XXxvi A SKETCH OF THE LIFE OF 
were there any sufficient demand for it, is enormous, and probably no parts are better fitted for it 
than the coast and islands along the coast of Tavoy or Tenasserim. 
I have already mentioned the two kinds of soil on which I have seen cotton reared : the clay 
level land N.-W. from Dacca, and the dry soil of the hills surrounding Gangetic India and the 
Ayrawadi. The produce of the former is by far the finest, but still that of the hills might be 
vastly more valuable were pains bestowed on bringing it to market. I think however that seed 
of the long stapled kinds from America should be tried in both situations, and perhaps a careful 
person should visit the best parts of America and examine their processes and the situations chosen 
for cultivation and then be sent to India to selest proper places and instruct the people in a 
proper management. I sincerely hope that the people who have sent their cursed spinning and 
weaving machinery to India may suffer the penalty due to so nefarious an innovation. Were they 
successful they would reduce the poor people there to the same deplorable state that the labouring 
classes here have been brought to, that is wallowing one day in the most gross dissipation, and 
next day starving for want of employment. It is however to be hoped that the want of fuel and 
of perennial streams will prove a bar to their endeavour, and I hope to see the importers return 
beggars. 
I shall be very happy to assist you so far as I am able with the native names of plants. 
Tho best authenticated names that I have are given in the catalogue which accompanies the 
specimens sent to the India house. The Hindwi and Bongales names of these were taken down 
by а native on the spot in their own characters, and afterwards written in English according to 
the plan given by Mr. Wilkins. In the account of the plants of Ava sent to Sir J озерһ Banks 
you will also find the names written in the Burma charasters by а native. The Sanscrit and 
Hindwi synonyms of the materia medica, which with the assistance of a learned Hindu at Mungger 
I made there, would afford a great many accurate namos, but this collection was sent to the India 
house for the use of Mr. Ainslie. Whether or not he has it I know not. If you can lay your 
hands on it the names in the catalogue above mentioned will in general point out the plant meant 
The names of plants collected in Mysore and Nepal were taken entirely by the ear, an intelligent 
Втаһшап pronouncing the words, but much less reliance can be placed on these than on such as 
were written in а native character. All of the паш *s are however Шар 
He is а person for 
І remain, dear Wallioh, 
There is no sign in this letter of any impairment of Hamilton's physical powers ; 
its directness and lucidity show that his intellectual powers were as keen as ever. 
Nor is there any suggestion either in the tone of the letter or in its allusions that 
it was to be the last. This, however, it unfortunately proved to be. Dr. Francis 
Hamilton died at Leny, in the 68th year of his age, on June 15th, 1829. 
6. JOURNALS AND COLLECTIONS. 
As early as 1782, while still a student of medicine at Edinburgh, Buchanan was 
а collector, at all events of mosses, and was endeavouring, along with his friend Smith, 
to whom he gave all his Specimens, to identify his Species, but there is no indica- 
fion that he kept any journal at this time. On the other hand there is no indica- 
tion that during the period of his eastern voyages any collections were made, though 
from his subsequently published papers it would seem that the habit of keeping a 
journal had already begun in 1785. 
