ESQUIMAUX WINTER HOUSES. WE have, in the course of our work, frequently mentioned the Esquimaux, that singular people, who live in the northern parts of the American continent; but who are very different from the other natives of America. Their climate being far north, is very cold in winter, and they, therefore, clothe themselves thickly with skins and fur. The other tribes of America have no beards; but these have them so thick that it is often difficult to discern any features of their face: they have generally a fur cap on their heads. In summer they have nothing to cover them in the night. In winter they lodge in tents, or winter-houses made of hides, or in caves. Their chief employment is hunting or fishing. They inhabit the neighbourhood of Hudson's-bay, which our young readers should look for in the map of North America. A great deal has been said about them in the accounts of the Northern regions, as given by the enterprising voyagers and travellers who have, for several years past, been seeking for a passage by sea across these Northern regions of America; such as Captains Parry, Franklin, Ross, Back, &c. Captain Franklin says, that their win ter huts are of a superior kind. On one occasion they saw an Esquimaux village composed of these sort of huts. The accompanying sketch is taken from a little work called," Arctic Travels." V. ON SUNDAY TRADING. WE are fully aware of the difficulties in the way of putting an effectual stop to Sunday trading, by law ;-but the greater, on that account, is the obligation of private Christians to use every means in their power to encourage the religious observance of the Sabbath, both as it is calculated to promote the comfort and happiness of men on earth, and affording them a gracious opportunity of seeking that aid, and encouraging those dispositions, which are needful for the Christian's preparation for eternal happiness in heaven.-It is easy for those whose condition in life enables them to pass their Sabbath undisturbed by the turmoils of trade and the agitation of business, it is easy for such persons to look down on the petty Sunday trader, and to wonder at his wickedness in thus daringly opposing the command of God, and giving that day to worldly toil, which God has appointed for holy rest. When we have spoken to these Sunday traders, and especially to the little dealers who from their stalls in the streets supply refreshments on the Sabbath to the idlers who make the Sabbath what they call their holiday, the reply generally is, that they cannot afford to rest on the Sabbath; that they take more money on that day. than any other, and that they must go on.-Now a poor man, in this, certainly has a temptation, of the force of which a rich man is hardly able to judge. If the poor man be a true Christian, he will not give way to this temptation he will consider his duty to God, before his worldly gains, and will give up what he knows to be wrong, whatever it may cost him. But a man must have a strong sense of religion before he can understand and feel this, and act upon it. I believe the truth indeed to be, that no man does really benefit himself by Sunday trading, and that he who seeks for worldly gain by breaking God's Sabbath, will find no gain,-but will be 7 1836.] ON SUNDAY TRADING. 99 like those of the Israelites who, contrary to God's commands, sought for manna on the Sabbath-but "they found none."-But tradesmen of a somewhat higher class will say that they do not wish to work on the Sabbath day, but that their customers require it and expect it, and that if they were to refuse to accommodate them, they should lose their custom. This could be no argument at all, to a truly Christian tradesman, but it is a great consideration to a worldly one:-hence, we see, on the Sabbath morning, in great towns, the butchers' shops open, and the fishmongers, the poulterers and confectioners, and bakers. Now if this evil be caused by the rich customers, these customers have much to answer for. I believe that such persons are very frequently in ignorance as to what is going on in their families, and, if they find their table properly supplied at dinner time, they do not know, or ask, whether the articles were purchased on the Saturday or the Sunday. But they ought to know; -for if they are negligent about these things, they are, in fact, encouraging them.-It is needless to repeat the well known saying of " the great power of example :"but, if every person of influence would think of this, much more would be done towards the proper keeping of the Sabbath than any laws will be likely to produce. Now how easy it would be for every head of a family to make a rule, that nothing from any tradesman shall be taken into the house on a Sunday. It is a rule which I have myself made, and kept, many years,-and I see the comfort and advantage of it. If there is no such rule, there will be more bustle on the Sunday morning than on 'any other morning of the week: your servants, whose work you are perhaps trying to render light on the Sabbath day, will be perpetually interrupted by rings and knocks at the door. The boots and the shoes and the clothes, and other matters which were faithfully promised on the Saturday night, do not make their appearance till the Sunday morning;-and we do generally see numbers of tradesmen, or their messengers, carrying their goods from house to house on the Sunday morning, in their 4 1 Exodus xvi. 27. aprons and work-day dress,-and thus they lose the rest which they have a right to on the Sabbath, and find, in their absence from home, too many opportunities to tempt them from the religious observance of that day. How much evil might be prevented, and how much good, consequently, expected, if every one who employs a tradesman of any kind would make it fully understood that he had made a rule,—and that he intended to keep it! There would be positive good-and there would be great good drawn from the power of example! V. INTERESTING AND AFFECTING SCENE IN THE COURT THE following account, printed as a handbill, has been sent to us by a Correspondent. As interesting and affecting a scene occurred in the course of the proceedings at the Petty Sessions, Wakefield, on Monday week, as ever it was our lot to witness. For some years past, the name of Robert Chappell has been as notorious in the district of Ossett, as ever that of Turpin was of old in the vicinity of his depredations. Chappell's offences may not have been quite so serious and desperate as those of the celebrated highwayman; but in all probability they have been more numerous. In Petty and Quarter Sessions his name was as familiar as a household word-in both, conviction has followed conviction almost as soon as the doors of his prison have thrown him upon the public. At length a change has been worked upon the disposition of the man, and the notorious thief is before us in a new character. On Monday afternoon he appeared in the Court House, Wakefield, at a time when it was much crowded, and being called forward into the witness box, by J. Armytage, Esq. the indefatigable and highly-respected Chairman of Petty Sessions, was thus addressed by him :- "Robert Chappell, I have requested Pickergill, the late constable of Ossett, to procure your attendance here to-day, in order to address to you a few words which may not be altogether unpleasant for you to hear; and to which I ask the attention of all persons in this Court. 1836.] INTERESTING AND AFFECTING SCENE. 101 I have great satisfaction in acknowledging your good conduct during the last twelve months. At this period of the last year you stood at that bar under conviction of a serious offence; and that it was not your first offence the records of the Court went to show. On that occasion it fell to my lot to try you; and I well remember that you had a very narrow escape of transportation, of exile from your country,-your home, and your family. My casting vote decided your fate. You asked for mercy, and you appealed so fervently, that I thought I should be justified in extending it towards you. You promised to amend your life, if spared to your home and family; and I thought you were sincere.-I believed and hoped that you might reform and lead a new life. I should have been grievously disappointed had my expectations been ill-founded. On the other hand, I am well pleased that the mercy bestowed upon you was not a vain endeavour to reclaim you. During your six months' confinement, I, as visiting magistrate of the House of Correction, watched your conduct narrowly; my inquiries respecting you were constant and unceasing; and I am indeed happy to say, that, from the first to the last day of your imprisonment in the House of Correction, you behaved yourself with great propriety. After you were discharged, you did not escape my attention. I made regular inquiries relative to your mode of life, not only of the authorities of the town, but of others, and I was happy to hear that your first act was to attend a place of worship; and my pleasure was increased, on finding that you were regular in your attendance there. I found too, (and this was the better ground of my hope that there was something of sincerity about you,) that as your attendance at the House of God increased, your visits to the public-house diminished. I have heard that you have not once visited the ale-house. You have left your dissipated companions; and I trust that you will never more join them. In short, from all that I can learn, you have become an industrious man, a kind father and husband, and altogether as good a character as previously you were a bad one. I have therefore the satisfaction of presenting you with this Bible and Prayer Book.-Study |