MORAVIAN MISSIONS. 



199 



The Chamberlain also introduced them to 

 several persons distinguished by rank and piety, 

 who liberally contributed toward the expense of 

 their voyage and intended settlement. Being 

 asked one day by his Excellency, how they pro- 

 posed to maintain themselves in Greenland, they 

 answered, that they depended on the labour of 

 their own hands and God's blessing ; and that 

 not to be burdensome to any one, they would 

 build themselves a house and cultivate the 

 ground. It being objected that they would find 

 no wood to build with, as the country presented 

 little but a face of barren rock. " Then/' replied 

 they in a true Missionary spirit, " we will dig 

 into the earth and lodge there." " No," said 

 the Minister, " to that necessity you shall not 

 be reduced ; you shall take timber with you for 

 building a house ; accept of these fifty dollars 

 for that purpose." With this and other dona- 

 tions, they purchased poles, planks and laths ; 

 instruments for agriculture, and carpenter's 

 work, together with several sorts of seeds and 

 roots, with provisions. Thus equipped, says 

 Crantz, thev took an affectionate leave of the 

 Court where they had been so hospitably enter- 

 tained, and embarked on the 10th of April, on 

 board the King's ship, Caritas, Capt. Hildebrand. 

 The congregation at Hernhutt had already 



