Journals of Travels in Assam, Burma, Bhootan, Afghanistan and The Neighbouring Countries | Page 2

was to the coast of Tenasserim; but in
the year 1835 he was attached to the Bengal Presidency, and was
selected to form one of a deputation, consisting of Dr. Wallich and
himself as botanists, and Mr. MacClelland as geologist, to visit and
inspect the Tea- forests (as they were called) of Assam, and to make
researches in the natural history of that almost unexplored district.
"This mission was for Mr. Griffith the commencement of a series of
journeys in pursuit of botanical knowledge, embracing nearly the whole
extent of the East India Company's extra-peninsular possessions, and
adding large collections, in every branch of natural history, but
especially botany, to those which, under the auspices of the Indian
Government, had previously been formed. He next, under the directions
of Capt. Jenkins, the Commissioner, pushed his investigations to the
utmost eastern limit of the Company's territory, traversing the hitherto
unexplored tracts in the neighbourhood of the Mishmee mountains
which lie between Suddiya and Ava. Of the splendid collection of
insects formed during this part of his tour some account has been given
by Mr. Hope in the Transactions of the Entomological Society and in
the eighteenth volume of our own Transactions.
"His collection of plants was also largely increased on this remarkable
journey, which was followed by a still more perilous expedition,
commenced in February of the following year, from Assam through the
Burmese dominions to Ava, and down the Irrawadi to Rangoon, in the
course of which he was reported to have been assassinated. The
hardships through which he passed during the journey and his
excessive application produced, soon after his arrival in Calcutta, a
severe attack of fever: on his recovery from which he was appointed
Surgeon to the Embassy to Bootan, then about to depart under the
charge of the late Major Pemberton. He took this opportunity of
revisiting the Khasiya Hills, among which he formed a most extensive
collection; and having joined Major Pemberton at Goalpara, traversed
with him above 400 miles of the Bootan country, from which he
returned to Calcutta about the end of June 1839. In November of the
same year he joined the army of the Indus in a scientific capacity, and
penetrated, after the subjugation of Cabool, beyond the Hindoo Khoosh
into Khorassan, from whence, as well as from Affghanistan, he brought
collections of great value and extent. During these arduous journeys his

health had several times suffered most severely, and he was more than
once reduced by fever to a state of extreme exhaustion; but up to this
time the strength of his constitution enabled him to triumph over the
attacks of disease, and the energy of his mind was so great, that the first
days of convalescence found him again as actively employed as ever.
"On his return to Calcutta in August 1841, after visiting Simla and the
Nerbudda, he was appointed to the medical duties at Malacca: but Dr.
Wallich having proceeded to the Cape for the re-establishment of his
health, Mr. Griffith was recalled in August 1842 to take, during his
absence, the superintendence of the Botanic Garden near Calcutta, in
conjunction with which he also discharged the duties of Botanical
Professor in the Medical College to the great advantage of the students.
Towards the end of 1844 Dr. Wallich resumed his functions at the
Botanic Garden. In September Mr. Griffith married Miss Henderson,
the sister of the wife of his brother, Captain Griffith, and on the 11th of
December he quitted Calcutta to return to Malacca, where he arrived on
the 9th of January in the present year. On the 31st of the same month he
was attacked by hepatitis, and notwithstanding every attention on the
part of the medical officer who had officiated during his absence, and
who fortunately still remained, he gradually sunk under the attack,
which terminated fatally on the 9th of February. "His constitution,"
says his attached friend, Mr. MacClelland, in a letter to Dr. Horsfield,
"seemed for the last two or three years greatly shattered, his energies
alone remaining unchanged. Exposure during his former journeys and
travels laid the seeds of his fatal malady in his constitution, while his
anxiety about his pursuits and his zeal increased. He became care-worn
and haggard in his looks, often complaining of anomalous symptoms,
marked by an extreme rapidity of pulse, in consequence of which he
had left off wine for some years past, and was obliged to observe great
care and attention in his diet. In Affghanistan he was very nearly
carried off by fever, to which he had been subject in his former travels
in Assam. No government ever had a more devoted or zealous servant,
and I impute much of the evil consequences to his health to his
attempting more than the means at