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 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.

Via Calcutta [Kolkata] JDH has sent: end of NIGER FLORA, sketches, incl. many Rhododendrons, list of roots sent to RBG Kew & sample of Lepcha Boehemeria cloth. Discusses navy half pay & difficulty getting items of economic botany for the museum, he has cotton cloth & baskets & awaits bows, arrows & quiver. Mentions specimen of only large spadixed palm. Has completed [River] Soane journal & discusses publication of it by WJH & The Asiatic Society, a copy shld be sent to Robert Chambers' Journal to promote the expedition. Advises that roots sent to Sir L. Peel by Smith shld be packed better, likewise bottles sent to JDH. JDH will send home extensive collection of dried herbarium specimens on leaving Darjeeling for Mr Jenkins' in Assam, after the rains. Mentions expenses & living with [Brian Houghton] Hodgson [BHH], whose only neighbours are: Dr & Mrs Archibald Campbell [AC] & the Muller brothers, one of whom works at the Patna opium factory, the other at Calcutta mint. JDH still hopes to go North & visit the snows: border issues with Sikkim& China are complex & he is being assisted by AC, Lord Dalhousie & Colonial Office. JDH wants new species named after Mrs Campbell & Lady Dalhousie, WJH may re-name the rest. Has drawn Phaenogams &, for Berkeley, fungi. Found new Balanophoras sp. & prepared dissections for THE LINNEAN SOCIETY TRANSCATIONS. Promises descriptions of Magnolias. Mentions: assistance provided by Gurney, HF lecturing, writing to Stocks, BHH's sister Miss Colville to visit RBG Kew with Miss Edens, defending [Nathaniel Wallich], Madden's TENTAMEN FLORAE NEPALENSIS, Col. Lawrence , Griffith's synonymising, falling out with Brown over Rafflesia & fossil cones, a phosphorescent fungus resembling Belcher's Borneo one. Heard of Col. Waugh, Surveyor General, measuring Kanchenjunga as the highest mountain in the world. JDH has a view of it, one of the true Himalayas of the Chamalari rising from the plain of Tibet. Possible that Dawalgiri in Nepal maybe taller.

JDH delighted by letter from [Charles] Darwin [CD]. [Brian Houghton] Hodgson reading CD’s journal & has some pamphlets on breeds etc for CD from the ASIATIC SOCIETY JOURNAL. Wonders if CD knows of Pallas’ memoir on degeneration of animals. JDH in very good health. [Hugh] Falconer has been unwell but is much better & is trying to get his English time to count towards his length of service. JDH wishes the Darwin’s were all well. Finds CD’s fact about male & female barnacles startling. The Surveyor General [Colonel Waugh] has announced measurements of one of the Himalayan mountains [Kanchenjunga] which make it the highest in the world.

Comments on WJH's accident & subsequent treatment, mentioning use of ether. Has forwarded [Hugh] Falconer [HF] a lot of mss material. JDH has procured a bamboo bow, poisoned arrows & poison root from Bhotan [Bhutan]. HF sending JDH books. The rich flora of Darjeeling yielding new things: JDH draws the most important incl Orchideae. Crawfordia & other things will be in seed soon but it is hard to dry seeds & specimens. Describes drying specimens in front of fire & shortage of paper. Has sent collectors to Neapul [Nepal]. Discusses common local Streptolirion as featured in the LINNEAN SOCIETY TRANSCATIONS by Edgeworth. Comments on prospect of moving the British Museum Herbarium to RBG Kew, Brown will object. JDH is invited to stay with Jenkins [J] en route to Assam. J is collecting drugs & medicines for JDH. JDH intends to trek to snow when conditions improve in Oct. Mentions poverty of natives in Darjeeling. Has collected some insects. Of trees has collected: 1 pine, 1 yew, Abies webbiana & a Juniper & hopes to get [William] Griffith's larch. Cannot send plants in his letters: they would be ruined by damp in the post to Calcutta [Kolkata]. BHH is ill & made worse by news from Gray that a valuable collection of Tibet animals was ruined. JDH has sent collectors to the interior & pays them liberally. Discusses origins & character of the Sikkim aborigines -- the Lepchas, & the Booteas from the neighbouring country. Mentions that Sikkim Rajah is actually a Tibetan. Mentions death of Lord Burghesh, Fane's brother & Fane's character. JDH is pleased his parents are keeping Francis happy. Sends regards to Harvey, Betham, Citoyen & [Walter Hood] Fitch. Asks for stationary to be sent by overland post with the LONDON JOURNAL OF BOTANY from Reeves. Letter illustrated with sketches showing the vegetation that appears at different elevations, maps showing Punkabarrie, Kursiong, Pacheem, Darjeeling & peaks of Tonglo & Sinchal, a sketch labelled Quercus & one of JDH's Ganges boat.

