A Deput tion of about twenty Native Chiefs of Waikato waited upon His Excel lenev fir George Grey, on Thursday the 22nd December 1853, for the purpose of presenting a Farewell Address to His Exrellency, on his r.pproaching departure to Krjrlnnd. The following were some of the chiefs present: — Mokoriin Tc Riwai Tn Kerci Te Rau Kehana Weteic Te Paki Te I'oiinui \Virrmu TeW'cter# Keriopn Rotorua Pnora Tnhna Uelinnn Pnukawa Tiihikili. They arrange <1 tlumpclvc* on seats in front of the Governor's residence, and \Viiernu Weterc rose and read the following Address. The first jvvnj was rhaunted l>y Te Kiwai, nn 1 the others were hegnn in sueression hy the difTerent chiefs. The chauntin™ was very expressive. The sentiments expressed were, as will he seen 1 clow, those of tender and affectionate reprct,— and the low, plaintive wail of the voices, and the mournful faces of the sinpers fully sustained the character of those sentiments. 'We scarcely know anything more suggestive of melancholy thru the sound ol the ehaunt which esprrsses the prief of the Vnori. It is not unlike the sound of the di.-lcnt waterfall, — ll:o Wai Tangi of human ( voices. Perhaps the most interesting feature was to , witness each chief, as he was concluding his Kong, ];r».-erlin;> to the Governor some green 1 stone ornament, a valuable hrir loom of his j family. It wns a touching siaht to see the ; true instinct of Nature, gratitude, which in | civilised and wealthy countries would lie j represented liy pecuniary treasure and by . costly plate, J:->re illustrated in these children j i of ti:'e Wihl by the simple offerings which : 1 they laid at the feet of their benefactor, i 1 heir cil'ts hud little commercial value, but, lokens of a "latefid regaid on their part, , j;nd rs memorials of the success with which ~the Governor, on his part, has so long laboured pr ii"'ti' their welfare, they possess a value tfi'which silver ami gold would in no way ifdd. _. ' The lo'lowing prcsrr.ts were given, and tin '.r names and great hereditary' value ex-.-.t the time. *" Ko Tnohiingia.—an I'ar ill"' from the iStcrstors of 'IV Han, given by I "m. • Ko WJiatitii i, an Kar <lro]i 'iom llio ancestor of 'fe 1! wci, fjiven hy iiim. Ko T? P.rau. a llci-tiki, to{.:lher with ai Tir «'ro]> <_::l!ed Kankaunialo". v.hie'i hrlenp'-il !-.» the aiicestors of Tc I'aki. Ko J"; i 'i ang.-ta, an liardrop from I'ehana, Te ruccslors. 'i lie v. Idle eniitliuled by the chauiHing by Te of tlie foi.' i" poem, — EO.VG OF AFFI'-CTION. T,n.' from .■•';:r the eioud Umi I Taps t!isky as with a shroud, /.•ill ht .vina; in it» piidc, "i'r.n hnmm of the restive tide iUs forth anew, in heavy fi;.".m,— M I in deepest sadness roam, ■Or sit me down to mourn the (lay, 'I hat loie iny foi'inf.' son awiiy. ; Son did 1 sav? Ail, he vni more, I Than son, — the : :ny, the life, the core j •Of 'his fond heert, noiv tempest toss'd, <\nd with him all my joys"are lost. Thou art instructing day hy day The people how to reail and pray, i Ah, could they not in others find ! An object suited to tluir mind ? | Alnst thou alone, the b>v'd, the best, j He tplcen, while thry spare the rest? Go, Father, soniint; on the I That speeds the bark across the seas, j Go, mantled in the mornin;; cloud, j Oi" which our Southern s»v i* ni Jiid, , And visit Knglind'b land ofyoro, j Alijjhtanon at Here's* slime | Vhcra llaliir ploughs the angry deep Or eyes the billows as the} sleep. Go Governor of nolilc mien And bear thy message to our (Juceii. The lies that hind thee to th} '.mil ll.ht* severed thee from ours : noi !i.»nd Nor heart of ours may claim thee more, Thy hom? is now on Albion's distant siiore.
* Trtun Imre the iMnr.ri naint* lor duiiiu of tfio ecu »• | Ira*# in Kurnpi-. J t Ar. 9\<X Nft* trvi«r. I
Tlie whole f-ccne was exceedingly touching. A few years ago, t!in c e chiefs were savage cannibals.—leaders of wild hordes of warriors, uiul engaged in horrible scenes of rapine and bloodshed, —thrir naked forms besmeared with paint,—their pa«sii.is la-lied to fury, and their features convnlsrd, as if possessed by dev.ls, —their totigue-i heaping dire curses on the persons, and literally thirsting for the blood, of their enemies. Now. t''vre they sat, circled quietly around, —all clothed in Kuropeati dresses, — their tittoed faces, simple, earnest and grave,— one of them reading nn addresi which had been signed by nil of them—tendering, as a tribute of gratitude and allegiance objects of former superstitious awe, and still, of cherished hereditary love, bidding farewell, probably for ever, to their HritUh Governor and praying Divine Providence to watch over his safety and welfare. No words are required to point the moral of snch a contrast. We feel sure that these touching traits of Maori gratitude ami civilization will never lje effaced from the mind of M'r George Grey, and that their recollection will often afford him n lively sense of thankfulness for llie success of his past services, and of encouragement in the future fulfilment of his duties.
