M'Keevor's Voyage to Hudson's Bay* 4t 



Of their religious opinions I have been able to learn but 

 little. Our imperfect acquaintance with their language ; their 

 avidity for traffic, which was so great as to prevent their 

 attending to any enquiries on such matters ; these, together 

 with the shortness of our stay among them, rendered it very 

 difficult to ascertain any thing of a satisfactory nature on that 

 subject. Some have very foolishly supposed that they adored 

 a small figure resembling a bear, and made from the tooth of 

 the sea-horse : it is, however, merely intended as a kind of 

 amusement during their long and tedious winter-evenings. 

 From the body, which is perforated with a number of small 

 holes, hangs a slender piece of stick, pointed ; and, on this, 

 they endeavour to catch the bear, just in the same way as the 

 cup and ball is used by the boys of this country. 



The following conversation, which is related by the accu- 

 rate historian Crantz, to have passed between a converted 

 Greenlander and one of the Moravian missionaries, will pro- 

 bably afford a better idea of their religious sentiments than 

 any account I could give. The missionary having expressed 

 his wonder how they could formerly lead such a senseless life, 

 void of all reflection, one of them answered as follows : " It is 

 true we were ignorant heathens, and knew nothing of a God or 

 a Saviour; and, indeed, who should tell us of him, till you 

 came? But thou must not imagine, that no Greenlander 

 thinks about these things. I, myself, have often thought a 

 kajak (boat), with all its tackle and implements, does not grow 

 into existence of itself; but must be made by the labour and 

 ingenuity of man, and one that does not understand it would 

 directly spoil it. Now, the meanest bird has far more skill 

 displayed in its structure than the best kajak, and no man can 

 make a bird. But there is a still far greater art shown in the 

 formation of a man than of any other creature. Who was it 

 that made him? I bethought me, he proceeded from his pa- 

 rents, and they from their parents. But some must have been 

 the first parents : whence did they come? Common report 

 informs me they grew out of the earth. But if so, why does 

 it not still happen that men grow out of the earth ? And from 

 whence did this same earth itself, the sea, the sun, the moon, 

 and stars, rise into existence? Certainly there must be some 

 Being who made all these things a Being that always was, 

 and can never cease to be. He must be inexpressibly more 

 mighty, knowing-, and wise, than the wisest man. He must 

 be very good too ; because, every thing that he has made is 

 good, useful, and necessary for us. Ah ! did I but know him, 

 how would I love him and honour him ! But who has seen 

 him? Who has conversed with him? none of us poor men. 

 VOYAGES and TRAVELS, JVo. 2. Vol. II. G 



