JDH was staying with Sir L. Peel then at Government House with Lady & Lord Dalhousie. JDH is now travelling with Mr Williams' camp & was supplied for the trip by Sir James Colvile; nephew of Lord Auckland. JDH travelled Dawk: by Palanquin, from Calcutta [Kolkata] via Hooghly & the McIntosh's house at Burdwan to the camp at Taldangah where he met Mr Theobold & F. Watkins. JDH describes the vegetation of elevated Bengal table land in dry season: Zizyphus, grasses, Saul & Lac tree, Bamboo: no ferns, Liliums, mosses, fungi. Describes Paras-Nath mountain [Shikharji], ascent on elephants, the mountain village: Moderbund [Madhuban] & its temples. Mustard, wheat, dole & pulse are cultivated there, also Banyan & tamarind trees & groves of Saul, Fig, leguminous trees, Peepul & mango. People of Paras-Nath mostly Hindu with some Mahomedans [Muslims]. JDH found Buddhist engravings & learned from Mr Haddon that Paras-Nath is place of pilgrimage. Witnessed a Poojah: a Hindu ceremony. Woods on the mountain were dense Shorea robusta with Bauhinia climbers & much bamboo, two ferns, Cheilanthes, Adiantum & Selaginela. JDH wonders at the lack of tropical vegetation. The vegetation at the top of the mountain incl. Clematis, Barberry, grass parasitic on trees & traces of herbaceous plants possibly Begonias. JDH will visit again in the wet season for Cryptogams. Animals incl. squirrels, few birds & butterflies. On the road to Benares JDH saw mineral springs & got Confervae there for Harvey. From Dunwar Pass travelled on alluvial plain & dry Soane River to Bidjegur & Mirzapore. Common plants: Fici, Acacias, Toddy Palm & local date. JDH witnessed a tropical aurora. Future plans incl. going to Catmandoo [Kathmandu] in Nepal or Cherra Poonjee [Cherrapunji] & Ava in the Cassya [Khasi] Hills. JDH mentions working on Griffith's papers, Gurney, Claude Hamilton, Finlay of Easter Hill, Robert Reddie, [Nathaniel] Wallich, Cantor, Colly Comar, the Asiatic Society, Miss Henlslow & Wheatstone.