JDH informs Ward that the expedition was unable to go to Chatham Islands so he could not get Hypnum Menziesii for Ward. There are very few botanical discoveries to be made in the extreme south latitudes. The wealth of marine animals suggests there should be corresponding plant life but JDH has only found 1 sea plant within Antarctica; a Diatoma. He has found vegetation beyond the previous southern extreme of known plants: Deception Island. He discusses these southerly marine plants: Sargassum natans, Macrocystis pyrifera & a Laminaria brought on currents from New Zealand & propagated at sea by marine animals. The distribution & character of the latter is described at length. Recounts his study of the new Antarctic Diatoma identical to confervoid remains found in fossil powders, & his study of New Zealand mosses incl. a long description of the development of Theca based on dissections of Orthotichum, Dawsonia & Polytrichum & Sclotheimia sp. In general his conclusions agree with Valentine's. His description incl. detailed speculation on Sporule formation, the anatomy of the columellar e.g. in a new species of Entosthodon from Bay of Islands & in other Funaria, & the teeth which connect the peristome to the theca e.g. in Schistostega & Syrrhopodon compared to Syrrhopodon & others. His observations suggest that the distinction of genus Codonoblepharum based on its cone shaped membrane is erroneous. Quotes from his notes on a Campbell Island moss. Speculates on the nature of the annulus. Touches on the mystery of sexes in mosses. States that all this anatomical investigation should aim toward a natural arrangement of mosses, hitherto hampered by ignorance re. geographical distribution & habit. Under date 21 June records his observations on the anatomy of an Orthotrichum & a Sphagnum, incl sketches. Under date July 21 describes: dissection of Voitia, with reference to Brown's description from Parry's Voyage, also the drumhead of Polytrichnum, both incl. illustrations.

No summary available.

JDH writes to his father, WJH, re. Falklands plants. Lichens are abundant, algae huge, mosses only now fruiting. He has found the same species as Gaudichaud & D'Urville & kept notes on distribution. Discusses mosses on East Falkland, incl: Andreaea, Sphangnum & Trichostoma. 30 lichens found incl Usnea melaxantha which he compares to a Kerguelen sp.. Collected 50 sp. of seaweed incl Macrocystis & Laminariae. Disagrees with Harvey re. Sphacelaria callitricha. Confervoid plants cover the bays. Fungi are scarce but Lyall will send some in spring, incl. large Agarici. Lists ferns collected, incl. a tiny new Aspidium. Asks that a contribution be made to William Burnett on his behalf. The expedition will soon leave for Cape Horn & St Martin's Cove or other port in Tierra del Fuego, allowing JDH to complete his flora of the Antarctic regions. Discusses Fagus sp. found there by Foster & Mirbel. Mentions 3 plants from sub-Antarctic islands which represent new natural orders. Mentions Niger Expedition. Discusses books on cryptogamic plants. Wants Gardner to help arrange his mosses. McLeary will collect moss for JDH in New Holland [Australia]. Discusses Quinary & circular classifications for cryptogamic plants. Mentions the sale of Bauer's drawings & Fitch illustrating GENERA FILICUM. Fielding of Staddagy Lodge has left his collection to the Botanical Society London. Describes walking from Berkeley Sound to Uranie Bay. Plants seen incl Macrocystis & Sticta. Birds observed: steamer ducks sandpiper, kelp goose, Carcara Hawk, gulls, Teal, oyster catcher & Chionis. Describes the quartz hills & the lichens that grow on them, Uranie Bay, a seaweed possibly D'urvillea, the sand hills & the sp. that grow there. Describes a Usnea. Berkeley is wrong about Darwin finding fungi on timber in the Falklands. JDH is sending a parcel to WJH, as well as plants it incls a sketch by Davis, veneer from HMS 'Terror's' rudder, kaurigum, & Tussac grass seeds to share with Edmonstone in the Shetlands.

