1814-1853 - The Missionary Register [Sections relating to New Zealand.] - 1846 - Church Missionary Society. Eastern District, Western District, p 405-414

A Christian Chief, Paratene, entered into rest on the 10th of October, "in sure and certain hope of the resurrection to eternal life." He was baptized by the Venerable Archdeacon W. Williams, and was ever afterward an ornament to our Church, and a support to me under my

difficulties. Patient and resigned to his Saviour under his sufferings; reading the Scriptures, and teaching the blessed truths contained therein to his fellow-men, so long as his feeble strength permitted; discreet in his conversation; just and noble in all his dealings; and looking for ... the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; he could say, at the close of his earthly career, I have finished my course: and, I doubt not, a crown was given unto him which fadeth not away.

Hei Kaua lies about two miles from Kauakaua, and numbers 174 inhabitants. I regularly visit them every Lord's Day for Divine Service, they having built a very pretty Chapel on their own account, at which they diligently and numerously attend. Sixteen persons have been admitted into the Church by Baptism, and their conduct has hitherto been consistent with their profession. I have also baptized ten children belonging to the Communicants of this village. There is a population of 359 at Te Kauakaua, and 174 at Te Hei Kaua; including 94 boys and 72 girls.

Horowera, a small Settlement about six miles from my residence, contains 69 inhabitants. I am in constant intercourse with them; and five adults and seven children have been baptized. These, with a number of others, come weekly to my house for instruction. There is also a little Pa near the East Cape, called Wickliffe's Pa, where a neat Chapel has been built by the Natives, in which they assemble for Prayer, School, and Public Service--the Chief, who took the name of Wickliffe (Wikiriwi) at his baptism, for the present officiating.

Rangitukia, with its dependencies, probably numbers 800 inhabitants: turbulent, and extravagant in their demands, they give Mr. Stack, who resides here, a great deal of trouble and anxiety of mind. During one of my visits we gave notice for a meeting preparatory to the celebration of the Lord's Supper. A large number attended, behaving as quietly and orderly as we could possibly wish; and after some explanation of the errors of Popery, we exhorted the people to self-examination, repentance, and faith in Christ Jesus. On the Lord's Day we had an overflowing congregation, which I addressed, and about 150 or 160 persons partook of the Sacrament in an orderly and devout manner--one instance only excepted, in which the Native Teacher was to be blamed. I subsequently convened a meeting for examining those who desired baptism; when between 200 and 300 presented themselves: only 36 or 40 of them, however, could read the Scriptures. Of these I accepted 30, and requested Mr. Stack and the Native Teachers to name some other individuals, whose conduct, general information, and advanced age, although they might not be able to read, would entitle them to particular attention. Thirty of this class having been recommended, I requested the whole to proceed to Wakawitira for special examination and Baptism. The distance is only about five hours' walk, and thither crowds of people immediately proceeded.

Wakawitira is a populous Pa, and has several Settlements in its vicinity. Our tents were erected in front of the Chief's house, and our fern-beds prepared, when a storm compelled me to seek refuge in a native hut. In the morning, the rain having somewhat abated, the people assembled, at the dawn of day, for examination, in which Mr. Stack and I were engaged until late at night. At the close we had marked, out of 180, the names of 114, whom I admitted, on the following day, to the ordinance of Baptism: 70 infants of the newly-baptized were also incorporated into the body of Christ's Church. It was pleasing to see these parents soliciting for their offspring the blessings of which they had partaken themselves. Another gratifying circumstance was, that in the adults were included eight individuals from Manutahi, a Pa lying under the odium of practising witchcraft; and who, in point of knowledge, were a credit to the Church. An individual of that Pa, who grossly insulted Mr. Stack some time ago, and in a rage nearly killed his own daughter, likewise applied for Christian instruction, and has been placed under the care of a Native Teacher, preparatory to his admission to the Church. Thus has the Lord deigned to bless Mr. Stack's labours among these people; and as I know that he does not feel disposed to take so favourable a view of the result of his exertions, I think it but just to have this remark here inserted.

One other case, relating to a woman about eighty years old, with hair as white as snow, ought not to be omitted, She entreated to be baptized; but, being com-

paratively ignorant, was advised to avail herself of the means of instruction, and told that at the next season she should he admitted. Her reply was, "I am presently going down to the grave, and shall probably be dead before you come again: do baptize me." I allowed her to join the number set apart for the ordinance, and her soul seemed to leap for joy.

