PLOUGHING AND SOWING 237 



For the traveller had met Eskimos who had jour 

 neyed from the northern and western shores of 

 Hudson's Straits, and "we may well believe that the 

 Gospel of God's grace and love will soon spread 

 over these Arctic wastes, and that God's name will 

 be glorified amongst the Eskimos." 



There is something pathetic in words which record 

 some of the smaller trials of life in Cumberland 

 Sound, and as we read them we have to remember 

 that after all life is made up generally of apparently 

 petty details of daily routine. " The weather is 

 now (in the middle of July) very warm, and the 

 scanty vegetation is beginning to look green. I 

 have planted some mustard and cress, together 

 with other vegetable seeds, in two boxes. I man 

 aged with difficulty to get some soil, which I worked 

 up as fine as possible. I hope these efforts may be 

 successful, one does miss a few fresh vegetables." 



In due time a small harvest was reaped, for on 

 August ii : "I had the pleasure of eating some 

 mustard and cress ; the other seeds I planted are 

 coming on, but slowly." 



On August 20, there was great excitement. "While 

 having dinner, some of the people rushed into our 

 little house, and cried out, * Oomeakjuak ! oomeak- 

 juak ! ' (' A ship ! a ship ! '). / could hardly credit 

 the news for joy. Went out, and saw a vessel bear 

 ing up for our island home. She had evidently 

 been driven to leeward of the island during the 