JDH reports he has written to Humboldt, [Henry] de la Beche, Lord Morpeth & will write Mr Phillipp next. A gale has blown down flowers & fruits of many timber plants JDH could not previously get specimens from. His collection included: epiphyte Vaccinia, Mistletoe, ferns, branch of a new Oak sp, Loranthi & Viscaceae, 8 oaks & Edgeworth's Streptolirion. Will send batch of Orchideae to Calcutta [Kolkata], mostly Dendrobia & Coelogyne. Other things coming into fruit at Darjeeling: Rubiaceae, stinging nettles & other Urticeae. Forest species incl: Arum, Balsam, Streptolirion, Polygona, a small bamboo, large tasty figs, Laurinea, Cyrtandreae, Begonias & Magnolias. Madden has suggested he will give WJH the pick of his collections. Winterbottom has joined Strachey's brother surveying Kumaon. JDH plans to go to the snow [in Sikkim] even without permission, though the Lepchas are fearful of showing him the way without government sanction & [Archibald] Campbell is not pushing hard enough to get this. Rubiaceae & Myrtaceae & Leguminosae are rare in Darjeeling & there are no Acanthaceae, which abound 3000 ft lower. Araliaceae, Rosaceae, Aroideae, Verbenaceae & Laurinceae are common. Timber trees are remarkable, few have good wood, Walnut is one of the best. Compares fruit of the Darjeeling Walnut to the Bhutan kind. Mentions wild & cultivated plantain & wild mango. He has sent seeds of the ground Raspberry; a Rubus he advises be sown in a cool place & grown with Vaccinium. Oxycoccos & Tussack. Writes he is enclosing fragments of tree fern [not present] that resembles Alsophila gigantea.

JDH sent the most important news, re. travelling in Sikkim, in a letter to Bessie [Elizabeth Hooker]. Flowering season in Darjeeling is advancing rapidly, recent additions to the collection incl. fine Cyrtandreae, a new Balanophora & many other tree specimens. JDH is behind with his drawing & has given up doing fungi. [Archibald] Campbell [AC] has sent him a new Caryota palm & a citrus with enormous pink fruit. Palms JDH has are: Calamus rotang, Phoenix sp. & 2 Arecinae. Roots of Orchids & Cyrtandreae sent to Calcutta [Kolkata]. [Hugh] Falconer has sent JDH books for free, including vols by De Candolle, Walpas, Kunth & Royle. JDH thinks all his Rhododendrons are new species, he advises that this should be clear on examination of the numbers of cells in the ovarium, the hairiness of the filaments & the shape of the calyx. [Brain Houghton] Hodgson [BHH] & JDH are both ashamed of Royle's book, the only good part is Hope's entomology section. JDH has captured an Indian Goliathidae, an opalinus like the one he drew from 'Mr Melly's cabinet' as a boy. JDH has made a small insect collection incl. some lovely beetles. Common insects incl.: Stag--beetles; Coccinella, most commonly Penetala; a Bostrychus that kills oaks, a metallic gold Caprida & noisy Cicadas. JDH sent collectors to the Terai but they became ill, he plans to replace them with Mechis who are a race used to living in malarial places. 10 collectors have been sent Tonglo for Rhododendron roots & are bringing things back in instalments, JDH also has collectors in Sikkim but they are too far away to bring things back in good condition & will not put plants in papers. He hopes AC will also send some collectors beyond the snow. JDH asks for stationery supplies to be sent whenever WJH is sending him an overland parcel. Under date Aug 10 [1848] JDH adds that he has sent men to the Terai & still awaits the return of his Nepal men, these matters are managed for him by BHH.

