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THE OLD CHIEF TUMUWAKAIRIA.

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cially on such a rainy day as this. The first part of our journey was through a dense forest, up water courses, and to the summit of a lofty mountain named Taurua, which also gives the name to the road. We then passed over a great extent of pretty level table-land, chiefly covered with grass, which, as we advanced, became more hilly. Alternately passing over fern hills and grassy valleys, we again entered the forest; and, at 3 P. M., encamped for the night, together with the old Chief and his daughter. He went before me with his patiti-small war-hatchetchopping down obstructing branches to show his regard for me. We found it difficult to light a fire. We were all dripping wet. My tent and every thing in it were so wet that it felt like entering a well.

May 25-Another rainy night and day. We found the road very much grown up; but the old Chief, dressed in a ragged blanket, full of patches torn from the extremities to make good the centre, with a feather in his hair and a dirty bunch of albatross-down stuck in the lobe of his right ear, went before us with his little war-hatchet in his hand, with which he kept clearing away an occasional branch which obstructed us more

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THE OLD CHIEF TUMUWAKAIRIA.

than usual. About 10 A. M. we came to the banks of a river which we had feared we should not be able to ford, and to our great joy we found the flood had diminished sufficiently for us to cross it. We passed by a nettle-tree, which the old Chief immediately cut down, as being a very disagreeable thing for naked feet to come near. I remarked that nettles abounded in England; when he said he supposed that was the reason Europeans left their country for New Zealand. The place abounds with pigs, so that the road was quite effaced. We passed through an uneven plain of grass and flax, bounded by wooded mountains, most beautiful except when seen in pouring rain. We then again entered the wood, through which the old Chief had to make a path. He remarked, if we had not had him as our guide we should certainly have been lost in the wilderness. I replied, "And if, in the same way, Jesus had not come on earth to be our guide to heaven, we should never have found the road." I had a very interesting conversation with him. He kept asking questions on spiritual subjects, showing that he thought for his soul. The other evening, asking him relative to their native traditions of the creation, when he had finished the account, he added, this was what he had received from his forefathers; but since the Word of God had reached him he knew it all to be false, and had ever since given up his native religion. He reminded me of the eunuch asking Philip the meaning of Scripture as he journeyed through the wilderness. The Lord sent Philip, and bade him join himself to the chariot. It pleased the Lord to send me by this old Chief's residence, and order him to join himself to me as my guide, that, as I trust, I may also become his guide in the way of life. At last we came to a part so overgrown with fern, from six to ten feet high, through which no road was visible, that I feared the old man would soon be too exhausted to force a way. The pouring rain and cold being a sufficient reason for our staying in a little clump of trees close by, a fire was now lit, and the tents pitched.

May 26-We had an awful night, loud peals of thunder, and continued torrents of rain. The rushing sound made by it amongst the trees had something very solemn in it. It continued to rain heavily this morning, but although my boys seemed very unwilling to move, I was determined to make an effort to get a little further on our way. We left our encampment about 9 A.M., and proceeded slowly in pouring rain. The road chiefly laid along a ravine, which in fine weather would be dry, but now was a rushing stream knee deep. Afterward we ascended a steep and lofty mountain, which was a work of some difficulty, from the slippery nature of the soil and the many obstructions in the way. On reaching the summit, we found the timber, which had once thickly covered it, had been burnt, and the ground was strewed with fallen trunks, amongst which high fern had grown, which rendered our further progress most fatiguing. The old Chief, however, perseveringly acted as our pioneer, until at last he pulled off his pakikau—a rough flax mat-which he cast down a precipice, that no one might find it again. I asked him why he threw away a good garment, and did not give it to one of my boys to carry for him, as he found the heavy rain had made it too heavy for him to carry any further. He replied, it was tapu-sacred. The garments of Chiefs, even if only filthy rags, are too sacred for others to wear when they cast them off, and formerly were thrown into a wahi tapu (sacred place)

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when done with. Our road continued for some miles along this narrow mountain-ridge, in many places not two feet wide, and almost a precipice on either side, and yet most heavily timbered. About 3 P.M. we descended to a little spot which leads to another mountain-ridge. We therefore determined on staying here for the Sabbath, as my boys were wearied, and we should not reach the termination of the next range before dark. We had first, however, to dig with our hatchets and tent-poles a sufficient space of level ground for our tents to stand on. We had some difficulty in getting a fire to burn; and though we had tents, yet, being dripping wet, and carpeted with wet fern-tree leaves, they felt very cold; and all our things being wet also, we sat shivering by the fire, watching until it attained sufficient heat to warm our benumbed bodies. It continued to pour all the evening, and put out the fire of the oven which my boys had made. A warm cup of tea, with some remains of my bread well toasted to destroy the taste of its mouldiness, soon made my body comfortable, and the remains of a pig which they had killed most materially assisted in making them feel the same.

