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from $1,000 to $2,000 additional to place it in suitable condition for occupancy. In 1895 Miss Agnes L. Sowle, of Hagaman, N. Y., was appointed to take charge of the home in the place of Mr. John A. Tuck, who is to give his whole time to the Government school. Miss Elizabeth Mellor, of Brooklyn, N. Y., was sent as her assistant. This past summer Miss Sarah J. Rinch, of Canada, has been added to the mission force. Under the wise and efficient administration of these ladies the mission work in the Jesse Lee Memorial Home of the Methodist women at Unalaska continues to hold its advanced position.

PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL MISSIONS.

The most notable event of the past year was the appointment, by the general convention of the church in Minneapolis, of Rev. Peter Trimble Rowe as bishop of Alaska. Mr. Rowe was consecrated in St. George's Church, New York City, November 30, 1895, and last spring moved to Alaska. After visiting the southeastern part of Alaska, he crossed the Chilkoot Pass from Dyea Inlet to the head waters of the Yukon River. Passing down the river, he was able to visit all the villages on that wonderful stream, then securing passage from St. Michael to Unalaska with the revenue cutter Bear, then by mail boat visiting the several leading villages on the coast between Unalaska and Sitka. Mission work was established at Juneau with Rev. Henry Beer in charge, and at Douglas Island with Rev. A. J. Campbell in charge. On the bishop's way down the Yukon River he had erected a log cabin for services and employed William Lalo as lay reader among the Indians. At Circle City he secured a suitable location for the erection of mission buildings and a hospital which the church proposed establishing at that point.

The mission work of the Rev. Jules L. Prevost at St. James, Fort Adams, continues to prosper. Sixteen boys and girls were registered in the boarding home and 79 enrolled in the day school. In the hospital connected with the mission, 2,238 meals were supplied and 31 patients treated. Of these, 21 were discharged cured, 3 were improved, 1 was unimproved, 4 (all infants) died. At the dispensary there were 347 treatments. In the country tributary to this mission and counted with it are 1,298 baptized persons, of whom 50 are communicants. There were during the year 162 religious services held, 55 baptisms, 13 marriages, 19 burials. Of the burials, 1 was brought 20 miles; 4, 35 miles; 2, 80 miles; 1, 200 miles, and 1, 300 miles. A steam launch has this year been secured for the use of the mission up and down the rivers, and will probably do much to extend the work. At Anvik the Rev. John W. Chapman reports 8 pupils in the boarding department of the mission and a number in the day school; 106 adherents of the mission, 10 of whom are communicants. He further reports that during the year 8 baptisms, 2 marriages, and 4 burials were performed. Since this station was established, in 1887, one-third of the native population have abandoned their underground huts and built themselves comfortable log houses, one striking result of which is the improved health of the people. Up to the present year not a single death has occurred in the log houses, while in the underground houses nearly one-half of the children born have died.

Dr. Mary Glenton, who has for the past two years performed the medical services in all that region, has felt compelled to resign her position and return to the States on account of her health. The work of St. Thomas mission, at Point Hope, on the Arctic Ocean, has been continued through the year by Rev. E. H. Edson. On the 6th of August, 1895, Dr. Driggs, who had for five years occupied that station, sailed for the States, leaving Mr. Edson alone at that fror tier station. The temporary interests of that distant community were well served. Thirty-three whales, 53 white polar bears, and the usual number of seals had been secured by the native population. This had given them an abundance of food through the winter. One morning the schoolboys reported tracks of a polar bear near the schoolhouse, and upon investigation it was found that the bear had been around the house and visited the wood pile during the night and then crossed over to the village, where he was killed by a native. Seventy children were enrolled in the school. During the winter a night school was established for those that worked during the day.

CONGREGATIONAL MISSIONS.

Last spring Mr. W. T. Lopp and family, who, with Mr. Thornton, were the first missionaries to Cape Prince of Wales, Bering Straits, returned to his field of work after a vacation of one year in the States among his friends. During his absence in the winter of 1895-96 the station was maintained and work kept up by the Rev. Thomas Hanna. A few of the Eskimo have cast in their lot with the

people of God and maintain an interesting prayer meeting. As the missionaries acquire a better command of the native language, the work will progress more rapidly.

