The awakened Esquimaux were also examples of industry to their countrymen, and in the years of scarcity, the brethren remarked with pleasure, that they had a sufficiency, while the heathen were starving; for with their Christianity, they had not only learned diligence, but economy and foresight.  Nor did they now, as formerly, depend upon the stores of the missionaries, or tease them for food after they had wasted their own; but rather suffered hunger, or were contented with a very scanty meal, while they showed a readiness to assist them in all their undertakings, in cutting wood, building houses, or making roads which were found necessary for the convenience of the station.

While the missionaries in Hopedale were rejoicing in the great mercy shown to their beloved Esquimaux, the brethren at Nain were mourning over the sore backslidings of many of their congregation.  “We are sorry to say,” are the lamentations of their letter, “that most of our Esquimaux flock seem to fall very far short of what we might expect, and the craft and power of Satan is but too often visibly exerted to pluck up and to destroy the good seed sown into their hearts.  We discovered grievous deviations into which some had fallen last summer, during their absence from us; and we perceived with pain, that in difficult occurrences, or in sickness, they are too hasty to listen to the sorcerers, and take refuge to their legerdemain tricks for help, rather than call upon our Saviour, and trust to him.  Some, however, are of a different description, and give us good hopes of their being faithful.”

The brethren at Okkak likewise hung their harps upon the willows.  “Our baptized brethren have not,” say they sorrowfully, “been as steady as they ought.  When we spoke with individuals after their return to us, concerning their spiritual condition, we discovered, to our great grief, among some of them, offences and wicked practices which had long been kept secret.  We were obliged to advise several rather to leave us quietly than serve sin in secret, and attempt to deceive us by their untruths and hypocrisy.  With some this produced repentance and reflection, and they begged to be forgiven and borne with; but two persons were dismissed, and two excluded from the communion.  In general there was great lukewarmness of heart observed among the people, and we had but few instances of genuine conversion.”  They were also invited by their heathen friends in the north to come and eat whale-flesh, and all our remonstrances were in vain, for they answered, “that if they stayed at Okkak they must suffer hunger.”  An epidemic disease again visited this settlement, and carried off seven individuals very suddenly, which struck such terror among the people, that the greater part of them fled from the place to escape the contagion; but the missionaries remarked, that neither upon the sick or the dying, nor upon the healthy, was any salutary effect produced.  The dogs too were attacked with a similar disorder, and many died along the coast—­a serious loss to the Esquimaux.