249 



north and west, and has taken two of my plant col- 

 lectors with him, and Singapore in Sumatra, from 

 whence I expect extensive collections from my highly 

 valued friend Mr. W. Jack, the personal surgeon to 

 Sir Stamford Raffles, who has already favoured me 

 with ample harvests of rare and interesting plants 

 gathered by him at Penang. A letter from Sir Stam- 

 ford which I got yesterday has already prepared me 

 for the arrival of some highly curious things, amongst 

 them a new Nepenthes, of exquisite beauty and gigan- 

 tic dimensions, parallel in its enormous size to the 

 marvellous flower, measuring in circumference six 

 feet ! * found last year in a tour through the island 

 of Sumatra, and of which an account has, I learn, 

 been sent to Sir Joseph Banks. Lastly, I expect 

 large additions from an expedition sent up to Gos- 

 sain Than {alias Neel-Khaunt), by Mr. Robert 

 Stuart, from Katmandu, for the express purpose of 

 investigating the natural productions of that part of 

 the Himalaya or snowy range of mountains, and of 

 collecting specimens and seeds for me. 



I beg you will pardon the length of this digres- 

 sion, which has entirely originated from my anxious 

 wish of becoming a not altogether unprofitable cor- 

 respondent and contributor. 



A good number of the plants in your chest 

 (which I beg leave to observe are all natives of and 

 collected in Napal, at and about Katmandu,) I have 

 named in my dispatches to England; so that you 

 will meet with abundant, and I fear but too numerous 

 occasions for correcting my errors and mistaken 



* Rafflesia /Inioldi. 



