LECTURES BY A NEW ZEALAND CHIEF.

New Zealand Colonist and Port Nicholson Advertiser, Volume I, Issue 8, 26 August 1842, Page 3

LECTURES BY A NEW ZEALAND CHIEF.

On Monday and Tuesday evenings, Mr. Burns, a native of Scotland, delivered lectures in the Mechanic's Institution, at Hanley, to large audiences, on the manners and customs of the New Zealanders, with a description of the country, and a narrative of his residence there for several years—a portion of his time as one of the chiefs, a distinction given him on the death of his father-in-law, an old chieftain, who was very kind to him when he first settled in New Zealand, and gave him one of his daughters in marriage, as a pledge of protection. The North Staffordshire Mercury gives' the accompanying account of this remarkable lecture Mr. Burns, who is richly tattooed, appeared before his audiences in the costume he wore as a chief—his head being decorated with an enormous plume of feathers. One of the mats thrown over his shoulders was made of the skin of the wild dog; another, of soft texture and silky appearance, was manufactured of the native flax, which grows wild, and is now an

important article of commerce. Mr. Burns at first settled in New Zealand as an agent for the purchase of flax, which he procured in exchange for small articles.of British manufacture. After his employer relinquished his trade, he remained in the country, and became mixed with some quarrels among the savages, in the course of which he was made prisoner, and forced to submit to the painful operation of tattooing to save his life. Afterwards, on regaining* his tribe, he voluntarily submitted to further tattooing, as tokens of rank, and marks of distinction, for services rendered in battle. The operation, he said, was very painful, being performed, not by puncturing with sharp instruments, as some suppose, hut by chiselling out all the lines to the depth of an eighth of an inch, and then rubbing in a dark flued. The colouring is permanent, and the lines remained carved on the surface. Mr. Burns wore a belt made of the skin of a hostile chief slain in battle, and he exhibited the head of another enemy, killed by his own hand; it is perfectly embalmed, and retains the hair, with all the tattooing, quite perfect. Some horrible details were given of the cannibal propensities of the natives, during his residence among them, but which are now in course of eradication by intercourse with Europeans. Mr. Burns appears to speak the New Zealand language fluently. Jlis representations of their war dances, their marriage and funeral ceremonies, and the frenzy to which both chiefs and people work themselves up on exciting occasions, were well pourtrayed. The dance of victory, the manner of throwing the lance, and of using the tomahawk, scalpingknife, and other instruments of a warlike kind, were highly characteristic. Mr. Burns gave a flattering account of the salubrity of the climate, and its rich resources, the rivers being numerous, and abounding with fish, the country covered with wood of a valuable description, the ground so fertile, and the temperature of the air so mild, as to produce two crops a year of the vegetables usually grown in English gardens, with others of a more tropical character. Frost and snow are almost unknown. There is abundance of coals, and in all probability, other mineral treasures. The natives are shrewd and industrious, apt to acquire all the arts and usages of civilised life, and consequently a very improvable race. They are much attached to those Europeans who use them justly, and the only danger to settlers arises from their venturing out too far, and being robbed by wandering tribes who live on plunder. Mr. Burns’ statements, though delivered with great simplicity, and in not very perfect English, convey a great deal of information, and possess every stamp of truth. —Geelong Advertiser, June 27.

Law Courts. —The next appearance day at the Supreme and County Courts, will he held at Barrett’s Hotel, on Monday, the 29th inst.