FRANCIS HAMILTO? FAN 1i 
ON (ONCE BUCHANAN). xxvii 
arranged for a change of his status in the Linnean Societ of i 
: which h 
elected a Fellow. early in 18162 » ° was 
As events turned out, 16 was not necessary to build a house.  Buchanan's elder 
brother Robert, who was, however, younger than Colonel John Hamilton, had died 
before Buchanan returned. Robert's only son, Robert Hamilton Buchanan, iin ав we 
have seen, joined the service of the East India Company in 1201, was, when Dade 
left India, а Captain in the 24th Regiment of Native Infantry. This officer, Colonel 
Hamilton having no children, was therefore next-of-kin to his uncle and demoni 
to his estates.- Early in 1816, however, Captain Hamilton Buchanan died, and Francis 
Buchanan became his brother's heir? It has been recorded that, when .this happened 
Buchanan at once redeemed the encumbrances on the family estates. : 
When Colonel Hamilton succeeded to his mother's property he made Bardowie 
his home and continued to occupy the Bardowie mansion after his subsəquent suc- 
cession to his father's estates. The mansion at Leny was therefore at his disposal 
and he was able to offer it, as а residence, to his brother Francis when the latter 
became his heir-apparent. At Leny therefore Buchanan set up an establishment, and 
in spite of being in indifferent health he began at once, with characteristic energy, to 
arrange for publication some of the papers in which were recorded the results of 
many years of observation. This task, with gardening and forestry to which he was 
devoted, and with his duties as a county magistrate, filed his time. Though we 
know of occasional visits to Edinburgh and of at least one visit to London, we find 
that these journeys were made mainly, if not entirely, subsidiary to what was now 
the work of his life. : 
On January 27th, 1817, we find that Buchanan was elected a Fellow of the Royal 
Society of Edinburgh. About the same time he became a member of the two Societies 
of Antiquaries of London and Edinburgh. 
When Buchanan left India in the end of February 1815 Dr. Nathaniel Wallich was 
placed in charge of the Botanic Garden at Calcutta. Circumstances prevented the con- 
firmation of Wallich as permanent Superintendent when Buchanan’s actual retirement 
from the Company’s service took place. With the object of overcoming the difficulties 
that had been reised Wallich naturally invoked the assistance of friends and among others 
wrote to his predecessor Buchanan. Buchanan’s reply, which is given below, forms part 
1 As already explained Buchanan had been, since 1788, one of the original Associates of the Linnean 
Society. He attended one meeting, that of 2185 January 1806, when in England on furlough, His name was 
proposed as a Fellow on 6th February 1816; he was elected on April 2nd of that year. He does not appear to 
bave atiended a meeting of the Society during his visit to London in the winter of 1819-29, the only subsequent 
visit to London of which the writer can find any record, so that he never was formally admitted. 
2 The following notes relative to Captain R. H. Buchanan’s service in India have been kindly communicated 
to the writer by N. L. Hallward, Esq., in charge of the Record Department of the Government of India :— 
к Buchanan, Robert Hamilton; Lieutenant, April 10th, 1801; Adjutant and Quartermaster, February bib, 1810; 
Captain-Lieutenant, March 3rd, 1818 (Senior Captain-Lieutenant according to the Register of 1814); | 
Captain (Regimental Rank), December 16th, 1814. Died, at Ghazipore, as Captain, 24th Regiment, 
N. 1, May loth, 1516. 
Chambers: Biographies of Eminent Scotsmen. The sum expended by Buchanan in effecting this is given at 
£15,009 sterling. 
U E 2 
