C Ihe Ladies c cu. V'VVAN - History and Classics, Department of

Two Idle Week.< 87Grt!y Nuns' Mission del'Immaculee Conception,Aklavik, 1925. Left toRight: M and Mme L.Mercier; Rev Sceur localeElizabeth McQuillon;DrA.L. McDonald;Mere Girouard; Sceur SieAdelard; Miss 0>man(later, Mrs KosO; SceurObeline Pothier Firmin.AGNRC, Album no. 1,Aklavik, 1925-1954·Tse' s interpreter Kwang, of the 3rd century B.C., would have thought of life atAklavik. "Vacancy," he said, "stillness, placidity, tastelessness, quietude, silenceand doing nothing are the root of all things."In Aklavik there were no eggs nor milk, for, even if hens and cows couldendure the winter cold, the cost of freight for feeding-stuffs would be prohibitive.There were neither gardens nor fresh meat. There were no trees exceptinnumerable spruces and these were stunted. There was never a stone underfoot,only soft earth bestrewn with chips of wood and empty tins. There were no roads,only one well-worn track of mud or sand, crossed by many a gutter. That roadled from the English mission house, past the police barracks, the wireless station,the general store and the lined out cabins to the Catholic convent, a three-storybuilding of fragrant wood. Each mission was guardian, as it were, to one end ofthe place and while the individuals in charge remained friendly, the silent tugof-warfor souls was never relaxed. The Catholics were probably on the winningside , for their priests and nuns, being celibate, stay in, whereas the Church ofEngland missionaries come and go.Day after day I would prowl along the banks, make friends with someone andbring him in to our upper room to entertain my imprisoned friend. There