54 MEMOR OF 



climate, and it was resolved that they should consent 

 to separation from their fourth and only surviving 

 daughter, rather than that she should run the risk of 

 encountering the malaria. To these diseases his 

 hosom friend and companion in research also fell a 

 victim, and while under these severe dispensations, a 

 voyage to Singapore was undertaken finally to ar- 

 range the settlement, and to prepare for his departure 

 from the East, after a residence of much labour, anxi- 

 ety, and satisfaction, of much affliction and much hap- 

 piness. 



At Singapore health and resignation of mind were 

 in part restored. Many interesting productions were 

 added to his private collection now immense, while 

 several useful establishments and regulations were 

 completed, and all in this part was arranged for depar- 

 ture. He returned again to Bencoolen ; the ship which 

 was intended to carry the late governor to his native 

 country has arrived ; all his collections, great and 

 invaluable, were on board ; and on the 2d February 

 1824, Sir Stamford and his family embark in the 

 Fame and sail for England with a fair wind. But 

 early in the first night of their hopes and anticipa- 

 tions, they were turned into distraction, and all their 

 powers exerted to save life alone. We shall give 

 the account of this dreadful calamity, written by Sir 

 Stamford himself, two days after its occurrence, and 

 leave the reader to judge what his feelings must 

 have been. To Natural History it was the most 

 extensive loss of materials she had ever sustained. 



" We embarked on the 2d instant in the Fame, 



