Thanks WJH for information on J. D. Hooker’s progress.
J. D. Hooker promised a copy of his Galapagos paper. Can WJH forward one to the Athenaeum?
No summary available.
Arrangements about how the R.A.S. meeting will proceed.
JDH writes to his mother regarding letters exchanged with & news about friends, family & acquaintances: sister Elizabeth, whose health is improving; cousin Gifford, who may have been in a battle in the North West; the Palgraves; Aunt Jacobson; Humboldt; Maria's husband; Frances Henslow; Wheatstone; Stephan Ward; Phillipps; Mrs & Sir C. Lyell; & Darwin. JDH has also written to Reeks regarding the destitute family of Geological Survey Officer Williams. JDH hopes the box of instruments from Adye [Alexander Adie?] has been sent overland not round the Cape of Good Hope. JDH mentions numerous friends in Darjeeling & elsewhere in India: Müller, who he is staying with & for whom he has ordered some instruments from Newman; Hodgson; Barnes, who has supplied him with elephants; Campbell, who has supplied tents; O'Shaugnessy; Sabine, who wants him to make meteorological observations; & Lobb, a plant collector for nurserymen. JDH has also befriended [William] Tayler, Post Master General of India, brother to artist F. Taylor. WT is an artist himself & has painted landscapes & portraits in Darjeeling & Cattmandu [Kathmandu] & intends to paint JDH's expedition party including Lepchas, Bhoteas & animals. JDH describes his new Bhotea dog, a Tibet Mastiff. JDH is sending home his Nepal & Sikkim collections inc. seeds, dried plants, museum items for WJH, & Cryptogamia for Wilson to name & publish as he desires. JDH discusses the publication of his letters in the LITERARY GAZETTE, editor Jordan, he does not think the criticism of them in the ATHENAEUM comes from the same 'L' who denigrated the BOTANICAL MAGAZINE. JDH Also mentions: Stocks' papers in LONDON JOURNAL OF BOTANY; Griffith's PALMS [OF BRITISH EAST INDIA]; a sketch in the LONDON JOURNAL OF BOTANY of his report on McLelland's activities, anticipated comments on the Calcutta Gardens, JDH's coal-fossil essay & the exchange of his Antarctic Flora for Wight's ICONES.
Discusses the death of his Uncle Gurney who was well respected in Calcutta [Kolkata], & the death of Williams in unhealthy jungle. Urges his father not to worry, JDH avoiding unhealthy places with the advice of [Brian Houghton] Hodgson [BHH]. Assam is unhealthy at this time of year & tensions with Nepal on the NW frontier will hamper travel to Cattmandu [Kathmandu] so Hooker will stay at Darjeeling & the Himalayas. Wants to make more geological, geographical & meteorological observations of Kinchin [Kanchenjunga] as well as collect its botany. Whilst in Darjeeling he will continue to collect specimens, draw plants, prepare his flora 'Cibaria & Economira' & send roots to Kew. He hopes to visit 'the snows' again at least as far as Jongri. JDH has received letters from home with news of Bessy's [Elizabeth Hooker] illness & recovery & Planchon's contemptible conduct. Also received instruments from Newman & Jacket & books forwarded through Colvile. Discusses publication of new Rhododendrons & the identification, characteristics & proposed names for different Rhodo. species: macrophyllum, campbelliae, wallichii or setosum, argentuem or arboretum & falconeri. Mentions Reeves & the LONDON JOURNAL OF BOTANY. Discusses the likelihood of Thomson joining him from Ferozepore [Firozpur]. Mentions Madden, Wallich & the [Calcutta Botanic] Garden, Falconer being sent to Moulmain [Mawlamyine] to report on Teak & Macrae taking over. Soane river collections not yet sent home, will be shared with the East India Company, Linnean Society & Calcutta Gardens. Bentham has taken up Vogel. Discusses running of the [RBG Kew] herbarium, including outgrowing Aiton House & needing an assistant, he suggests Mitten, not Spruce. JDH ordering instruments for Muller. Brown has been staying at Kew & JDH is willing to make amends. There is no Zallacca at Darjeeling, only Wallichia. Speculates on the future of ANNALS OF KEW & the Linnean Society incl. possibility of WJH being chair.
No summary available.
ARW reports to friends his observations of Brazil after nine months exploring. At first disappointed, expected profusion of monkeys, hummingbirds, and parrots everywhere. “Not for several days...saw a single monkey or bird,” but soon learned “how and where to look.” Country is “surpassingly beautiful,” caught 500 different kinds of butterflies. Virgin forest “sublime and magnificent” with astonishing vegetation where “lurk the Onca [jaguar] & the Boa constrictor...and the Bell bird tolls his peal.” Describes streams and rivers; Climate “wonderfully uniform;” 30 different kinds of palm trees; large variety of fruits. Unalterably opposed to slavery. Even where he observed them treated well, notes they can be sold “like horses or dogs.” Country is booming and prosperous in both agriculture and commerce.