having spent all his life at school, in college and in the 

 seminary, the other, Kilbuck, a full-blooded Indian, who 

 had as a lad left his home in Kansas to be educated in the 

 church school at Nazareth, Pa., thence to take the classical 

 and theological course at Bethlehem — with their brides of 

 a few months, face to face with an arctic Winter, and not 

 having a roof over their heads ; Kilbuck, moreover, suffer- 

 ing from an affection of the eyes that at times almost 

 blinded him ; the material which they had brought for the 

 construction of a house in such a condition from the fre- 

 quent rains, that they doubted whether they could use it ; 

 and, to crown all, both of them able to communicate with 

 the natives only by "sign language," except for the aid of 

 Mr. Lind, the trader at the "post" of the Alaska Commer- 

 cial Co. Less heroic souls might have searched for some 

 possible means of a retreat. Not so, these missionary 

 couples. They dry their lumber as best they can in the 

 Kashima which Mr. Lind kindly places at their disposal. 

 They erect their dwelling accordmg to the best of their 

 ability ; and it is taken possession of by them on October lo, 

 having consecrated a neighboring hillock a few weeks before 

 by the committal to its earth of the body of the elder 

 companion on whom they had leaned and whose loss they 

 so deeply mourned. Yet there was Another in Whom a 

 more complete dependence was placed, for they write con- 

 cerning this time of test, " You see that we can say, ' The 

 Lord is our Helper.' " 



Thus their surroundings are described by them : 

 " The station is about 70 or 75 miles from the mouth of 

 the river, and about one half-mile west of the Mumtrekh- 

 lagamute trading -post. The location is as healthful as it 

 can be in Alaska, being on rather high ground, about 

 twenty-five feet above river, and no swamps in the immedi- 

 ate vicinity. The country to the west and northwest is 

 open tundra, while there is a considerable pinery to the 

 north and northeast, which serves as a break to the winter 

 winds. To the east we have the river and wooded islands, 

 and in the distance the rugged mountains of Alaska can be 

 seen. To the south is a channel of the river, and a large 

 thickly wooded island which protects us from the heavy 



