JACK'S LETTERS TO WALLICH, 1819-1821. 149 



be sure that my own were not anticipated. It was to remedy this 

 and to obtain, if possible, a copy of Boxburglr's manuscript des- 

 criptions, that I wished to commence an intercourse with the 

 present Superintendent. In the first letter which I wrote to Dr. 

 Wallich, I sent him some seeds, and a description of a Lobelia 

 which I had found in Xepaul, and which did not agree with any 

 published species. I received in reply a most friendly letter, ac- 

 companied by some papers of his own on Indian Botany, informing 

 me that my Lobelia was a perfectly new species, and soliciting 

 further communications. I have since transmitted to him another 

 despatch, with more plants which I conceive to be new." Then 

 again he wrote on July 19th, 1818, I have paid a visit to Dr. 

 Wallich, at the Botanic Garden, a short distance from Calcutta; 

 he received me with great kindness and warmth, and insists on 



my coming to stay with him while I remain here. He is 



much inclined to assist me in obtaining some situation, which may 

 open a field for Botanical research, and connect me with himself 

 in that Department. He has already introduced my name with 

 due acknowledgements, in a paper presented to the Asiatic Society, 

 containing an account of some new plants from Nlepaul, one of 

 which was communicated by me." Then again he writes under 

 the date August 19th, 1818, " Dr. Wallich has kindly insisted on 

 my staying with him to pursue my Botanical researches : he has 

 an excellent house in a delightful situation, about six miles below 

 Calcutta, where I hope to pass my time most agreeably, free from 

 those temptations to fatigue and exertion which beset me at 

 Calcutta, and where I trust to be so much benefitted by ease of 

 body and mind, that my health will improve as fast as it could from 

 a sea voyage." So Jack had been ill: it was of lung trouble; and 

 Sir Stamford Baffles says in a letter of Jan. 1st, 1823, that it was 

 contracted during the Xepalese war, with which his Indian Service 

 began. Jack continues : — " I am now engaged in drawing up a 

 paper of some of my discoveries, which I have promised to furnish 

 for a periodical work, about to be printed at the Serampore press." 



Again on Xovember 10th, 1818, he writes : — I hasten to in- 

 form you of the occurrences of the last few days, which have made 

 a considerable alteration in my plans, since I wrote to you. Some 

 days ago Sir Stamford Baffles, the governor of Sumatra, came here 

 to see the garden, and spent the day, during which Dr. Wallich 

 and I had a long conversation with him, the result of which has 

 been my agreeing to accompany him to Sumatra, and his promis- 

 ing to forward my views, and in particular, to afford me every 



facility for exploring the Natural History of that island 



I expect to sail, shortly, with Sir Stamford Baffles in the Company's 

 cruizer " Xearchus." 



Nathaniel Wallich, who was thus instrumental in bringing 

 Jack to the notice of Sir Stamford Baffles, was a dane, and had 

 been in the service of the Danish East India Company established 



R. A. Soc, No. 73. 1916 