ROMAN CATHOLIC MISSIONS.

No complete report has been received of their operations. They have a mission school and hospital at Juneau, Alaska; also at Nulato, Koserefski, Akulurak, and Cape Vancouver. They are talking of establishing a mission and hospital at Circle City; also a school at St. Michael. At Koserefski they report 79 boarders in the mission school and 26 day scholars. At Akulurak they report 25 boarders in the mission home. Their work has a force of 1 vicar apostolic, 9 priests, 6 lay brothers, and 13 sisters of the Order of St. Ann.

PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS.

The Home Missionary Society of this denomination has the distinction of having, at Point Barrow, Alaska, the northernmost mission in the world. Mr. L. M. Stevenson, who went there in 1890, is still holding the fort waiting for someone to relieve him. During the past year a comfortable mission building, with a convenient storehouse nearby, has been erected. In the summer of 1895 the brig W. H. Meyer, which had in cargo the annual supplies for this mission, was wrecked in Port Clarence. Consequently the mission school had to be discontinued for the want of supplies that were lost. Mr. Stevenson, however, remained at his post and held religious services as best he could under the circumstances. Mr. H. Richmond Marsh, a young medical student from Illinois, with his bride, is expected to go to Point Barrow next season and take charge of the work at that point. As has been said in previous reports, this station on the seas, where the ice never melts, has but one communication a year with the outside world. The annual mail which was sent to the station in the spring of 1895 has not yet reached its destination, but, if it has no further mishaps, will finally get there in the fall of 1897, two years and six months after it left the States.

St. Lawrence Island.-Mr. and Mrs. V. C. Gambell, with true heroism, continued on this important subarctic field. Mrs. Gambell reports as follows:

"Our winter comes the last of September and lasts until the middle of June. The lowest point reached by the mercury was 29° below zero. When the wind is from the southeast, the snow drifts on the west side of the house until the house is nearly out of sight, snow being 3 feet deep on the roof. When the storm is over, the natives come with their shovels, made of the shoulder blade of the walrus, or baby whale, and shovel us out. Sometimes the air is so full of snow that we can not see the storehouse, which is only 20 feet away. There was snow in the village until the middle of July, and it lies on the mountain, a mile east of the village, all

summer.

"We go out after school for an hour or so nearly every day, the whole school going with us. We do not mind the cold, for we dress from head to foot in reindeer skins.

"Formerly the people lived in underground houses, but have not done so in this village for a number of years. The houses which they now use are round walls, about 6 feet high, and made of driftwood and portions of wrecks. They cover them with walrus skins. The door is about 2 feet from the ground and about 24 feet square. It is always placed on the west. On the inside a room is partitioned off with deerskins, about 7 feet wide and as far around the wall as is needed. Only five or six people live in some of the houses; in others there are over twenty occupants.

"Their rooms are heated with oil lamps, the oil used being either seal, walrus, or whale. The lamps are made of clay. I have a stone lamp which I procured on the Siberian side. It is the same in shape as those used by the people on St. Lawrence Island.

"The walrus skins are dried on frames in the open air in summer, but the seal skins are stretched close to the ceiling in the living rooms. When the seal skins are dried, the women scrape and rub them until they are very soft and easy to make into clothing. They shape the boot soles, which are made of the big seal, with their teeth.

"There are no trees on the island. There is a little shrub resembling the willow, which creeps along on the ground like a strawberry vine. There are some beautiful flowers. Forget-me-nots, daisies, monks' hood, and the dandelion grow everywhere, while the buttercups come before the snow is off the ground.

"The house we live in is 20 by 40 feet, the schoolroom being in the north end. On Sunday the room is nearly always crowded. When the tables and benches are full, the people who can not be thus accommodated sit on the floor. They do not

mind this in the least, as they have no chairs in their own homes. Sometimes it is so crowded that it is almost impossible to move around.

