The Sun.
London, England, 1866-01-20 00:00:00

Death of Lord Edward Seymour.

The Bombay Gazette of the 28th ult. says :
" We deeply regret to learn that Lord Edward
Seymour, who came to India only a few weeks ago,
has died at Yellapoor from an accident that hap-
pened to him in a shooting excursion. Lord Edward,
it will bo remembered, accompanied Sir Bartle
Frere in his tour in the Southern Mahratta country.
He left his Excellency's camp at Dharwar with Mr.
Shaw Stewart, Collector of Carwar, intending to
accompany that gentleman to his residence. They
reached Yellapoor on. the 13th of December, and on
the following morning Lord Edward and Mr. Brand,
a young officer of the Guards, went to a place on
the banks of the Kalla Nuddy, near Lalgooly, for
bison and bear shooting. They were accompanied
by native shikarees, and went in different directions.
Mr. Brand returned about 9 o'clock, having heard
one shot fired by his companion, and about an hour
afterwards a shikaree brought him Lord Edward's
belt and hunting knife, on the sheath of which he
found a written message from him stating that he
had been wounded by a bear and wished a surgeon
to be sent to him. A messenger was immediately
sent to Carwar for Dr. Davies, and Mr. Shaw
Stewart, Mr. Brand, and Mr. Walker, a civil
engineer, hurried to the place where Lord Edward
was lying. They learnt from him that he had fired
at a bear and wounded it, and in following it up
came upon it at a distance of about 15 yards. After
he had discharged both barrels of his gun the animal
rushed upon him, and, seizing him by the left knee,
both of them rolled down a steep hill, Lord Edward
dealing the animal repeated blows with his hunting
knife. His shikarees soon came to his assistance,
and the bear left him. His left leg was found to be
severely hurt, and there was a bad cut across his
forehead ; but he was, nevertheless, very composed
and collected, and able to give directions to those
about him. He was carried to the top of the hill
(about 200 ft. high) and placed in a temporary
shed, and another messenger was meanwhile sent
off to Dharwar for Dr. Langley. He was taken
next morning to Yellapoor, but the doctors did
not arrive till late the following day. He had
been attended, however, by a native hospital
assistant, and the medical gentlemen on their
arrival found that every possible care had been
bestowed on him. The patient appeared at first
to be gradually improving, but on the 18th an un-
favourable change was noticed, and it was found
necessary to amputate the leg above the knee.
The operation was successfully performed, and a
subsequent examination of the limb showed that
the doctors were not wrong in their decision. The
symptoms for a time were favourable, and the
heroic fortitude with which the patient bore his
sufferings seemed of itself to inspire hope ; but a
change for the worse became perceptible, and after
sinking gradually for some time Lord Edward died
shortly after two o'clock on the morning of the
20th. His remains were interred the same evening
near the grave of Lieut. Percy M. Carpendale, of
the 12th Madras Native Infantry, who died at the
same place about 16 years ago. Mr. Shaw Stewart
during the whole of Lord Edward's illness showed
an extreme devotion to his young friend, and be-
stowed upon him unremitting care and attention.
The bear, it seems, had been mortally wounded, for
it was found dead a day or two after the occurrence.
The two shikarees who were with Lord Edward
state that he showed great presence of mind, cour-
age, and skill in the encounter. Lord Edward
Seymour was the second son of the Duke of So-
merset, and was 25 years of age. lie had been
attached to several embassies in Europe, and had
visited America with a view to prepare himself for
public life. It was chiefly with the same object that
he came to India, and he would probably, but for
this melancholy and untimely end to his career,
have spent a year or two in travelling over the
country."