Obituary JsToHce. 319 



the 19th instant, in order to accompany him across the mountain to 

 Hilo? How was it that Mr. Douglas should fall into a pit when re- 

 tracing his steps, after he had once passed it in safety? And, if a bul- 

 lock had already fallen into the pit, how was it that he did not see the 

 hole necessarily made in the covering? It was, therefore, thought due 

 to the friends of Mr. Douglas, and to the public, whom he had so zeal- 

 ously and usefully served, that an examination should be made of his 

 body by medical men. The only way to have this eft'ected was by pre- 

 serving the body, and either sending it to Oahu, or keeping it until it 

 could be examined at Hilo. The former plan seemed most desirable. 

 Accordingly, the contents of the abdomen were removed, the body tilled 

 with salt, and placed in a coffin, which was filled up with salt; and the 

 whole was enclosed in a box filled with brine. After the body was laid 

 in the coffin, the members of the mission family and several foreigners 

 assembled to pay their tribute of respect to the mortal remains of the 

 deceased: prayers were offered up, and a brief address was made. 

 These services being concluded, the body was removed to a cool native 

 house, where it was enclosed in the box. 



"As neither the guides nor any natives had arrived by the 16th inst., 

 two foreigners were despatched to the place where the body was re- 

 ceived on the sea-shore, with directions to search out the natives who 

 discovered the body, to go with them to the pit, and, after making 

 as full inquiries as possible, to report at Hilo immediately. So far as 

 could be ascertained, the guide was an Englishman, a convict from 

 Botany Bay, who left a vessel at the Sandwich Islands some years pre- 

 viously: he had a wife and one child with him, to which circumstance 

 was attributed his delay. In the meantime, it was feared that the cap- 

 tain could not convey the remains of Mr. Douglas to Honolulu, as his 

 vessel was filled with wood, canoes, food, &c. 



" In the afternoon, however, Edward Gurney, the English guide, ar- 

 rived. He stated that, on the I'ith instant, about ten minutes before 

 six o'clock in the morning, Mr. Douglas arrived at his house on the 

 mountain, and wished him to point out the road to Hilo, and to accom- 

 pany him a short distance. Mr. Douglas was then alone, but said that 

 his man had given out the day before; referring, probably, to John, Mr. 

 Diell's colored man. Having taken breakfast, Edward accompanied 

 Mr. Douglas about three quarters of a mile; and, after directing him in 

 the path, and warning him of the traps, proceeded about half a mile 

 further with him. Mr. Douglas then dismissed the guide, after expres- 

 sing his anxiety to reach Hilo by evening, thinking that he could find 

 out the way himself. Just before Edward left him, he warned him par- 

 ticularly of three bullock-traps, about two miles and a half ahead; two 

 of them directly on the road, the other on one side. 



" Edward now returned home to skin some bullocks which he had 

 previously killed. About eleven o'clock, two natives came in pursuit 

 of him, saying that the European was dead, and that they had found 

 him in the pit in which the bullock was. They stated that, as they 

 were coming up to this pit, one of them, observing some of the clothing 

 on the side, exclaimed " Lole!'' and, in a moment afterwards, discov- 

 ered Mr. Douglas within the pit, trampled under the feet of the bul- 

 lock. Edward accordingly ran to the house for a musket and ball. 

 On reaching the pit, he found Mr. Douglas lying upon his right side, 

 and the bullock standing upon his body. He shot the animal, de- 

 scended into the pit, drew the carcass to the other end of it, and got 

 out the body of the poor traveller. His cane was with him, but the 

 bundle and dog were missing. Edward, knowing that he had a bundle, 

 asked for it. After a few moments' search, a loud barking was heard 

 at a short distance ahead, on the road leading to Hilo; and, on reaching 