JDH last wrote to his sister, Maria Hooker, in May. He is sending her some shells, which he briefly describes collecting & packing. He suggests that she, as a conchologist, should label them. The first specimen of Voluta magellanica [Adelomelon ancilla] has gone to the Government collection but the next will be for Maria. The only land shell in the Falklands is a minute Planorbis, the specimens of Murex sent are from the South Seas. JDH has also collected Auckland Island shells, Albatross eggs & specimens from New Zealand which will be sent later. Describes how isolated the Falklands are. Only Yule & JDH remain in their berth, Oakeley having been promoted to Lieutenant when McMurdo was invalided home & Sibbald is now 1st Lieutenant on the HMS 'Terror'. Describes their food rations & what fresh meat they can get in the Falklands, stock has also been delivered by the ship 'Carysfort' from Rio de Janeiro. Summer has arrived in the Falklands but there is little vegetation to show the seasonal change. JDH has been skating once during the winter freeze. Captain Gardiner, famed for his Zulu expedition, is in the Falklands waiting to take his family to Hazy Bay in the Straits of Magelhaens [Magellan] on the Patagonian coast. If Aunt Palgrave knows Mrs Gardiner's family in Hampstead she can tell them the Gardiners are all well. The 'Erebus' & 'Terror' will soon sail for a port near Cape Horn, probably St Martin's Cove in Hermit Island, where JDH hopes to see the natives described by both [Charles] Darwin & [James] Weddel. They will then go south towards the Antarctic pole again & hope to get further south than Weddel who reached 74 degrees latitude. JDH theorises that the channels in the ice are very changeable, describes sailing through pack ice as pleasant with opportunity for visiting from ship to ship. Explains why such visits are called 'Mollymawking' by Greenland fisherman. They also hunt seals & penguins & have snow ball fights on ice floes. Sends New Year wishes.

JDH writes to his sister Elizabeth 'Bessy' Hooker, recalling how she used to miss him when away in Hastings & imagining that they both feel much the same now that he is in the Falkland Islands. He was distracted from his letter writing by Captain [James Clark] Ross's request that he go dredging, so he has been fishing marine animals out of the harbour all day in foul weather. He found another specimen of the rare Volute Magellanica [Adelomelon ancilla] but as it was distinguished by having an animal attached to it he could not keep it for his sister Maria. The expedition is to sail the next day for the Cape of Good Hope. JDH has also written to the rest of his family & asks them to send him news in return. He asks Elizabeth to request their father, William Jackson Hooker, send him books on Cryptogamic botany. Mentions that Governor [Richard] Moody complimented the students of Mrs Teed's school at Great Campden House, without knowing JDH's sisters went there. JDH expects Elizabeth to be a fine lady on his return, he himself has not seen a lady for over a year. JDH will be glad to see their friend [William Henry] Harvey at the Cape of Good Hope. JDH has not been able to get any interesting 'curiosities' for Elizabeth. He asks her to tell him how she is spending her time & instructs her not to give up her music. JDH loves music & was happy that Lord George Paulet asked his band, on the ship 'Carysfort', to play for JDH. He explains that all 'good ships' have bands of music supported by the Captain & officers. JDH sends his remembrances to [Walter Hood] Fitch & asks that he send a drawing of the Hooker's new home. Asks how their pet dog & cat, Skye & Judy, are. A note records that the cat died two years previously in Glasgow.

No summary available.

