THE LATE COMMODORE CRACROFT.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 6, Issue 334, 21 December 1865, Page 2

THE LATE COMMODORE CRACROFT.

The New Zealand Herald has the following particulars of the death of Captain Cracroft, communicated by an eye witness of the melancholy event;— My Dear Sir, —lt is with deep regret I have to inform you of the death of poor Commodore Uracroit, which took place on the 2nd inst. He had been ailing for about ten days from a Blight attack of tertain ague, which on the 31st July increased somewhat in its intensity. He looked very ill the nest morning when I saw him before he went up to his cottage on the hill, so ■ much so that I hardly thought he would have had strength to get up. Mrs Cracroft, however, tells me he rallied somewhat during the day, but towards evening got worse, and so continued during the night, which decided him in coming down the following morning, when he was so weak that he had to supported on either side by a servant. On arriving at the landing-place in dockyard, he had to be almost lifted out of his boat, and supported lato the house,—at once going to his office and sending for me. I was truly alarmed to see him ; he could hardly speak, his head drooped, and he looked quite 20 years older than the previous morning. Indeed I was afraid he would have died then and there. After some difficulty he succeeded in speaking to me, but it was about duty, and signing some papers—a point that of course I could not allow him to think of for a moment and as if that exertion had been to great for him he almost sank into a state of insensibility, his head drooping down to the table. After a minute or two he again rallied and tried to open one of the drawers in his writing table,* but tailed, and then he asked for the doctor, for whom I bad previously sent, and who was quickly in attendance, aud at once made him swallow a little brandy and water, after which he was got to bed as quickly as possible. He retained sufficient consciousness up to the middle of the afternoon to recognize Mrs Cracroft, but I believe no one else, and thenrapidlysank, until half-past 7 p.m. wheu he died. I ought to mention that the immediae cause of his death was from sunstroke he got on the way to down, and from which his exhausted and debilitated frame was unable to rally. Thus passed away, universally beloved and regretted, one of the best and kindest hearted men that ever lived, I may truly say he was a victim to his stern sense of duty, for although frequently advised to live more in the mountains, jet ho would not forsake his duty, but only went very rarely for two or three days at a time, and would not resign his appointment, literally from the apprehension that his so doing would be attributed to wrong motives, To one who knew him as you did, I need not say how deeply I feel his loss. In the confidential intercourse that necessarily existed between us, his manner was more that of a friend—l might almost say father—than an officer of so highly superior position. Indeed I feel I have lost a true friend and mourn the loss almost as deeply es I should my own fathers death. Hnowing the sincere regard you entertained for the dear old Commodore, which I am sure was folly reciprocated, I have been, induced to communicate the few particulars in connection with his death, as I feel convinced it will be a melancholy pleasure to you to hear tiie last of him Mrs Cracroft goes home by to-morrow’s packet. She bears up wonderfully under the severe affliction and fortunately has plenty of work to do, and business to attend to, which has had the effect of distreting her attention in a great degree. With best wishes, believe me to remain. * # * Jamaica, Sth August, 1865.