Tuparoa was the next Settlement at which we halted. The people of this village were so pressing for Baptism, that one might have concluded that they understood our Saviour's words, The kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force, in a literal sense. I was obliged to leave the Congregation assembled for examination, and to retire to my tent to arm my mind by prayer for the task. I felt persuaded that they had not a healthy feeling about Baptism; but 21 persons, most of whom could read the Scriptures, were eventually admitted, and 9 of their infants.

Akuaku, the last place which I took in my tour, was crowded with people. I baptized 88 adults, including 21 from Tuparoa, 25 from Wareponga, and 9 from Waipiro: the rest were from Akuaku itself. The newly-baptized parents also presented their children, 60 in number, with their sponsors, to be received into a covenant with God. I afterward administered the Lord's Supper to a solemn assembly of believers.

It appears, from my Registers, that 416 adults and 174 children have been admitted into the Church by Baptism, and 21 marriages performed, during the year. The number of baptisms is probably unprecedented.

At last the warriors met, the Chief occupying one side of my garden, and Agrippa, with his mob, the other. To describe the fierceness with which they eyed each other is next to impossible; but I almost trembled for the consequences of having brought these hostile parties into so close a contact. The Lord, however, gave me strength; and placing myself between these men of violence, I asked whether they would agree to my commencing the business with prayer: they all assented, and knelt on the grass. I began with our most excellent Litany, and one and all joined in the responses with as much fervour as though they were devout members of the Church of Christ. Some other Collects, bearing on unity and peace, having been offered, I addressed them all on the evil effects of war, and pressed for a reconciliation between them. The parties then respectively addressed each other, dwelling at some length on the points wherein they considered themselves aggrieved; but perceiving that this course was likely to kindle the fire afresh, I asked, "What is the good of your long talk? Arise, and make peace!" As if moved by a secret spring, they all jumped up, gave each other the hand, rubbed noses, and exclaimed, "It is finished! It is finished!" The Chief and Agrippa only still kept at a distance; but when I took Agrippa by the hand, and led him to the Chief, these two also rubbed hardy noses, accompanied with a tangi (crying, or mourning). A few sprinklings of unfriendly feeling were subsequently observable; but the storm of passion was effectually quelled.

I have related the above case--many others of a similar nature occur in the course of my labours--with a view to make two brief remarks upon it.

1. The conduct of those of the New Zealanders who have embraced the Gospel still shews what spirit they were of in former days: the old man still lurks within; nor has the truth, generally speaking, such abiding influence over them as to

check, on particular occasions, the ferocity pf their tempers and the deceitfulness of their hearts. Here, therefore, lies the chief source of our trials.

2. The Missionary, in applying the precepts of God's Word to the establishment of peace among the Natives, indeed enjoys their confidence to a considerable degree; but this holds good principally in matters between Natives and Natives, and not between Natives and Europeans or foreigners. In the latter case, his judgment is naturally suspected to lean toward the side of his countrymen: hence it is, I suppose, that the endeavours of the Missionaries in the North, in persuading the Natives to peace, under most trying circumstances, have had apparently ao little success.

I fear the work of the Gospel is not on the advance in this District. The excitement which prevails on account of the destructive war in the North; the frequent visits to our Natives of the neighbouring tribes, and the return of those visits; and hostile proceedings among themselves, as just related; have turned their minds from the simplicity of the truth as it is in Jesus to secular and political matters. Our Morning and Evening Prayers are not so well attended as formerly; our Schools fluctuate; the spirit of our religious inquirers seems to languish; and I perceive a bluntness in the people's feelings, when I publicly address them, which pains me to the core. If ever New Zealand needed the sympathy of the Church of Christ, it is at the present crisis; if ever there were a season of sifting and anxious trial, that season prevails now; if ever supplications for the out-pouring of God's Holy Spirit were wont to be made, those prayers and supplications should be offered now--that wisdom and understanding may be given to us all; that the pending evils may be over-ruled for good; that light may spring forth from this gloomy darkness; and that, "upon the best and surest foundations," unity and concord "may be established among us for all generations."

