358 Biographical sketch of Col. Mackenzie. [Oct. 



ry of the eastern islands, and the Society itself had fall- 

 en into dedine (although not ahsolutely extinct) since 

 the commencement of the revolution. Of the laudable 

 efforts to revive it since the 15ritish government was esta- 

 blished this may not be the appropriate place to speak. 

 Under the patronage of the supreme government, should 

 Java remain a Briti.sh colony, it may be hoped still to 

 contribute essentially to the general culture of science, 

 and of commercial economy, and of useful knowledge in 

 these parts. 



2. Lieutenant-Colonel Mackenzie's first efforts 

 were particularly directed to this object of investigation, 

 the progress and actual state of knowledge, and of the 

 history and antiquities of the island ; and it is due, in 

 justice to several respectable individuals in Java, Bri- 

 tish and Dutch, to say that much ready and cordial aid 

 was furnished in the prosecution of these researches. 



3. Some of the colonists who had paid an attention 

 to these subjects, which were not very popular in Java, 

 very readily communicated the aid of their knowledge 

 and experience in directing the pursuit and pointing 

 out the sources and individuals that could farther assist. 

 To conciliate the minds of men, and remove difficulties 

 arising from prejudice of education and religion, and 

 from the variety of languages, the experience acquired 

 in India was found of great advantage ; but the pow- 

 erful aid of the penetrating acute genius of the Brah- 

 mans v/hich had been of such importance in India, was 

 here wanting, and the languages presented obstacles of 

 no common degree ; it was necessary not only to employ 

 translators from the Dutch, French, and Malay, but it 

 v/as extremely rare to find persons capable of rendering 

 tTavanese MSS.* into either of these languages previous 



* An ingenious native of Java has since this accompanied Co- 

 lonel Mackenzie to India, and has already made some progress 

 in translating from the Javanese. 



