THE MISSIONS 229 
ure of wealth. Fat in gallons is the coin of their realm. 
To the Eskimo of the place, such a man and his mission 
mean everything, pessimists notwithstanding. 
The next station is at Ramah, about a hundred miles to 
the southeastward. The intermediate station of the Hud- 
son’s Bay Company at Nachvak has recently been with- 
drawn, and the withdrawal of the Ramah station is under 
consideration. The Eskimo here dwell in holes in the 
ground with skin bowel-parchment windows that do not 
open, and with roofs and entrances made of sods. There 
are no islands near to supply birds and eggs; the decrease 
in the number of seal and walrus and the low market or 
jocal value of sea-trout have seriously impoverished the 
people. This poverty means that they are poorly equipped 
for travel ; in consequence, they dawdle about the unsavoury 
village when they should be seeking and finding sustenance, 
gaining health and strength by migrating from place to 
place as they always did of yore. Here they are much 
more dependent upon the missionary, upon his supply of 
clothing, and upon his kablenak or European food, than 
is good for them. From their physical condition it is 
perfectly easy to tell a Ramah Eskimo from a Cape Chidley 
man, though you may never have seen either previously. 
A journey to the southward of nearly another hundred 
miles brings us to the third station at Hebron. This is 
still a good hunting station. Its Eskimo have been wisely 
taught by the Brethren to segregate and not congregate. 
No permanent village has come into being. A few sod 
houses and one or two better houses exist. This would 
to-day be probably far the most creditable settlement of 
Eskimo, had it not been for the carrying of several families 