The Lord's Day Services at the Station have been attended by about 250; and the attendants have, for the most part, also been present at the Sunday Schools. Morning and Evening Prayers, with one weekday Lecture, have been continued.

A Bible-Class Meeting has been held once a week; and is divided into two classes, each of which attends on the alternate week. The average attendance of each class is 60, and the average number of those who read at least two-thirds. The progress made in Scriptural knowledge is encouraging.

The different villages around Uwawa have been visited several times by myself; but more generally by the Native Assistants, who have gone out on the Lord's Day to hold Divine Service. The aggregate number of attendants has been 410.

At Tokomaru the Services and Schools have been conducted with tolerable regularity. The attendants on Divine Service have numbered 280. I have been statedly, once in three months, to this interesting field of labour, and spent five Lord's Days there on each occasion. I held the Bible Class, and inspected the Schools. More than 100 are on the Bible-Class book, and but few have been absent when I have been there. The number of inquirers, from whom 29 persons have lately been baptized, has been 60.

While, on the one hand, there has been much to discourage, in the many cases of inconsistency of conduct, there is still abundant reason to rejoice that our labour has not been in vain in the Lord. The Lord's Day is hallowed; its several Services attended; the Word expounded; instruction imparted; the Means of Grace afforded; and the sick visited, and their sufferings in some measure alleviated

The steady and uniform attention to the Means of Grace maintained by the greater part of the Natives affords ground to hope that the seed sown is not in vain. Those most advanced in spiritual knowledge are, however, but babes in Christ, and need the sincere milk of the Word, thai they may grow thereby.

At the last annual examination, when all the Natives were invited to attend, the number present who could read the Scriptures was 344: of this number 78 were females, and 15 children. In the Alphabet Class there were 315 grown-up persons, of both sexes, and 97 children.

The most encouraging employment I find is endeavouring to interest the Native Assistants in the awful responsibility under which they are bound to personal devotedness to God in heart and life. From indications already manifest, I am not without hope that the hearts of some are awakening to higher and holier conceptions of the blessed Gospel of Christ. This cannot be without its beneficial effect upon the large mass of mind over which they must exert an influence, for good or evil.

From 200 to 300 continued to attend the Morning Service for a few weeks after my first arrival; but subsequently the Congregation has averaged about 100 in the morning and 70 in the afternoon.

For some weeks about 150 adults and 30 children attended the Sunday School; but during the greater part of the half year about 70 adults and 20 children only have attended, and about 30 adults and a few children on the week-days. My eldest son has attended to the children on the Lord's Days and week-days. Mrs. Hamlin has had Afternoon School with the women and girls during a part of the time she has been at the Wairoa. I have baptized 43 infants, and married 8 couples. There are in the District, I am informed, 82 who have communicated; and there are likewise 54 Candidates for the Lord's Supper, and 40 Candidates for Baptism.

In the midst of all this anxiety we have still much cause to be thankful. The Natives in this district are behaving

with great consistency, and do not appear to be at all affected by that commotion which is disturbing the peace of the rest of the country. They have, however, declared their intention of resisting any attack which may be made on the settlers who reside among them, and have just finished a new and very strong fence around their Pa. I trust I may express my hope that some, at least, are looking to a higher Power to sustain them in the threatened struggle. To-morrow I leave for Waitotara, where I administer the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper next Lord's Day. I shall be accompanied by more than a hundred Communicants from this place, and an equal number of those who have not yet partaken of it. This is gratifying, as it is a long walk from Wanganui, and many have come from a great distance.

At present we are living in peace; and, externally at least, the Church is prospering.

Jan. 31, 1845 --John Williams brought me a Letter which he had written to Mr. Betts--son-in-law of the Rev. S. Marsden --who paid us a visit last April, inviting him to come and live in this place; telling him that he had marked out for his residence a most beautiful and fertile spot, which the New-Zealand Land Company was very anxious to have, but which they had kept as a reserve for themselves: it was right, however, that the son-in-law of the father of the Gospel in New Zealand should have a dwelling-place among the people whom he had been thus instrumental in bringing to the fear and knowledge of the Lord. I was pleased with the spirit which dictated the Letter, as it shews that my people retain a grateful remembrance of that eminent servant of God, whose parental care of them has been so highly blessed in the conversion of this land.

Feb. 2: Lord's Day --I opened my Native Infant Sunday School with twelve children.

