Since JDHs last letter from Aden they have been on the Indian Ocean, the most uninteresting sea he has crossed. Sighted Cape Comorin last Thursday & landed at Point de Galle on Friday, a few hours after the 'Precursor'. Thought of FH & English friends on Christmas day. Describes the 'Moozuffer' as more like a yacht than a man of war. Lord & Lady Dalhousie are in the Captain’s cabin whilst he, Fane, Courtenay & Dr Bell are in the ships dirty armoury next to the engine. Indian Navy officers do not like ships being used as passage boats. JDH met a godson of FH’s father, Lieutenant Jermyn. At Ceylon [Sri Lanka] JDH again saw Matilda Rigby who left Colombo where James Smith’s house & property is. JDH finds Lord & Lady D extremely agreeable but indifferent to science. Notes the cuisine as odious. Lady D’s health is better & soon after arriving her father, Lord Tweeddale, Governor of Madras [Chennai], came on board in a grand party. JDH will leave Madras on Friday morning & go to Calcutta [Kolkata]. He has not made many sketches since leaving Cairo, he was too busy botanising in Aden. Nearly all his collections have been destroyed from salt water on board ship. His spare papers were also destroyed so he could not collect at Point de Galle. Intends spending a week with George Gardner [GG] at Candy [Kandy], Ceylon on his way to Borneo. Describes curious boats in Madras. Describes the beauty of Point de Galle & the Cinghalese [Singhalese] people with tortoise shell combs & coca-nut oil in their hair. Notes Areca, Betel-nut palms, bread-fruit, plantain, banana, pineapple, mosquitoes, sand flies & leeches. At Point de Galle party divided into three. JDH went on several walks with GG, his father’s protégé. JDH was glad to introduce GG to Lord D who received him kindly. JDH will write shortly from Calcutta.

Extract of letter to Miss Henslow from JDH. JDH had been waiting for three days at foot of mountains for baggage to arrive before going on to Darjeeling. Baggage secured he describes the onward steep ascent & landscape of fog & forests. Detained at Punkabarrie [Pankhabari] he botanised amongst the rich flora but was plagued by persistent leeches. [Pankhabari]. Vegetation changes from palmy groves at the mountain base to oak & Rhododendron forests with violets, Geraniums, yellow raspberries & red brambles. Night arrival at Pacheem, which is horrible and desolate. Describes dilapidated Swiss style bungalow he stayed in & it's Hindu housekeeper. Batch of letters arrived from Calcutta [Kolkata] enclosing all those from Jan from England. JDH must write to Miss Henslow’s father [John Stevens Henslow] about complicated subject of cultivation in the Himalaya. Wants to tell him also of a Paris found there which has a varying number of flower parts, a subject they once discussed in connection with P. quadrifolia. It is now spring in India & it reminds JDH of an English spring. The early flowers are violets, Paris, Convallaria. The climate of the place is desolate but it is laden with botanical treasures.

Miss Frances Harriet Henslow [FHH]’s letter of 24 Mar has arrived. JDH thanks John Stevens Henslow [JSH] for note received through his mother. Yesterday collected monstrous ear of Thibet [Tibet] barley. Published his thoughts on this subject in the FLORA ANTARTICA; considers the awn to be the lamina of the leaf. Considers geographical distribution of the Cerealia very interesting & is collecting many notes. Discusses observations of crops grown in Sikkim, Bootan [Bhutan], North West Himalaya, Menchoona & Jungle Mehals in the West of Bengal & altitude the crops are grown at. Plants cultivated incl. wheat, barley, peas, orange, beans, buckwheat, sugar came, castor oil, tobacco, mango, jack, radishes, rice, peach, almond, turnip, bamboo, egg-fruited Solanum which make the Brinjals of India,. Is trying to obtain info on crops from Llamas en route to China. A variety of Plantain grows wild among the Rajmahal Hills, has sent collector for specimens from Bhangulpore [Bhagulpur]. Wishes JSH would publish Flora of Cibaria. Describes his day which included a visit to treat Brian Houghton Hodgson Hodgson [BHH], who has been ill. BHH was questioning a man in Thibetan [Tibetan] about geography of Central Asia. Called on Archibald Campbell [AC] to report his return from Nepaul [Nepal] frontiers. Men sent beyond the snows for plants returned, they collected poor, early spring specimens of: Pinus webbiana, three Rhododendrons, Primrose, Yam, Rhubarb, Aconite. Letters from FHH, Falconer, Lord Dalhousie, & Postmasters. Coolies & servants arrived with results of past expedition asking for payment & gifts or 'backsheesh'. Discusses medical work: table-servant, Bengali collectors who took him to Tonglo [Tonglu] & a favourite Lepcha servant called Jippoo are all sick. JDH & Portuguese factotum must do the work of drying plants themselves. Society is wretched but JDH likes the hardworking Lepchas who carry his supplies without complaint, they like him to, or else they would run away.

