JACK'S LETTERS TO WALLICH, 1819-1821. 209 



Bencoolen, 



28th June, 1820. 

 My clear Wallich, 



We are still without any arrivals from Bengal, and conse- 

 quently not a line of advice from you. The time must be ap- 

 proaching for your trip up the country, and I am not even certain 

 whether this will find you in Calcutta. The London, a large China 

 ship, arrived here -some time ago direct for England, and we have 

 taken advantage of that opportunity to send home the greater 

 part of the Zoological collections. 215 The second part of the des- 

 cription of them is finished and goes home now via Bengal. Sir 

 8. is very desirous to get the drawings home at the same time, as 

 it will give the people at home the means of examining and com- 

 paring the whole, and making any corrections in the paper that 

 may be necessary before publication. As there is no likelihood of 

 any direct opportunities from home, we have determined to send 

 them via Bengal. They are put in charge of young O'Brien, one 

 of the officers of Watson's corps, who is going up on duty, and his 

 directions are to take them direct to you, if you are in Calcutta; 

 and if you should have left it, to entrust them to Calder. They 

 will be put up ready and fit for transmission to England, and it 

 is therefore an object to avoid their being opened at the Custom 

 House, or in any way overhauled until they arrive at their des- 

 tination. We were thinking at first of addressing them to you, in 

 case you might wish to look at them, but considering the chance 

 of your being away, and moreover that they are not of main in- 

 terest to you, and that your time is too fully occupied otherwise, 

 we thought it best to save you all trouble but that of despatching 

 them. This I am sure you will readily undertake to do, and get 

 them off by the very first opportunity. It is of great consequence 

 their arriving early, as if they are much delayed the paper will be 

 out without the advantage of reference, the " pieces justificatives " 

 as the French would say. They ought to go I think regularly 

 manifested, and with a letter of advice to enable Sir Jos. 21G to 

 get a Treasury order for their landing. There is lots of trouble 

 for you, and I cannot think of giving you so much without taking 

 example in some degree by the native custom, of not making 

 solicitations empty handed. As they conclude their letters with, 

 " I have nothing to offer my friend but — which I request him to 

 accept," so I shall conclude the above request with si3ecimens in 

 spirits, of our gigantic flower. 



Quale portentum neque militaris 

 India in latis alit esculetis 

 Xec Jubse tellus generat leonum 

 Arida nutrix. 



215. Arrived safely. 



216. Sir Joseph Banks. 



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



