216 Biographical Memoir of the late Christian Smith. 



ter, " I have demanded what could be useful to me, and it has 

 not been given.*" 



On the 22d September, a few moments after the Dorothea 

 had weighed anchor, he died, far from relations and friends, 

 and attended by no sympathising soul. His remains were sunk 

 in the river, with the customary ceremonies, at the place which 

 has been called " The Tall Trees.''* 



His collections and journals have been saved and used to ad- 

 vantage. There could scarcely have been a more splendid mo- 

 nument erected to the memory of this lamented naturalist, than 

 the distinguished memoir of Robert Brown, respecting Smith''s 

 collections and observations in Congo. He thereby occupies, 

 as is remarked also by Brown, an honourable place among the 

 band of northern naturalists who now encircle the whole of Af- 

 rica with their discoveries, from Egypt to the coast of Barbary, 

 through Morocco, Guinea, and the Cape, back again to the 

 Red Sea. For since Smith, by his discoveries in Congo, has 

 filled up the gap which formerly separated Guinea from the 

 Cape, in respect of our knowledge of African plants, the ob- 

 servations of Hasselquist, Vahl, Schousboe, Afzelius, Tonning, 

 Isert, Smith, Sparrmann, Thunberg, and Forskaal appear with 

 increased interest, and, associated with these distinguished na- 

 turalists. Smith will always be named with peculiar honour and 

 renown, as one of the martyrs of botanical science *. 



Description of the contents of a Tumulus in the Parish of Bur- 

 nesSf Island of Sanday. By William Wood, Esq. Surgeon, 

 Island of Sanday. (Communicated by Dr William Howi- 

 son). 



X his tumulus, like many of the same outward appearance, 

 was situated on the slope of a gently rising ground, close at the 

 head of a fresh- water loch, which is commonly dry during the 

 summer months. It was about a mile from the sea, with rising 

 grounds intervening. It was nearly circular at the bottom, and 

 approached gradually to an apex, which appeared as if sunk 



• From Leopold Von Buch's " Physicalishe Beschreibung der Cana- 

 r'fc''jrr. Jnsoln." 4to. Berlin, lS2r>. 