Since JDH last wrote to Nathaniel Ward the expedition has been to Cape Horn, where there are many Cryptogamic plants. Refers to some comments Ward made on the Niger Expedition & gives his own opinion of the undertaking, mentioning other 'disastrous' expeditions by Tuckey, Parks & Lander. He suggests that only men who are properly 'acclimatised' should be sent on expeditions. Recommends that Dr William Stanger settle in Van Diemen's Land [Tasmania] rather than New Zealand. Comments that the Niger expedition seems to have had plentiful provisions but does not credit Stanger's claims that the amount of Madeira, ale & claret he drank saved his life any more than he believes his own ship rations prevent scurvy. JDH complains about having to eat bread that was full of mould & maggots, it was sold to them at Hobart from the refuse of a convict ship. Writes about a month spent at Cape Horn where he collected Muscologia [Bryophytes], including Leptostormum Menziesii & Polytrichum dendroides in the mountains & woods; woods comprised beeches, Pernettia, Wintera, Escallonia & Berberis. Describes the reasons for the difference in vegetation between heavily wooded Fuegia [Tierra del Fuego] & the barren Falkland Islands, despite their having similar mean temperatures. He puts it down to soil, geology, topography, diurnal variations & hygrometric state of the atmosphere. JDH likens the situation & rich vegetation of Fuegia to New Zealand. Antarctic climates are of particular interest to JDH re. botanical geography as they have no parallel anywhere else. JDH regrets that Harvey's 'state' will prevent them meeting at the Cape [South Africa] & discussing Cryptogamia. JDH is sending Ward some mosses, strictly for his personal use only, Captain Ross does not like any of the expedition findings to be sent home through unofficial channels. Hopes Ward will soon have more time to spend on Cryptogamic botany, a neglected discipline. Sends his regards to Ward's son & to Mr Loddiges.

JDH thanks George Bentham for writing to him. The geography of plants is one of JDH's favourite subjects. JDH shares his observation that Leguminosae & Labiatae are completely un-represented in the flora of the Antarctic regions, which are far from barren. Scrophularinae by comparison are prominent. One such conspicuous genus in the Auckland Islands is Veronica, he describes the presence of a arborescent species, a sp. known as 'Sodjer Plant', & a blue flowered sp. he calls 'the most Antarctic'. In the Bay of Islands, New Zealand the Veronica are fruticose. V. decussata is common in Fuegia & Hermite Island & is the largest tree in the Falkland Islands, JDH describes its habit in each location. One of the only flowers JDH has seen in the Falklands is the indigenous Calceolaria fothergilli, also Gaudichaud's V. serpyllifolia. On Kerguelen Island there is a Limosellla which grows under ice & water similar to L. tenuifolia. Refers to Bentham moving to Herefordhsire, also his contribution to JOURNAL OF BOTANY. JDH recalls De Candolle asking why he was going to 'barren' Antarctica, JDH does not regret it but the plants he has collected have been hard won. His collections are strongest in Cryptogamia. Mentions the death of De Candolle senior & whether his son will continue his work. JDH praises Endlicher's work at Vienna & Lindley's ELEMENTS OF BOTANY, a more thoroughly illustrated manual would be useful to JDH who is slow at identifying plants. JDH would like to spend some time at home before botanizing in the tropics as Bentham suggests. Next the expedition cruises south again, then goes to the Cape of Good Hope & Rio de Janeiro. Speculates on what he will do once home; will work in his Father's herbarium & then travel again, maybe to the Society & Sandwich Islands [Hawaii] or the Himalayas. Mentions the Niger expedition, asks if Hind's plants from the New Hebrides [Vanuatu] are similar to Australian flora. Requests Bentham propose him for membership of the Athenaeum.

