170 



Scientijic Intelligence, 



toin of the vessel was covered with little pieces of earthenware, neatly 

 fitted to each other like mosaic work, possibly designed to protect human 

 ashes, of which, however, there were only doubtful traces beneath. The 

 hostility of one of the petty native officials at Takulghat prevented the 

 excayations from being as complete as had been intended, and it Was all 

 along felt that they should be resumed when a favourable opportunity 

 presented itself. A couple of months ago, Mr Temple, the chief commis- 

 sioner at Nagpore, who had succeeded to the authority of the deceased 

 Rajah, was encamped four miles from Takulghat, and, feeling that the time 

 had come for paying renewed attention to the stone circles, wrote request- 

 ing Mr Hislop to join him and superintend a new series of excavations. 

 The missionary in consequence set off for Takulghat on the 3d Septem- 

 ber, and aided Mr Temple during that day and the next. As the night 

 of the 4th approached, Mr Temple left first for his camp, and Mr Hislop 

 was to follow when he had gathered up the trophies and examined a school 

 in the neighbouring village. It was the depth of the monsoon, and, 

 though no rain had fallen at Takulghat, it must have done so very heavily 

 somewhere in the vicinity. In consequence, Mr Temple, on reaching the 

 backwater of a river, which had been quite shallow in the morning, found 

 it 10 feet deep. He left behind him a native to warn Mr Hislop of his 

 danger, and conduct him to a ford some distance higher up the stream. 

 When night fell the native left his post, and went back nominally to 

 meet the missionary. Two horsemen left at Takulghat, as an escort were 

 also missing when the hour of departure came. Mr Hislop, thus un- 

 warned, rode up to the fatal post, unattended, at a canter, and was im- 

 mersed before he suspected danger was near. There were indications to 

 show that he must have been thrown from his horse, as the animal was 

 plunging in the water. Alone, and under the cloud of night, he struggled 

 hard with his destiny. But all his efforts were unavailing to avert the 

 fatal result. When, two hours later, his horse appeared in Mr Temple's 

 camp without a rider, alarm was excited, and parties having been sent 

 out to scour the jungle, the body of the missing missionary was found in 

 comparatively shallow water, still holding with a death-grasp handfuls of 

 grass, showing that he had succeeded at one period in reaching the bank, 

 but been too feeble to raise himself from the water. 



Mr Hislop was tall, wiry, and able to endure astonishing fatigue. His 

 natural and moral courage were heroic. None could long associate with 

 him without being constrained to admire his fortitude and decision of 

 character. His powers of observation were of the first order. His mind 

 was unimaginative, but logical and painstaking in no ordinary degree. 

 His general knowledge was extensive. He could address a native au- 

 dience in Mahratta with much efi'ect, and had preached in that tongue 

 through a great part of Central India, enlivening the tedium of the 

 journeys (mostly performed on foot) from village to village, b}^ geologising 

 as he went along. His personal piety was deep and sincere, and he pos- 

 sessed much influence over the Europeans, as well as the natives of 

 Central India. He leaves a wife and four children. An obituary notice 

 of him, from the pen of Professor T. Rupert Jones, in the November 

 number of " The Geologist," concludes with these remarkable words : — 

 " Taken away suddenly from his family, his friends, and his native church 

 and schools, he will live in our memory as a beloved man, just and good, 

 and as an acute observer, cautious and conscientious, not courting praise, 

 nor even notice, but delighting in work and truth, as a loving student of 

 nature, and a faithful servant of God." 



Mr P. A. Muyich, the Historian of Norway. — The following notice 



