FUNERAL OF QUEEN CHARLOTTE OF TONGA.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 22358, 24 September 1889, Page 2

FUNERAL OF QUEEN CHARLOTTE OF TONGA.

Writing from Nnkmlofa trades data September 12, the Tongan correspondent of the " New Zealand Herald " jsays :— Slnoe I'laat wrote things have transpired with great rapidity In Tonga. Tbe land Is agiln In a s.ate of mourning on aooount of the death of Queen Charlotte, who diod last Sunday, September 8, 1889. She bad been ailing for some time, and great fearo were entertained whether at her extreme age she would have strength to rally. The ex»ot date of her birth li not known, bat as she has been married upwards of 50 years, and was a young womw m her prime when married ihe li supposed to be abont 75 years of age. She was talking to some of her attendant! and suddenly felt faint, and falling back into the arms cf one of her ohlef women ( expired. He death therefore wai alto* gather unexpected, si there wai no pro* monition of «ny thing taking place. She having taken her meals as usual, and It is not to be wondered at that the greatest oonsternatlon prevailed. It Is a matter of regret that even His Majesty wai not present, and that she was not able to say a few parting words to him and her tela» tlves and friend?. Am soon as His Majesty was offiolally informed of her death, he gave Instructions to the Premier not to allow any of the relios of the native heathen onstoms m oonneotion with the dead to take plaoe, suoh as bringing pro* sents to the relatives of the deceased, native feasts, and the tangl whloh alwayi aooompanies Buoh occasions;

Saving the Immediate relatives of the Qaeen, and the native undertakers, nobody was allowed to have aooess to the pavilion where the body was laid In atate. The pwlllon yard was guarded d»y and night by sentries, and also by detaohments of the police. From sunset to sunrise eaoh night tbe whole of the pavilion yard was Ulair^tnated with thougandn of lamps, native; lamps apd festival lamps of various oolon and e'zjs. The effeot was very pleasing, and presented quite a contrast to the sombre mourning of oai own land on mob oooaslonß.

At the Premier's request the Qaeen wai barled In Tongatabu, and was not taken to the Royal graveyard at Kiapat, there being very few native vessels In harbor at the tlnn, the wind being also very strong and dead ahetd, and as there wai no graveyard Id Tongatoba or chief vault fit for snob, a royal person, a neir grave mount was erected m Nukualofa by the Premier, and built of coral, .and Is by far tho finest ploco of work of the kind laths islands. In the middle of it tho royal vault waa built, and being' fiulahed'aeQojding to native ouatom, presented a very gleaslng appearance. On Tqeaday afternoon the funeral took plaoe. The prooeailon, on leaving the Palaoe gcoands, was headed by the Government Bind, playing the "D)ad Maroh m Saul," after whloh o*rae a detaohmenk of the guards drawing the gan* carriage on whloh waa placed the body of tha deceased Qaeen, wrapped m mats of oostly value, preoeded by the Ray B. Watkln, Presldant of the E*«o Oaaroh ©£ TongiJ who officiated on the Cooasioril I'hen oama (tie Pebmlec of 'Conga, one of th<s K(ng p B aides, de-oamp, also the BrUiah and Qernjaß Q6csulb, Qove'cnment Q^olali, aqd » Urge number of foreign residents. The road to the burial ground waa lined by boys from the Government College, As the prooei* ulon left the Palaoa a detaohment fiom Sis Majesty's Gimds fired minute gans, Several. tliQcaß,nd people wa»a present at the grave. ;^ole old King waa also present^ and oonald-nlnp; the trying olrcuoißtaaqQa,,' b,qr§ it ma'nfqlly, gfe^teifc decorum ai|Cl goleiaalty prevailed, the greategk

sympathy oaing tun oy >uu »■»»» uuuuuacio of people for the old King ta h!i u3 bereavement. At the conception of iht lervloa a detaohment of tlfti gqaidl fjftd I Wlota of tt|t«e volleyi, *' 7