Page:Victoria, with a description of its principal cities, Melbourne and Geelong.djvu/164

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OF CAPTAIN WISE.
135

For some days favourable symptoms having made their appearance, strong hopes were entertained of his ultimate recovery, nor was it considered, by any of the medical friends who constantly and unremittingly attended him, that amputation was necessary. The greatest anxiety relative to his fate was evinced by all classes of the community, and everything that skill and kindest attention could do was done to alleviate his sufferings. Mild and gentle ever in disposition, his last days still bore out his character. From day to day despatches were sent to the head of the Government and Melbourne, containing bulletins of his health. But the fiat had gone forth; his constitution, never very strong, gave way under the combined wounds, and he gradually sank until the morning of the 21st, when he ceased to live.

All parties exhibited the greatest regret at the untimely death of this gallant young officer. With the deepest commiseration was the event spoken of in the House of Assembly, with the intention of raising a monument to his memory. A letter of condolence was written by his Excellency Sir Charles Hotham to his father, expressive of his deep regret for his loss, and how it had been his intention, had he survived, to have placed him on his personal staff, and conferred on him all honours in his power to give. We need not say how sincere was the sorrow felt for him among his own immediate comrades and the military body then in Victoria. The day