The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1881-11-05 00:00:00

A MISSIONARY AND HIS FAMILY
DROWNED.

The Demerara Colonist contains particulars of a terrible
calamity at the Ifaraheah Falls, Essequebo River, by which
the Rev. W. E. Pierce, missionary to the Indians at Barttca
Grove, along with his wife, three of their family, and a
servant, all lost their lives.

Mr. Pierce and his family had been on a visit to the
Potato Mission, at Curiebrong, on a tributary of the
Upper Essequebo, on the 23rd August. He left the
mission on the 27th September, accompanied by his
wife, two sons, and two daughters, a servant girl, and
seven Indians. The boat had a heavy tarpauling
tent cover, and was very heavily laden, a quantity of
boxes, plants, Scc., being placed on top of the tent.
Several heavy falls much worse than the Maraheah
were safely shot, and in reply to a remark by the
coxswain, who considered the boat too heavy to
pass through the Maraheah Falls with all her top
hamper, Mr. Pierce said there was no necessity to
lighten her, as had been done in the rapids pre-
viously passed, the Maraheah being much less
dangerous. While the boat was in the most perilous
part of the rapid some water was shipped, causing
Mrs. Pearce to alter her position. The result
was to cause the boat to swerve from the
right angle of the stream, and the coxswain
and crew losing complete command of her
ccurse she went broadside to the torrent and
at once capsized. Mr. Pierce had endeavoured
to avert the impending accident by shouting to the
Indians to keep her head straight, but it appears
their presence of mind deserted them at the moment
it was most needed. Mrs. Pierce and the four chil-
dren were carried down beneath the tent. The boat
did not altogether sink, however, and Mr. Pierce, who
had been sitting in the stern beside his son Robert and
the coxswain, managed to gain a hold on the up-
turnedcraft. Seeing Mrs. Pierce and the other mem-
bers of his family reappear on the surface, Mr. Pierce at
once let go his hold and endeavoured to save his wife
and children. He was Unsuccessful, however, and his
anguished eyes saw them alternately rise to the sur-
face and again sink two or three times, until the
water finally closed over them, and a second or
two later involved him in the common fate. Mean-
time Robert, a lad of some fourteen years, had
scrambled to a rock, where he was a horror-
stricken witness of the death agonies of his nearest
and dearest relatives. The crew had meanwhile
managed to reach the shore, and the servant from
the interior was likewise saved. Mr. Pierce's
eldest daughter was about 17 years of age.
The deceased clergyman had had charge of the mis-
sion at Bartica Grove for about a year, and his minis-
trations were very popular amongst the Indians, who
had given indications of a strong religious awakening
since his arrival amongst them. He was a native of the
colony, and was related to the Austin family (of which
the bishop is a member) by marriage. He was a
schoolfellow at Queen's College of the Rev. W. G. G.
Austin. He afterwards studied at Cambridge,
where he took the degree of B.A. Afterwards he
went to Jamaica, and he was from 1868 to
the beginning of 1880 the officiating clergyman to
the troops in Jamaica. He had taken a great interest
in the teetotal movement, and was well known as a
temperance reformer. Having long had a predilec-
tion for missionary work, he resigned his appointment
in Jamaica with the object of devoting his energies to
this branch of ecclesiastical labour, and he became
the recipient of a pension for his services in
Jamaica. His thoughts naturally turned towards his
native land as a field for his energies, and the result
was his entering on the task in whose execution he has
lost his life.
The deceased gentleman was not more than 40 years
of age, and of splendid proportions and physique.
Besides the boy who was saved Mr. Pierce leaves
another son, who is at present in England on account
of delicate health. The bodies of Mr. and Mrs. Pierce,
and their son, were afterwards recovered, but those of
the daughters had not been recovered. The funeral
of the deceased clergyman and his family was a touch-
ing and impressive scene.