JACK'S LETTERS TO WALLICH, 1819-1821. 191 



also send by him my watch, about which I spoke in my last; will 

 you do the needful concerning it? Mr. Xicolson will return here 

 soon again, and will probably take charge of anything you may 

 wisli to send. He brings down his family to settle on his estate, 

 which lie purchased for a mere song. I thought at first he would 

 be rather an acquisition to the place, but he has shown a bad 

 litigious spirit, which lias made me less satisfied with him. He 

 has a pushing insinuating manner; should you see him and he tell 

 you any long stories about Bencoolen and the favor he stands in, 

 you will know the degree of credit to attach to them. I mention 

 this that you may know the sort of man, in the event of his seek- 

 ing your acquaintance, which is not improbable. 



I have purchased Rheed. 152 and Bees Cyclop. 153 cum aliis. 

 The latter comes down to Fol. Finn. Part 71; have you got any 

 later? .. " * 



What steps have you taken for procuring the last volumes as 

 they appear, that T may adopt the same. 



I am going tomorrow for a week to Eat Island 154 so must 

 close this letter, which I wish you may be able to read. My best 

 compts. to Mrs. Wallich. And believe me yours very truly. 



William Jack. 



P.S. I wish it were possible to procure in Calcutta such paper 

 for specimens, as that which forms the cover of those now sent 

 nothing ever injures it. 



If yon can, procure some pairs of hyper-robust shoes, size 

 within a trifle of 10-1 inches. 



No. 12. Bencoolen, Sept. 28th, 1819. 



My dear Wallich, 



A vessel has just called with dispatches, and is off again for 

 Calcutta immediately. I shall only be able to send you a few 

 lines. The intelligence she has brought is most unexpected and 

 important. An extraordinary mortality 155 at Penang has swept 



152. Rheede tot Draakenstein, Hortus maldbaricus, 12 vols. 1686-1703. 



153. Rees ' Cyclopedia, or universal Dictionary of Arts, Sciences and 

 Literature, in 39 vols., 1802-1820. 



154. Rat island is opjDOsite Bencoolen. 



155. Cholera broke out widely throughout the East in this year, and 

 very severely in Penang, (vide Memoir of Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles 

 p. 431 in a letter dated Feb. 27, 1820), 1131 deaths occuring (vide Craw- 

 ford's Journal of an embassy to Siam (London, 1828, p. 20). 



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



