34 LABRADOR 
made. Two years later the Brethren began to build their 
mission house at Nain. “It was as if,” wrote one of them, 
“each with one of his hands wrought in the work and with 
the other held a weapon.” Before winter broke on them 
they had the house finished. 
In 1773 the British government sent out Lieutenant 
Curtis, R.N., as a commissioner to report on the progress 
of the mission. Some sentences from his report may be 
transcribed : — 
“They have chosen for their residence a place called 
by the Indians [Eskimos] Nonynoke, but to which they 
have given the name of Unity Bay. ... Their house is 
called Nain. It is a good situation, and is well contrived. 
They have a few swivels mounted, although they have 
no occasion for them, as the Indians [Eskimos] are awed 
more by their amiable conduct than by arms. ‘There 
is a sawmill, which is worked by a small stream conducted 
thither by their industry from the mountains, and they 
find this engine to be extremely serviceable. ... They 
have a small sandy garden, and they raise salads in toler- 
able perfection. .. . The natives love and respect them, 
because they have happily adopted and strictly adhere 
to that conduct which is endearing without being familiar. 
None of the Indians [Eskimos], a very few excepted, 
ever presume to come within the palisades without per- 
mission, nor is a bolt necessary to prevent their intrusion. 
; The progress which the mission has made in eiviliz- 
ing the Indians [Eskimos] is wonderful.” 
In 1775 the mission at Okkak was established; and in 
1782 that at Hopedale. Everything, however, did not go 
smoothly at first. About 1787 a mysterious person named 
Makko, a French Canadian (says the historian of the 
mission), who combined the character of merchant and 
