154 Report of the Brown-Harvard Expedition. 



case is known of a father chopping off with an ax the legs of 

 his child, because they had become gangrenous as a result 

 of a frost-bite. Wounds, epidemics, and diseases of all kinds 

 are terrible misfortunes, and the loss of life, the blindness 

 and crippling, the suffering and destitution, that result from 

 them are considerable. Conditions in these respects are im- 

 proving, however, through influences yet to be mentioned. 



There is still another unfortunate condition that leads 

 to much hardship. A large proportion of the people are 

 practically slaves to the traders, who charge outrageous 

 prices for supplies and give small returns for fish and furs. 

 The winter's provisions are often secured only at the price of 

 the next season's entire catch of fish. It naturally follows 

 that effort is discouraged, and the people become continually 

 more and more buried in debt, with all the demoralizing con- 

 sequences of such a condition.* 



Thus, along with the more attractive phases presented 

 by this pioneer life, there is a large admixture of misfortune 

 and difficulty. A great deal of the latter is not incapable of 

 improvement, and there are several influences that tend to 

 raise conditions to a better level. The Moravian Missions 

 and the Hudson's Bay Company are civilizing forces. But 

 their trading policy is one that increases rather than relieves 

 the debt-slavery. Moreover, these missions are confined to 

 the Eskimo, and do not reach the other settlers. The most 

 promising and interesting feature connected with human ex- 

 istence in Labrador is furnished by the personality of Dr. 



* This condition of debt-slavery and its evil results are mentioned by 

 several observers. Stearns (Labrador, 1884) speaks of the credit system 

 as a great source of misery to the Indians. Compare Low, loc cit., p. 42 

 L, 44 L. 



