From:
Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker
To:
George Bentham
Date:
?-?-1846?
Source of text:
JDH/2/3/2 f.27, The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Summary:
A one page letter on one folio.
Contributor:
Hooker Project
Showing 41–60 of 231 items
A one page letter on one folio.
3 page letter over 1 folio
No summary available.
No summary available.
No summary available.
No summary available.
No summary available.
No summary available.
No summary available.
No summary available.
No summary available.
JDH has been delighted with his trip hitherto. Describes visiting Cairo & wishes his cousin could see the pyramids as he did. Discusses belt of productive soil along the Nile & its small rate of soil deposition. Discusses location of the pyramids & the island on which the Nilometer is situated, & its influence on the corn market. Crossed the Nile on a boat similar to that figured in Bruce’s TRAVELS. Describes two sketches made during the crossing.. On both banks saw Egyptians, Ethiopians, Nubians, Abyssinians, Turks & a few Copts. Reached Ghizeh [Giza] & struck inland, carried by Arabs when it became very muddy. Arabs were scattering vegetable seeds. Reached the pyramids, thinks the Sphinx 'stupendous'. Bases of pyramids covered deeply with rubbish. Only had time to go over the Pyramid of Cheops properly. Describes the magnificent view from the summit. Made a few sketches of the grandest but certainly least attractive scene he has ever viewed. Collected lichens from pyramid summit. Went into pyramid interior & recalled every passage & chamber from childhood interest. Finds one grievous disappointment with the pyramids; their futility as simply mausolea. As a child he regarded them as being constructed for three purposes: as astronomical buildings; as places of worship; & as edifices to the genius of the Nile. He was glad to see Matilda Rigby so soon after she had dined with Lady Palgrave.
No summary available.
No summary available.
JDH describes arrival at Point de Galle 31 Dec. Compares Cape Comorin, Cape of Good Hope & Cape Horn. Met by [George] Gardner [GG] with invitation from Lord Torrington to visit Candy [Kandy] but no time. Describes native peoples. Notes Thespesia populnea, Jack & Mango trees, & valuable timbers. Walked wooded lanes with GG, reminded of Amsterdam & Lyden. Showed GG home similar to Hartecamp, Linnaeus’ residence. Lists plant species in damp, very wet & dryer areas. Names fern species & common weeds, tropical roadside genera & palms. Discusses useful plants; Sonneratia acida wood for boxes, Terminalia catappa embryo eaten for dessert, Ficus demonum [F. daemonum] leaves to polish wood, & Artocarpus pubescens. Lists shrubs & small trees. Few parasites & epiphytes. Widespread Passiflora foetida introduced 1824, Bryophyllum & Allamanda cathartica. Discusses relationship between phosphorescent insects & humidity observed in Madras [Chennai], Calcutta [Kolkata], Behar, Birbhoom, Shahabad, Mizrapore & Darjeeling. Mosses fairly represented, algae very rare, lichens abundant. Bid farewell to Matilda. JDH uncertain he will visit Ceylon [Sri Lanka] again. Collected Trimeriza. Visited house with beautiful carved curiosities & jewels. Reminded of Professor Miller of Cambridge. Arrived Madras with GG, 5 Jan. Describes Lord Dalhousie’s military reception & vast number of natives in welcoming party. Met various knowledgeable people while staying with Lord Tweeddale. Walter Elliot directed him to Buddhist antiquities. Discusses winged lion familiar from Syrian marbles & sketches by Walter Forbes. [Brian Houghton] Hodgson says they are evidence of Asian origin of the Buddhist religion. In another letter JDH will show how the physical geography has indicated the positions of the tribes of people as well as plants, & has regulated their migration. Spent a long time with WE at botanic garden under care of Captain Worcester'. Describes garden.
JDH describes arrival at Aden, its landscape, history, population & compares it to Gibraltar. They stayed at the west end of the Peninsular where Captain Haines, Indian Navy resides. Saw Somalis employed by Hindus & Arabs as servants, who would dive for 6d pieces much to Lady Dalhousie’s amusement. In the afternoon the 'Precursor' arrived & JDH met Mr & Mrs Smith. Describes striking coastal scenery with little vegetation excepting Capparis, Acacia & Euphorbias. Describes Sunday visit to the cantonment with Haines & Courtenay, travelling by French Barouche & Arab horses. Surveyed fortifications & saw forts, guns, black Sepoy soldiers, vultures & ruined Turkish castles. JDH ascended to a signal station & notes aqueduct leading to the peninsular. At Captain Haines’ residence met by Assistant Political Agent, Lieutenant Cruttenden, contributor to the GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY JOURNAL, & Civil Surgeon, Dr Vaughan. Visited the church with wholly military congregation. Also went to the highest part of the island: Shamsun, JDH describes landscape & sprinkled vegetation of about 40 species. Road to ridge very well built & though to have been constructed by captive Jews under Solyman [Suleiman] the magnificent. Towards top of ridge found two plants lately figured by Lindley in the BOTANICAL REGISTER. Discusses vegetation & view. Saw that the 'Precursor' had grounded. Signal station at top of ridge, barren of everything except lichens. Monday collected early morning in a cooler valley & visited the beach. Lists plants, saw fox but no apes. Returned to Captain Haines' & prepared to start for Ceylon where they arrived 31 Dec. On arrival met Gardner who had been awaiting their arrival at Colombo. Matilda Rigby had arrived in Ceylon [Sri Lanka] the previous day. Letter concludes on 6 Jan from Government House where JDH is with G.G. [Governor General?] & from where they sail to Calcutta [Kolkata] on Saturday.
No summary available.
No summary available.
No summary available.
No summary available.