WOOD. Lieutenant John Wood, of the Indian navy, was born in 1812, and educated at the Perth Academy. He joined the Indian navy when very young, and retired frona it in 1842. He became managing director of the Indus Flotilla, and lived in Sind ,for many years. He died in London, 13th November 1871. From 1835 to 1836, wlaile lieutenant of the navy, he was engaged in the survey of the river Indus, from the sea to Attock. From Attock he descended tho river to Kalabagh, passing its falls and rapids. In 1836 he accotnpaffied Sir Alexander Burnes in his mission to Kabul He crossed the mountains to Kunduz, and was the first European, since Marco Polo, to reach Pamir, the Barn-i Dunia. In 1838 he discovered the source of the Oxus, and received the gold medal of the Royal Geographical Society. His writings were—A Report on the River Indus, in Bl. As. Trans., 1841, x. ; Notes on the Lower Part of the Indus and of the Craft thereon, in Bora. Geo. Trans., 183° 1838, reprint, i. p. 89 ; Journey into the Naga Hills, ibid., 1844, xiii. p. 17 ; Journey to the Oxus, Lond. 1841, i. 8vo ; Journal of a Visit to the Laccadive Archipelago, in Loud. Geo. Trans., 1836, vi. p. 29.
Starting from the mouth of the Indus, Captan] Wood accompanied Burnes' expedition up that classical river, and, after arrival at Kabul, was sent forward to Kunduz. Leaving his companion Dr. Lord there, he pushed on eastwards, and struck the Oxus at Fyzabad, passed thence to Jerm, making an expedition to the lapis - lazuli mines ; was detained by winter storms at Joni], in Badakhshan, from Christmas to the end of Jan uary, and then followed one of the chief streams which make the OXUS, along its frozen bed to its source in a lake on the great Pamir steppe. The snow lay thickly on the hills and river. During the last marches there was no wood to be found, and the only fuel was the dung of animals en camped in the summer on spots known to the wandering tribe from whom his escort was taken, and now dng out by the men from beneath the snow. Arrived at the lake Sir-i-Kol, as it is
called, following Captain Wood, a night had to be passed at this enormous altitude, where the pulses of some of the party galloped-121 beats in a minute, the lowest being 110. In the morning Captain Wood and his followers sallied forth upon the lake, sounding it with great difficulty, for the ice, 2i feet thick, had to be broken, and a few strokes of the pickaxe produced an ex haustion that stretched us upon the-snow to recruit our breath.' There was only 9 feet of water, though the lake is 14 miles long by about a mile in breadth. The water was of a reddish tinge, aud emitted a slightly fetid smell.' The bottom WEE oozy and taugled with grassy weeds. At this height the human voice was sensibly affected, and conversation hushed for very wearines& Nature seemed to defy the power of man to search into her hidden mysteries. The sound of a human voice would have been music to the ear, but no one at this inhospitable season thinks of invading these gelid domains ; yet Captain Wood made his observations, and returned in safety to give them to his countrymen. —Dr. Buist ; E. .I. Afarino Surreys.
Sir Charles Wood, created Lord Halifax, for several years during the changes succeeding tho Indian Mutiny of 1857, the Minister for India. His chief work seas to tunalgamate the Indian with the British army, and his plans needed many changes. Ilis friends claimed for him credit for restoring the Indian finances, but in this he had share.—Hoteell-Tharlow, p. 22.