Although the journies to the south were a great hindrance to the collecting of congregations, yet in all the three settlements some were almost yearly added to the Christian church by baptism; and the number of baptized, and candidates for baptism, in the year 1789, amounted to about eighty.  Yet, alas! even with the baptized little fortitude and growth in grace could be observed—­many deviated grievously from the right path.  In Nain, Nathaniel, a baptized Esquimaux, had taken a baptized woman for a second wife and had gone with her to the heathen, with whom a plurality of wives is very common, and is considered as a mark of superiority; he being considered a great man who possesses two or three wives, and as soon as any one possesses a European boat he is, according to the opinion of the country, in circumstances to have at least four helpmates.  Even Peter had so far again sunk into heathenism, that he had taken several, and among others, a mother and her daughter.  Bishop Spangenberg was so touched with the case of this poor wanderer that he wrote him, representing the nature of his conduct in the most affectionate manner, and earnestly exhorting him to return.  When the letter was read to him at Nain, 1779, he said Joseph has spoken pure truth, and I love him for it; his words are right, but I require the women for my boat and I cannot send them away.  He was again put in remembrance of the letter in the following year, when he assured the brethren it had made such an impression on him that he could not sleep for three nights; but he continued in his evil course of conduct, and still kept the mother and the daughter among his wives.  He went afterwards to the south, where he remained two or three winters, but whether he ever obtained repentance must remain a secret till “that day.”

Reports of many horrible murders committed in the north in the year 1790 having reached the brethren, they were not a little comforted by the remark of an Esquimaux living at one of the settlements, “As many murders,” said he, “would have been committed here if you had not come and brought us the good word of our Creator becoming our Redeemer, of his great love to us, and of our duty to love him and our neighbour.”

A strong desire to travel to the south became again prevalent among the Esquimaux in the summer of 1791; they said one could get a large boat there for a small price, and plenty to eat, as the Europeans caught the seals in nets and gave away the flesh for nothing, and they gave them also bread and rum at a low rate, and all this was good for the Innuit.  A hundred persons, of whom fifteen were baptized, and three candidates for baptism, went from Nain and Okkak in eleven boats.  The sad experience of former years had shewn the brethren the destructive effects that the frequent dispersion, and the constant intercourse with their heathen countrymen and careless Europeans, had in bewildering the Esquimaux, and erasing all