"The pupils that have attended school with any degree of regularity have made good progress in their studies and greatly improved in their personal appearance. They read well, write legibly, and are quick at number work. One boy had kept a list of all the words that had been given him, and, when he understood the arrangement of the dictionary, made an alphabetical list of them in a blank book that had been given him. This he did without any suggestions from anyone.” Haines. This station, among the Chilkats, is occupied by Rev. and Mrs. W. W. Warne. Mrs. A. M. Sheets, and Miss Fannie Willard (native). The religious interest of the preceding year has continued during the present, and the teachers have been rejoicing that those for whom they labor and yearn have so many of them been brought into the kingdom.

The desire to attend meeting so overcrowded the church as to make some friction between the inhabitants of the different villages. They were like the Grecians of old, who thought that their wives were neglected in the daily distribution of bread. This inability to get into the church finally led to a compromise by which certain services were given to the inhabitants of certain villages, so that by rotation the people of each village would have an opportunity to get into the church. In January, 1896, the building burned down and the regularity of the services was somewhat impaired. During the past summer a larger and more commodious building has been erected for the mission. At the Chilkat Fishing Station the schoolhouse, which was intended to seat 40, has been crowded with attendance of considerably over 100, sometimes 140 to 150 being present, and many compelled to go away for lack of room. At another village where services are held matters are scarcely any better, so that in addition to new mission building at Haines there is important need of two chapels at the outer villages. Winter prayer meetings are held at both of these villages, and from twenty to thirty prayers are often offered by the natives at a single meeting. Some pray in public who do not profess to be Christians, but pray for the light. Many have confessed their sins, and though some may go no further, yet many are coming into the kingdom. Hoonah.-This station, among a barbarous and uncivilized people, 60 miles by sea from a post-office or white community, has been led by two widow ladies, Mrs. John W. McFarland and Mrs. Mary E. Howell. Mrs. McFarland has served in the mission work for seventeen years, and upon the death of her husband three years ago continued the work at the station where they resided, teaching the natives, nursing their sick, settling their quarrels, and administering generally the affairs of the village, and also preaching the gospel on the Sabbath to the native church of 100 communicants. A year ago the tragedy connected with the killing of the last Indian medicine man in the place has resulted in good by freeing the community from their cruelty and rapacity. Some of the officials in years past have denied the existence of witchcraft in Alaska, for fear the knowledge of it would check immigration; but it still exists, and will continue to exist until every native village is leavened out of its superstition by the introduction of the gospel and the blessing of the Spirit of God. Such scenes as the following are still witnessed in that country.

Some of our people took a sick man across the sound to the other Hoonah village to have the Indian doctor perform over him. The doctor charged one of the party with being a witch, whereupon the young man became so enraged that he shot the doctor dead. Then he, with his friends, fled for this village. Early the next morning a large canoe filled with bloodthirsty men, whooping and firing off their guns, made their appearance. After a war dance on the beach they marched up to the house, demanding the man. For over an hour they tried in vain to settle with blankets. No! No! Life for life!' was the cry. Then the poor man came out and gave himself up and was shot down by two of the Indian doctor's friends. One gun, being accidentally discharged, wounded one of our men in the limb. Peace is now restored and I hope the old Indian doctor's death will end witchcraft among this tribe. A year ago he charged one of our schoolboys with being a witch, and had the sick man shoot him, after which a stone was tied around his neck and the body dropped into the bay.'

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Juneau.-The mission home at this place is prospering under the care of Rev. and Mrs. L. F. Jones, Miss Sue Davis, Miss M. E. Gould, and Mr. Frederick Moore, native. Mrs. Jones gives the following graphic picture of native life with which they deal:

