ADVENTURES AT PARIHAKA.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XV, Issue 127, 28 May 1880, Page 4

ADVENTURES AT PARIHAKA.

[Auckland Star."] That enterprising and indefatigable agent of the Mutual Life Association of Australasia, Captain McMurdo, formerly of the Greoadier Guards, recently bearded the Parihaka prophet in his den, and in the course of a very profound argument on occult, theological, and archaeological subjects,.succeeded in completely modifying the prophet's views on prophecy. The gallant captain was at Noroaanby, in the pursuit of his business of 'taking lives,' 1 when it occurred to his ingenious mind that there was a vast quantity of unsecured vitality at Parihaka, awaiting the persuasive eloquence of agents. Thither he therefore determined to go, and having obtained the services of an interpreter, set forth on his adventurous journey. He reached Parihaka, where he found : Te Whiti and Tohu, end patiently conformed to the etiquette of the place by awaiting an invitation , which was not long in coming* The visit of bo distinguished a visitor of course excited much interest in the settlement. The wise men came at intervals to ascertain his intentions, and they scanned the features of tbe Captain's noble countenance with, suspicious scrutiny, being anxious to discover whether or not he was a Government spy. One exalted personage who carries in his belt the keys of the stores, and goes by the soubriquet of "The Commissariat," minutely investigated the Captain's tout ensemble. Naturally the Captain was flattered by these attentions, but wUh that shrewdness and tact which characterises his actions, he contrived to impress (he natives with a belief in his importance, which led to an interview with the prophet. As a preliminary step, however, he re christened " The Commissariat M Peter, as an allusion to his carrying the keys, and this, as it gave them a foretaste of the captain's profound knowledge of Scripture, raised him in their estimation, and flattered the vanity of " The Commissariat," who strutted about the village in all the pride of his new title. THE INTERVIEW WITH TE WHITI. Nest day Te Whiti sent an invitation to the visitor. The captain found the prophet and Tohu together, and all the Natives assembled, as if in anticipation of an important ceremony. After the usual salutations and some general conversation, during which To Whiti appeared io be taking a mental photograph of tbe captain's physiognomy, the latter plunged in medias res, arid inquired why the prophet regarded the year 1881, as such an eventful era in tho worlo'a history. In reply Te Whiti drew a diagram illustrating bis prophecies. It consisted

■-■ ■ | of lines and circles from the creation j op to 1881. The captain said : This is but the work of a man's hands, but if I show you any delineation of prophecy that has been inspired by the Almighty, it must supersede yours. The captain then gave a description of tbe Great Pyramid, explaining tbe deductions drawn by Piazzi Smith io the ascending and descending galleries, in bis work on "Our Inheritance in the Great Pyramid." In this lecture the oaptain illustrated his subject by drawing diagrams on the ground, and he displayed great erudition in this Bubject. The natives listened with breathless attention to the narrative, and Te Whiti appeared to be very much impressed. DeSCBIFTION OF THE PftOPHET. Te Whiti was dressed iv rags and tatters. His shirt and waistcoat bad evidently not bean in contact with soap and water for years. Tbe nether part of bis person was covered with a dirty old blanket. His height is about sft Bjin, he has an intellectual face with keen searching eyes, a small beard, and his hair is rapidly turning grey. He possesses a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures, which he is always engaged in studying. After the captain's lecture, Te Whiti held a meeting in the large whare, and repeated almost word for word the facts about tbe Great ' Pyramid that had been narrated by his j visitor. The prophet informed his bearers that Piazzi Smith's deductions from the design of the Pyramid tallied precisely with his own. The Lost Tbibes. Whsn the interview was resumed the Captain said : I am told that you claim Israelituh origin. If that is true, why do you not show some of the points of. identity which Anglo-Israelites find fulfilled in the British of the present age ? Te Waiti: Name one. The Captain : Open your Bible. Bead tbe Fourth Commandment. Te Whiti here motioned to one of his disciples, who promptly bit upon i tbe passage and read it aloud. The Captain: Why do you not comply with that, and keep the seventh day holy ? Te Whiti : We keep a perpetual Sabbath. Captain : I want to enlarge your view?. Sit on the top of yonder whare; look around upon the face of affairs. Look at Europe. Are the preparations for one of the greatest wars the world has ever seen any indication of an approaching millennium. Look at the 700 armed man at your gates. Has Tobu washed off his. war paint ? Have you beaten your e words into plough-shares ? Wben you have done these things you may talk about the noiilenniun).

Te Whiti: If I stole your waistcoat, what would you do ? Captain: Bod you in. Te Whit! : Then why does the Governor steal my land. Captain: I do not know that he does. Te Whiti: Yes he does, and acoording to your own laws we ought to run him in. Captain: I do not come to talk of politics. I want to know why you do not keep tbe Fourth Commandent, if you are the Lost Tribep. Te Whiti: «« Behold the old things have passed away, and all things have become new " Captain: Whose words are those ? Te Whiti : They are the words of Christ. Captain : But Christ said "I do not come to break the law bu( to fulfil it," and that law baa ntver been revoked. Rival Inspiration. Te Whiti: Be careful I I am inspired ! The captain : So am I. (Here Te Whiti'a features assumed an expression of incredulity.) The captain, always fertile in expedients, produced " Anglo Israel's ". Genealogical Tree; illustrating the fact that the English are the descendants of the " Lost Ten Tribes." The formidable document evidently "flabbergasted" the prophet for a moment, but he recovered hie composure and perused the tree ; w|tti deep interest. The Captain : If you, as a native, corresponded with the prophecies, you might claim to be descended from the Ten Tribes. If you were a nation, and more in number than the sands of the sea you might set up a claim to identity ; but your numbers are diminishing, and you are not a powerful nation, as Israel was to be. The English nation, however, Bhow all the points of identity. Te Whiti here went through the genealogy of the Old Testament, and asked, who were the descendants of Joseph ? The Captain : The British. Te Whifci : No ; the Maoris. (Here all present partook of food, and the Captain overcame bis repugnance to rotten shark and other kinds . qf. kai-kai, which . he affected to take with the bame relish as the delicacies of the season). , When the conversation was resumed, the Captain played off a little ruse on the Prophet with the view of testing the accuracy of- his Scriptural knowledge. He asked Te Whiti if he was aware that the material from which tbe horns were made with' which tbe priests trumpeted down the walls of Jerusalem was the same as the Maori calabashes. Te Whiti, the pretentious old sinner, fell into the trap, and replied, " Yes." (The Captain, .of course knew that the horns were rams' horns, and he mentally scored one against the Prophet). The discussion continued till night, when the Captain retired to his virtuous couch in a whare that had been set apart for the accommodation of the interpreter and himself. (7o be continued.')