Tnkupoto, Dec. 1(5. 1853. Flow great is the* pain of our hearts in consequence of our Governor going to a distant ' land. The grief of the heart commences with the rising of the sun since we heard the tidings |of Ins proposed vi-»it to Kng'and. \N c are therefore endeavouring to ascertain the reason why this Taniwha a Governor, fcir George Grey, should tear himself from us. | \Vt> thought, indeed, that you would have remained in this, land us a father lor us. | On your arrival in this Maud the rain was heating, and the wind blowing fiercely, and then you lifted up your voice to calm the I raging elements, ft | Cea*e Trnm your s'rife ye wintry blaiu I Aril lei our U?e be fi*e; | Then Western sm# "hall fan the land. Ami Southtrn *lii' else «•*. [ Anil il.irknr<« *ball be Jten no more : 'lu lift ils gloomy forms | Anil |ij>hi*win£etl itouiU shall giM tlie iXy And calm *ucceed the itorm. ' Go, O I'nthcr, to Kngland, and may tlic Divine Heing preserve you while you are 1 voyaging on the great sea. When you go into the prfsenee of Queen Victoria, and inquiries arc made by her f reopening us natives], say that we lire blessed with peace owing to "the good governors she has sent us. If von nrn requested to return hither, O I r.ther, then come back to us, your children whom you have left in a state of uneasiness. l>o not leave bevond fthc sea"J the basket which contains the gieat or good speechc-. a (So, oh Father, to Kngland, and the l.ord preserve you and our good Hishop while crossing the sea. () Father, come thou back to us in company with our good llishop. Tnis is our song for you and our good bishop, who is going hence : I sit ii> >»).it'nlp au»l vaguely loo!; about me A« the Iti'v*. In o»»np.ini«\» dtav rnii.ul to «prak Th-ir iboiiji'tts. f.'r the !.>vnl one. wli > w.w ever nigh. Whop pre.fme lighted up my countenance Aiul fillril my lu-.u: with J \v. come* not s^-in. If vf ici!lcs< are toy ! I not \Vl»r » ! I«y me down, for ibU poor dutterinj lltatt .« « v«r wa^'ful. I tvi>iili| tint ilteu* w'f sharped rrtfiM s>"t.i.tr*'/ within my '«»••?» 10 uu in mrvei Toe*W«i, and 'tow 'lit friend, f»r, far fteiuoi fro.n ih'» the love J bear hJm. 'I ii he tha i.r-Kc* i *««*«• Thru ">ll be «ai.ivl (.»nh f> K.w.11 Ilrig'"« iiitil dew* ib.ill Uioji o|">n llir?, |)i'vv< th.v. drop upon ih« immni.V «hiub« Of »\aiiua. 'l'huM wilt M»«» LeMow Thy ftivl e»i«b"ve t.» other fr»euJ», to thci# \Vh i il-vt ii oj'.ui the«f(u liilli. # (in t-aiher I (•ii * taring the wind* That drives «I •* .«»el i.tuee, and I.mu>< m hrre to ba»!' r '.villi Ihr foe J /• i ikiiri»A< fj'l / hui.Mthee To inolhir lind.— not ours. This is rt nr love to the Governor from the assembled Chiefs: — When ll»neun» f have*. my whole Fmpto>inent then will be to guard 'I he entrance of thi* hou»p at Kapu. h Tins is another. There will ba an earthquake in the land, t) Governor, when you depart. Or why do you go, t> Governor? there will he much when you leave. ltuaimoko, i bold thou the I mil, hind the land, that no eyeballs be turned up in defiance. k There is another prayer to bring bat!; the dend to life. Thy liinb* r.ic itiff: iby life i» AM Am! tli'iu jrt »»>« ji-oi-jj the doaJ. I nut nerve unit? lo i.ei*« again, An l I) »•* thy M -A w«ilih» each veiu» An.l oh, ) J .-alueil |if»n«tore, Aii't giv j 1.1..1 luck to hi onre tnoie ; That lie our father »till may prove. The fervour of our yioAui,; lo\e. The following is a song for Tuohungia, an m't '.jr.t F^-iUiUiia'.— The sforninrf'« sicrrii /|t<i\T I* *«n hv»yon»!-. 'I he motn tln.t fouo«l the people watchinf For the foe. An.! while *'«*y .<l«r* The friend amused hiruielf wid Uu w*y*
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Maori Messenger : Te Karere Maori, Volume V, Issue 131, 29 December 1853, Page 2
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1,532Untitled Maori Messenger : Te Karere Maori, Volume V, Issue 131, 29 December 1853, Page 2
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