

JACK'S LETTERS TO WALLICH, 1819-1821. 155 



ters. I find here a remarkable variety, or more probably a distinct 

 species 17 from the Acanthus ilicifolius, to be readily distinguished 

 even at a distance by its flowers being white, much smaller, and 

 in longer quadrifarious spikes, only at the summits of the branches. 

 The true A. ilicifolius is also to be found here, so that I have the 

 opportunity of comparing them together, and find besides the above 

 strikiug differences the following more minute ones — Calyx shorter 

 than the tube, one bracteate at base, style shorter than the stamina, 

 and stigma simple in the white one; the contrary of which is the 

 case in A. ilicifolius, which has three bracts to the calyx and a 

 bifid stigma. In leaves and habit they are much alike, and equal ly 

 prickly. By the bye, is not Lamarck in a mistake in attributing 

 to the ilicifolius, alternate leaves? see " Enc. 1 sub Acantho." Pray 

 is not that splendid Cassia which we often took notice of on the 

 walk down to the great Ficus infectoria the Cassia alata, Linn, 

 and not a Koxburghian species? it is here abundant on the road 

 sides. 1S The Mussaenda frondosa is another ornament of these 

 neglected spots. 10 



Jan. 23rd — My occupations have been a little interrupted by 

 an unexpected series of events which have produced quite a revolu- 

 tion in our little world, and which I must now give you a short 

 account of, that I may carry you along with me in everything 

 that occurs. I have already mentioned that I thought there was 

 no cordiality on the part of the Government towards Sir Stam- 

 ford, and you shall hear presently the lengths they have since pro- 

 ceeded in their spirit of jealousy. You probably know that Sir 

 Stamford left Bengal with a commission to settle the affairs of 

 Acheen where two rivals 20 have been contending for power, and 



17. Acanthus eoracteatus, Vahl. It happens that A. ilieifolius. Linn., 

 is not recorded from Penang: but there is no reason why it should not 

 occur or have occurred in Jack's time. 



18. Cassia alata, Linn., occurs in Penang as a cultivated plant and 

 an escape from cultivation. It is used medicinally as a poultice for King- 

 worm, and grown for the purpose. 



19. Musswnda frondosa, Linn, does not occur in Penang: but M. 

 glabra, Wall, is of common occurrence; and it would be this which Jack 

 had noticed. 



20. The rivals were (1) Johar Alam, the king, who had ascended 

 the throne in 1802 and (2) Saif-ul-Alam, son by a slave girl, of a wealthy 

 Penang merchant named Said Husein, the father himself being again the 

 son of a slave girl. 



Acheen for long had been a hotbed of trouble because the chiefs were 

 almost as powerful as the king and therefore able to resist him. In this 

 ease they seem to have been done out of import exactions by the King, 

 who permitted trade only at Acheen, and they conspired with the rich 

 Penang family for the sake of the money that they needed for resisting; 

 so that armed vessels paid for by Said Husein sailed from the Settlement 

 to harass the King. From 1815 to the date of Raffles' mission this 

 particular brew of mischief fermented; and the Penang Government was 

 miserably timid throughout, — parleying with traitors, permitting hostile 

 acts to take their origin in their own port, and worse than that by some 

 of the officials assuredly taking bribes. Once a judge condemned Said 

 Husein to prison, and the Recorder released him with honour. So they 

 played fast and loose. 



The story may be read in John Anderson's Acheen and the ports of 

 the north and east of Sumatra (London, 1810). 

 R. A. Soc, No. 73, 191(5. 



