Kalli, the Esquimaux Christian Part 4

Kalli at St. John's, Newfoundland

The time having now arrived at which, according to the opinion of the Bishop of Newfoundland, and the Warden of St. Augustine's, the qualifications of Kallihirua might be turned to some account, as an aid to missionaries in their efforts among the Esquimaux of Labrador, he left England, in the autumn of the year 1855, for further training at St. John's, Newfoundland. This step was taken at the expense of the Admiralty, who agreed to allow him 25 pounds a year for three years.

The following notice of his character appeared in the 'Occasional Paper,' published in St. Augustine's College at the time of his removal to Newfoundland. At every step of his short but remarkable course, such willing testimony always awaited him.

"Kallihirua, whose name is known as widely as that of his College, has arrived at another crisis in his eventful history. Having resided more than three years in College, he has been transferred to the experienced care of the Bishop of Newfoundland, with the view to his probable usefulness among the Esquimaux of Labrador. If integrity of moral principle, gentleness of spirit, docility of manners, willingness to be useful, and true Christian politeness, are essential requisites in a Missionary, then is Kallihirua certain to fill his place well, if only the right place is found for him."

Kalli arrived in St John's, Newfoundland, on the 2nd October, 1855, and, on the following day, wrote a letter to Captain Ommanney, telling him that he had suffered on the voyage from the motion of the vessel, which had caused severe headaches. He added, "St John's puts me in mind of my own country. I have already found a great number of kind friends, and feel so happy."

He was immediately admitted into the College of the Theological Inst.i.tution for further training, and it was the Bishop's intention to have taken him in the summer of 1856 in the Church-ship to the coast of Labrador, with the view particularly of comparing his language with that of the Esquimaux on the American continent, who are included under the government, and consequently in the diocese, of Newfoundland.

That he was not unfitted for this task, appears from a pa.s.sage in the preface to the Greenland-Esquimaux Vocabulary. Captain Washington observes: "On comparing the Labrador with the Greenland dialect of the Esquimaux, it was found that nearly one-half the words given by Mr.

Platon were similar to the former. On going over the vocabulary with Kallihirua, generally speaking he recognized the Greenland word. When he did not do so, the Labrador was mentioned, which, in most cases, he caught at directly. These words have been added. There would thus appear to be even a greater degree of similarity between the Labrador and Greenland dialects than might have been expected, and it is evident that the Greenland dialect, as Mr. Platon states, is spoken by all the Esquimaux to the head of Baffin's Bay."

Kalli had some conversation with a Moravian Missionary from Labrador.

The language was in most respects similar, though there was evidently a difficulty in understanding each other.

Death of Archdeacon Bridge

It may be mentioned, as a circ.u.mstance of melancholy interest, that, besides Kallihirua, the late Venerable T. F. H. Bridge, Archdeacon of Newfoundland, was to have accompanied and a.s.sisted the Bishop in this voyage, which it was proposed should have extended to the Moravian settlement. Moravian Missions have been established in Greenland for more than a century. But the expedition contemplated by the Bishop was more particularly designed to open Sandwich and Esquimaux Bays to the much-needed Missionary.

These projects it was determined, in the good providence of G.o.d, were not to be realized. Archdeacon Bridge was prematurely carried off, in the midst of his zealous and successful labours, at the end of February, 1856. "He worked himself to death!" said the Bishop. "His death was felt in the colony as a public loss."

Intelligence from Newfoundland

The author of this memoir had written to Kallihirua, whilst he was at St. Augustine's, and had received from him a letter shortly, and plainly expressed, which the Warden stated to have been composed and written by the youth himself, and which proved how anxious he was to do well that which was given him to do. The author afterwards often thought of the amiable Kalli, and was in hopes of soon hearing from him in his new abode in Newfoundland. But man proposeth, and G.o.d disposeth. A St. John's paper, _The Newfoundland Express_, taken up casually in July, 1856, conveyed the intelligence that Kallihirua had pa.s.sed away from this busy anxious world to another, and, we humbly and reasonably hope, a better and happier.

A melancholy interest generally attaches to the history of individuals dying in a foreign and strange land, far from friends and home. The separation from all they have known and loved is, in their case, so entire, the change of their circ.u.mstances, habits, and a.s.sociations, so great, that such a dispensation specially appeals to the sympathy of all Christian hearts.

Allusion to Prince Le Boo

Feelings of this kind are excited by the narrative of the early death of Prince Le Boo, a youthful native of the Pelew Islands, who was brought over to this country in July, 1784, and who, in the spring-time of life, after little more than five months' stay in England, fell a victim, to the small pox. In the memoir of that young prince, who died at Rotherhithe, and was buried in the church-yard there, in December, 1784, there are some points of resemblance to the case under our notice. The natural and unforced politeness of the youth, his aptness at conforming, in all proper things, to the habits and customs of those to whose hospitality he was intrusted; his warm and single-hearted affection for such persons, in whatever station, as showed him kind offices, his desire for mental improvement; his resignation and submission in his last illness to the will of G.o.d, these are features which remind us of the subject of our present memoir. Many are the tears which have fallen over the story of the young and amiable Prince Le Boo.