Feb. 9: Lord's Day --I had twenty at my Infant School, and also several old people.

My Daily School for teaching the Natives English is also in full operation, and I trust will prove a blessing. Every morning, after prayers, the adults attend for an hour, when they are taught to read, write, and cipher, in English. After breakfast the children are similarly instructed, and in the afternoon also. Several of the women and girls are taught needlework by Mrs. Taylor; but their attendance at present is irregular, as they are much employed with their potatoes, kumeras, and cooking for the people at the Pa.

May 21 --I examined about 100 Natives for the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, and approved of 70.

May 22 --A great number of my Natives left for Waitotara, at which place I am to administer the Sacrament next Lord's Day.

May 23 --I set off before sunrise for Waitotara, accompanied by about twenty Natives. When we had arrived within four miles of the Ihupuku we met the main body of my Natives, amounting to about 150, who waited for our coming up. As we approached the Pa the sight was very interesting, as one after another filed along the narrow winding path, forming one long line extending near a quarter of a mile. We were saluted with a discharge of fire-arms. In my Sermon this evening I alluded to the different circumstances in which I now met them, compared with those in which they were placed when I was here before--the present multitude having assembled from love to the Lord, and the last having met for war. 1 I was very much pleased with the railing which they have erected around the Lord's Table: it is about one foot ten inches high, and is very neatly made: it was all planed and put together by themselves, and the floor boarded also. The table is

not so well made; but for the rest I praised them. Upon the rail a notice is pasted, to the effect that no one is to lean against it. In the evening I examined ten Candidates for Baptism, and found them well prepared, especially the old men.

May 24,1845 --I preached this morning, and after breakfast went to the place at which the Wanganui Natives were encamped. The Waitotara have built for them a house nearly 200 feet long. The scene was very interesting. A long line of Natives brought various kinds of food, which they piled up in one long row, facing the house; and beyond it a separate heap, containing about forty kets of kumeras (sweet potatoes), kao (kumeras, dried and hard), potatoes, dried fish, two bundles of lampreys, and some enormous kets of taro (a root so called; bread), each weighing at least 150 lbs. I had no sooner taken my seat among my people than one of the principal Chiefs of the place jumped up and welcomed us-- "Welcome, ye children of God! your Religion is the true one, and must prevail;" singing a song which appeared to be extemporaneous, and concluding with the following allusion to the power of God in bringing to nought the late taua (fight), Avenge not yourselves ... vengeance is mine, I will repay, saith the Lord. After several other speeches, George King jumped, or rather bounded, although very lame, from his place by my side, and began, "Let the Word be heard! let it be heard! great is the power of Satan among men; but his power must decrease, while that of Christ must go on increasing until all obey it. We are God's servants: He has conquered us: we must obey Him. What His Minister bids us do, we must do: when he tells us to go to Rangatapu, and assemble there, or to Waokena, or Tihoi, we obey: when he says, 'Stay, and assemble at Putiki,' we do so: and thus we have come here to-day at his word. Our taua is against sin, that peace may prevail: therefore we come here to meet together, with all from every place, to eat the sacred feast."

After dinner I addressed the Candidates tor the Sacrament, and preached. In the evening I had incessant subjects presented for my judgment. After I had retired, the Natives would not let me rest; but kept asking me questions from Scripture until midnight; they selected some very difficult passages--Christ's descent to preach to the spirits in prison, and many others

May 25 --Long before it was light the Natives renewed their inquiries-- "Was hell prepared for Satan?" &c. This morning I administered the Sacrament to 160 persons. In the afternoon I had a Congregation of about 500. In the evening I baptized 21, young and old, distributed books to the different Pas, and had a very interesting discourse until after ten. From the questions put to me I feel assured that the Scriptures are not only carefully searched, but that many are seeking the one thing needful.

May 26 --I arose this morning by five o'clock, got my breakfast, preached, and left by eight, being accompanied by all the Nga-ti-rua-nui Natives. They kept up an incessant attack upon me, the whole of the way, with their questions from Scripture: he who had any thing to ask ran before me, and kept running backward until his question was answered, when another took his place.

