The Daily British Colonist and Victoria Chronicle

Wednesday Morning, April 22, 1868

Lamentable Occurrence at Cadboro Bay--Yesterday morning , an Indian engaged in fishing, discovered the body of a respectably dressed young lady floating, face downwards, in the water at Cadboro Bay. The police were notidied, and the body--which bore the appearance of having been but a short time immersed--was brought to town, where it was identified as that of Miss Martha Booth, third daughter of Mr. G. Booth a highly respectable citizen, who resides on Esquimalt road, near its intersection with Craigflower road. Miss Booth left her father's house at 9o'clock on Monday morning, telling her mother she would go to town for a short time. She was seen on Government and Fort streets at one o'clock, and Mr Evans of the Willows, she passed his house at two o'clock, going towards Cadboro Bay. From Mr. Booth's house to Cadboro Bay is a distance of six and a half miles. So far as is known, she was not seen again alive. Search was made for her be her friends on Monday night, but without success. The poor girl must have walked the entire distance , and is believed to have thrown herself into the water from the rocks that lie to the right of the road, by which one gains the beach and where water is deep. This opinion is strengthened by the fact that her clothing is neither disarranged nor torn, which would not be the case had her death resulted from violence, and she had given...(text unclear)...past. Her hat and vell are ,issing, but it is thought that they floated off with the tide. The family of teh deceased girl are plunged in deep grief by the melancholy occurrence. the deceased was about 18 years of age. An inquest will be held to-day.