19 

 STATISTICS OF POPULATION. 



After the first tragic attempt of the Moravians at converting 

 the Eskimo, which ended in the massacre of their missionaries, 

 a successful station was established at Nain in 1771. In 1776 

 another mission was started at Okkak, 130 miles north of Nain, 

 and in 1782, the mission at Hopedale, about the same distance 

 south of Nain, and near the site of the old tragedy. 



At the end of the eighteenth century, the Eskimo living at 

 the Moravian Mission settlements were as follows (probably 

 only a small part of the entire population of the coast, as the 

 Moravians estimated the total population of the coast at 

 3,000* when they began operations in 1763). 



Nain 63 persons 30 professing Christianity 



Hopedale 51 33 



Okkak 48 22 



Fifty years after the settlement, the number had increased 

 to: 



Nain 168 persons 



Hopedale 149 " 



Okkak 394 



The gradual increase and ingathering of the Eskimo in the 

 vicinity of the Moravian stations was doubtless in a large measure 

 due to the wisdom of the Brethren in selecting good hunting 

 sites for their establishments. 



In 1830 a settlement was begun at Hebron, north of 

 Okkak, which in six years had attracted a population of 148. 



In 1840 the resident population of all stations was as follows: 



Nain 298 persons 



Hopedale 205 



Okkak 352 



Hebron.. 179 " 



1,034 



The Eskimo at this time were reported to have mostly 

 deserted the coast north of Hebron and gone to Ungava, so this 



1 The statistics which follow are taken from the Mission reports. 

 3 



