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JDH has already written to his brother William Henslow Hooker & sister Bessy [Elizabeth Hooker] and now writes to his father, William Jackson Hooker. He explains that the expedition will not sail as soon as expected but JDH is unlikely to be allowed leave, by Captain [James Clark] Ross. The result is JDH will not be able to come home to Glasgow in the interim, certainly not until the surgeon, McCormick has returned to the ship. JDH & a Mr Ward are going on an excursion to Cobham. The Botanical commission of the R.S. [Royal Society] did not have the civility to say bon voyage to JDH. Mentions sending seeds to the East India Company. Mentions his father's communications with Talbot, Arnott & Champion & other botanists. Comments that Cape Palmas & Fernando Po are 'glorious stations', he regrets that the expedition will not stop at the Cape de Vers [Cape Verde islands]. Asks if WJH knows of a cruciferous Kerguelens Land plant, which he has heard from Brown appears in Anderson's journal. Asks if his sister Maria would copy out a list of Antarctica & Enderby Land plants for Ross. Asks about the Murrays' being in London. Commiserates with Dr [Harry] Rainey who he considers an excellent lecturer, only equalled at [Glasgow] college by WJH & McKenzie.

JDH explains to his father, William Jackson Hooker, that Captain [James Clark] Ross has been unable to confirm if JDH can take leave, he is reluctant to grant it as the surgeon & captain of the HMS 'Terror' are both away at present. Ross is angry that the ships 'Erebus' & 'Terror' are not yet in a condition to sail. McCormick has discovered that there is little support for the natural history element of the expedition from government or from Sir William Parker [of the Admiralty], which has also upset Ross. McCormick is still committed to pursuing natural history & encourages JDH in the same. JDH has been organising medical supplies & tending to some of the men from the 'Terror' who are generally less healthy. Discusses the expense of equipping the mess for a four year voyage. He enumerates his own expenses since leaving Glasgow, including purchase of instruments from Weiss, & what his pay is compared to his shipmates'. He would like to lend some money to Dayman to help him pay his debts, otherwise the practice is to deduct the amount of any outstanding debt from his pay when the ship is paid off. They will be paid on reaching the Nore. Mrs Richardson has introduced JDH to people in Chatham incl. the Davies. He has not met Mrs Wavell, as Mrs Kay suggested, as she is in Hastings. Thanks Mrs Kendall for her interest, her brother is a great favourite. Dr Smith is ill, when JDH visited him Smith lent him [Charles] Darwin's journal which JDH thinks highly of & would like to buy. JDH has also read up on the voyages of Captain [James] Cook, [George] Anson & [John] Byron. JDH is anxious about a letter of advice he gave to William [his brother William Dawson Hooker].

JDH did not write to his father, William Jackson Hooker, sooner as he was waiting until the last day before the expedition departed. The HMS 'Erebus' was waiting at Billingham with the HMS 'Terror', from there the steamer 'Hecate' took them to the 'Downs' & they sailed on to the Manse, below the Thames Nore. JDH briefly describes his cabin. Has received 'handbox' & contents incl. letters of introduction from WJH. Describes a farewell visit with his sisters Bessy [Elizabeth Hooker] & Mary Harriet Hooker at Kensington. Gurney was out of town but JDH has had a nice letter from him offering assistance. Has also received a letter from [Charles] Lyell with a profile bust of himself by Edouard[?] along with letters of introduction from Sir William Symonds introducing JDH to his sons in Sydney & New Zealand. [William Henry?] Harvey has written to JDH about botanising in the Cape, telling him where to find Wardia, Andraea & Hookeria & providing letters of introduction to the Governor of St Helena & a Mr Wilde who is a naturalist there. Mentions receipt of Natural History stores from the Admiralty. Dr Beverley, surgeon to Captain [William] Parry on two expeditions has visited the 'Erebus'. Captain Ross' mother & sister are now to leave the ship. JDH intends to write to Mr Children, Mr Ward, his Grandfather, Dr Boott & Mrs Richardson. Letters may find JDH at their next stops, which will be Madeira then St Helena. They are now in the Margate roads awaiting a new anchor from Deal [in Kent].

JDH informs his father, William Jackson Hooker, that after 5 days delay at Margate they have set sail for the Downs where they will stop only to land their Thames pilot. JDH sent his last letter with Mr Sibbald who was sent out for a new anchor. After leaving Gillingham they had to wait for the winds to change. At Margate many 'vulgar & uneducated' visitors came on board HMS 'Erebus' & made a nuisance of themselves.

