1834.] Proceedings of the Madras Literary Society ^fc, 116 



probably irr-'gular action from defective nourishment, the soil bein^ 

 unfavourable. In No. 4, it is probable, that the head had been in- 

 jured as in the date tree alluded to. 



VII. — At a Meeting of the Madras Literary Society and Auxi- 

 liary of the Royal Asiatic Society, held at the Society's Rooms, 

 at the College y on TIiu rsday evening the 2Sth November 1833, 



Present. 



The Honorable W. Oliver, Esq. in the Chair. 

 Dr. T. H. Davies, J. A. R. Stevenson, Esq. 



L'eut Col. Napier, J. G. S. Bruere, Esq. 



"Revd Mr. Harper, C. V. Lutchmiah, and 



J. OucHTERLONY, EsQ. J. C. MoRuis, EsQ. Secretary. 



The Secretary is requested to read the paper selected for perusal, 

 -being a continuation of Lieut. Conner's Memoir of the survey in 

 Travancore. 



The Secretary lays before the meeting the following letter from 

 the Secretary to a Society established at the Cape of Good Hope 

 for exploring central Africa. 

 Sir, 



I am instructedby the'* Managing Committee of the Cape of Good 

 Hope Association for exploring central Africa" to communicate 

 to you, for the information of the Royal Asiatic Society at Madras, 

 the views with which this Association has been recently establish- 

 ed, and the grounds on which they hope to receive such encourage- 

 ment and assistance from those scientific societies and individuals 

 to whom the objects of their undertaking must necessarily be inter- 

 esting, as may enable them to effect their purpose in a manner ge- 

 nerally advantageous to the public and creditable to the British 

 nation. 



In further explanation of the statement contained in the printed 

 papers, which I have now the pleasure of enclosing, I take the liber- 

 ty of troubling you with the following observations: — 



The principal aim of the leader of the expedition, which it is pro- 

 posed to equip with as much speed as our circumstances may allow, 

 will be to penetrate, if it be found practicable, through the central 

 districts of southern Africa to the Equator — to make himself ac- 

 quainted with the native tribes located in those parts of the conti- 

 nent thro' which his course will lie and to establish relations of amity 



