liv Proceedings of Boyal Society of Pdinburgh. 
For some years he laboured in Madras in these offices, and also 
acquired a fair practice in the city, in addition to carrying on the 
duties of Port and Marine Surgeon, and afterwards of District 
Surgeon of St Thome. But this quiet life was by-and-by broken. 
In 1855 he received an invitation to Government House, and found 
that, besides Lord Harris, then Governor of Madras, the only other 
person present was Sir Arthur Cotton. Before leaving. Lord 
Harris asked him to look at a bundle of papers connected with 
public works, especially railways, and explained that one of their 
difficulties was to get wood for sleepers, adding that Sir Walter 
Elliot had said he was the best man to consult. After some further 
conversation about a forest department, and the changes that would 
be necessary in Dr Cleghorn’s official position, the latter left, saying 
that he would think over the matter for a week, as he was doubtful 
where he could get assistance. He consulted Sir Walter Elliot, a 
man not only of great experience and sagacity, but well-known for 
his love of science, and at the end of the week he returned to Lord 
Harris, and accepted the task of organising a forest department, and 
reporting. He was then transferred from the military to the 
revenue department. 
He first visited Burmah, and saw the working of the trained 
elephants ; next. Dr Thomson of the Calcutta Botanic Garden ; and 
obtained from every available source, and at considerable personal 
exertion, the necessary information. At the end of two months he 
presented his preliminary report to the Governor, embodying the 
scheme for a forest department, afterwards to become so important 
in India. Sir Dietrich Brandis was appointed by Lord Dalhousie, 
the Governor-General, to the newly-acquired province of Pegu, as 
Conservator of Forests in Burmah, while Dr Cleghorn worked on 
in Madras, and they frequently consulted together, so as to act on 
the same lines. 
At this time (1861) Dr Cleghorn visited his home in Scotland, 
taking a brief holiday of a few months, and marrying Miss Cowan, 
daughter of Mr Charles Cowan, late M.P. for Edinburgh. Eeturn- 
ing to India, he landed with his wife at Galle in Ceylon, where he 
received a telegram from the Government requesting him to return 
to Simla. On arrival he was appointed Joint-Commissioner with 
Sir D. Brandis for the conservancy of forests. The Governor- 
