SV ADVERTISEMENT. 



loaded with a botanical collection, such as could not fail resulting 

 from a stay of several months, on those indescribably rich islands, 

 and fully proportionate to that, which it had been my good fortune 

 to bring away from Nipal. The materials, which by these means 

 have been placed at my disposal will, I humbly hope, enable me to 

 contribute a number of not altogether uninteiesting additions to 

 this work. 



Here may I be permitted to claim the indulgence of the Reader^ 

 while I state the reasons, which induce me to express myself thus 

 freely on the extent of my Nipal and Malayan treasures. It would 

 have been impossible for any one, in the least attached to the study 

 of Botany, to have visited those favoured countries, and not to have 

 marie large collections of plants; such is the prodigious extent of their 

 riches, and such are the comparative facilities of gathering these. But 

 to have been supported, as I was, during my researches, especially in 

 Nipal, by the matchless munificence of the Honourable East India 

 Company, which left noihing unprovided, that could in any manner 

 tend to ensure success — and yet to have failed realizing the objects 

 of my journey, would have deservedly stampted my labours and my 

 name with indelible disgrace. In short, if I did succeed in reaping 

 an ample harvest, it was because I could hot possibly have missed 

 the object, under those glorious auspices, which fell to my lot. — But 

 | return to the final progress of the volume, 



The printing which my inestimable friend, the Rev Editor, had 

 thought proper to suspend during these, to me most bitter intervals, 

 was immediately resumed and the volume is at length compleated. 

 If it is considered that sickness is under the controul of no one, that 

 the distance at which 1 live from the press at Serampore is twenty 

 miles, that the numerous duties belonging to my charges, are fully 

 adequate to occupy the time of one individual; finally, that a tropical 

 climate is but too apt to throw sudden and unexpected obstacles m 

 the way of close application— I trust, that my small share in this vo- 