JDH staying with Nathaniel Wallich’s [NW] old friend Brian Hodgson [BHH] of Nepal who talks much of NW & the Calcutta [Kolkata] ‘snobs’ as Colvile [JC] terms the pseudo-naturalists. Falconer [HF] very ill & at Spence’s. JDH received letter today from NW’s attached servant Caly Comar [CC] who is getting a portrait of himself done for NW. CC very kind and attentive towards JDH. Should anything happen to HF he must look to CC. JDH spent several hours with [Theodor Edward] Cantor [TEC] who has obtained drying paper for him, they went to Metcalfe Hall & the Agricultural Society rooms where they saw busts of Dr Spy, Dwarkanath Tagore, and NW. Discusses changes at the Calcutta Botanic Garden. JDH thinks whole should be remodelled. Had no other book till yesterday except NW’s TENTAMEN [FLORAE NEPALENSIS ILLUSTRATAE] sent by HF. Mentions Rhododendrons, Magnolias, Arums, Wallichia, Holboellias, Kadsura grandiflora, & wild plantain. NW’s Arum speciosum common but not A. nepenthoides. Flora generally different from Nepaul [Nepal]. Mentions ‘his’ mountain Kinchin junga [Kangchenjunga], Gossain Than [Gosainthan], & Chumalari. JDH feels happy & comfortable except he does not like Indian food. Discusses the Political Resident Campbell [AC] & obtaining access to travel to the snow. Thinks Nepaul would allow access to Gossain Than & would visit had NW not done so. Niti pass is open & JDH would like to visit another year with Thomson [TT] to measure height of plateau, collect plants, & see the Deodar. Strachy has been to Mansarovar, his narrative in the last ASIATIC SOCIETY JOURNAL is expected daily. JDH & BHH will divide the Himalaya into sections by physical characters deduced from watersheds. Currently territorials are arbitrary from the Mishmees [Mishmi?] to the Sutlej. JDH sends regards to old friends particularly Philosophical Club. Miss D’Aguilar spoke much of NW at Jackson’s. Asks NW what plant he named after old Barnes, JDH has spent a lot of time with Barne’s son.

JDH thanks Mrs Mary Boott & her husband Dr Francis Boott for their letters. He associates the Boott's with his youngest sister Mary [Mary Harriet Hooker] who has died from consumption. He is glad to hear that his parents are in good health, he mentions a previous illness of his Father; Sir William Jackson Hooker. JDH is glad that Dr Boott is 'restored'. He is always glad to hear news of what is happening in London, especially in the arts, he comments specifically on the Chinese Exhibition at Hyde Park Corner, a cockney 'Skaiting' shop & skating trips to Margate. He discusses the formation of 'taste' regarding fine art, especially in the colonies where there are fewer example of good pictures. Whilst at sea JDH misses music & paintings, all their 'boxes' [accordions] are broken & the only music is his own whistling. Captain [James Clark] Ross remembers young Frank [Boott] from the Linnean Society. JDH is glad his descriptions of Antarctica entertained Mrs Boott, he explains that most of the time they are surrounded by a 'dreary waste of ice' sometimes enlivened by sights such as the erupting volcano Mt Erebus, the first sighting of which he recounts. He writes that to be an Antarctic voyager is to feel helpless, entirely dependent on a ship which is just a speck in a vast ice-scape. Since last writing JDH has been to Hermite Island near Cape Horn & to one of the Fuegian islands where he has found the winters mild compared to his expectations from the accounts of Joseph Banks & Dr Solander. He describes the cloudy atmosphere & luxuriant vegetation comparing it to the desolate Falkland Islands. Describes sailing under the cliff of Cape Horn which was covered in Fuegian Beeches. Describes the dramatic hills of Fuegia.

No summary available.

JDH thanks Francis Boott for writing to him, he was particularly glad to hear Boott's account of the health of his father, Sir William Jackson Hooker. JDH thinks that WJH's new position as Director of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew will be a positive change for his health, with increased time outside walking. JDH also thanks Boott for sending him a letter from Lady Smith, who JDH remembers meeting at his grandfather's years before. He will copy Smith's letter & return the original to Boott from the Cape of Good Hope. JDH is pleased that Boott is still studying Carices as the genus Carex is important in most Antarctic countries, he asks if Boott has made any observations on its geographical distribution. JDH gives some figures for the comparative occurrence of Cyperaceae to Gramineae in New Zealand, The Falkland Islands, Spitzbergen, Auckland Island, Kerguelen Islands, Campbell Island, & Australia & comments that the descending scale for the southern regions is in perfect accordance with what would be expected from their position & climate. But, this information is confidential as all botanical findings from the expedition are only meant to be communicated through the Lord Commissioners. At Hermite Island JDH found 1 possible Carex & an Uncinia. He was given a plant believed to be Tussac by the Governor [of the Falkland Islands, Richard Clement Moody] but it proved to be Carex trifida, which is eaten by cattle along with Tussac grass. JDH collected some new species in New Zealand & Van Diemen's Land [Tasmania]. He has not heard any botanical results from the American Antarctic Squadron but has high hopes from accounts of them at the Bay of Islands. JDH comments on the 'right of search question' & states that it should not effect botanical correspondence, in his opinion. JDH & Captain Ross send their regards to Boott & his family.

