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.