May 27: Whit Sunday-Thank God for a comfortable night's rest in wet blankets, tent, &c.! A rainy day. Our two tents being opposite each other, with a large fire between us, I had only to sit in my tent to preach to my little congregation in the other, which, with the old Chief and his grand-daughter, numbered six. It continued very cold and rainy, and in the evening we had a heavy fall of snow and hail; but this did not hinder us from carrying on a nice conversation on spiritual subjects, my boys selecting passages for me to explain.

May 28-We broke up our encampment, and left by 8 a.m. It was very cold, and the trees dripped so that we were soon as wet as though we had been walking in pouring rain. The road was, in places, completely obliterated by the pigs, and in other places very steep. We passed through two large and deep streams. Our guide pointed out a singularly-shaped stone, called "Te kowatu o ta kanga nui," which he informed me was one of their tupuna-ancestors. We kept along another ridge, from which we ascended to a considerable hill of fern, and then descended by a very bad road in a water-course to another plain, which brought us, about sunset, to the Okura, here a fine river, broader than the Waipa. We called to the people of the Pa, and one in a little canoe soon came and put us over one at a time. I only found a man and two women there, the principal part of the inhabitants having gone to a hahunga-disinterment of bones-at Te Rarapa.

May 29-This morning I gave Tumuwakairia a large blanket. Although I do not find those I have brought as bedding at all too many, yet from his labour, and readiness to accompany me, I felt that he deserved one. He was much pleased with the gift.

We trust the old Chief carried away with him what was better than the blanket-not only clothing for his body, but the garments of salvation for his soul; and that, while he guided Mr. Taylor through the forests, he had been guided himself to that Saviour, whom to know is life eternal.

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THINK of those distant lands, for God has plac'd
Memorials on our tables. They are grac'd
With foreign contributions. India yields
Sugar and rice from her productive fields;
And densely-peopled China, o'er the sea,
Sends us the grateful beverage of tea.
From the Moluccas fragrant spices come,
Some from Malacca, from Sumatra some.
The sago-palms in those far isles abound,
Whose pith with us so nutritive is found.
Arabia grows its coffee for our use;

The South-Sea isles their arrow-root produce.
From Mexico, or rich Potosi's mines,

Purg'd from its dross, the glittering silver shines.
The ivory that decks each polish'd blade
Adorn'd some noble elephant which stray'd
Amidst the wilds of Africa. This wood
Once in the forests of Honduras stood,
Now fashion'd into tables. Thus we bring,
From earth's remotest parts, some useful thing.
Spreading their canvas to the welcome breeze,
Our merchant vessels cross the stormy seas.
The fearless tar, by dangers undismay'd,
Steers for some distant port, where busy trade,
The trusty ship disburd'ning of its store,
Yields it a richer cargo than before.

Thus we increase our comforts. Shall we use
The fruits of other climes, and yet refuse
Their deep distress to realize, who need
The one thing needful? This is want indeed!

'Tis true their homes are beautiful: they seem
Like earthly Edens. Hills and valleys teem
With rich munificence: man's daily toil
Seems scarcely needed there, so good the soil.
Yet vain all this, till something more be given-
The gift of Christ, that better gift from heaven.
Burden'd with sin, men groan, they know not why;
Pine for a rest they find not, droop, and die.
Thus sinners come and go, the path between
Their birth and death all darkness, Christ unscen.
We traffic on their shores: then why not give
The Gospel to these tribes, that they may live?
Why not the message of salvation send,
As God commands, to earth's remotest end?

Compassionate the Heathen! When around
The social board in happiness are found
Parents and children, loved relations meeting
Each in their place, and each the other greeting,

Think on these distant lands, and breathe a prayer,

That as we share their gifts, God's gift they soon may share,

VOL. I.

No. 6. NEW SERIES.]

SEPTEMBER, 1850.

THE

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GUNGOOTREE, THE SACRED SOURCE OF THE GANGES.-Vide p. 66,

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