THE NEW ZEALAND CHIEF AND HIS UMBRELLA.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2203, 21 August 1886, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE NEW ZEALAND CHIEF AND HIS UMBRELLA.

An English settler in the bush of New Zealand gives an amusing picture of life in the colonies. He said he had an umbrella, but public opinion in the bush did not approve of its use. He could not dispose of it among the whites, so he concluded to make a present of it to a native collector of bric-a-brac. He then goes on to say :—: — "The next time that Tarn a visited us I formally presented him with the umbrella, giving him the minutest instructions concerning the spreading and furling of it. He had taken a strong fancy to me, and was much pleased with the gift. I thought I had fully explained to the gentleman the uses of an umbrella. I had over and over again hammered into him that it Mas meant to keep off the ram ; but it appears that the idea failed to reach his mind. When Tama loft the shanty it was threatening to lain, «<o I unfurled the umbrella and placed it opeu in his hand. He stumped oIF pioudly with it held above his head. We watched him go down the clearing towards the river where his boat was moored. Presently it came on to rain in earnest. Then Tama seemed to hesitat". it e\ldently occurring to him that something was wrong. In an undecided sort of a way he inverted the umbrella and held its handle upwards in front ot him ; but as the rain came thicker and faster, even this seemed unsatisfactory. At last he stopped altogether, having apparently come to the conclusion that the heavy rain would be injurious to the umbrella. After a prolonged struggle, for the catch was a mystery to his unaccustomed fingers, he managed to close it. Then he took oft his coat, laid it flat on the ground, and placed the umbrella upon it, and wrapped that up in the coat. Lastly, he cut some «tnp* of flax bush close by, and carefully tied up the parcel. I Then he put it under his arm and marched off contentedly, evidently feeling that he ! had got the better of the pouring rain.