Death
Controversy and mystery surrounded Hayward's death.
One version states that his friend Mir Wali arranged his death following a heated argument.
An alternate version - that which was least convenient for the British - had it that the Maharaja of Kashmir had arranged Hayward's death as revenge for the letter about the Kashmiri atrocities in Dardistan. The theory says the Maharaja extracted revenge against Hayward and also benefited by framing the ruler's enemy, Mir Wali.
Hayward's body was later recovered by a Kashmiri soldier. It was found under a small pile of stones and was brought back to Gilgit and buried in an orchard that later became the town's Christian cemetery. His tombstone, ironically paid for by the Maharaja of Kashmir, reads: "To the memory of G. W. Hayward, Gold Medallist of the Royal Geographical Society of London, who was cruelly murdered at Darkot, 18 July 1870, on his journey to explore the Pamir steppe. This monument is erected to a gallant officer and accomplished traveler at the instance of the Royal Geographical Society."
Since his death, Hayward received little acclaim or recognition. However, he stands alone among the explorers of the Western Himalaya in terms of the areas he surveyed and the size of his expeditions - usually just himself and three to six porters and bearers.
Read more about this topic: George W. Hayward
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