SIR THOMAS STAMFORD RAFFLES. 
53 
As time wore on, the occupations of office became 
’ess engrossing. The long time spent in passing 
from Calcutta to Bencoolen, in matters connected 
with government, and the permanent establishment 
and prosperous condition of Singapore, left little more 
to be accomplished : a return to Europe was contem- 
])lated, and the arrangement and description of his im- 
mense collections looked forward to. At Bencoolen, 
Sir Stamford lived in comparative retirement at his 
residence in the country ; his chief employments be- 
ing study and the examination of the numerous inte- 
resting productions his house and grounds contained, 
being in his own words, “ a perfect Noah’s ark.” Farm- 
ing occupied also a portion of his time, and the mak- 
ing of roads, and improving the neighbouring country. 
In a letter to his cousin, he pleasantly writes, “Much 
of my time is taken up in agricultural pursuits. 1 am 
by far the most active farmer in the country ; and as 
President of the Agricultural Society, not only take 
precedence at the board but in the field. I have a 
dozen ploughs constantly going, and before I quit the 
estate, I hope to realize a revenue of L. 2000 or 
L. 3000 a-year, besides feeding its population.” 
This state of rural happiness and employment in 
benefiting the country was now however about to ter- 
minate. A succession of sickly seasons occurred, 
which ravaged the population, and we may almost be 
surprised that Sir Stamford and his lady were pre- 
served among the many losses they sustained. Their 
three eldest children fell victims in succession to the 