Sept. 7 --This afternoon I went in my canoe, with twelve Natives, to see Turoa, and preach to his people. I found him very near death's door; but quite sensible. He told me, in answer to my inquiries, that he had now given up all false gods, and rested solely on Christ for salvation; "but," said he, raising himself, and leaning on his elbow, tell me, do you think one who has been living all his life in the dark can now, in his last hour, enter the light? In short, can I he a child of God after having been so long a child of the devil?" I told him that Christ's mercy was infinite, and that, if he could truly lean on Him, he would assuredly be received. I reminded him of the labourer who was hired even at the eleventh hour, and yet received the same as those who had borne the burden and heat of the day; and of the expiring thief,

who believed on Jesus, and was promised that that very day he should be in Paradise. He mused on my words.

I then commenced the Evening Service, the first he ever attended. I endeavoured to set before him the Christian's hope, and contrasted it with that of the wicked; after which I spoke of the glory of the New Jerusalem, and the wretchedness of those who were for ever excluded from it. Having concluded, I told him that I was now, in all probability, going to bid him farewell for ever, so far as this life was concerned; and that therefore I must ask him again whether he renounced his false gods for ever? He assented. Whether he took Christ for his only Saviour? He again assented. And whether he wished to die as one of His people? He said he did. "Then," I said, "I am willing to baptize you." Some of the Heathen Chiefs beckoned his son Tahaua, a very exemplary young man, a believer, to go to them; but he declined, and told them to speak openly if they had any thing to say. They were silent. I then bade them bring me some water, and by the name of Kingi Hori, given him by his followers, I received him into the outward and visible Church: I trust that, through Divine grace, he is also a member of the true and. living Church of Christ. Immediately the Service was over, and he had thus openly renounced the faith of his ancestors, to which he had obstinately clung during the whole of a long life, his people set up a loud wail. This, I fancy, is because his tapu as an Ariki, or Chief Priest, is broken; and thus, though they rejoice in his becoming a servant of Christ, they mourn for the Ariki, as being no more--according to Scripture, as being dead with Christ. This lamentation only takes place when principal Chiefs are baptized. I have noticed it on two or three previous occasions.

I took my leave of him, and solemnly committed him to the care of the Lord, pronouncing the blessing over him. By birth he is the grand Chief of all this river; though his possessions are confined, properly speaking, to a district on the Manganui-ate-ao. By birth he is also closely connected with the head Chiefs of Taupo, Rotorua, and Waikato. His names were Rauhaua Pehi Turoa, Papaiouru.

Sept. 9, 1845 --News reached us of Turoa's death. He died in the night, so quietly as to awaken none of those sleeping around him.

I learned that, in the middle of the night in which he died, he sat up, and caused himself to be dressed in his best clothes: he then told all present to live in peace; said that during his life he had been a man delighting in war and evil; and added, "Let the evil be buried with me: you are all brethren: you originally came to this land in the same canoe: love, therefore, as men of the same canoe." He then lay down, and in the morning, when his companions awoke, they found him dead and cold.

Oct. 3 --I was engaged during the whole of this morning in examining Candidates for Baptism. Among them I had Nga Waka, a Chief of this Pa, and brother of the late Turoa, formerly an opposer of Religion. The circumstances connected with hia becoming a Candidate are rather singular. Some months ago he dreamed that he was in hell, and that I reproached him for not having been a believer, and told him it was not yet too late if he would repent. He then promised that he would be baptized, and I said that his name should be Iharaira. This dream made such an impression upon him, that he immediately commenced learning the Catechisms, and to read; 2and I was agreeably surprised by finding that, although an elderly man, he could not only repeat them most correctly, but also answer any general question which I put to him. When I asked him what name I should give him, he said, "What name can you give me but that which you gave me when you came to me in sleep?"

Oct. 5 --As it was a rainy day I was obliged to have Service in the Church, although it would not contain the Congregation. The building was so crowded that the atmosphere became almost insufferably hot. I administered the Sacrament to 221 Natives and 3 Europeans: it was received with the greatest reverence. The hearty way in which all united in the responses of our beautiful Service realized the wishes of its compilers, and presented a strong contrast to the feeble way in

which they are made by the European Congregation.

In the Evening Service I baptized forty-two individuals, about twelve of whom were infants. I had a very attentive Congregation. The Service was not terminated until long after sunset, which is here equivalent to being in the dark; so soon does night fallow that bright luminary in his flight.

