aIv A SKETCH OF THE LIFE ОҒ 
This place із very fortunate in two such men as Colonels Wellesley and Close. Prin iu is Mere 
with them and they are both men of great abilities and perfectly men of ine: ae = 9 
no doubt of their producing a wonderful alteratioa in а fow years. T'ippoo's Governmen singe ord 
Cornwallis’s war has been dictated entirely by caprice and bigotry and together with сааи 
of hostile armies, especially the Marratahs, has reduced the country to a very wretehed state. Nothing 
ean be barer than this place. Оп ту last day's “march of 15 miles, I hardly saw a bush large 
enough to make а broom. I have therefore little employ meat for my painter, On the road I got 
hardly anything completed by him. A most beautiful Stapelia, very different from your adscendens, 
is the most valuable of his performances." 
Another letter of the series, dated Buntwal, 31st January 1801, is interesting, as the 
subjoined extracts show, because it gives the first indication of the interest which Buchanan 
subsequently took in the Hortus Malabaricus, to the preparation of E much-needed 
commentary on which he devoted aboat five years of his life after retirement, only in 
order that two-thirds of the work should be buried in the archives of a Botanical 
Society. It is almost equally interesting because of the light it throws on Hamilton’s 
views regarding a subject which was only dealt with by him once again and then in 
what apparently is the last paper he ever wrote :— 
“I got. yours of the 4th and 5th instant twe days ago and am obliged to you for the great 
trouble you have had in making the extracts from the JPortus Malabaricus. I аш sorry that the 
nature of my visit to Malabar will afford very little prospect of illustrating the work of Von 
Rheede. It was performed in the middle of winter, when you know how very few plants are in 
fractification, and I found no native who could or rather who would inform me of the names of 
plants. The obstinacy of the people of Malabar is astonishing and every man you meet suspects you 
have an evil design in every question you ask. Without therefore Making some stay in the 
province and breeding up а man or two to collect plants and procure their names nothing 
[more] can be done than to collect specimens and describe such plants as you find in a proper 
state, 
* » > ж ЕД hd * 3 * * 
I am informed that a nephew of mine, Robert Hamilton Buchanan, cemo out in the Mk 
Caxtle—Captain Lamb. I do not know in what capacity, but I think it probable in the service, 
Civil or Military, for the Bengal establishment. I hope you will have the goodness to inquire 
after him and to show him апу attention in your power. 
I have no specimens of stones with me, but when I arrive Mr. Fichtel will be extremely welcome 
to such as I can spare. I must confess myself a great sceptic with regard to the theories formed 
concerning the present appearance of fossils. Му opinion is that we should believe them to have 
existed from the beginning just as we find them unless the contrary can be demonstrated, In the 
° few cases even when this can be done the agency by which the changes have been produced seems to 
me very seldom to be demonstrable.” 
“ Ы * * » * * ` * *- 
Buchanan's praetice throughout this Survey was to make а stated daily march and in 
the morning before leaving camp to gather round him the leading people of the neigh- 
bourhood, whom he questioned оп the various points enumerated in his instructions. 
During his march and at the plaees where he halted his own observations were carefully 
noted, and extensive botanical and geolgical collections and notes were made. Tho 
journal of this survey was remitted to the Court of Directors and by their orders was 
