“Two sawyers, Frank Philps and Jack Mulholland, were engaged cutting timber for the Rev. R. Maunsell, at the mouth of the Awaroa Creek, a very lonely place, a vast swamp, no people within miles of them. As usual, they had a Maori with them to assist in felling trees. He came from Tihorewam, a village on the other side of the river, about six miles off. As Frank and the native were cross-cutting a tree, the native stopped suddenly and said, ‘What are you come for?’ looking in the direction of Frank. Frank replied, ‘What do you mean?’ He said, ‘I am not speaking to you; I am speaking to my brother.’ Frank said, ‘Where is he?’ The native replied, ‘Behind you. What do you want?’ (to the other Maori). Frank looked round and saw nobody; the native no longer saw any one, but laid down the saw and said, ‘I shall go across the river; my brother is dead.’ Frank laughed at him, and reminded him that he had left him quite well on Sunday (five days before), and there had been no communication since. The Maori spoke no more, but got into his canoe and pulled across. When he arrived at the landing-place, he met people coming to fetch him. His brother had just died. I knew him well.”
In answer to inquiries as to his authority for this narrative, Mr. Fenton writes the editors of Phantasms of the Living:—
“December 18th, 1883.
“I knew all the parties well, and it is quite true. Incidents of this sort are not infrequent among the Maoris.
“F. D. Fenton,
“Late Chief Judge, Native Law Court of New Zealand.”
The following case was first published in the Spiritual Magazine in 1861, by Robert H. Collyer, M. D., F. C. S.
Although published in a spiritual publication, Dr. Collyer states that he himself is not a believer in spiritualism, but, on the contrary, is a materialist and has been for forty years.
He writes from Beta House, 8 Alpha Road, St. John’s Wood, N. W.:—
“April 15th, 1861.