No summary available.

No summary available.

JDH writes that he is sending this note to his father, William Jackson Hooker, with 'Erebus' Seaman Richard Baxter, who has been invalided home. He asks WJH to assist Baxter if he asks. Baxter has been particularly kind to JDH, helping him when he was wet or cold. Baxter has not been in the Navy long enough to claim any benefits. He is not a drunk, his disease is 'organic'. JDH describes Baxter's physical appearance to WJH in a postscript.

This letter will be despatched to JDH's sister Elizabeth on arrival at St Helena. JDH is glad to hear that Elizabeth's health has improved. JDH tells how the last Christmas was spent in a dense fog near Elephant Island. The HMS 'Erebus' spent January in the pack ice working against strong currents & tides. Crossing to the HMS 'Terror' over ice bergs on foot proved treacherous. JDH spent his time drawing & describing plants, the results are now sent to their father, William Jackson Hooker, through Captain Beaufort. Discusses Elizabeth's visit to the Richardson's house & his correspondence with Mrs Richardson. Is glad that Elizabeth is continuing with her music & has learnt to sing. JDH misses music though he is not knowledgeable about it. Dr Sinclair is under the impression that JDH likes the song 'The days when we went gypsying' but he generally prefers old airs to modern ballads. He specifically mentions Ariel's song from Shakespeare's TEMPEST & the sea songs: 'Rule Britannia', 'Yer Mariners of England' & the songs their sister Mary used to play. He declares sacred music to be the best, especially Handel's 'Messiah', he mentions some other pieces & gives many examples of operas he admires. JDH prefers older waltzes e.g. those of Mozart & Strauss & favours marches over quadrilles. JDH thanks Elizabeth & their Aunt Palgrave for sending him their sketches. He commiserates at the death of Lady Callcott who painted a scene of Rio de Janeiro harbour, where JDH will soon be, & illustrated a handbook of Westminster Abbey. JDH mentions acquaintances: the Christys, Carswell & Thomson (recently released from captivity in Afghanistan). JDH is now on his way home via Ascension, where he will eat turtle, & the Azores. JDH anticipates Sir John Franklin will return home if Wilmot is to be Governor of Van Diemen's Land [Tasmania]. Mentions a review of Mrs Rigby's work. Reports of the expedition in the HAMPSHIRE TELEGRAPH contained errors attributed to Lieutenant McMurdo.