It rains everyday at Darjeeling & the Ganges has flooded. Plant are flourishing, especially Galium, Synaphalium, Hydrocotyle nepalensis, Cyrtandraceae spp, Torenia like Asiatica, Polygona, Balsams, Hypericum, Epilobium, Urticeae, Hydrangea, Adamia, Cyanea, Ophelia, Bignonia resembling B. picta. Prevailing trees are Laurineae, Chestnut, Oaks, Alder, Birch, Bucklandia, Magnolia, Cherry & Rosaceous trees. Climbers incl Araliaceae, Hydrangea, Vitis, Polygona & an Amaranthaceous thing. There are no grasses or Ranunculaceae & 1 Crucifera: Cardamine hirsuta, Umbeliferae incl a Hydrocotyle, Mimulus semperflorens & a liquorice scented Magnolia. Collectors from Tonglo have got Meconopsis nepalensis, Clematis acuminata, Thalictrum sp & Aconitum palmatum: the source of 'Bik' poison used in Sikkim. Has poison for the museum & is getting Lepcha hats & umbrella [illustrated]. Has 9 palms: Phoenix, Caryota & Calamus spp & museum specimens of all, also specimens of a Cycas & all 8 local bamboos & rices, but no Tabasheer. Discusses wild & cultivated bananas & enormous cucumbers. Local people eat most things: fern tops, Solanum leaves, vitis, Urticae, Bolete, Polypore, berries & a Cucurbitaceae with large fruit that he describes & illustrates. Discusses: orchids in the region, a Streptolirion sent to Calcutta [Kolkata], Araliaceae incl. Helwingia, alpine plants compared to Bhotan & Nepal, relative altitude where plants such as figs & Rhododendrons are found. JDH has collectors in Tibet, Sikkim & the Terai where there is jungle flora & Sylhet spp. Discusses [Archibald] Campbell & Lord Dalhousie. & arrangements for trip to Kinchin [Kanchenjunga]. Wants to research the geographical distribution of plants in high mountains, or go to upper Assam tea districts via Gowahatty or across the Cossya to Churrra & Munneypore. & find place in Assam to grow Gutta Percha. Next year JDH may return to Kinchin or go to Sudya & Dupha-Bom. Asst Surveyor General Captain Thuillier has lent instruments.

JDH thanks his family for letters. Discusses his finances, managed by Jas. Findly of Smith McVicar & Co. Full NIGER FLORA sent. Is glad WJH sent pocket sextant with telescope, will use them to observe terra nova. Lord Dalhousie has ordered the Sikkim Rajah, at Choombi, to let JDH go to the snowy passes. JDH hopes to go over Kinchin [Kanchenjunga] to Tibet so he can describe the world's highest mountain & determine the elevation of the plateau of Central Asia. It is 11000 feet at Leh, the Lakes of Mansarowar [Manasarovar], & Rawin Chad[?] but is undetermined at Yaroo--tsampa [Yalung Tsangpo] river. Alternatively JDH may go to Jongri village, the botany will be similar & include new things. Discusses the races of people: Booteas, meaning natives of Tibet not Bootan [Bhutan] serve the Rajah & oppress the Lepchas, who are North Himalayan Tartars. JDH has collections to send to Calcutta [Kolkata]. Has sent collectors to Nepal & Lepcha parties collect locally& help JDH & Clemanze dry specimens. JDH is keeping a meteorological record measuring rainfall & barometer temperature at Hodgson's house. Mentions Lady Rolles arboretum. Critiques Griffith's publications. Has written to Stocks. Is scathing about Dr Royle. Mentions Grant & Thomas Thomson. Has piece of silk, Tibetan letter & brick of tea for RBG Kew museum & Campbell has a shield. Mentions: copy of journal for Lord D. & republication of extracts, Royal visit to RBG Kew, [John] Lindley [JH] printing JDH's letters in the GARDENERS CHRONICLE & annoying Brown, JH's disapproval of JDH travelling before finishing the FLORA OF AUSTRALIA, Lord Auckland, illness of Sir L. Peel, Doom Palm, Calami, acorns, chestnuts, walnuts, Gordonia wallichii. JDH will return to Darjeeling, the richest field except for Cathmandu [Katmandu] & the Mishmees, to collect spring flora on Kinchin. [Hugh] Falconer is lecturing & maintaining Calcutta Gardens. Discusses cost of post & Citoyen's queries about generic affinities. Gurney has gone to sea.

