The Fleet's visit included a trip inland to Rotorua, home of the Maori tribesmen. The fierce Maori were described as "the only savage people in the world never conquered by the white man."
Admiral Sperry was part of the group that made the trip and at the conclusion of one of the dances, a tribesman bounded from the circle of dancers. Halting before the admiral and his staff, the Maori dancer broke into a broad, toothy smile and explained, "bully!" Even among these rustics in the outback of New Zealand, Roosevelt had made his mark, to the great surprise and amusement of Sperry and his staff. The chief had the Admiral dressed in Maori battle dress and described how the Maoris were seafaring people had sailed in canoes all over the Pacific.
A picture of a traditional Maori meeting house
Regards
Sean
