1834, JULY. LETTER TO R. CHARLTON, ESQ. 321 



unsuccessful, as the cargo is already taken in, consisting of wood, canoes, 

 food, &c. It is barely possible that a consent may yet be obtained ; but 

 if not, you must be so kind as to dictate what course is to be pursued. 

 Should you deem it advisable to come up in person, we think that the 

 body will be in such a state of preservation, as will admit of its being 

 examined upon your arrival. Meanwhile, we shall take all possible pains 

 to procure information. The principal part of Mr. D.'s baggage, his 

 trunks, instruments, &c. are in Mr. Goodrich's possession, who will take 

 care of them, subject to your order. Three o'clock p.m. Edward Gurney, 

 the Englishman spoken of before, has arrived, and our minds are greatly 

 relieved, as to the probable way in which the fatal event was brought 

 about. He states that on the 12th instant,- about ten minutes before 

 six in the morning, Mr. D. arrived at his house on the mountain, and 

 wished him to point out the road, and go a short distance with him. Mr. 

 D. was then alone, but said that his man had gone out the day before 

 (this man was probably John, Mr. Diell's coloured man). After taking 

 breakfast, Ned accompanied Mr. D. about three quarters of a mile, and 

 after directing him in the path, and warning him of the traps, went on 

 about half a mile further with him. Mr. D. then dismissed him, after 

 expressing an anxious wish to reach Hido by evening, thinking he could 

 find out the way himself. Just before Ned left him, he warned him 

 particularly of three bullock-traps, about two miles and a half a-head, 

 two of them lying directly in the road, the other on one side, as exhibited 

 in the following rude sketch [p. 322]. 



" Ned then parted with Mr. D. and went back to skin some bullocks 

 which he had previously killed. About eleven o'clock, two natives came 

 in pursuit of him, and said that the European was dead ; that they had 

 found him in the pit where a bullock was. They mentioned, that as they 

 were approaching this pit, one of them, observing some of the clothing 

 on the side, exclaimed Lole, but in a moment afterwards discovered Mr. D. 

 in the cave, trampled under the beast's feet. They immediately hastened 

 back for Ned, who, leaving his work, ran into the house for a musket, 

 ball, and hide ; and on arriving at the pit, found the bullock standing 

 upon poor Douglas' body, which was lying on the right side. He shot 

 the animal, and after drawing it to one side of the pit, succeeded in extri- 

 cating the corpse. Douglas' cane was there, but not his dog and bundle : 

 Ned knowing that he had the latter with him, asked for it. After a 

 few moments' search, the dog was heard to bark, at a little distance 

 a-head on the road to Hido. On coming up to the spot, indicated by 

 No. 4, the dog and bundle were found. On further scrutiny, it appeared 

 that Mr. D. had stopped for a moment and looked at the empty pit, No. 

 1, and also at that where the cow was ; and that after proceeding about 

 fifteen fathoms up the hill, he had laid down his bundle and returned to 

 the side of the pit where the bullock was entrapped, No. 3, and which 

 was situated on the side of the pond opposite to that along which the 

 road runs ; and that whilst looking in, by making a false step, or some 

 other fatal accident, he fell into the power of the infuriated animal, which 

 speedily executed the work of death. The body was covered in part 



