MISCELLANEOUS EXTRACTS.

Wellington Independent, Volume XVIII, Issue 1998, 19 December 1863, Page 4

MISCELLANEOUS EXTRACTS.

The New Zealand Chieftains at the ! Ashley Down Orphan Asylum, Bristol. — On Thursday afternoon, six of the New Zealand chiefs, accompanied by Mr \V. Jenkins, Mr Lloyd, and Mr Lightband (interpreters), paid a visit to one of Mr Muller's Orphan Houses (No. 3), that being the usual visiting day for that particular bouse. The whole of the extensive range of buildings was traversed, the arrangements drawing forth demonstrations of approval from the distinguished visitors. Especially did they admire the children's toy shop, an apartment appropriated for the sale of toys and other useful articles of a cheap description, the children not being allowed to go into town to make purchases. The play-room, kitchen, store-room, and lavatory also proved attractions, but the chieftains would not be satisfied, and were exceedingly restless until they were brought face to face with 450 orphan girls who are the inmates of the house. As usual they were to befouudintheh schoolrooms, on entering the first of which the countenances of the children beamed with joy. It should be stated that the New Zealanders generally are passionately fond of their children, and we can say for the chiefs now visiting Bristol that they are worthy representatives of their race in this respect. On the arrival of the long train of visitors in the schoolroom the children were put through their exercises and " signs" by one of their instructresses, and then sang a number of lively pieces, which delighted the chieftains beyond measure. In obedience to the wishes of the juveniles they did not hesitate for a moment to address them in their native tongue. Wharepapa first stepped forward, and, through Mr Jenkins, said he felt great ontgoings of love towards them. He had heard that they were all orphans and had no parents, but notwithstanding this, God loved them, and he had put it into the hearts ot others to love them. When he came into the house that afternoon hebegau to read witbin himself, and he felt that he possessed nothing of true religion in comparison to those who had founded that establishment. The children in his country, among their own tribes were almost entirely neglected. There were no schools- of that description in New Zealand. If they could all see bis heart and read what was there they would perhaps understand what he felt, but it was quite impossible for him to tell them all he felt that afternoon, and therefore they must take the will for the deed. Keihand, another chief, said he wanted to tell them how he had received some of the same benefits that they had received. He spoke with reference to the things of God as written in His Holy Word. He had received some good although he lived in a distant land, Their tribes were formerly strangers to God and to religion, but now, through the bloodshedding of Christ, they were become one, through Christ Jesus, and they looked upon them (the children) as sisters in Jesus. The chieftains then, at the request of Mr Jenkins, sang a verse of the 42nd hymn in the native collection, in excellent time, and with much feeling, to the tune of the Old Hundredth. They afterwards repeated the Lord's Prayer iv their own language, in a manner so fervent and emotional that many of the party were deeply moved. Mr Jenkins then offered a few remarks and after expressing the pleasure the chieftains and himself had experienced in theii visit, said he had no doubt the visit of the New Zealanders would be productive of great benefit after their return to New Zealand. He had been conversing with some of the chieftains, and he was sure from the observations they had made to him that henceforth they would behave more kindly towards the children of their own people, and open some schools such as that. Hitherto they had rather neglected their education. They were so excessively fond of their children that they did not like them to go out of their sight, and thej kept them at home in preference to sending them to school. But he bad every reason to believe that such could not be the case after they returned home. On entering the second schoolroom the children were addressed by an aged chief— Paratene— who was frequently affected to tears, in language somewhat similar to that used by his companions. The tour of the premises was at length completed, but not till some half hour had elapsed beyond the usual time. The delay was caused by the urgent demands of the teachers and visitors for the autographs of the chieftains, which they obligingly supplied so far as they were able. Th c chieftains proved great favorites with the ladies, who pressed so eagerly arouud them and were so importunate in their entreaties, that the chiefs could not be ungallant enough to refuse them. Their cartes de visile were also eagerly bought up, the purchasers being principally young ladies. — Western Daily Press. A Duel between Ladies. — On Monday several ladies, while on a visit to a friend's house, a short distance from Grey's Ferry, were amusing themselves by singing and dancing, when one of them a resident of Baltimore, sang a verse of the " Bonny Blue Flag;" one of the other ladies jestingly said, " You're a rebel," at which another commenced the Southern Marseillaise ; when it was finished, the lady who had been called a rebel said, " I wish we had pistols, I'd fight a duel with you for calling me a rebel." At this, a daughter of the gentleman at whose house they were, said, "We have pistols in the house, but they are not loaded." They were brought, and iv order to give it the form of a duel, distances were measured in the room, the ladies took their places, word was given, one, twoj three,fwhen tlie lady wholbad called the other "rebel," said " I will sit in this chair as I wish to die easy." Word wus again given and the Baltimore lady, who had a self cocking pistol, pulled the trigger, and bang went the pistol, a piercing scream was beard, and in an instant the room was filled with the members of the family, when it was discovered that two of the ladies had swooned; the Baltimore lady was standing motionless, and the one who wished to " die easy," sitting pale with tenor in her chair ; one ball had passed through her dress on the left side, grazing the skin, while in the leaf of a table on which she rested her arm were eight distinct shotholes, and one bullet embedded in the wood. The pistol had been loaded by a boy on the 4th of July, but the charge had not been fiied. The ladies were soon restored to consciousness, and commenced to realise the danger of meddling with firearms, a warning, it is needless to say, they will not disregard for the future. Melancholy Narrative. — Mr Hobby, a native of Bath, a cbaii maker, his wife, and a family of six, left their native place some months previously for a town in Algiers; but fuiliDg in their expectations, they wished to return to England, and applied to the British Consul, who introduced them to Captain Montgomerie, the master of the Robert Drupe, of Ardrossan, a schooner of 112 tons, which was the only vessel then in that port bound to London, The captain states that, from h feeling of compassion for them, he undertook to give the whole family a passage to England for £14; but he represents that he expended £17 in pur chasing additional stores at Algiers. There were two spare bunks in the cabin, divided from that part used by the captain and mate, for the accomodation of the wife and daughters, and the spare bunlis on the forecastle were alloted to the father and sons. The schooner put to sea on the sth August, and owing to the weather being warm, it is stated that the family wished to be berthed in tke longboat, which stood on deck. Their desire was complied with, an awning being erected over the boat to afford I some shelter, A day or so after the voyage I

