'"
MR. BARRAUD. "A curious idea: they have many such. I remember an
anecdote of a chief who lost a son for whom he grieved greatly; but
one day a European met him, and observed he was very merry: he
accosted him, and inquired the cause of so sudden a discontinuance
of his grief. The chief replied, he had passed a bush some few days
previously, when his late son, who had inserted himself into the
body of a little Tikan bird, whistled to him, and bade him dry up
his tears, as he felt perfectly satisfied with the quarters he then
occupied. 'Shall I grieve at his happiness?' added the old man."
DORA. "There is a sweet simplicity about that little story which
prepossesses me in favor of these New Zealanders, although they were
once such horrible cannibals. Do they not tattoo very much?"
MR. WILTON. "The art of tattooing has been brought to such
perfection here, that it actually excites admiration. It is looked
upon as answering the same purposes as clothes. When a chief throws
off his mats, he seems as proud of displaying the beautiful
ornaments figured on his skin, as a civilized dandy does of his
fashionable attire. Mr. Earle speaks of a man named Aranghie, a
professor of the art of tattooing, thus:--'He was considered by his
countrymen a perfect master in the art, and men of the highest rank
and importance were in the habit of travelling long journeys, in
order to put their skins under his skilful hands. Indeed, so highly
were his works esteemed, that I have seen many of his drawings
exhibited even after death.
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