44 Our North Land. 



to pay him twelve dollars therefor. He was to be on board the 

 Neptune the next morning at three o'clock, and he kept his 

 appointment to the minute. 



We had scarcely reached the harbour, before the Nain Mission 

 buildings and Eskimo huts, on Wednesday, when we saw approach- 

 ing boats and kayaks containing the missionaries and natives 

 of the Moravian capital. They were all welcomed on board. The 

 Eskimos were much delighted with the ship, but the Moravians 

 met with a sore disappointment. The Chief Superintendent came 

 with his mail-bag, fully believing the Neptune was one of their 

 own vessels, and highly confident of receiving letters and papers 

 from the fatherland. It was really distressing to see his coun- 

 tenance drop on being informed who and what we were. This 

 intelligence did not, however, disturb the delighted curiosity of the 

 Eskimos. They were much amused with all they saw, and examined 

 the steamer from one end to the other, making curious ejaculations 

 at the wonderful engines, fire-arms, etc. I undertook to interview 

 them, but their stock of English was too small, and the attempt 

 was an utter failure. I learned, however, that they had all been 

 Christianized, at least so far as to receive Christian names. Instead 

 of the Eskimo Pudolik, Komakin or Kikastouk, they boasted 

 such biblical cognomens as David, Jonathan, Caleb, Nicodemus and 

 Benjamin. These civilized and Christianized natives were not 

 unlike the pure savage specimens that we met with in the Straits 

 afterwards, except in this small matter of names. 



Superintendent Bourguin extended a polite invitation to our 

 party to visit his village. This was heartily accepted. The boats 

 were lowered, and, in half an hour, more than a dozen expeditionists 

 were investigating the curious town. We were first conducted to 

 the great reception-room of the mission-house, and treated to lager 

 beer. The German will have his lager wherever he goes, and we 

 all voted the Moravian German much the better for it. Owing to 

 a regulation of the Government, liquor of all kinds — lime-juice only 

 excepted — was excluded, except in one or two very isolated cases 

 of a clandestine character. These had not gone far enough, for 

 those who strictly obeyed the official order begged from those who 