commenced, the family suffered much from sea sickness; and the weather setting in bad, they ■ gradually grew more, exhausted from violentand continued sea sickness, and several of them were seized with ague. The captain states that he J had fresh provisions up to when the vessel was off Cape St. Vincent, but neither the parents nor children could be induced to take solid food ; they preferred tea. He also states that they were often persuaded to leave the boat and go to the bunks in the cabin and forecastle, but they refused. At eight p.m., on the 25th August, George Hobbs, the eldest son, eighteen years of age died in the boat from exhaustion i consequent on sea sickness, and on the following day the body was buried- Three days afterwards, on the evening of the 27tb, another of the children, Emily, aged five years, expired in the boat; and at midnight the same day, the third child, Richard Hobbs, nine years of age, breathed his last, and in the morning the two bodies were committed to the deep. The father and mother and remaining three children still kept in (he boat, and the captain states that all his remonstrances failed in inducing them to leave it. He provided what nourishment he could for them, but he had much difficulty in getting them to take anything. They still preferred tea. Rough weather was met with in coming up the Channel ; and on the night of the 3rd instant, when the vessel was between Dungeness and Dover, Elizabeth Hobbs, the eldest daughter, aged sixteen, was released from her sufferings. On the schooner arriving at the Dorms, the Violat lugger, of Deal, was hailed, and the captain of the schooner desired the parents, the two surviving children, and the corpse of the young^girl to be takeu on shore, The lugger's crew state that they found the survivors in a most dreadful state of exhaustion, and it is very doubtful whether they could have lived if they had gone on with the vessel to London. The lugger took the poor creatures ashore at Deal, as also the body of the girl. The survivors received the medical aid and attention which their lamentable state required, aud are gradually (recovering. The gill was burjed in the cemetery at Deal. Fatal Accieent to an Officer of H.M.S. Edgar. — The inquest on the remains of SubLieutenant Clarence Gardner, of the flagship Edgar, was held by Mr A. Markham, coroner, in the Court-house at Carrickfergus, on Saturday. It appeared from the evidence that the deceased and Mr Haltersley, a brother officer, opened the door of the compartment in which they were and got upon the roof of the carriage, that they run and jumped from one carriage to another while the train was iv motion, that they returned to their carriage for a few minutes, and then went up on the roof again, contrary to the remonstrances of some officers who were in the same carriage ; that Hattersley leaped from the roof of a carriage to the tender, and fell among the coals, and it was supposed the deceased fell between the carriages while attempting the same freak, aud was instantaneously killed. His companion, not seeing him any more, supposed that he had returned to the carriage, to which he went to enquire for him when the train stopped at Carrickfergus. He then went back a short distance upon the line, and found the body as described in a former letter. It wus dark when the train got to Carrickfergus. Mr Hattersiey said they had no object in getting on the roof of the carriages except a mere lark. They were seen on the roof by the engine-driver, and the guard saw them running on the carriages while the train was going rather rapidly. They had to pass over six carriages to the engine. It was at the request of Samuel M'Garrell, the guard, that they resumed their seats in the carriage, and when they appeared on the roof again he could not slop the train. None of ihe carriage doors were locked. Dr W. H. Patrick deposed that he examined the body of the deceased. The skull was fractured, also the left i arm below the shoulder, and several of the i fingers of the left hand were cut off. The fracture of the skull was the immediate cause of death. The jury after twenty minntes' deliberation, brought in a verdict according to these facts — that the deceased came by his death '• by i incautiously and imprudently going on the roofs of the carriges while in motion, after having , been cautioned not to do so, from which he fel and was accidentally killed, &c."