STORY OF DENDROBIUM LOWII 



The authorities assert that Dendrobium Lowii was intro- 

 duced to Europe by Sir Hugh Low in 1861. My friend has 

 so many titles to honour, in this and other forms of public 

 service, that he will not feel the loss of one. The statement 

 is not absolutely correct. An unnamed species, which must 

 have been Dendrobium Lowii, flowered in the collection of 

 Mr. H. Vicars, at Heath House, near Chelmsford, in 1845. 

 I do not propose to describe the plant whereby hangs my 

 tale ; suffice it that this is a pale yellow Dendrobe, peculiarly 

 charming, very delicate, and still rare. We do not hear of 

 Mr. Vicars' specimen again. He obtained it, with others, 

 from Fraser, Gumming, and Co., of Singapore, probably in 

 1842. It was brought to them from Borneo by Captain 

 Baker, commanding the ship Orient Pioneer. 



When lying at Singapore Captain Baker heard of the coal 

 seams just discovered at Kiangi, on the Brunei river, which 

 made such a stir in the City a few months afterwards. It 

 seemed to him that his owners would like a report upon 

 them. And he sailed thither. 



I picture the man as big and rough — fat he was certainly ; 

 one of those sailors, careful enough aboard ship, who think 

 it necessary to take a ' drop ' at every halt when making 

 holiday. 



Pirates were no tradition in that era. They swarmed 

 among the islands, and the younger chiefs were not proof 