Still awaiting reply to Lord Dalhousie's letter from [Sikkim] Rajah. If [Archibald] Campbell finds out the Rajah intends to oppose them they will travel to Jongri on the south face of Kinchin [Kanchenjunga] rather than going via the east face to the Tibet passes.[Brian Houghton] Hodgson [BHH] too ill to accompany JDH & AC also injured. JDH sent [Hugh] Falconer [HF] his journal of trip from Bhaugalpore [Bhagalpur] to Darjeeling. HF is ill but has found JDH another Portuguese servant who he hopes will be half as good as 'Friday'. He has added to his growing collection: Balanophora typhina, B. polyandra, a Rhubarb & a new Aconite used to make 'Bikh' poison, of which he has museum specimens. Recounts story of man killed with Bikh poisoned arrow. Has sent live roots of 150 species to Calcutta [Kolkata], mostly Orchideae & Seitamineae. Has specimen of a very large tree fern for WJH. During break in rains JDH collected more roots incl. Magnolia, Helwingia & white Rhododendrons. Oaks & most other seeds are not ripe yet, Compositae are just blooming & there are relatively few grasses. Though he is obliged by expectation to embrace many disciplines in his explorations, JDH has not neglected Botany. By measuring mountains, recording weather & explaining his work locally JDH has gained credit in India. The Surveyor General was always secretive about his activities. JDH has measured Kanchenjunga & Sinchal with instruments from Captain Thuilliers & calculated height of Tonglo with Muller. JDH has sketched the flags at Ging & a panoramic view of country around Darjeeling. Also found: pink flowered Luculia, [William] Griffith's Larch & a curious little Rhododendron. Has forwarded a letter from Thomas Thomson from Karakerum range beyond Ladakh, also written to Mr Philipps. Discusses conditions for sowing some seeds he is enclosing & compares to similar sent by Edgeworth for the Gibson Craigs in Edinburgh. The Lacteraea should be in flower soon, he thinks it will be half hardy.

