Appreciates additional time made available by RS to allow JH to finish paper properly.

Informing JH that they have been appointed members of a committee for proving a three foot reflector for the Cape Town Observatory.

Encloses letters from Thomas Maclear and returns one of JH's.

Encloses more letters from Thomas Maclear. Admiration for Maclear's energy. Cape Town is in a state of semi-rebellion.

Cast of the late Francis Baily is ready, also the one of JH. These will be forwarded as arranged.

Asking SC for a letter of introduction for a friend to see J. H. Cust (Viscount Alford).

Has written letter of introduction to J. H. Cust (Viscount Alford) and sent it to [Robert?] Grahame. The Association has voted £250 for Kew Observatory. Had interesting session on nebulae from William Parsons (3rd Earl of Rosse). Meeting has been successful in all respects except the pecuniary one.

Regarding their various points of view on a certain question.

Hopes his paper on L. A. J. Quetelet will be ready for the Easter number. Richard Jones has returned from Switzerland, and dined with Quetelet in Brussels. Has been suffering himself with congestion of the brain and consequently unable to write.

JDH has received the books from his mother [Maria Sarah Hooker] & is delighted with the KEW ANNALS. His SOANE JOURNAL reads well. [Brian Houghton] Hodgson gave him the information about Jains. He is finding Turner’s TIBET interesting & will forward a copy from [Archibald] Campbell [AC]. The purses from Bessy [Elizabeth Hooker] et cetera are ready to be sent to their destinations; he sends his thanks to her & his grandmother & also Tom Brigbach, for the razors. JDH discusses a disagreement with the Choongtam Lama involving a Lepcha who he had employed as a hunter with the backing of the Singtam Soubah. He reported it to AC but expects no redress. JDH writes of the opposition he has faced from the Sikkim Rajah & the lack of support from AC, who has many political shortcomings. He sent seeds to [Hugh] Falconer yesterday & is pleased with Reeves’s subscription list for the RHODODENDRONS [OF THE SIKKIM-HIMALAYA]. He has called one Rhododendron 'Hodgsonia'. JDH has received a letter from Edgeworth who holds a Commissionership in the Punjab. Tayler is sending his portrait of JDH home; Fitch should copy it although Tayler will be angry. JDH asks his mother to send him a 'scribbling diary' & 'Nautical Almanac'. He details the money he has drawn. Thomson writes in good health. JDH writes of his collections & asks if they are growing at RBG Kew. He is sending many more pines & Rhododendrons for Kew via Darjeeling. He discusses Madden’s paper & the phenomenon of plants flowering earlier at higher elevations & requests an actinometer to measure solar radiation.

JDH wrote to WJH from Yeumtong [Yumthang] & has since been into Tibet by the Donkiah Pass - northwest of Chumalari [mountain] & 30 miles beyond the Himalayan range, like Kongra Lama. The pass is different from the Nepal ones, being very narrow between the mountains Donkiah-lah & Kinchin-jhow. JDH describes the landscape & route of the Lachoong River towards Choongtam & the Lachen River across the Cholamu plains. From the top he could see hills of quartz tinged with iron oxide. He does not doubt that the water north of him & west of the Painomchoo feeds the Arun [river]. The Bhotian people do not distinguish between the ranges. JDH sketches a map of the region. The lakes are inferior to those of Lachong. JDH discusses the elevations of the landscape. He cannot go much further owing to Sikkim opposition & Chinese outposts. They are now cut off from Darjeeling & supplies are dwindling. The Singtam Soubah accompanied him to the pass but has now left. JDH describes the curious flora there, along with the landscape. He compares the valley to the crater of a volcano. JDH describes how a sudden snowstorm smashed his thermometer but the barometer, given to him by Henslow, was miraculously unscathed. The thermometer Sabine sent him arrived just in time. He is also glad of the barometer tubes from Newmann. JDH found rock formations similar to those of Cockburn Island. JDH describes his collections & the local wildlife which includes migratory birds.

JDH tells WJH of his plan for the coming year. He is done with Sikkim & Bhotan [Bhutan], or the 'Dhurmah country', is shut to Europeans; it's Rajah is worse than Sikkim’s. The Mishmis are so unhealthy that Jenkins advises against going there. The northwest is being explored by Captain Strachey – only Nepal remains. JDH describes the best route: straight from Darjeeling to Cattmandu [Kathamandu] via Dunkotah & then to Dawalgeri & Kumaron. He describes the difficulties he will face. The Rajah’s leave could not be refused to the Governor General. The expense would be £600 of which he has £300 from Woods & Forests. He has written to Lord Dalhousie on the matter & hopes Thomson will join him. He has also written to Sir Henry Elliot of his intentions. If Thomson does not join him, he will struggle with navigating by astronomy & languages. He describes orientating himself in Sikkim using an Azimuth Compass, but could not do so in Nepal. The languages spoken, besides Hindustani, are Purbuttyah – Ghoorka [Ghurka] colloquial - & Bhote [Tibetan]. He requests a telescope & one of Newman's short barometers. Should there be any obstacles to his plans for going to Nepal, he will take the Khossya Hills instead. JDH discusses his recent explorations which have included two glaciers, & his collections, including a Cyananthus. He wants WJH to grow the great rhubarb 'Tchuka', which he describes, he thinks it is figured in Royle’s Himalaya Flora. A new Rhododendron & Tsalla are common there at 18,000 ft. He adds that it snows everyday.

JDH informs WJH that regarding Nepal, Hodgson says Sir B. Shakespeare, Resident, will support him with £300. Lord Dalhousie will sanction Government payment of JDH’s expenses, pending application to the Court at Home. Courtenay has written asking about JDH’s prospects in India. JDH is pleased with WJH’s success with cultivating his Rhododendrons at Kew but would like to see the Tchuka rhubarb growing. JDH discusses Lobb & Jenkins. JDH is content about Himalaya vs. Borneo. He asks if Harvey got his letter & comments that Edgeworth is a good fellow. After seeing his Tonglo paper, Edgeworth sent him copies of Ruprecht’s descriptions of Bamboo. Edgeworth asked if WJH grew the 'Cleime' from Aden. JDH will send ferns from Darjeeling. He has heard of McNab’s death in Edinburgh. WJH should see Roxburgh for information on the Toddy Palm at Madras [Chennai], it is Phoenix sylvestris, though other plants also yield toddy. There are two Stracheys: Henry is travelling up the Indus to Neeli Pass & Richard is awaiting him there. He instructs WJH not to be jostled out of the house by Aiton. JDH sends regards to the Deleports. Tayler intends to send JDH’s portrait as a gift for Frances Henslow. Wight has sent JDH his ILLUSTRATIONS [OF INDIAN BOTANY] & JDH wants to give him, & the Rajah of Nepal copies of the RHODODENDROND [OF THE SIKKIM-HIMALAYA]. JDH adds that most of the seeds he sends should be grown as alpines, some may be mislabelled.

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Describes Santarein [Santarém], a low-lying town, with most houses only one story. Very abundant fish in river, staple of inhabitants. Made a “Zoological discovery” — a blue pig. Remember pub sign of “Blue pig” at Neath which we all thought was mythological? “No longer a fable...Let the people of Neath know I have seen in Brazil, a living breathing, live Blue Pig.”

ARW tells Agent of his travel plans and seeks information and advice. Planning to head for Matto Grosso, possibly into Bolivia. Perhaps will “get up the Rio Nigro [sic] towards the sources of the Orinooko [sic], ” will head for Montalegre. Oranges are fourpence a bushel. “The more I see of the country, the more I want to, and can see no end of, the species of buttterflies when the whole country is well explored.