"We have reached the far end of the village and will pay our first visit. Entering a small room, built more in the form of a shed than a house, we find it full of all sorts of things, except furniture. The room is in utter confusion, while dirt is seen everywhere. Sitting upon two blankets spread on the floor and with a

cracker box for a support to her back is an old woman dying with consumption. We do what we can for her comfort, relieving her present necessities. Leaving some medicine, we continue on our way. The house we now enter consists of a single room, where live members of six families. Two rude bedsteads stand in one end of the room. An old stove in the middle of the apartment is giving off far more smoke than heat. About the stove are scattered a few dishes, pots, and pans. Nailed to the side of the wall to dry is a bear skin. Bunches of fish hang overhead. Several boxes painted in allegorical figures-receptacles for clothing-and an old chair are the only furniture. Lying on the floor near the stove, with one thin blanket for a bed and an old coat for a pillow, is a young man, suffering from a gun wound through the arm. During the night several boat loads of people, friends of his family, have arrived from a distance, bringing with them a dead body for interment. These visitors are all assembled in the room with the sick man, some mourning over their dead, others eating their breakfast, some smoking, and others sleeping. Children are singing, crying, and playing by turns, or all at the same time. As we advance to the side of the sick man we are obliged to step over sleeping forms on the floor. The atmosphere! Words are too feeble to describe it. The patience of the suffering Christian is beautiful to see. His face brightens as we speak words of cheer and comfort. After washing and dressing his arm, we offer a short prayer, cheered to know that we have been able to alleviate suffering. "In that little hut we are approaching is one sick with a disease no medicine can reach save the 'Balm in Gilead.' That misery is the white man's stamp.

"But as the morning is far spent we will hasten on to pay our last visit. As we approach this Christian home our hearts grow lighter, for we know within will be seen the fruits of mission labors of past years. We enter a large room in perfect order, scant of furniture, to be sure, but a home where comfort and cleanliness are conspicuous. We ask for a drink of water; Jennie, the young wife, goes to a cupboard and brings forth two glasses with no little pride, handing them to her husband, who has just entered the room with a pail full of fresh spring water.

"On a cot, neat and clean, rests the sick brother. Jennie's floor is as white as a new kitchen table. A few large pictures illustrating Bible lessons are on the walls. At one end of the room is the dinner table, clean and nice, while at the other end is the bed, which looks inviting and restful with its white spread and snowy pillowcases. A sewing machine, with a partly finished shirt on it, stands by one window. The stove would almost serve for a mirror if there were no other at hand. And this is only one of the neat, comfortable homes in Alaska resulting from the teaching and example of the missionaries."

During the year the Rev. James H. Condit has been sent to take charge of the white church at Juneau and has entered upon his work with enthusiasm.

Sitka. This central-mission station continues to maintain the lead in mission work. It has the most complete set of buildings and appliances for carrying on mission work and much the largest force of employees. This is probably equal to the communicants of all the other Protestant churches in Alaska combined. The hospital in connection with the mission continues to reach a large number of patients from places 160 to 300 miles away by sea. Some have been received from Copper River, 500 miles away, and the Aleutian Islands, 1,200 miles away. Some months ago a number of native Christians from Sitka went to Kluck-Won, partly to get work and partly to carry the gospel to their own people. They established and have maintained regular prayer meetings, under the lead of Robert Harris, for many years a pupil in the Sitka mission school.

Fort Wrangel.-This oldest Presbyterian mission station in Alaska is occupied by Rev. and Mrs. Clarence Thwing, who writes encouragingly of the progress of the work in that village.

Jackson. Owing to the want of funds, which so greatly hampers the mission work of all the churches through Alaska, as well as other portions of the United States, the mission home at this place has been discontinued, and thus a portion of the girls have been transferred to the home at Sitka, with Miss A. J. Manning their teacher. A new church was completed last year at the station, to the great joy of the community. At one of the meetings a native seeking Christ thus prayed: "Lord, open my eyes and teach my heart how you would have me live before you." Another said: If we were strong, like large new canoes, we would just ride over our temptations and not have them wash over us, just as a new, strong canoe does the waves."

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THE SWEDISH EVANGELICAL MISSION COVENANT'S MISSIONS IN ALASKA.

We are indebted to the Rev. D. Nyvall, secretary of the Swedish Evangelical Mission Covenant, for this synopsis of their work.

The missions in Alaska, now promoted by the Swedish Evangelical Mission Covenant of America, were founded, 1886, by the Swedish Evangelical Mission Covenant of Sweden, which that year sent to Alaska their first missionaries: Mr. Adolph Lydell to Yakutat, to work there among the Thlingets; and Mr. Axel E. Karlson to Unalaklik, to take up work among the Eskimos, the Indians, and the Russians (half-breeds) of that region. Two years later, 1888, Mr. K. J. Hendricksen was sent to the Yakutat mission. In the year 1889 two more missionaries were sent from the old country to the Alaska stations, namely, Mr. August Anderson to Unalaklik and Mr. Albin Johnson to Yakutat.

