224 THE LIFE OF E. J. PECK 



of God for those who were in danger. They re- 

 mained on their ice-floe all night, and one of them 

 at least, as a result, was thus led to pray to the God 

 of whom the messengers of the Gospel had spoken. 

 His prayer was repeated : " O God, save me, for 

 I am in great danger." In the morning they noticed, 

 to their great joy, that new ice had formed between 

 them and Blacklead Island, and although it actually 

 bent under their weight, they succeeded in escaping 

 from their perilous position. 



During this time of privation the missionaries 

 adopted the plan of inviting one family to tea every 

 day. This alone must have made some consider- 

 able inroad upon their stores, and shows the need 

 of a plentiful supply such as was to some extent men- 

 tioned in detail in the last chapter. " After tea," Mr. 

 Peck writes, " I take our large English Bible and 

 explain to them that this is the Book which God has 

 given to teach men the way to heaven. A suitable 

 portion is then translated and explained. Before we 

 part they kneel down, and we have prayer together. 

 Poor people ! they do seem so grateful, and we may 

 well believe that their hearts are being drawn to Jesus." 



The Eskimos were not the only living creatures 

 that suffered from hunger. Their dogs as well were 

 brought near to starvation. This the missionaries 

 found to their cost. The dogs had not been invited 

 to tea with their masters, so they thought it well to 

 help themselves. 



