THE BURIAL OF PRINCE GRORGE AT TONGA.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXII, Issue 9198, 17 August 1880, Page 2

THE BURIAL OF PRINCE GRORGE AT TONGA.

(N.Z. Herald, 11th August.) The Samoa Times of the 10th July contains an. account, from a Tonga correspondent, of the burial of Prince George, of Tonga, who, aa will be remembered, died in Auckland : — " 'Jho principal feature in our history qf late has been the arrival qf H.I.Gr.M.S. Nautilus at Nukualofa, having on board the remains of the late Prince Uga, who died at Auckland, whither he had gone for medical advice, and the sub' sequent proceedings in connection with the movements of the Nautilus. On the 30th day 'j>{ May Captain Chtfden's trim craft entered phe anphorago at Nukualofa ; the'flag q,t half-mast assuring "those on shore that she was the bearer of all that was mortal of the late heir to the Tonga throne. As soon as the anchor had touched the bottom, the Rev Mr Baker, who had been with the doceaspd. Prince in his last illness, and wljo apcompanied the cqrpqe from Aupk}g,nd, proceeded ashore and at once went to the palapc. The meeting between' the I?ing and the reverend gentleman who has laboured so long in Tonga, was a very affecting one, and when Mr Baker related the circumstances attending the last hoars of" the lamented Prince, the venerable old sovereign was »ueh moved. It was

arranged that the Nautilus should con* vey the remains of the late Prince to Ouiha, an island in the Hapaai group, for many centuries the last resting place of the Kings of Tonga. In accordance with this arrangement, the Nautilus left the Nukaulofa anchorage on the 7th of June, arriving at Ouiha on the Bth. King George, who followed the warship in his own schooner, arrived at Ouiha on the morning of the 9th. — Invtho afternoon, the coffin containing the re~ mains of the deceased Prince was con* veyed on shore from the Nautilus, whose guns meanwhile pealed forth a salute. Thousands of people gathered from all parts of the group to take part in the funeral, obsequies,.. awaited in silence the approach of the boats- from the Nautilus. The landing of the coffin having been duly effeoted, Captain Chuden addressed the King, who stood alone in the centre o£ tke cirnle formed by various chiefs, and delivered ' the body of the late Prince, The King, who was evidently much overcome, thanked Captain Chuden on' his own, and on behalf of the Tonga people;' foe having brought the remains' of iis 'sou to their last resting-place, and expressed the great obligation he was under to the German , Government for having permitted one of its war vessels to engage insuch a mission as the one just accomplished. Arrived at the place of inter* ment,' the usual rites attendant on Christian burial were gone through. The Eev Mr Watkins read the funeral service, and the ltev Mr Baker reported the last wishes of the dead Prince to tiis people. Military honours ' were "also accorded to the late Prince, a, firing party from the Nautilus being in at-, tendence.- . „. i.