Kalli, the Esquimaux Christian | Page 3

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 their young. As soon as they are alarmed by the sight of their enemies, they scuttle away, and make for the sea[4]. It is on the great deep that the Esquimaux, driven by hunger, chiefly seeks his precarious food. In his light canoe, which is made of seal-skins stretched over a slight framework of wood, he hunts, in all weathers, for his prey, especially for the much-prized Narwhal.
There, tumbling in their seal-skin boat, Fearless, the hungry fishers float, And from the teeming seas