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.

Mentions expected birth of child [Henrietta Emma].

BAAS meeting.

Comments on letters from G. R. Waterhouse and William Lonsdale.

Describes survival of apparently "fossil" seeds sent by W. Kemp.

Is at work on MS [of Volcanic islands].

Inquires of CL about the suitability of George Robert Waterhouse for a natural history post in the British Museum. Congratulates CL on his successful trip to the United States.

Description and defence of his view of the tosca in Banda Oriental, along the Rio Uruguay and at the Rio Negro, taking issue with A. D. d’Orbigny. Refers to the pumice in the Patagonian Territory. Two tables show the layered tosca formation along the Uruguay.

Asks about CL’s new book [Travels in North America (1845)].

Discusses views of A. D. d’Orbigny on elevation.

Mentions reading W. H. Prescott [History of the conquest of Mexico (1843)].

Regarding L. F. Menabrea's papers, thinks he is a good mathematician. Is not so sure about Augusta A. King's (Lady L[ovelace]) notes.

Remarks on fossils described in A. D. d’Orbigny’s Voyage dans l’Amérique méridionale.

Asks CL whether he has talked with John Murray concerning 2d ed. [of Journal of researches].

Mentions conversation with Hugh Cuming about South American shells. Has had G. B. Sowerby (elder) look at some specimens.

Sends the first part of Journal of researches [2d ed.]. Explains his dedication of book to CL. Describes revisions.

Has received CL’s book [Travels in North America, 2 vols. (1845)].

Comments extensively on CL’s book [Travels in North America (1845)]. Lyell’s views on slavery, the clergy, education, and coalfields. Has difficulty in tracing Lyell’s course. Comments on geological portions, especially CL’s comparisons of living and fossil organisms to those of South America and Tasmania; animal formation of carbonic acid and effects of vegetable decay; Indians’ use of lumber. Discusses water-borne transportation of wood, fruit, and seeds. Notes distribution of Arctic flora.

Discusses the power of land covered with snow to radiate heat.

Criticises CL’s discussion of slavery [in Travels in North America (1845)]. A review of CL’s book is in Gardeners’ Chronicle.

Mentions John Lindley’s views on carbonic acid gas and extinction;

refers to the discussion of multiple and single creations in Humboldt’s Kosmos.

The origin of volcanic craters of elevation.

There is a popular demand for a new edition of Principles.

Praises palaeobotanical work of C. J. F. Bunbury.

Discusses American Negroes and their parasitic lice. Henry Denny’s need for lice specimens.

Discusses effects of racial crosses in man.

Describes his trip to Yorkshire.

Comments on Sedgwick’s review [of Vestiges of creation].

Mentions Humboldt’s Kosmos. Criticises Humboldt’s geology.

Comments on forthcoming edition [7th (1847)] of CL’s Principles. Mentions other books relevant to CL’s needs by Hooker, H. G. Bronn, Edward Forbes, and J. G. Kölreuter. Discusses his own books on volcanoes and the geology of S. America.

Mentions expected visit to Down by the Lyells.

Discusses A. C. Ramsay’s article ["On the denudation of South Wales", Mem. Geol. Surv. G. B. 1 (1846)]. Mentions his own paper ["Volcanic phenomena in South America", Collected papers 1: 53–86]. Emphasises that sedimentary deposits are not ordinarily preserved.

Replies to note from CL asking about views of glaciers.

Quotes from South America [p. 167] on the foliation of metamorphic rocks.

Asks CL to address a letter to Charles Maclaren.

Discusses recent publication by David Milne on erratic boulders [Edinburgh New Philos. J. 42 (1847): 154–172].

Views of Bernhard Studer on foliation of gneiss in the Alps. Asks CL to tell Leonard Horner of Studer’s views.

Comments on investigation of coral reefs by A. A. Gould, particularly the reefs around Tahiti. Mentions description of reefs of Tahiti by W. Forbes.

Hooker’s view of work by C. J. F. Bunbury.

Has received copy of CL’s Principles [7th ed.].

Comments on reading Annales des sciences naturelles.

David Milne’s and Robert Chambers’ views on Glen Roy.

Mentions sales of South America.

Describes visit to his father at Shrewsbury.

Comments on correspondence between CL and Whewell [concerning university reform].

Criticises S. G. Morton’s "Hybridity in animals" [Am. J. Sci. 2d ser. 3 (1847): 39–50, 203–12].

Discusses David Milne’s Glen Roy paper ["On the parallel roads of Lochaber", Trans. R. Soc. Edinburgh 16 (1849): 395–418]. Rejects Milne’s theory that outlet of Glen Roy is blocked by detritus. Impressed by Milne’s discovery of an outlet at the level of the second shelf. Believes this strengthens theory that lakes were formed by glacier blocking Glen Roy. Offers arguments against glacier theory.