Sara Bernhardt.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XVIII, Issue 6148, 21 August 1891, Page 3

Sara Bernhardt.

The Auckland Star of Monday says : - It was a weary and woc-begone-looking Sara that smiled at the crowd that assembled on the wharf this morning to greet her. So soon as she could get off whatahe called the " terrible boat," she was on shore, and immediately drove to the Albert Hotel, where she had a bath and breakfast. She was about town during tho day, and attracted a great deal of Attention. Naturally, her opinions on the royage are nofc favorable. Her valet was very nearly washed overboard, being swept from one end of the ship to nnother by a huge wave. The seas swept the ship ceaselessly. Sara was not afraid, but horribly uncomfortable. Madame is naturally delighted with the splendid recoption she obtained everywhere. On her last appearance in Sydney in "La Dame de Camellias," the house, we are told, laughed and wept and cheered with an abandon never before seen. Then the actreas was called forward again and again, as if the audience would never weary of expressing their thanks. Mr J. 0. Williamson, lo whose enterprise It is cliiefly due that Mdme. Beruhardt : and her company have visited Australia, then begged the audience to desist for a 'while in order that some leading members of tho musical and dramatic professions might have Lime to marshal themselves upon tho stage. When the curtain drew up again, whilst the orchestra played the •'Marseillaise," and the tricolor was waved from the upper boxes, Mdme. Bernhardfc was seen, surrounded by the entire French company, and by a goodly number of her English brothers and sisters in art. Miss Myra Kcmble's tall and graceful figure was discerned amongst those foremost in laying tributes at the great artiste's feet. Innumerable baskets of flowers were presented to Mdmo. Bernhardfc amidst indescribable enthusiasm, and at last, as the audience oven at that late hour demanded a speech, M. Kowalski was deputed to speak in Madame's behalf, •when he assured those present that the memory of that happy evening and of all the kindness she had received at the hands , of Australian audiences, would long abide \ in the heart of the divine Sara. Even v then the audience attempted to gefc her to \BX>eak herself, but her emotion was too <gteat. During her stay in town Madame Bcrnhardfe visited the curio shop of Mr Diumoford, in Queen-street, in order to take away with her some fine old Maori carvings which had been procured for her to take to Europe. They are specimens of the most primitive and at the same time Rrtistio native caning, being portions of a Maori patiki or storehouse, and were recently unearthed in a swamp at Wakatiwai, on tho east bank of the Thames River, afe a depth of about six feet. They were buried there it is said, by the Ngatinaru tribe in past y^ars to save them from the conquering Ngapuhi, who were then on a raid on the Thames natives, •iW carving is nearly *11 in relief.' With these carved panels was also found t Maori stona god or idol of peculiar form, Ifc v aboufe 18 inches in lenptb, of hare landetone, and is carved in the semblance of a man's face and form. Madame seeou to take a great interest in the acquisitior &£ 'native .curios, and she haß bought quite - : ■/' ft number of old Maori weapons and mi pj(&menti?i