UNGAVA 149 



tions, the first seven years of Mr. Peck's missionary 

 life must be drawn to a close. 



In December, 1882, he was contemplating a visit 

 to England in the following summer. 



After so many years he had undoubtedly earned 

 his rest and a return to civilization for a season. 

 But nevertheless he was willing to forego his own 

 pleasure and refreshment for the sake of those to 

 whom he had been sent. Rather more than a year 

 later, on January 3, 1884, he again wrote to Miss 

 Tolley : " You will doubtless have heard by the time 

 you receive this the reason of my not having gone 

 to England as I intended. We were anxious to see 

 some heathen Eskimos living at Ungava Bay, and 

 not being able to push north on account of the 

 very severe weather, we were obliged to give up 

 the journey. Thinking then that there might be 

 a more favourable opportunity the following year, 

 I determined to remain and make another trial." 



It is easy to sit at one's writing-table and make 

 extracts of this kind from Mr. Peck's letters and 

 diaries ; it is easier for the reader to sit in his 

 easy chair and read them. It needs, however, some 

 effort on the part of both writer and reader to 

 appreciate, or in any degree realize, the missionary's 

 position and work. Here he was voluntarily 

 giving up his hard-earned leave. And none but 

 the exile knows what home-hunger is. He was 

 also contemplating a most difficult and adventurous 