JDH informs his Father, William Jackson Hooker, of their safe arrival at Funchal, Madeira. Briefly recounts the voyage past the Lizard & Torbay & losing sight of HMS 'Terror' in a gale. They made good time despite sounding every day to take the temperature of the deep sea water. JDH has not been sea sick but he & the crew find that the positioning of the cabins 'athwartships' exaggerates the rolling sensation disagreeably. JDH has found no 'animalculae', meaning protozoa, in the water & does not expect to until they reach the tropics. JDH keeps a regular journal recording anything of note as well as his natural history diary for the Admiralty. He will send any specimens he makes for his personal collections to his Father. Captain [James Clark] Ross will deal with specimens for the Admiralty incl. both plant collections made by JDH & animals ones made by McCormick. JDH is keen to avoid any confusion over who owns which specimens. JDH is only allowed to go onshore to collect if one other medical officers remains with the ships. Whilst at Madeira JDH intends to visit Mr Muir & Mr [Richard Thomas] Lowe. Describes his impressions of the island of Madeira as seen from the sea, mentioning the volcanic rock, the vineyards, pine capped hills & village of Santa Cruz. He is disappointed to find the island less wooded than he expected but describes it as beautiful at night with a perfect climate & clear blue seas. Adds a note dated 22 Oct [1839] stating he has met with Muir, Lowe, Mr Reilly, Dr Renton & Dr Lippold & will go on an excursion with the latter to the hills.

Captain Crozier of the HMS 'Terror' has just informed JDH that they must sail as the weather is making it dangerous to remain anchored [in the Funchal Roads, Madeira] so JDH has little time to spend on this letter to his Father, William Jackson Hooker. Recounts his time spent in Madeira; botanised for a few days but was then bedridden by rheumatism. After recovering enough, spent some time with Mr Muir & Dr Lippard who brought him fruit. In his limited collecting time JDH only gathered plants he thought were uncommon, it was not the best season to get specimens. The expedition may go to Port Praya [Praia] in the Cape Verde Islands, they will certainly go to St Helena & St Paul's Rock on their way to the equator. JDH & Mr McCormick [surgeon on the HMS 'Erebus'] get on well. JDH has sent flowers from the convent for his Mother & sisters, including myrtle wreaths, they are sent home by Mr Muir via Mr Pamplin. Mentions that he met Mr Johnstone & a lady who were friends of his Grandfather & Mr Baker from Norwich. Notes that the date on his previous letter may be wrong. Mr Hally[?] is in Madeira & is dying. Dr Renton[?] & Mrs Montgomery Hamilton née Wallace have been attentive to JDH. Letter also contains a note from Mr Muir dated 16 Nov 1839, presumably added when he was given the letter to forward. Muir writes that the 'Erebus' & 'Terror' sailed on the 31 Oct [1839], before which he & his family enjoyed JDH's company. Mr Smith of Jordan Hill has since arrived in Madeira with his invalid daughter.

As it is Christmas day JDH wanted to write to his sisters, Elizabeth 'Bessy' & Mary Harriet Hooker. Recounts the progress of the expedition over the last 3 months. Describes stops at Madeira's Cape Braza & Bay of Funchal & his visits to Mr Muir's house. Plants in the island's gardens incl: Vines, Daturas, Fuchsias, Chinarose, Hibiscus & Heliotrope, many fruits, & on the cliffs chestnut trees. JDH describes a type of small guitar made by the Madeira natives. JDH got rheumatism on a trip to the mountains & Captain [James Clark] Ross tried to keep him on the ship but JDH went ashore to visit Mrs Montgomery Hampton, now married to a Dr Renton, & other acquaintances incl. Mr Halley & a brother of Miss Shortridge. He describes their visit to the Funchal nunneries, Santa Clara & the convent of the Incarnation, where he bought artificial flowers made of duck feathers. Next they went to Tenerife, JDH describes a visit to the Spanish town of Santa Cruz where Lord Nelson lost his arm. At the Cape Verde Islands the 'Erebus' anchored at Porto Praia a Portuguese town on the island of St Jago [Santiago], a very desolate place except for coconut trees & some oases of fruit trees. JDH collected plant specimens in the heat with the help of resident freed black slaves. JDH describes a trip through the mountainous interior of St Jago to St Domingo, during which he saw baobab trees, a beautiful kingfisher, Gallina or Guineafowl, Acacias, Castor Oil Trees, hawks, wild monkeys & tiger cats. At St Domingo sugar cane, maize, oranges, Cassava & other tropical vegetables are cultivated. They are now sailing towards St Helena via the ocean near Pernambuco, Brazil because of the trade winds. En route they have seen St Paul's Rocks & Trindada [Trindade & Martim Vaz] only notable for the birdlife: terns & boobies etc. After St Helena they will visit Tristan d'Acunha, Cape Horn, Kerguelen's Land, Van Diemen's Land [Tasmania], New Zealand & Antarctica. JDH spends the voyage drawing sea animals.