MEMOIR OF THE LATE MR. WILLIAM JACK. 
obtained by boiling: the former, of an im- 
perfectly known genus, called by Gertner, 
who only saw the fruit, Dryobalanops, and 
is the native produce of the tree. It is 
not exactly known what océasions its enor- 
mous value in China—three thousand dol- 
lars for a pekul of 133 fbs. It has been 
supposed that it was employed to mix with 
their own camphor, and sold again in that 
adulterated state, but the difference of price 
renders this improbable. I think rather 
that the Chinese, whose epicurism is very 
extraordinary, and different from ours, use 
it in some way for culinary purposes. Be- 
sides camphor, the tree yields an oil which 
is very powerful. It flowers only once in 
four or five years, and was not in blossom 
when I saw it: I got specimens, however, 
last year. I scrambled over several hills 
during the two days we remained at Tap- 
panooly, and found some new plants. This 
country is, in fact, new and untrodden by 
the foot of science—a harvest reserved, I 
. hope, for me to reap, and it shall not be 
neglected, for every advantage and oppor- 
tunity are mine." 
Bencoolen, March 12th, 1890.—*« I have 
obtained a flower-bud of the gigantic plant 
I formerly mentioned to you. It is really 
one of the wonders of the vegetable king- 
dom—the head is of the size of a large 
cabbage, only more flattened. I have 
Opened it, and ascertained its structure, 
which is as unique and peculiar as its di- 
mensions, and seems to set analogy at de- 
nce. I have not procured the fruit, or 
been able to learn its situation, but of the 
inflorescence I am making drawings, which 
I hope to publish in my first fasciculus. 
two Frenchmen whom I mentioned as 
having been brought hither by Sir S. Raf- 
fles, have been very industrious, and made 
very large Zoological collections. Among 
them is a new animal, which comes next in 
Size to the Rhinoceros, and resembles the 
Tapiir of America, but is a much larger 
creature than the latter, with a white band 
Over the back and sides, just in the situa- 
tion and to the extent of a sa 
the rest of the body is black.” 
, April 10th, 1820.—“ A ship 
135 
having unexpectedly arrived, bound for 
England, I avail myself of such a fortunate 
opportunity to transmit to you the first part 
of our account of our Zoological collections. 
I have been employed on it ever since I 
wrote last, and have just finished the first 
and most important portion, containing the 
Mammalia. This paper, which will, I trust, 
prove interesting, is to appear in the Trans- 
actions of the Royal Society, under Sir S. 
Raffles’ name, and you will be able to see 
it there. We have taken much pains to 
obtain full information on the subject, and 
for this purpose have had assemblies of all 
the native chiefs, whom we have questioned 
much in the way that Rheede is said to have 
done those in India. My Botanical labours 
must be, in a great measure, suspended till 
this business is over. I am paying some 
attention to Malay, and find it an easy lan- 
guage, which I hope soon to master; but 
the day is always too short for my work. 
I have now made it a rule never to sit up 
at night, unless in very urgent cases, as I 
find it is more than the constitution can 
stand in this country. I paid a visit some 
days ago to a spice plantation, about eight 
miles out of town, and spent the day there 
—it is delightfully situated. Some people 
whom I sent out to get plants, brought me 
some very interesting ones. We plan a 
trip for some weeks to a country house at 
some distance inland, both for variety and 
for Botany. It will also be an escape from 
business and the troublesome people here. 
The society of this place is exceedingly 
indifferent—in fact, there is scarcely any 
energy or spirit among the inhabitants, 
whether natives or old-settled Europeans; 
an excessive indolence prevails over them 
all. I lately sent to England, by the Mary, 
a short account of some of my most inte- 
resting plants, to be noticed there in some 
way or other, including the Sumatran gi- 
gantic flower, my two new Pitcher- Plants, 
the Camphor, the Sago, and a new genus 
of mine, which Sir S. Raffles has forwarded 
for me, with the drawings of them, to Mr. 
Marsden, to make such use of them as he 
may think best. I have now been appoint- 
ed on a Committee to inquire into the state 
