.  If they kill me, my work on earth is done, and I shall live with thee; but if they spare my life, I will firmly believe that it is thy will that they should hear and believe thy gospel.’