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.

JDH met Mrs [Archibald] Campbell and her children on their way from Monghyr on the Ganges to Darjeeling. He describes the way the family was travelling in Palkee's carried by bearers with their female attendants conveyed in suspended cages or chairs and the men running on foot. Along the road they rest at Bungalows erected for travellers by the government and at settlements it is customary for strangers to stay in the residents' homes and receive hospitality. Food in India is cheap, as are servants, but they are prone to breaking things. JDH enumerates all the servants [Brian Houghton] Hodgson has: over 20 for various purposes in his household and garden as well as a village full of people who cultivate the land badly but still get a wage. JDH discusses the health, appearance and affectionate nature of Mrs C's children. They gave JDH a palm wood walking stick which he will send to the [RBG Kew] museum. JDH has many letters & an account of his travels for the Asiatic Society to write.

JDH describes the portrait Mr Tayler is painting of him. The scene is JDH’s camp in a forest after a supposed day of collecting in the snowy Himalaya mountains & features: JDH’s Lepcha Sirdar presenting him with a bunch of Dendrobium nobile; the Ghorkha [Gurkha], Havildar & Lepchas in their uniforms; JDH’s Bhotea dog; bamboos, ferns &rhododendrons. JDH also describes the combination of Thibetan [Tibetan]& English clothes he is wearing for the portrait, including a hat mounted with a silver pebble & peacock feather as marks of rank. Illustrated with a sketch of the hat.

JDH tells Miss [Frances] Henslow how kind the mountain people are to him. He describes his travelling camp, comprising Coolies & Sidars who attend JDH & carry his instruments, a Bhotea interpreter, a Havildar or corporal, sepas, shooters & bird stuffers of [Brian Houghton] Hodgson's & carriers to transport supplies such as food, tents & paper. JDH's only fear is that the Sikkim Rajah may cause trouble & frighten his men, who are nearly all cowards. JDH discusses the behaviour of the Rajah which has been obstructive behind a veneer of politeness, JDH travels on regardless. The Teheba Lama, who Hooker knows from the Teesta, has visited JDH as representative of the Rajah & explained that a letter should have been delivered by the Lassoo Kaji informing JDH he could not proceed until the Rajah had observed a period of mourning for his son but Kaji was disgraced by [Archibald] Campbell & did not deliver the letter. JDH did not give credence to this excuse & the Teheba Lama guaranteed JDH safe passage but he expects to be obstructed again before a guide finally appears.

JDH knows that the Rajah spread news that he & [Archibald] Campbell [AC] were dead & wants to know if the misinformation reached England. He believes they will soon be released. He will then go to Nepal, where the Rajah is more honourable & has given Lord Dalhousie his consent for JDH to explore the region. He shall go once [Thomas] Thomson joins him & he has sent his collections to Darjeeling. JDH describes their imprisonment & the Bhotia authorities; the Lepcha people sympathise with them. The Lamas are now supporting them too. The Rajah is in a difficult situation; the Superintendent of Darjeeling will continue his course of action. JDH describes AC’s character & health. Their only contact with the Durbar [Court] is through a 'spy', Toba Singh, who misrepresents them to the Rajah. [Brian Houghton] Hodgson remains at Darjeeling to aid their communications & comfort Mrs AC. After Nepal, JDH hopes to visit Calcutta [Kolkata] or Bombay [Mumbai] before returning home in November.