JACK'S LETTERS TO WALLICH, 1819-1821. 167 



Kenton's 70 remaining, which doubtless he would be glad to do, or 

 another being sent. I do not think it probable I shall be in any 

 hurry to leave Sir Stamford, for the very society of such a man 

 is worth a sacrifice, if there were any in the case. Besides which 

 between ourselves, he has made me another promise, still more 

 flattering, which is to appoint me his Private Secretary, as soon 

 as the situation becomes vacant, which it will, when the Acheen 

 business is over. There are numbers of plans in embryo, all of 

 which I will enter upon as soon as I can find time. By the bye, 

 a Mr. Gibson, a young man who was one of the officers of the 

 Xearchus, is going up to Bengal, and will soon after come down 

 to Bencoolen. He has promised to call to receive your commands, 

 when he is about to proceed, which will be an excellent oppor- 

 tunity. Will you allow me to lay a tax upon your kindness, and 

 request you to send a further supply of paper for specimens, and 

 of wax cloth, which I unfortunately forgot, and there is none 

 procurable here? I have not time to recollect how much I am 

 in your debt, but on the present emergency enclose a draft on 

 Mack & Co. 71 for a 100 rupees. You are not yourself I know, 

 over exact in accounts, therefore request you will beg as a favour 

 to me, of Mrs. Wallich to keep an account of all the expenses you 

 have been at, and may incur in future on my account,, and be most 

 particular and exact therein, as on that will depend my doing yon 

 the honour of teasing you with my commissions ! ! Dreadful threat. 

 Seriously however, I am so careless myself in these matters, that 

 it will be a real obligation if Mrs. Wallich will be good enough to 

 relieve me from the burden, and I shall then have less scruple in 

 applying to you. 



Give my best regards to Mrs. Wallich, and believe me ever, 



Yours very affectionately, 



William Jack. 

 Pulo Penang, 



March 6th, 1819. 



P.S. How does my young romping friends Master George? 72 



70. Mr. Renton would appear to have been the retiring surgeon of 

 that district. 



71. Mack & Co. Apparently Mackenzie & Co., Agents and bankers 

 in Calcutta. 



72. George, Wallich 's son. He had a distinguished career in the 

 Indian Medical Service up to 1860, in which year he left and was attached 

 to the S.S. "Bulwark" for a survey of the sea-bottom in the course of 

 laying a cable across the Atlantic. Thence-forward he worked at marine 

 zoology, until his death in 1899. 



R. A. Soc, No. 73, 1916. 



