OBITUARY OF PARU, 
284 
face ; and a whole host of friends, at a little di- 
stance, talking loudly, and with seeming gladness, 
at the prospect [of tlie removal of him who lay 
before them. Their conversation was of the most 
unfeeling character ; such as, where he should be 
buried ; liow many muskets or blankets should 
be buried with him ; how they would act at the 
final removal of his bones ; and the probable 
size of the coffins he would require, at his first 
burial, and after liis exliumation. On my visit to 
liim, the day of his death, I found the usual noisy 
company ; and tlie above were tlie common topics 
of conversation in wliich these “ miserable com- 
forters ’’ engaged. I spoke to them of the cruelty 
of such conduct ; but they laughed at the idea. I 
tlien turned to tlie forlorn patient, and found him 
struggling hard for breath, whilst the sweat of 
death was upon him. He retained the full use 
of his senses to the last ; but this was to him, em- 
phatically, the valley of the shadow of death. I 
spoke to him of a Saviour, able and willing to 
save liim even then, if he would only call upon 
him for salvation ; but he ‘grew angry ; the ex- 
pression of his countenance was changed ; and he 
told me, that “ from his birth he had lived a native 
man, and a native man he would die.” He became 
more calm when I asked him where he expected 
his spirit would go, after death ; and, whether he 
thought he should be happy or miserable, in the 
world which is to come. The doctrine of a future 
existence is one in which all the New Zealanders 
