44.

"When you prepare Rotangs do not cut off the stalk of the leaf close to
the stem, but six inches from it, and do not cut off the thorns, but tie
all up in mats or gunny bags: at the same time send the leaves of each
dried in paper like other plants and flowers, all with names written
plainly in English and Malay.

"Send live plants according as you receive boxes for them."

* * * * *

"Whenever you find ripe fruits or seeds, dry them in the sun, and then
send them to the Post Office for despatch in paper bags. Sow palm seeds
in open boxes as you did before, the Ebool having come up."

* * * * *

_January_ 14_th_, 1844.

"The plants dried and living have been received, and do you great credit.
The live plants particularly are in excellent order. I have sent two
more cases, when they reach you, fill them as you have done before, and
despatch them to me. I send some cards on which you can write the names
plainly, and tie them on the specimens. I will also send you a pocket
English Dictionary, and make you a present of the English and Portuguese
one."

PRIVATE JOURNALS OF WM. GRIFFITH, F.L.S.

CHAPTER I.

_When proceeding with the Assam Deputation for the_
_Examination of the Tea Plant_.

_September_, _1835_.--We arrived at Pubna on the 9th of September, and
left it on the following morning, pursuing the course of the Pubna
"Karee," which is exceedingly tortuous and of about an average width of
100 yards. On the evening of the 10th, we halted in the same river near
its termination. This morning we reached the "Beera," into which the
Pubna Karee enters, and which at the mouth presents a vast expanse of
water. Among the jheels which occur on every side, we noticed in
abundance the _Tamarix dioica_. About noon we entered a narrow river,
and in the evening a very narrow creek in which in two places we
experienced a great difficulty in getting the boats along. We noticed
_Alpinia allughas_, _Nymphaea pubescens_, _Oxystelma esculentum_,
_Apluda aristata_, in abundance. Up to this period the two most
conspicuous grasses continue to be _Saccharum spontaneum_, and
_Andropogon muricatus_.

_Sunday_, _13th_.--Arrived at Shiraz-gunge, about half-past 8 A.M., from
which place the people say Jumalpore is a three days' journey. The
country through which we proceeded after leaving Shiraz-gunge is nothing
but a net-work of rivers, several of vast size, and low islan