IN MAORI LAND we are enabled to present the following excerpt from a letter from elder heber S cutler now on a mission it is addressed to his parents and relatives generally and dated at taupo new zealand november 1889 this people have many peculiar customs which appear very foolish to us but they consider it would be a disgrace to any of their tribe if they were to give them up one very peculiar ceremony they have is the manner in which they mourn over their dead As soon as a person dies old or young the tribe all gather together and have a cry the duration of which is according to the rank or standing of the deceased sometimes they are quite long when persons from one tribe visit another tribe they always have a cry if one of their number has died since their previous visit it matters not how long the person has been dead if the tribe have not met since the death they will first engage in the cry and then extend greetings during the last month brother johnson has been with me considerable and the time has passed quite pleasantly sa I 1 also took a trip around taupo raupo lake last week with the chief of this place leaving here saturday morning and returning wednesday the trip was an interesting one and I 1 enjoyed it I 1 had been wanting to take this journey before but did not have an opportunity I 1 made the acquaintance of about one hundred and twenty natives visiting four villages and was treated very kindly I 1 had several talks with them about the gospel they invited me to bring one of the elders over who could thoroughly explain the principles in maori and I 1 t expect the president of this district will pay them a visit the first of next month it was only last week that I 1 saw one of these ceremonies while on my trip A death had occurred since the chief had bad last visited the natives on the lake and I 1 was not allowed to say greetings till after the cry which lasted about twenty minutes the people who had lost their friend took their places in front of the hut while the chief walked within twenty five feet from where they were and remained standing till the weeping was finished Dished fi should other otheir visitors arrive during outstay our stay we join the mourners in aront of fabe hut as if it were the chiefs own relative who had died thus the same operation is gone through as often as any new person arrives who has not previously wept it is strange to say they can shed a shower of tears on each occasion iOD I 1 think it would not be a bad idea to have a few of defour our sisters in this missionary labor to teach the natives a few points on housekeeping but probably the instruction would go in one ear and out of the other for they have an idea that their way of cooking cannot be improved upon and so far as convenience goes I 1 think they are about right of if course cleanliness is one of the impossibilities and they never try to improve on it when they arise in the morning they never think of washing themselves but will immediately begin to get breakfast they rhey scrape their potatoes with a shell or an old piece of tin and boll boil some pig meat if they have flour they will sometimes make a pretense to wash their hands before kneading it but this is a poor excuse for a wash as they may only rinse their hands in the water the potatoes were washed in of course water is not scarce but they do not like to have too much around at a time if there is no water about it makes no difference they make the bread all the same by simply mixing a little flour and water and after kneading well it is placed in an iron oven or covered over ever with hot coals and ashes they never wash their dishes till they are ready to eat and then it is very likely they will use the same water that was used to wash the potatoes in and also in which several of their greasy hands have been rinsed this does not exaggerate the case at all for I 1 have often seen it done As soon as they get through eating the pans pang are thrown on the ground for the dogs to lick and often to sleep on and thus they stay till used for the next meal their manner of cooking does not in the least resemble ours I 1 remember the first bird they cooked for me it was supper time and the natives made me understand that they had killed a bird which was for me as we had bad been without meat for sever aldays al days these birds are similar to our pigeons I 1 was anticipating a good knealand meal and after impatiently waiting some time vie the bird was brought in with some potatoes at first I 1 did not know whether to look pleased or otherwise but finally I 1 exploded with merriment for before me lay jay the bird on a plate just as it had been shot with the exception that a few of the largest feathers had been taken from the tall tail and wings you can imagine how the thin thing g looked with pin feathers stick sticking ing all over it its feet sticking 11 straight ight up and head hanging over the side of the plate it had been boiled whole and was considered consider eti quite a delicacy I 1 told the natives I 1 did not feel very hungry and asked them if they would like it they seemed to consider it quite a favor and devoured the whole thing feathers and all in less time than it takes tabes to tell it when we consider that these people were cannibals a few years ago we ought not to be surprised at their present condition in many things they manifest considerable intelligence and the following fol lowin will show that they are occasionally occasionally inclined to be witty A maori and one of our companions walked into a store to buy some provisions after buying what they wanted they remained on the premises some time looking at the different articles which were for sale the native had been attentively looking at the pictures on a lot of canned goods that were on the shelf As he could not dot read the english on OD them he appeared to be considerably amused and our friend was led to ask what was the cause of his merriment he pointed to one of the cans on which was the picture of a shee sheep and asked what the can container contain ft ei he was informed that it contained cooked lamb on the next dext was a pig and he be asked if that contained pork his friend said it did on several others where printed the figures of turkeys fish beef he