Kalli, the Esquimaux Christian | Page 3

no opportunity was offered of landing him on his native
shores, on the return of the vessel past York Inlet, he was brought to
England. The leaders of the expedition conferred the surname of York
upon him, from the locality in which he was found. To this the name of
Erasmus was prefixed, after that of the gallant Captain Ommanney.

Lines on "Kallihirua in the Ship"

Kalli was a twin. His father, whose grave has been mentioned, had been
dead for some years, but he had a mother living, of whom he often
spoke with duty and affection. His father's name was Kirshung-oak. His
mother's Sa-toor-ney. He had two sisters living with their mother. A
touching circumstance, connected with his first introduction to our
countrymen, has been adverted to, which gave rise to the following
lines by the writer of this memoir. They were published in the "Gospel
Missionary," in the year of the arrival of Kallihirua, and are supposed
to be spoken by a British sailor on board the "Assistance"--
KALLI IN THE SHIP
A frost, like iron, held the air, A calm was on the sea, But fields of ice
were spreading there, And closing on our lee.
Our ship half bound, as if aground, Was scarcely seen to go. All hands
on deck were gather'd round The little ESKIMAUX.
For he had come amongst our crew, A week or so before, And now we
knew not what to do To put him safe ashore.
Poor lad, he strain'd his eyes in vain, Till tears began to come, And
tried if he could see again His mother and his home.
The Captain then saw through his glass The Inlet, and the Bay, But
floes of ice, as green as grass, And icebergs block'd the way.
"Up with the sail!--the wind's awake!" Hark to the Captain's call, "I see,
my boys, we shall not make York Inlet, after all."
We look'd upon the swarthy lad, Then look'd upon each other, And all
were sure that he was sad With thinking of his mother.
We cheer'd him up, and soon he grew So useful and so kind, The crew
were glad, and Kalli too, He was not left behind.
He learn'd to make the best of it, And now, by time and care, They tell
us he can read a bit, And say an easy prayer.

O Kalli, fail not, day by day, To kneel to God above; Then He will hear
you when you pray, And guard you with his love.
Go on, my friend, in years and grace, Your precious time employ, And
you will pass, in wisdom's race, The idle English boy.
Nay, if you learn and practise too The lessons of your youth, Some
heathen tribes may gain from you The light of Gospel truth.

Description of the Esquimaux
It may here be interesting to say a few words respecting the people who
inhabit the gloomy abodes whence Kallihirua came, and where he had
passed the greater part of his life.
[Illustration: ENTRANCE TO A SNOW-HUT]

Admiral Beechey's Account
"The characteristic features of the Esquimaux," says Admiral Beechey,
"are large fat round faces, high cheek-bones, small hazel eyes,
eyebrows slanting like the Chinese, and wide mouths." They are
generally under five feet high, and have brown complexions. Beechey,
in his Narrative of a Voyage to Behring's Strait, &c., in H.M.S.
"Blossom," gave a curious and particular description of the habits and
customs of the Esquimaux, their wretched hovels, or "yourts,"
snow-dwellings, and underground huts, and the general want of
cleanliness in their persons and dwellings.
Speaking of a tribe which he visited, he says, "We found them very
honest, extremely good-natured and friendly. Their tents were
constructed of skins, loosely stretched over a few spars of drift-wood,
and were neither wind nor water tight. The tents were, as usual, filthy,
but suitable to the taste of their inhabitants, who no doubt saw nothing
in them that was revolting. The natives testified much pleasure at our

visit, and placed before us several dishes, amongst which were two of
their choicest,--the entrails of a fine seal, and a bowl of coagulated
blood. But desirous as we were to oblige them, there was not one of our
party that could be induced to partake of their hospitality. Seeing our
reluctance, they tried us with another dish, consisting of the raw flesh
of the narwhal, nicely cut into lumps, with an equal distribution of
black and white fat, but they were not more successful here than at
first."

The Seal
The seal's flesh supplies the natives with their most palatable and
substantial food, which however has a fishy flavour, as the creatures
feed chiefly on fish. Seals are sometimes taken on land, when surprised
basking in the sun, with