AND KAYAK 213 



was said to him about letters, for even in 

 Labrador we have a postman. 



True, he does not come very often : the 

 mail steamer bustles along in the summer, and 

 during the winter we always had a little 

 Labrador post of our own. 



On the 20th of January big Josef started 

 south with his sled and dogs, to meet the 

 messenger from the southern stations at Nain. 

 After a stay of two or three days to give the 

 Nain missionaries time to read and answer 

 their letters days which Josef spent in going 

 the round of the village and delivering the 

 laborious salutations of which the Eskimos are 

 so fond he travelled back again. We used 

 to meet him as he drove up to the Mission 

 house, and shake his great hand, and smile, 

 and tell him we were glad to see him and so 

 we were. 



Sometimes there were a few belated 

 European letters in the bag, a welcome spice 

 in the pile of coast news ; aye, we knew what 

 it was to feel thankful for the postman, in 

 Labrador. 



Next day Jerry would take the mail sled 

 northward, while Josef rested on his laurels 

 and told tales of his trip, and delivered him- 

 self of his burden of salutations. He went 

 about it with great solemnity. He had all 



