212 THE LAST CRUISE OF THE MIRANDA. 



Sr., officiated, and his son presided at the organ. The front 

 pews had been reserved for us, and in our rear this strange con- 

 gregation the men on one side and the women on the other 

 arranged themselves, the children sitting in front of them, 

 upon whom the watchful eye could rest and interrupt any 

 enthusiastic diversions from the service itself. A period of 

 the most violent coughing ensued, consumption being com- 

 mon among them a result of careless living and the mixture 

 of the Danish and Eskimo races. 



The interior of the church was neatly painted in white and 

 light-blue, the altar covered with a cloth of red, \viih fletir de 

 Us embroidered in gold. On the altar were two eucharistic 

 lights and a crucifix. Completing the chancel's furnishings 

 were the lectern and old-fashioned pulpit, and a small reed 

 organ. A stove in which peat is burned, near the centre of 

 the nave, afforded the necessary heat. The service was begun 

 in a low, tearful voice, and maintained throughout in the same 

 monotone. While nothing, of course, could be understood by 

 us, the service was nevertheless impressive. A few opening 

 sentences were first read, then the Lord's Prayer ; a chant 

 followed, sung in perfect harmony, but very slowly. The 

 Eskimos have good voices and an excellent sense of harmony. 

 It took fifteen minutes to sing this chant. A chapter was 

 then read, after which, for the first time, the congregation 

 rose to repeat some short versicle. A very unimpassioned 

 sermon of twenty-three minutes was read, during which one 

 man gave way to occasional snores. At the close of the ser- 

 mon they arose for the ascription. A hymn followed, then a 

 prayer and the grace, and the service was ended. At six 

 o'clock that evening we returned for our own service. To 

 my surprise, there were about two hundred Eskimos waiting 

 around the church. It was a most curious congregation, and 

 impressed me singularly. In the front pews sat some of our 

 university professors, several physicians, lawyers, men of 



