THE GREAT GERMAN TRAVELLER.

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 391, 31 October 1868, Page 4

THE GREAT GERMAN TRAVELLER.

No one probably in New Zealand has more fully experienced the truth of the proverb which tells us that the course of true love never does run smooth, than the " celebrated " German traveller Schafer. Since his arrival in New Zealand, his devotion to the sex has got him on various occasions into hot water. At Nelson he was nearly scared to death by an attempt being made to force him into a duel, which was really only got up in joke, but almost terrified the traveller out of his wits, as he was unconscious of it being anything else bub stern reality. On that occasion he declined " coming up to time," and " travelled," or rather, as our American cousins would say, '-• skedaddled some." He next turns up among the Hau-Haus, and here not only did he become a willing victim to the tender passion, but wooed and won a " nutbrown maid," and was duly wedded in Maori fashion. Incompatibility of disposition, or some other cause, after a short spell of married bliss, created a division between the newly-joined pair, and the result is thus told in a letter describing the visit of a party of Europeans to the Upper Thames, which appeared in the " Auckland Herald" of the 21st insfc. The party were being entertained by a chief named Ropato, who showed them every courtesy. The correspondent thus tells the woes of Schafer :—" In the course of a few minutes, who

should make his appearance but that celebrated individual Mr Schafer, the great pedestrian traveller, who at once commenced a complaint of the treatment he had received at the hands of Ropato and his tribe. Mr Richard Matthews, who was present amongst the visitors, at once brought his knowledge of Maori into use, and explained to Ropato the expressed dissatisfaction of Mr Schafer. The chief at once requested us to adjourn to a more commodious building, in order that the difference between himself and Mr Schafer might be discussed. We adjourned accordingly to a neighbouring whare, we found a table and some bunks erected, the latter furnishing seats for the occasion. Mr Schafer tnen stated his grievance as follows: ■" That he bad been living amongst the tribe for a period of two months, and that shortly after his arrival in the settlement he had allotted to him a young Maori lady in marriage. That they had lived \ery happily together until recently, when his fair lady, without assigning any reason for so doing, expressed a wish to leave him. In consequence of this she had been taken away by her parents. The lady in question was then sent for by the chief, and immediately made her appearance. She is a young lady of very modest appearance, and remarkably good looking. She informed us in excellent English that her name was Lizzy, that she was fifteen years of age, and that she had only left Mrs Kissling's school nine months, and that she was a near relative to the chief Ropata. After some discussion, it was decided with the concurrence of all present — of which the natives formed by far the larger portion—that a jury should be ■empanelled, consisting of lour natives ■and four Europeans, to be selected by Mr Schafer and his wife respectively. The names of the Europeans who took part in perhaps the most remarkable trial on record were Messrs C. F. •Quint, Captain Ellis, R. M. Perston, and Richard Mathews. Some delay was caused in electing four Maori jurors, as Schafer objected to some of those present. The question was ultimately decided by sending for four who were not present Mr Quint was ■elected foremai of the jury, Mr Matthews acting in the capacity of juror and mediator between the parties, Jack a native, was appointed interpreter. Lizzy was first questioned, and stated as follows :—" I don't wish to live with him (Schafer) now. He has a shawl of mine. I have a ring of Schafer's." In answer to Schafer, she stated that Schafer had given her father £2, that her father had given it to her, and that she had bought a pig with it, which Schafer had helped to eat. She also stated that Schafer had brought with him when he came cwt. of flour, 3 lbs. of tea, 2 lbs. of coffee, some candles, and some cooking utensils. Schafer admitted having given hizzj the ring, but said that he had not given her the shawl He denied that the pig had been purchased with the £2, and alleged that they were still owing to him by the girl's father. The father had also in his possession a blanket which Schafer claimed to have returned, and expressed his willingness to leave his wife in the settlement, upon having the ring, the £2, the shawl, and cooking utensils returned. The father stated that he had given the blanket to a boatman, for bringing Schafer's traps to the settlement. Mrs Ropata said that as she had cooked for Schafer the whole time he had been in the settlement, she thought she was fairly entitled to retain the cooking utensils, which were of a very trifling value. From further evidence obtained somewhat promiscuously, it appears that some time back the cutter had gone up to the settlement in charge of two Europeans ; that Mrs Schafer had been enticed on board ; that Schafer felt proportionately aggrieved, and went on board to induce her to return, but was unable to persuade her. A scuffle then ensued between Schafer and the man on board the cutter, in which Schafer received, as he alleged, severe injuries. A neighbouring chief hearing of this, called together his tribe, and held counsel, when it was decided that Schafer had really received very slight injury—in fact, nothing more serious than a smack in the face. council decided that Schafer should leave the settlement, for being a nuisance, and disturbing its otherwise peaceful repose, and likewise that he should take his wife with him, the chief considering that he (Schafer) was as legally married according to the Maori custom as if he had been married by a priest. Schafer's wife's friends refuse to allow her to go with him, and he refused to leave the settlement without her things being returned to him. Before this noted trial took place, Mrs Ropata, we may observe, accused the illustrious German stranger of being very partial to ladies' society, and accounted for the disagreement that had