Accounts from St. John's

But to resume the thread of the narrative respecting Kalli. During the winter of 1855 and 1856 he had suffered frequently from cough, and shown other signs of const.i.tutional weakness. His cheerfulness, however, had seldom failed him; his readiness to please, and be pleased, to oblige, and be obliged, never. In letters which he sent to friends in England, he always spoke with grat.i.tude of the kindness shown him, and of being very happy.

Letter from Kalli

The following letter to Mr. Blunsom, who, as it will have been seen, had treated him with constant kindness, and done him much good service, will be read with interest.

"St John's College, Newfoundland, January 7, 1856.

"I received your kind letter by the December mail, and am very sorry to hear of your illness. The weather here is very cold, I feel it more than at Cape York. I have begun to skate, and find it a pleasant amus.e.m.e.nt. There is a lake a little distance from the College, called, 'Quidi Vidi,' on which we practise. The Bishop is very kind and good to me. College here is not so large and fine a place as St. Augustine's: nor are there so many students. I hope that all my kind friends at Canterbury are quite well. Please remember me kindly to Mr. and Mrs. Gipps, and all at St.

Augustine's. With kind love to yourself,

"I remain, yours affectionately,

"KALLI."

Kalli's Illness and Death

With respect to the fatal attack under which he soon sunk, it has to be mentioned, that he had gone out to bathe with one of his fellow-students at St. John's, on Sat.u.r.day, the 7th June. From continuing too long in the water, which was very cold, he caught a chill, and showed many symptoms of inflammation for some days. On Wednesday, good medical a.s.sistance was called in, but his const.i.tution had received too violent a shock. The Surgeon had fears from the first that his patient would not recover. It has been observed by medical men, that Esquimaux have but little stamina, and generally fail under the first attack of serious illness. Kalli was kindly watched and a.s.sisted by the Rev. J. G. Mountain, and Mrs. Mountain, and his fellow-students. He got rapidly worse. On the Thursday he seemed utterly powerless, and could not lift up his arms, nor put them out of his bed. He was very restless during the greater part of Friday night.

"Soon after ten o'clock on Sat.u.r.day morning, June 14th," said the Bishop of Newfoundland, "his gentle soul departed. I saw him frequently during his illness (three times the last day), and he always a.s.sented most readily, when I reminded him of G.o.d's gracious goodness in visiting him; and that it would be better for him to depart, and be with Christ. It was remarkable that his English was more clear and distinct in his illness than I had ever known it; and though he said but very little, he seemed to understand better than ever before. The last seizure was so sudden and violent, that he did not articulate at all. He expired, whilst I was commending his soul to his faithful Creator and most merciful Saviour."

He is stated to have died of "melanosis of the lungs," a disease in which the whole substance of the lungs turns completely black. It is very slow in its first advances, but fearfully rapid in its latter stages. The Bishop had the chest examined after death, and sent a copy of the Surgeon's report to the Warden of St. Augustine's.

In a full communication, made to the Warden, the Bishop said, "The almost suddenness of our good gentle Kalli's removal makes it difficult to realize the fact that 'he is gone.' I still look for his familiar strange face among the students, wondering at his unwonted absence. He seemed quite identified with our little company. We all miss him greatly, but he has now entered on that perfect rest which he seemed made for, and is delivered from a troublesome, naughty world for which he was certainly not made."

The Bishop also spoke of Kalli's _submission to those set over him; his kindness to all around him, and his attention to all his religious duties_.

Many young persons, born and bred in our own country, and brought up from the cradle in the very midst of Christian instruction, may glean a valuable lesson from the character of this lamented Esquimaux Christian. They may ask themselves, with some feeling of self-reproof, whether they should have merited such praise from one so revered, and so well qualified to judge. "Perhaps," added Bishop Feild, "I was a little proud at being able to exhibit a far-off Esquimaux brought near, and among my own scholars."

During Kalli's last illness, which, though short, was not without considerable suffering, the same spirit of resignation and thankfulness, which he had always shown, was evinced. "Mr. D---- very kind," "K---- very kind," "Mrs.---- very kind," "Sorry to give so much trouble," were expressions continually on his lips, as he was visited and a.s.sisted by his fellow-students, and other friends in succession.

His gentle spirit departed in the presence of the Rev. Thomas Wood, the Rev. Princ.i.p.al of the College, and all his fellow-students.

The Rev. J. F. Phelps, Vice-Princ.i.p.al of St. John's College, Newfoundland, who had been a fellow-student of Kalli's, at St.

Augustine's, wrote thus, June 25, 1856, respecting him.

"I have every reason to believe and hope that he has been translated to a better state, and that he now rests in his Saviour: for though he had not much knowledge, yet few indeed act up to their knowledge so well and consistently as he did to his. It must be a comfort to you, Sir, to be a.s.sured that in his last moments he was cared for, and attended by all members of the College here, the students constantly being with him, as well as Mr. and Mrs. Mountain and myself. He showed himself very grateful for all that was being done for him, and expressed great sorrow at giving so much trouble. He always spoke of his friends in England with great affection, and was delighted whenever he received letters from them, which he was always eager to answer. Altogether, his was a very amiable character, and we all felt his loss very much."

In another letter from Mr. Phelps is the following pa.s.sage:--