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Updated: June 11, 2025
As that first winter wore away there were gloomy days and nights, and they were not brightened when, with the return of the sun, no ship arrived from Denmark. The Dutch traders came, and opened their eyes wide when they found Egede and his household safe and even on friendly terms with the Eskimos. So he had not worked altogether in vain. But the brief summer passed, and still no relief ship.
Next day they found that the pack had continued to ease off during the night, so that there was a lead of open water between it and the shore. "You have been praying during the night," said Okiok to Egede in an abrupt manner, almost as if he were accusing him of taking an unfair advantage of circumstances.
"How did he come by his accident?" continued the sailor, as the party walked up towards the bushes. "The girl who takes care of him his daughter, I think says he was injured by a bear." "If it is a case of broken bones, perhaps I may be of use to him," said Rooney, "for I've had some experience in that way." Egede shook his head, "I fear it is too late," he replied.
The lamp in his quiet study shone out over the sea at night when his people were long asleep. Their pastor was poring over old manuscripts and the logs of whalers that had touched upon Greenland. From Bergen he gathered the testimony of many sailors. None of them had ever seen traces of, or heard of, the old Northmen. To his bishop went Egede with his burden.
"Come along with me, and I'll show you to my friends." At first the Eskimo showed a disposition to resist, but when the powerful seaman lifted him up by the neck of his coat, as if he had been a little dog, and set him on his legs, he thought better of it, smiled benignly, and moved on. Hans Egede at once recognised this fellow as one of the most troublesome of his flock.
When our travellers arrived he was lying in his hut groaning heavily; but no one knew what state he was in, for they still feared to disturb him. No such fear affected Hans Egede. Knowing that he could point to the only remedy for sin and broken hearts, he went straight into the poor man's hut.
The next summer brought word that the mission was to be continued, partly because Egede had strained every nerve to send home much blubber and many skins. But it was as a glimpse of the sun from behind dark clouds. His greatest trials trod hard upon the good news. To rouse interest in the mission Egede had sent home young Eskimos from time to time. Three of these died of smallpox in Denmark.
When the time comes for the Creator to reveal His plans to man, surely it will be found that no word spoken, no cup of water given, by these Danish and Moravian Christians, shall lose its appropriate reward. When at last the northern men and their families stood on the sea-shore, with their kayaks, oomiaks and families ready, Angut stood forth, and, grasping Hans Egede by the hand, said earnestly
He tried to justify himself to Egede by saying that "she died hard, and it was a pity not to speed her." Yet they buried a dog's head with a child, so that the dog, being clever, could run ahead and guide the little one's steps to heaven. They could count no further than five; at a stretch they might get to twenty, on their fingers and toes, but there they stopped.
After prayer offered by the missionary, that the Holy Spirit might descend on and bless the discussion, a hymn was sung. It had been translated into Eskimo, and taught to his converts by Egede.
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