2 MEMOIR OF CAPTAIN LIGHT. 



In 1779, we come across Captain Light in one of these 

 voyages; more than one reference being made to him in the 

 Journal^ of Dr. KOENIG, the Danish Botanist, during that year. 

 He met Captain LiGHT trading at Junk Ceylon in May, and 

 at Malacca in November, 1779; and he refers to him in 

 terms that show there was friendship between them, and that 

 the Botanist found him an enhghtened and sympathetic com- 

 panion. It is curious that this MS. also contains for the first 

 time a tolerably full mention of Penang and of the deep-water 

 approaches in the North channel, which justified its selection 

 by Captain LiGHT seven years later. 



In 1 780- 1, a scheme had at last been matured for settling 

 Junk Ceylon, through private subscription but with the con- 

 sent of the Governor-General in Council (then Warren HAS- 

 TINGS). There is in the British Museum a Paper wdiich bears 

 on this scheme, being a description of Junk Ceylon transmit- 

 ted by Captain LiGHT to Lord CORNWALLIS in his letter of 

 i8th June, 1787. t The wars with the French and Dutch in 

 1 781-3 delayed its execution, and shortly after Captain LiGHT 

 decided on the superior merits of Penang harbour. He was 

 at first for settling at one and the same time in both 

 places ; but when the friendly ruler of Junk Ceylon died in 

 December, 1785, it was finally resolved by the Governor- 

 General to make the experiment at Penang alone, which the 

 young Raja of Kedah had offered to cede for $6,000 a year. 



In June, 1786, Captain LiGHT left Calcutta with Sir J. Mac- 

 PHERSON's authority to act. He was given 100 Native "new- 

 raised Marines" and 30 Native Lascars, as well as 15 Artille- 

 rymen (European) and 5 Officers to support him in his 

 undertaking to carry out the settlement of Penang. He first 

 proceeded to Kedah. There he completed his negotiations, 

 and provisioned his party. Sailing thence with three vessels 

 on the evening of the 14th July, 1786, he anchored off Pulau 

 Tikus the following day. The first two days he stayed on 

 board, and was busy surveying the harbour and testing the 



* In MS. in British Museum (translated S. A. S, Journal 27.) 

 t See Logan's Journal, Vol. V, and p. 11 infra. 



