In the spring of 1853 he suffered much from the variableness of the
season. The mode in which he described his state to a friend is very
simple and affecting. The original letter, which was entirely his own,
both in composition and handwriting, is here copied verbatim. It
commences with his signature:--
"E. YORK, St. Augustine's College. April, 1853.
"My dear Sir,
"I am very glad to tell, How do you do, Sir? I been
England, long time none very well. Long time none
very well. Very bad weather. I know very well, very
bad cough. I very sorry, very bad weather,
dreadful. Country very difference. Another day
cold. Another day wet, I miserable.
"Another summer come. Very glad. Great many trees.
Many wood. Summer beautiful, country Canterbury."
Should any reader be disposed to look with the smile of a critic on
this humble but genuine effort, let him bear in mind the difficulties
which poor _English_ adults have to encounter in learning to read and
write; and then let him judge of the obstacles in the way of one whose
existence had been spent with his native tribe, on fields of ice, and
in dark snow-huts.
In all attacks of illness he was attended with assiduous kindness by
Mr. Hallowes, of Canterbury, the skilful surgeon employed by the
College, who showed much hospitality to Kalli. One of Mr. Hallowes'
family circle on Christmas-day was always the good-humoured
broad-faced Esquimaux. At their juvenile parties, the youth joined
cheerfully in the sports of the children, and he sometimes sung them
some of the wild and plaintive airs peculiar to his tribe.
It is believed that Kalli never omitted his morning and evening
prayers by his bed-side, and his utterance was full of devout
earnestness. Mr. Bailey remembers once travelling with him to Deal,
and while in the railway carriage, the youth quietly took out of his
pocket a little book, which was afterwards found to be a collection of
texts for each day in the year. For some time he was reading
thoughtfully the text for the day. No notice was taken of this to him;
and as for himself, never perhaps was any one more free from the least
approach to ostentation.