Apologises for being a poor correspondent to [Charles] Darwin [CD] & [Charles] Lyell. At Darjeeling, JDH is staying with [Brian Houghton] Hodgson [BHH]; a Himalayan naturalist. JDH collects beetles. Discusses [Hugh] Falconer's health, work, East India Company pension & bad behaviour; incl. offending the Asiatic Society President, Colvile. For the rainy season JDH has sent out collectors for live plants & is drying them himself. JDH has not been above 10,000 ft but must see that flora to complete a transverse section of the range & its botanical regions. Lord Dalhousie is seeking permission from the Rajah for JDH to go to Sikkim. Permission granted to travel through Nepaul [Nepal] to Tibet passes. In Dec will explore the Terai recording the rocks, plants, climate & zoology. Has formed good idea of the main plants that define the 'central region'. Discusses geology of the region incl terraces & structure of the mountains. Explains composition of the soil, concentrations of organic material & coal deposits- Mueller does the chemical analysis. Discusses elevations of glaciers. Speculates on geology of Kinchin [Kanchenjunga] & the sudden transition from the sub Himal to higher peaks. The Himalayas need to be studied fully to understand their makeup, so far only the North West corner is known, nobody has explored east of the Kemaon [Kumaon]. JDH is anxious to be the first in this terra nova. BHH sends CD some pamphlets to share with Waterhouse. Relates BHH's answers to CD's questions re: climate for seedlings in India, cultivation of European vegetables, tea plants at Cathmandu [Kathmandu], introduction of the Junma goat, interbreeding of Axis medius & Hemitragus quadri-mammis & Yak or Bison with Buffalo to produce zobos, breeding of wild & domesticated fowl & dogs , bulls covering deer like Rusa hippelaphus, the habits of Tussa silk moth. Duel, death & children of Captain C.. Sends wishes to Darwin family, Wsdgewoods, Westwood, Forbes, Lyells, Horners, Owen & Bell.

JDH is making arrangements for trip to the snow. Rajah of Sikkim has given permission as a result of pressure from [Archibald] Campbell & Lord Dalhousie. JDH details negotiations that led to permission to travel. Rajah of Nepal much more accommodating of JDH's travel plans. Describes audience with the Dhurma Rajah, his appearance, dress, & behaviour & that of his entourage including the Vakeel & Tibetan Seneschal, Bhotea [Bhotia] attendants, JDH's Nepalese guards [Gurkhas] & their Havildar or 'Corporal' of the Kawass tribe, the Lepcha servants, Bhootanese [Bhuntanese] subjects of Sikkim & Bhutan, & a few Musselmen [Muslims] & Hindoos [Hindus], Mrs Campbell & her children. Though JDH does not consider many of the party trustworthy he does not fear for his own safety once they start to march. He hopes his expedition into Sikkim will pave the way for others to follow with less suspicion. JDH will be careful only to take observations, e.g. with barometer, in his tent so he does not alarm his guard. They are suspicious that his every action will lead to their country being taken, but he plans to charm them & will soon have them collecting for him. The Rajah has provided a guide. JDH explains his route will go North past Kinchin [Kanchenjunga] to a village called Jongri then West to the border of Nepal & beyond to the Kangliachem pass leading to Tihibet [Tibet]. Achieving this will realize Hooker's great ambition as a botanist & traveller. He will be gone 30 days & will take any opportunity to send letters. In getting permission to travel he has defied the expectation of Lord Auckland, [Hugh] Falconer, [Brian Houghton] Hodgson & Sir Herbert Maddock. Many tried to help get him permission but did not think he would succeed. Mrs Campbell has kindly provided him with supplies & provisions. JDH asks WJH not to publicise his planned trip though he may share news from his letters with Bentham, Harvey, Berkeley et cetera & asks that this letter be forwarded to Darwin.

Comments on scarcity of letters from home, one through Southampton, two through Marseilles. JDH details plans to travel through snowy mountains of Nepal & Sikkim despite Rajah's objections. From Darjeeling JDH will go west with Ghurkas to Kinchin Gunga [Kangchenjunga] & the Tibetan Passes. Describes in detail the men, provisions & instruments he will take with him. Has been assisted with preparations & provisions by: Major Crommelin, [Brian Houghton] Hodgson [BHH], the Campbells, the Müllers, Henslow, Mr Reeks of Geological Survey & Assistant Surveyor General Captain Thuillier. Members of expedition party include: Bhotea translator named Adok; trained Lepcha plant collectors; a shooter & stuffer; & Havildar named Nimbo who is the leader of the porters & in charge of JDH's money. JDH has sufficient funds remaining with Vicar & Co. JDH sending home fungi drawings with zoological tracts from BHH to Darwin. Too wet to send plants. Comments on Forbes getting married.

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No summary available. This letter was started on the 9th November but was not completed and sent until the 18 November 1848

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