Kandy, 6th July, 1819.
I have heard of my being appointed assistant-surgeon to the 8th Dragoons.... I have received a very polite note from the director-general on the subject, to whom I am very grateful for the appointment. I could not help entertaining apprehensions lest I should revert to the rank of hospital assistant, and if I have not done so, I am persuaded it is through the representations and intercessions of yourself and Mr. Reid. I have had much reason to be satisfied with my situation in this island, and it is not without regret that I shall leave it. Through the kindness of Dr. Favell, my situation and duties have always been such as to render me perfectly contented. I have not been inattentive to your advice on a former occasion, and already, through the good management of my friends, I find myself possessed of several hundred pounds, a sum much beyond my expectations. I doubt, therefore, if my circumstances will be benefited by removing to India, where, though the pay is much greater, the mode of living is more expensive, and as second assistant I cannot expect to have the charge of the sick. However, there are other circumstances attending the change, which are of a pleasing nature. My regiment is stationed at Merut, on the frontier of the upper provinces of the Bengal Government, so that from Calcutta I shall have a journey of several thousand miles to perform, a circumstance which of itself would outweigh a host of difficulties. I am delighted with the prospect of seeing so large a portion of the globe; the journey cannot but prove interesting and, I hope, useful to me.
On the return of his regiment to Europe, he was detained for the purpose of attending the Mission to Siam and Cochin China, as medical officer and naturalist, during which his health was sacrificed at an early period by the active and severe exertions which his zeal in the pursuit of natural history induced him to make, and he lived but to reach Bengal, and embark for Europe with little or no hope of recovery. It has been already mentioned that he died on the passage home.
The following extracts from some of his later letters to Dr. Somerville will not be read without interest.
Siam, 15th June 1822.
Nearly three months have elapsed since we arrived at this place, Bankok, the capital of Siam, and being unable to get our ship over the bar of the river, we shall probably remain as much longer. I have had but little opportunity to do any thing in any branch of natural history. The people have kept a strict watch over our actions, and their jealousy opposes an insuperable barrier to researches of that nature. We have gained some information respecting the manners of the people, their religion, &c., which may one day afford you some amusement.
I do not know that the political or commercial objects of our mission are of that importance to attract any share of your attention or curiosity. One might with justice say of the king of Siam, what Voltaire says of a certain king of Babylon. “Il se croit le plus grand roi de la terre, parceque tout le monde le lui dit.” The celestial empire itself is but a small matter compared to his kingdom. Judge then of the notions such a personage is likely to entertain of our nation.
Our Mission, there seems great reason to fear, is destined to share the fate of the numerous attempts which have already been made to establish a friendly and commercial intercourse with the ultra-Gangetic nations. It does not appear likely that it will effect any thing for the benefit of our commerce. When we arrived in the country we were quite ignorant of many matters, a knowledge of which would have been of the first importance in conducting affairs with such a people. Peace, for which they are more indebted to the weakness and pusillanimity of their enemies than to their own strength, had left the king, and one or two of his ministers, leisure to embark in commercial speculations. You are aware that the king is here the merchant, and almost the only one.
The success of their first attempts exceeded their expectations, and led them to think of increasing the produce of the country. Chinese emigrants were, with this view, encouraged, beyond all former example, and at this moment, they are thought to equal the natives of the country, in number. The effect was instantaneous. The produce of sugar alone, which was before totally neglected, has increased to an astonishing extent, in the course of the last ten years. It is the same with other articles of commerce, as pepper, cardamums, &c.