asked if they all contained what the pictures represented and of course was told yep 11 he then studied the thing over for a little while and pointed to a can on which was represented a man and asked what it contained a white man or a maori the native stood with a broad grin on his face evidently enjoying the joke the natives use their eyes to good advantage although they cannot read the women appear to be quite handy with the needle as they make all their own clothing which of course is not very extensive consisting mainly of a loose jacket and skirts some borne of these however are made very nicely and look quite becoming they take great pride in fixing up their babies with neat and comfortable clothing and manifest maul fest great fondness for their little ones I 1 have seen them ride 40 to 50 miles to see their relatives children oi and when they have no DO children of their own they quite frequently borrow a child from those who have several and keep them for months at a time where they have several in a family they deiy often give one away to their near relatives who belong to the same tribe where it is cared for just as well as if it were with its mother not long since 1 I saw a quarrel between a father and mother who had separated on account of their not lot agreeing when they parted the father claimed the child and the mother would not let it go but after considerable trouble lie he succeeded in taking it away from her and carried it off the child was an infant and needed the care of ofa A mother she notified the police next morning and the father returned the hild child in a hurry their feelings are often quite the reverse in regard to the old people who are afe treated created in a shameful man ner der when men or women become too feeble to borit they are fed on the worst food placed in the moot moat uncomfortable places in the house and have only scanty clothing in fact it stems st ems as though they tried to hasten their death instead of trying to keep them alive one old woman a short distance from here was thought to be dead and she was carried to a place which was creps preps prepared for her burial As it was getting dark she was left lying on the ground all night and next morning when they went to bury her she was found sitting up to their great surprise she was brought back and placed in a little hut but all by herself as they declared she was too old and ugly to live with them I 1 visited her a few days since and found she had bad only a small asdall blanket and a few old potatoes she appeared quite cheerful and is likely to live fur for two or three years yet though she is very old and feeble the natives appear very anxious that their children should learn english and the school has progressed as nicely as could be expected consider considering iDt the many disadvantages we have ave to labor under when I 1 first commenced not dot ote one of the children could say the alphabet but most of them have good memories men or and soon mastered it now the larger ones are reading quite ite ach well in the first reader which was only received a short shon time ago the most difficult task I 1 found was to teach them arithmetic and I 1 can assure you it took considerable patience to get them to understand der stand figures of course I 1 did not know maori and they could not understand english but after many trials and experiments I 1 finally succeeded in making them understand what I 1 wanted and inow I 1 now have the pleasure to state that they can now add subtract multiply and divide I 1 find it no trouble to teach writing as the smallest pick it up quite easily in facts fact it seems to be one oae of their natural accomplishments I 1 think they have also alao improved a little in their general deportment it really was a comical sight at first to see them the little shavers came running in with all manner of clothing on from a sheet to a single vest the latter was worn by one of the boys and he be came filing in as proud as though he owned the island and wore a full drops dress suit one little fellow had a long tailed shirt but unfortunately the front was all torn off the their ir f faces aces we were re dirty and their hair uncombed but after I 1 had bad sent several out they became ashamed and now they make a pretense at fixing up before they enter the schoolroom it has been decided to build a new schoolhouse which will be more suitable for the purpose when we get located in the new house we expect to have a great many more children and they are making preparations pa rations to send their children here from a number of villages some distance from here all the natives have made extra preparation sto havelange hav elarge crops of potatoes pota toss this coming season so there will be plenty of food for the children and I 1 expect there will be a great many outside dren come I 1 trust the schoot school will be the means of doing much good I 1 have been very well supplied with food since I 1 last wrote with the exception of potatoes which have now run out and a great many natives will suffer till the next crop comes in which will be in about six or eight weeks 1 have no reason to complain for I 1 now have plenty of bread milk sugar and meat and there is not much danger of me losing what flesh I 1 have gained as it is put on to stay on the first of december we are invited to attend the opening of a new house built by the people about one mile from here they are going to have a feast we will there meet more new mabries Ma ories orles who are coming to attend the opening there will also be a big gathering at this place on christmas as the missionary church are going to hold a feast on that day and will also open a new meeting house which has been built since I 1 came here they expect to have a large crowd as several of the most noted chiefs of the island will be there e the saints have also made arrangements range ments to hold a meeting meet ingon on 2 that day and we expect to have a good time on a small scale tb there ere will be about fifty or seventy five and no doubt they will make it interesting te for us it would highly please you all to see one of these large meetings but as you will not dot have the privilege I 1 will do my I 1 best to describe what I 1 see me when I 1 write you J