The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1865-07-19
a New Zealand "Sorceror."

The special correspondent Of the London
I Morning Post IN New Zealand saws: The
belief IN witchcraft IS universally prevalent
among the Maori race The most inteili-
gent chiefs believe In il. and they not ash
AIMED 10 avow that belief in public. Less
surprise VIII Doe felt at this bv those who re-
member The records OF criminal iurisnru-
leuce bearing ON this point AZ homo. and
Tie proofs that this form OF superstition is
no, extinct, In England Most oi the Maori
prisoners who died on board the hulk be-
f leved themselves 10 he the victims Of witch
craft. They were lahoring under no dis
ease but they refused all sustenance. ana
died Of terror and weakness L. Europe.
This dreaded power usually belonged % the
weaker sex; but here Il is confined 10 men,
usually stalwIrt fellows whom few would
care % attack. There has been much sick
ness among The ratiyes lately-the result,
probably. of insufficient food one south
ern tribe in particular. has suffered greatly
from this cause. The mortality was as
crhed 10 the haneful influence of 4 sorceror.
who wished % destroy the tribe and make
himself herr 90 their possessions. To avoid
this IL was resolved that the sorccrOr should
oe pat 10 death. but The question was how
was this to Doe done. Few cared 20 attack
q man possessed OF great strength and su-
pernalural power. The wisest course would
he To cut him of 10y poison. \ Quanutyof
sirychnne was bought. and one OF his
friends undertook 10 mix IL IN a bottle of
waip0rs or rum. which he promised 10 give
him. From terror. or perhaps from bette-
feeling. bis friend RETAINED from mixing
The strychniue with the rum. but concealed
this from the tribe. who waited very ana
OuSy for The result. IL was evident that
he had drank the rum. The symptoms of
its intoxicating power were unmistakable
But he did not die. Here was "A fresh proof
that he was sorceror. and poison could
not touch him; he must be put 10 death in
some other way. The tomakawk might
have more effect than The strychn.ne. two
members of the tribe were chosen 10 con-
duct this experiment. While one OF them
engaged him in conversation the other stOlo
behind his back and struck him on the head
with his tOmahawk The blow was mortal;
the mighty s0rcerOr was powerless forever,
ANA great va, thc rejoicing IN the tribe.
The sick soon recovered on learning that
the cause OF their sickness was removed.
soon after the intelligence OF this event
reached the nearest magistrate. who re-
solved 10 appreheed the murderer aud bring
him 10 justice. This. however, was no easy
task As he well knew. The tribe was not
shown on many occasions that they had lit
tie respect for British law. still his duty
IN the matter was evident, and he did not
shrink from Il. Accompanied by a native
policeman, be went 10 the village where the
murderer resided. and demanded his sur
render. About two hundred armed men, with
The chlei AZ their head. assembled % meet
him. He was treated with respect. but
they refused 10 give up the murderer; they
even denied that murder had been com
w'tei. The magistrate quoted Blackstone,
out The tribe declared they knew no ON Pa
Eeha of that name. He then quoted book
familiar 10 them all "WhOsO shedleih
mans blood, 10y man shall bis blood DO
shed. The chief opened his bible, and
read another passage 10 the effect that no
witch shall be suffered 10 live. Here was
law superior - all Pakeha law which just
lied the deed he had done. The man hc
/ denounced as a murderer had been merely
the instrument Of Divine justice. The mag
stTate was more versed In law than theolO-
", bu- be did nor dspair, he only shifted
| ls ground. That MAXIM" be said,
was once in force; IL formed part OF the
/ Mosaic law. and IL has now been set aside
/ by the law OF the Gospel The chief,
nothing dauntel, quoted the passage in tho
New Testament where witchcrAn is de-
nounc0d as one Of the deadly sins. Mean
while his followers began 10 brandish their
/ tomahawks; they admired his logic--they
we're only impatient that so many words
should be wasted where the point was so
clear. The magistrate did not deem tho
moment advisable Tor pushing his argu-
ment any further, and left the ield OF VIC
/ tory 10 his opponents. The murderer Is
SIN at large aud likely TO remain so. have
related this incident because II serves 10
show that a little biblical knowledge is often
a dangerous thing and that the present re-
lations between Pakeha and Maori leave
much 90 be desired