Oct. 7,1845 --The Natives have left for their respective abodes; some having come a distance of 150 miles to this Sacrament, at a time, too, when they are busily employed in cultivation. One man alone yet remains, for the purpose of receiving an explanation of the various passages of Scripture which he cannot comprehend.

Oct. 19 --A few days ago a man came to ask me to give him a Prayer-book. As I make a practice never to give books indiscriminately to those who ask, I inquired where his money was. He replied that money was the root of all evil, and that therefore he had not brought any with him. The Natives prize our Liturgy because they see that it embraces all they have to ask for. I was particularly struck with this in the North, when the renowned John Heke told me that they considered the omitting the prayer for the Native Chiefs in the light of a very great grievance.

March 1 --We were accompanied by two men who had been guilty of adultery: they presented a wild duck to my Natives, who asked me whether they might eat it, it being the law not to eat with adulterers. I asked them whether, for a little savoury food, they should transgress the law. On our halting for dinner, one pulled out his Testament and read the portion of Scripture relative to Christ's eating and drinking with sinners; and gave me a significant look, as though he thought he had an unanswerable authority for eating the duck. I told him that Christ did not eat and drink with sinners for the sake of their food; but that He might have an opportunity of converting them: that it was different with them, whose desires were for the food, and not for their souls' salvation: and that therefore they must attend. to St. Paul's injunction, forbidding to eat and drink with adulterers. To this they assented.

March 8 --On our reaching Kotara, which is on the left bank of the river, we sat on the verge of the precipice and received the invitation of "Haere mai! haere mai!" (Come hither! come hither!) from one of its inhabitants. We quickly descended, by a very precipitous path, and found the river here spread out like a little lake, about three feet deep, which we forded. There was only one man, beside two women and some children: afterward, three or four more came. I preached to them from Romans i. I am the first individual who has preached the everlasting Gospel in this place--indeed, the first White Man who has visited it.

March 9 --In the afternoon a party of Natives from Patea, another Settlement of this Tribe further up the river, arrived, and made my little Congregation rather more respectable in number. I received a very pressing invitation to visit their Settlement.

March 10 --This morning the Natives lent us a canoe, so that I have determined upon visiting Patea. I left a copy of God's Word and other books at Kotara-- the first they have possessed. The Chief, Nga Waka, commenced in earnest to learn to read: he placed himself by my side, and did not leave off until he had nearly mastered the alphabet. We started about eight o'clock. Having done with the canoe, my boys dragged it up the bank. I suppose they thought it would not be polite to leave it without a note, and they therefore wrote, on a paddle, that they were sorry they could not drag it higher, but hoped the owner would find it safe. The Natives are very fond of letter-writing, and far more generally avail themselves of this way of communicating with one another than our peasantry or lower classes in England.

March 12-- The scenery here was quite Alpine; range appearing over range in endless succession, and Tongariro tower-

ing above all. We knew we must be near the Pa; but, being doubtful of the way, my boys fired a gun, which was speedily answered, and we soon perceived the Pa on the very top of one of the highest of the neighbouring hills. A Native from it, clad in a green petticoat tied over one shoulder, and having a great horse pistol in his hand, came to meet us: at first he took us for enemies, as visitors are here very rare, and inquired how many there were of us: afterward, when be learned who we were, and the object of our coming, he was not contented to shake hands only, but must rub noses with me. He then left us, to report all particulars at the Pa. We followed; but had first to descend a bad precipice--partly by a ladder, and partly by a pole or two fastened along the side of the rock in an inclined position, to form a road where there was only a perpendicular face of rock--and then, passing through a stream, to ascend on the other side. I thought we should never have reached the top, as it seemed to be constantly receding from us. We were here met by another Native, who also did me the honour of rubbing noses together. At last we entered the Pa: it must be, at the very least, 600 feet above the bed of the stream, and more than double that above the sea.

The view from this Pa is as fine and extensive, perhaps, as I have ever seen: it was quite panoramic. We looked down, in every direction, on endless ranges of hills, and saw Tongariro in all his splendour: an almost unclouded sky, and the Ngawa on his sides sending out volumes of vapour. As the sun went down, we felt the cold very much. I found the entire population drawn out to receive us, and shook hands with each in succession. I was then conducted to a kind of raised seat, over which a clean new mat was thrown, and the ground around matted in a similar manner.