JDH writes to his Father from HMS 'Erebus'. He reports that the expedition reached 71 degrees South on Mar 5, further south than anyone except Weddell. JDH recounts the details of the cruise, recording the latititude & conditions on dates from 17 Dec [1842] to 29 Mar [1843]. The expedition sailed via Berkeley Sound, Cape Pembroke, Clarence Island & South Shetlands. Throughout the letter JDH describes sailing in pack ice, bergs & floes. Saw: white Chionis, Petrels, Finner whales, Macrocystis seaweed, confervoid remains, seals & penguins. Encountered land previously charted under different names by D'Urville & Weddel: Terre Louis Philippe, Terre Joinville & Hope Island near Point Francaise. JDH describes & illustrates a new Sargassum collected by HMS 'Terror'. Describes the appearacnce & geology of land & islands seen, especially one unamed 'conical' island where JDH collected specimens of the most southerly plants incl Ulva crispa & Desmarestia aculeata; the only Antarctic & Arctic plants, & an algae he will name after his godfather Dalton. Received gifts from Her Majesty Queen Victoria. On 5 Feb sailed further South than D'Urville, their course was similar to Bellinghausen's. He describes the extreme boredom, discomfort, anxiety & danger of Antarctic exploration. Only Captain Ross JDH & possibly McCormick care about the science of the expedition, for the men there is no entertainment. Continues to recount their travels south through Mar until they could go no further. Re-crossed the Anatarctic circle 11 Mar heading for Cape Circumcision, Bouvet Island but could not find it. Describes a Lamaria, possibly D'urvillea utilis, collected Latitude 43, & compares it with other algae: Himanthalia & Ecklonia. At the Cape they will anchor at Simon's Bay. JDH will collect Cryptogamia & phenogamiae there & visit Mr Jardine & Baron Ludwig in Cape Town. JDH discusses preapring his Campbell Island mosses for publication. Mentions classification of Southern Gymostoma. Discusses Endlicher & Leary's clasfication of Musci & refers to Fries, Brown & Berkeley. Discusses his work on lichens, Flora of Falklands & geographical distribution of Antarctic plants. Mentions the lack of young British botanists. Commments on Smith & WJH's work on ferns. JDH believes a Stegamia from Kerguelen Islands to be the most Antarctic fern. Discusses his hopes for Captain Vidal & Watson's work on plant distribution. JDH thinks the difference in Falkland & Fuegian flora can be explained by his climatic observations. Mentions Prince Albert's interest in the expedition. JDH has collected some rocks from icebergs for Lyell. En route to Rio [de Janeiro] he will return to the study of marine animals. Working with a microscope & the harsh conditions in the ice have taxed JDH's eyes. The men of the 'Terror' have bred a cat for JDH's sister Bessy. Mentions his dog Skye at home. JDH discusses his finances, WJH's new journal & plans for RBG Kew as a public institution vs private royal garden.

JDH last wrote to Charles Lyell in Sep 1842. He now continues the story of the expedition. The cliff of Cape Horn did not live up to its reputation. The expedition went to Hermite Island in Fuegia. Mentions [Charles] Darwin's account of it as the summit of a submerged mountain. JDH collected Cryptogamia previously found by Menzies, Forster & Banks plus new mosses. Describes St Martin's Cove & the view of the island. Describes the island geology in detail, mentions Maxwell Harbour, Cape Spencer & arseniate of iron. The only notable insect was a Carabus. Discusses Fuegian weather. Recounts a discussion with an officer of the 'Philomel' re. Darwin's thoughts on Falkland Islands' geology. Describes the geology of the Falklands: very uniform, consisting of quartz, peat bogs & clay. Only abundant vegetation in the Falklands is grasses, noted European introductions incl: Veronica serpyllifolia, Poa Annua, Rumex sp. & Alsine nudia. JDH found pumice from the South Shetlands. Mentions a rock off the coast seen by Lieutenant Burdwood & now submerged. The expedition sailed south for Antarctica on 17 Dec & saw first ice near Clarence Island. Reached land at 'Cape Francais' & followed the coast south. Describes the landscape incl. mountainous coast, glaciers, volcanic islands & islands named by D'Urville: Trinity Land, Palmer's Land, Terre Louis Phillippe & Terre Joinville & the great landmass Biscoe called Graham's Land. Describes in great detail the geology, geography & climate of a volcanic island they landed on. Compares the snow there to that on Mt Etna as described in Lyell's son's PRINCIPLES OF GEOLOGY. Birdlife incl. Petrels, Penguins & Cormorants. Only moss, lichen & seaweed can survive the conditions on the island. Ice stopped them tracing Weddel's route but on 5 Mar reached their most southerly point 71 degrees latitude. JDH reports arriving at False Bay, Cape of Good Hope to anchor in Simon's Bay. Offers rocks to Lyell's son Charles & birds & shells to his daughters.