In the meantime it was, among the missionaries themselves, discussed how much more natural it would be to have the new missions in Alaska stand under the control and lead of the American Covenant, rather than of the far-off Swedish society. The missionaries had all of them traveled through America to their destination, and were greatly affected by the love and help given them everywhere in America. Mr. Lydell, whose health did not permit him to stay long at one time in Yakutat, made several journeys through the States in the interest of the Alaska missions. At last the missionaries submitted their wishes to their board in Sweden, which readily accepted their plan, and formally, 1889, turned the mission over to the American society.

In the year 1891 the society strengthened the forces at the several stations by sending Mr. David Johnson and Miss Hanna Svenson (now Mrs. A. E. Karlson) to Unalaklik, and Miss Agnes Wallén (now Mrs. Albin Johnson) to Yakutat. One year later, 1892, Miss Selma Peterson and Miss Anna Carlson were sent to Yakutat, the last mentioned returning the year after on account of failing health. In 1893 Miss Malvina Johnson was sent to Unalaklik and Mr. N. O. Hultberg to Golovin Bay to open the new station there, and, 1894, Miss Hanna Holm (now Mrs. Hultberg) followed. During the year 1895 no missionary was sent, owing to the hard times, but, 1896, the society called two school-teachers, one, Mr. P. H. Anderson, for Golovin Bay, and one, Miss Hulda Cecilia Peterson, for Yakutat. Their entire corps of white workers in Alaska, including Mr. P. H. Anderson, is 14-7 men and 7 women. Besides they have in the service of their mission one Eskimo, by the name of Rock, working as an evangelist in connection with their northern stations, with such success as to give the missionaries occasion to call him "the Paul of the Eskimos." Another coworker is a Russian, Stephan Ivanoff, who, with his wife, has superintended an outstation at Kangekosook, until this winter, when he was obliged to give up that station and join the station at Unalaklik, because of the urgent need of more workers there. In connection with the mission are also the Eskimo girl Dora, a native nurse, and Frank Kameroff, a young Russian, serving as an interpreter, both located at the northern stations, making, in all, four native workers at present. Their stations are, as already mentioned, the following: Yakutat, Unalaklik, and Golovin Bay, besides an outstation at Kangekosook.

Yakutat is the nearest and most easily reached, and is superintended by Mr. K. J. Hendrikson, with the aid of Mr. Albin Johnson, Mrs. Albin Johnson, Miss Selma Peterson, and Miss Hulda Cecilia Peterson, the school - teacher. Albin Johnson with his wife and infant son is at present in the States, but intends to return early in June.

At this station the society has been able to place a sawmill to the service of the mission, with the best results. In fact, in seven years a whole little village of clean beautiful frame houses has been built, where formerly were only wretched huts. The natives have readily taken to carpentering, and they not only build their own houses, under the direction of Mr. Hendrikson, but also have learned to make many kinds of furniture until then unknown to them. In one word, the sawmill has proven an effective help in civilizing the natives and thereby opening a way for the Christian mission among them.

The congregation of converted natives at Yakutat, formally received into Christian fellowship by the missionaries, numbers about 20.

Five children are at present wholly cared for at the station. And it is to be noticed that this special work of charity was badly interfered with by the accident of the burning some years ago of the orphans' home, which the society has not as yet been able to rebuild.

The mission school is frequented by 60 to 100 children, or at an average, 45. Not only the English language and other elements of a primary-school education are taught, but also useful industries, both to the boys and girls, such as knitting and sewing; and the girls are reported to learn very quickly and eagerly.

At Unalaklik is the largest station. The superintendent is Mr. A. E. Karlson, one of the founders of our missions in Alaska. He has to his aid his wife and Miss Malvina Johnson, besides Mr. David Johnson, the school-teacher. Of Mr. Karlson's

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