Page:Journal of the Straits Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society (IA journalof283018951897roya).pdf/236

 of dysentery contracted on that expedition Mr. O'BRIEN never really recovered his health. After a severe illness he was invalided home, and his name first appears amongst the list of members of the Society in the December number of the Journal for 1878.

In the June number of the Journal for 1888 he published a most valuable paper on the obscure nervous disease of Latah, which is universally admitted to be an excellent attempt to elucidate one of the most interesting mental anomalies in the Malay character.

In No. 14 of the Journal Mr. O'BRIEN published some interesting notes on the History of the Constitution of Jelebu, accompanied by a sketch survey of the Sungei Triang which was published with Journal No. 15. At this period Mr. O'BRIEN was acting as Resident of Sungei Ujong and while so acting the agreement was concluded with Sir. F. A. Weld under which Jelebu was administered under the advice of the Resident in the same way as Sungei Ujong.

A fall from an elephant, which bolted in the jungle with him, in Jelebu, led to a series of complications which terminated in an attack of abscess of the liver. From that time Mr. O'BRIEN was no longer capable of much physical exertion and though he took a keen interest in everything connected with the Society he was no longer able to contribute in the way he would have wished, namely by personal observation and exploration of the Peninsula.

While acting as Col. Treasurer in 1891 some old documents had to be destroyed to make room for new ones and while investigating the blurred and moth-eaten records of 50 years before he came across the interesting minutes of Sir Stamford Raffles, which was published in No. 21 of the Journal. This was his last contribution to the Journal.

The Hon'ble MARTIN LISTER, whose death took place in Egypt. on his way home, in the spring, was also a well-known contributor. He took a deep in terest in the Negri Sembilan States and what Mr. O'BRIEN did for Jelebu and Sungei Ujong and Mr. HERVEY for Rĕmbau, Mr. LISTER did for the Sri Menanti and Johol group, with which he was for a long time intimately connected. His