palasadoes, he angrily remarked, the Europeans have no palasadoes.  By these representations the greater part of the baptized were seduced and deceived; the brethren with meekness endeavoured to put them right, reminded them that at their baptism they had promised to love Jesus only, and to follow him, not to leave the congregation of the faithful, and to obey their teachers.  They also particularly described the dangers to which they would be exposed in their journey to the south, and desired them to consider the impressive warnings the Commander-in-chief had so lately given them—­but all was in vain.

In the following winter, a famine broke out among the Esquimaux in Nain; their number amounted to eighty-two souls, whereof thirty-five were baptized and candidates for baptism.  All these looked to the brethren when in want of the necessaries of life, who afforded them assistance to the utmost of their ability; but received little thanks for their kindness, for if they did not give them what they thought enough, they upbraided them with the conduct of the good Europeans in the south.

On the 4th December a dreadful accident happened at Ankpalluktak, about six hours distant from Nain.  A large mass of snow was precipitated from a mountain and overwhelmed an Esquimaux winter house, wherein were thirty persons, young and old.  No one could escape to tell the tale of their disaster or procure assistance; but it happened, by the merciful providence of God, that Nathaniel, with another Esquimaux, went to Ankpalluktak to bring Sirmek to Nain; to their astonishment they found him lying half-frozen, unable either to stand or walk, yet still alive.  They then heard a voice from the midst of the ruins, by which they perceived there were still some persons alive beneath the snow; and hastening back to Nain with Sirmek, they returned with additional hands, and the necessary tools from the brethren.  They soon found that there were more Esquimaux within, and by great exertion and labour succeeded in extricating nine persons from the rubbish, but one of them was so much bruised that she died very soon after.  By this visitation twenty-one persons lost their lives.  The Esquimaux were greatly alarmed by it for a little, but the impression soon wore off, and all was forgotten.

In January and February 1783, the famine increased among the natives, and the brethren redoubled their endeavours to supply their necessities, which however appears only to have had the effect of encouraging their indolence, for so long as they could get food in this way they would not stir abroad, or make the least exertion to supply their own wants.  If urged to go in search of food, they alleged that hunger prevented them; “for,” said they, “when we go out and catch nothing it makes us the more hungry.”  If advised to go and hunt, they replied, “We have no gun.”  Yet did not this waywardness tire the patient benevolence of the missionaries; but, like children of their Father in heaven, who causeth his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sendeth rain on the just and unjust, when the famine had reached its height, brother Lister sent to Okkak to fetch a sledge load of dried fish.