THE CAMERA IN THE CORAL ISLANDS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 4529, 4 December 1884, Page 2

THE CAMERA IN THE CORAL ISLANDS.

In our special correspondent's notes on the "Cruise of the Wairarapa," mention was made of the x'reseuce among the party of Mr A. H. Burton, of the firm of Burton Brothers, whose viows of New Zealand scenery are known from end to end of the colony. Mr Burton, dissatisfied with the partial failure of the first trip, went also with the second. He has now given to the public the fruits of his work in the most magnificent portfolio of island scenery ever published. There is not the variety of forest and cultivated, land, snow-capped mountain, open plain, torrent, cataract, forest, river,_ lake, and ocean, which gives inexhaustible attractions to the firm's series of New Zealand views, for these are not to he found in the wide expanse of the South Pacific outside of New Zealand. But the characteristic scenery of the South Sea Islands—the cocoanut groves, the rich tropical vegetation, the plantations, tho many-hued and strange-featured races, the villages, churches, and patches of European civilisation, have been reproduced with artistic judgment. In this Beries of views the Wairarapa pilgrims will live ovor again that charming holiday month—again will thoy wander among the sugar-cane, examine queer-shaped houses, inhale the perfume of tropical flowers, and the less fragrant perfume of native villages, or oil-besmeared dusky charmers. From island to island in Fiji, along the seashore of Apia and Pango, and the coral strands of Vavau and Tongatabu, will imagination guide them. It is not permitted to the wandering landscape photographer to group his subjects as he would desire, and hence the great judgment and skill required to single out from the broad face of nature the most telling and typical effects. In this Mr Burton has succeeded marvellously: every .picture is a study; somCarerepiarkably fihespecimens of grouping, as for example the muster of labour on the plantation at Mao go, and the interior of a SatfiOWi -house, exhibiting the process of kava making Thon there are many fino bits of landscape—lanfl and marine viows. The sketches at Neiafu, on the island of Vavau, Tonga Group, and the views near Levuka, are specially fine; but " The Fair Sauimatani" must be awarded the palinfor an exquisite island sketch. It depicts a handsome Samoan girl sitting on her canoe by the sea-shore. at Pango Pango. The views that will prove most interesting to persons who delight not in " nature unadorned " are the photographs of the Rev. Shirley Baker's handsome new church at Nukualofa, Tonga, tho interior of the Wesleyan Church at Vavau, the groups of Tougan notabjes, the Premier and his Cabinet, and above all, the fino . portrait of His Majesty King George, aged SG. To tho' tourists, the .fioyoral groups of pnwongors ..board ship and in various interesting r-ituationa will have peculiar attractions,; bringing to niiiid individual traits of character and pla___nt. >_;i-Oi_.il association _ ' under eEC-ptiont. conditions. Altogether, "_li_: Coinerin the Cordl Islands" is bound to become a very _'. popular scries, which ought to well ropay the' enterprise of the clover artists who have produced ;tt_6in"t> The views>ai-»!riow o»_S^«^M£| Burton Brothers' ".Aifokl..nd*rgjflgCß. .' n Welle._ey-e.re-t, which -is .uwEgauir.-jpnp'-*-'----getic management orJ% W.*g®>. W*jjn- . ■■ AA^A^mm ■ ll__li£_j