JDH thanks his Aunt Elizabeth Palgrave for two letters, the first received in the Falkland Islands, the second, dated 3 Jan 1842, at Simon's Bay in the Cape of Good Hope. He is glad to have received so many backdated letters with news of his family, even though early in the expedition every letter at a new port brough bad news: the illness & death of his brother Willy [William Henslow Hooker] in Jamaica, the death of his sister Mary [Harriet Hooker] & the illness of his Grandfather & sister Elizabeth ['Bessy' Hooker]. But god things have befallen JDH on the expedition as well, he is satisfied he has done his duty & the expedition has been a success. JDH is delighted for his Father, William Jackson Hooker, who is very happy with his situation as Director of RBG Kew, as are the whole family. Mentions the education of his cousins Frank [Francis Turner Palgrave] & Giffy [William Gifford Palgrave] & his Uncle [Francis Palgrave's] health & poverty. Mentions MURRAY'S HANDBOOK FOR TRAVELLERS IN NORTH ITALY, written by his uncle. Also contribution of his aunt & Lady Callcott to a volume on Westminster Abbey. JDH recalls visiting Lady Callcott in 1829. JDH hopes that on his return his aunt will teach him an appreciation for art. JDH has missed music & art whilst at sea. He has heard no music since the band of the HMS 'Carysfort' played at Berkeley Sound in the Falkland Islands. When previously in Van Diemen's Land [Tasmania] JDH found the ladies at Government House very musical. Now, in Simon's Bay he goes to see the band of HMS 'Winchester' every day, even though they are not very good. JDH has just heard the news about the subjugation of Kabul & Afghanistan, so Gurney [Turner] should no longer be in danger, JDH sends Gurney his regards & good luck in India. JDH wrote to Dawson [Turner] from the Falklands, he hopes his uncle can find less taxing work, as his father has done in leaving Glasgow for Kew. JDH hopes to be in England in 5 months.

JDH reports progress on NIGER FLORA. He thinks Napoleona is close to Gustavia, it resembles an Indian Lecythis. [Nathaniel] Wallich sends JDH news. Ava trip postponed in favour of Darjeeling. Spring flora incl.: Convallariae, Apris, viola, Oak, Chestnut, Magnoliae, Arums, Fragaria, Rhododendrons, Prunus, Pyrus & Rosa with Clematis, Gentiana, Umbelliferae, Begonias, Saniculas & autumn vegetation to follow. Insects incl. Cocinillae & Grylli. Political relations with Bootan [Bhutan] & China mean JDH probably cannot go to Thibet [Tibet] via Kumaon or any other route. At Darjeeling it is not possible to see the different flora of the low valleys during the rains. Sir F. Currie sanctioned [Thomas] Thomson's [TT] continued work. JDH hopes TT measured the height of Gilgit. JDH is collecting for the museum & Jenkins at Goalpara has some things. Discusses the palm-like plants at Darjeeling, the rattan is used to make bridges & wild Musa leaves to carry things. Explains what collections, incl. from Borneo, he has promised to share with the Calcutta Garden. [Hugh] Falconer's [HF] health is improving, he will forward JDH's Bhangulpore [Bhagalpur] plants to Kew along with first shipment of roots incl. Balsams & Gesnerioids. JDH now likes HF but still has a low opinion of Royle. The collectors JDH sent to Tonglo were stopped at the border, they should be allowed to cross but Campbell the political resident does not enforce such rights. Further discusses British relations with the Rajah of Sikkim, position of Lord Dalhousie & permission to visit the snows. Mentions native people of Sikkim: Tartars, Lepchas, Tibetans, Murinis, Limbos & Bhutanese. JDH travelled to Darjeeling via Benares from hence he will go to Assam via Gowahatty & visit Sadiya in the Mishmee [Mishmi] Hills, the tea plantations & Ava. Would like to go to Tibetan passes. Comments that Madden is a good botanist. JDH is doing sketches & writing up his journal & geographical & botanical observations of the Himalayas.