been caused between his wife and himself through jealousy on his part. Returning to the trial, it was shown in the course of evidence that Schafer had been supplied with a whare, and that he had furnished nothing towards his own and his wife's support beyond the few things already mentioned. The jury then retired into the open air to consider their verdict, and after a short deliberation unanimously decided—lst. That Lizzie should retain the ring. 2nd. That the shawl should be returned. 3rd. That the cooking utensils should be retained by Mrs Ropata. They also decided that the £2 should not be returned to Schafer, and that Schafer was not entitled to the blankets ; that Schafer should leave the settlement on the following day ; and that he should be taken by the Maoris in a canoe on board the steamer Clyde. The verdict was delivered in both English and Maori, and appeared to give very general satisfaction. The party then adjourned to Ropata's house, in the presence of Schafer and Lizzy, and examined Schafer's boxes, in which the shawl was discovered which was given to Lizzy. The boxes were then carried by two of the jury to Schafer's whare. We must not omit to mention that the whole proceedings connected with this memorable trial were conducted with the most rigid decorum." Subsequently the divorced Don Juan was put on board the Clyde, and conveyed to Auckland. Where and what shall we hear of him next.

Spc aking of the simultaneous rifle matches which recently took place in England, the" Volunteer Service Gazette " pays the following compliment to the successful Sydney marksmen :—We heartily congratulate Private Stephen Lynch and Private J. Bushelle, both of the Sydney Volunteers, on their obtaining the two first prizes. Nor must we omit to mention another, Corporalß. Brownlow, who takes the fifth place in the first match. The high honor of these successes will, we doubt not, be appreciated at the antipodes, where the names of the world-renowned shots in contest with whom they have been so well won, must be sufficiently familiar, among riflemen. The Wellington correspondent of the New Zealand Herald writes ; "Dr Featherstone, who has been ill and confined to his bed during the whole of the seson, is at length able to take carriage drives. The loss of the eloquence and personal influence of this remarkable man has been greatlv felt by the opposition. His influence is very extensive, and those who oppose him in politics have, I know, a very high opinion of his wisdom. lam able to give you the details of a conversation which took place here between Dr Featherstone and Sir George Grey a few hours before the departure of the ex-Governor for England. I believe there were only two persons besides those eminent men present on that occasion. Naturally, at such a time, the reminiscences of public life turned the conversation towards the existing political condition of the country, and the questions at this moment agitating the country and parliament. The intention, the ultimate purpose, the opinions of those who framed the constitution, were, I understand, freely discussed. The conversation closed with the following remarkable words uttered by Sir George Grey—' I much fear that the complications which must proceed from the conduct of Mr Stafford will lead to the ruin of every sort of prosperity in the colony for years to come —even to financial embarrassment and disgrace.' These may yet prove to be memorable words."