Australasia, New Zealand.
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Australasia.
New Zealand.
CHURCH MISSIONARY SOCIETY.
THE Rev. Samuel Marsden, under date of Parramatta, Jan. 1, 1829, gives the following view of the
Good Prospects of the Mission.
The Natives are now at peace one with another. The Chiefs at the Thames and those at the Bay of Islands are now united, and those further to the south. The Gospel begins to influence some of them, and they improve much in civilization. A Chief is come to me this morning from Cook's Straits, to see if he can obtain a Missionary. About two years ago he sent to me one of his Boys, about five years' old, though I had never seen the father. I sent him home a fortnight ago to see his father; not knowing that his father was coming over for him.
New Zealand is now open in every part for the introduction of the Gospel and the Arts of Civilization. I have had about 20 Natives with me lately, from the west side of New Zealand: they have not all returned yet. There can be no doubt but New Zealand will become a civilized Nation. It is a great work, but a glorious one; and what the Christian World should perform. Freely we have received, and freely we should give.
WESLEYAN MISSIONARY SOCIETY.
THE following Extract, of the 12th of March of last year, from the Journal of Mr. Stack, one of the Society's Missionaries, furnishes, in addition to what appeared at p. 411 of our last Volume, some
Particulars of the Death and Funeral Rites of the late Shunghee.
Patuone, who has just returned from Whangarooa, called this evening. I asked about Shunghee. He told me several things, all of which I felt interested in listening to, as connected with the end of this extraordinary Chief. I perceived that Patuone spake of him in the most affectionate manner.
When he and his party arrived at Pinia, where Shunghee was, they found him so emaciated, that they were much
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affected: they all, as is usual, wept together; after which, they informed him that they feared he would soon die: to which he replied in the negative, saying, he was never in better spirits. After waiting sufficiently long with him to pay him proper respect, they were about to return, when he was taken suddenly ill: on which they determined to wait the result. Perceiving, by his inward sinking, that he was going, he said to his friends, "I shall die now shortly; but not today." He called for his gunpowder; and, when it was brought to him, he said, "Ka ora Koutou" -- "You will be (or are) well." This was addressed to his children. His morys or battle-axes, muskets, and the coat-of-mail which he received from King George the Fourth, he bequeathed on that day (5th inst.) to his sons. After he had settled these matters, he spake of the conduct of the Natives after his death as, in all probability, likely to be kind toward his survivors; saying, "Kowai ma te hai kai mai ki a kou tou kaore" -- "Who will desire to eat you all? --None!"
He spent his last moments, on the morning of the 6th instant, exhorting his followers to be valiant, and repel any force, however great, which might come against them--telling them this was all the "utu," or satisfaction, that he desired; which intimated that he had had the question proposed to him -- "Who is to be killed as a satisfaction for your death?" This abominable principle still exists in New Zealand, of honouring the dead by human sacrifice. His dying lips were employed in uttering, "Kia toa -- kia toa" -- "Be courageous -- be courageous."
As soon as Shunghee ceased to breathe, all his friends in the "Pa," 1 at Pinia, trembled for themselves; for they did not know but that the Shukeangha Natives would fall upon them, and send them, as companions for their dead Chief, "to the shades of night." The Shukeanga Natives, to prevent suspicion, caused all their people to remain quiet in their huts, while they went to the Pa to see Shunghee's body dressed: on their approach, though they had used the above precautions, they perceived the people in the Pa shivering, like leaves in the wind, till Patuone and the others bade them dismiss their fears, for they were groundless.
A wish to keep Shunghee's death private till he was buried, lest a party should come and attack the survivors, induced his children to determine to bury him, or rather to place him on the wahi-tapu, or sacred place, the day after his death: this Patuone reproved them for; saying-- "I have only just become acquainted with those who wish to bury their father alive!" He was not buried, therefore, for some days; which were spent in paying all the honour, which the New Zealanders were capable of, to the remains of the once-renowned Shunghee. This time the Natives spent in haranguing, crying, cutting themselves, dancing, and firing muskets.
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NEW ZEALAND.
By communications up to the 5th of February, it appears that the Mission was in peace and the prospects encouraging. The hooping-cough had carried off a little daughter of Mr. Clarke and another of Mr. Shepherd, and many of the Native Children.
