JDH has received a letter from his Grandfather, Dawson Tuner, dated Feb 1842. He apologises for not writing sooner, but Turner will have seen other family letters from JDH. Regrets Turner has been ill. Has heard from Aunt Elizabeth [Palgrave nee Turner] about Hannah [Brightwen nee Turner's] marriage & Ellen [Eleanor Jane Jacobson nee Tuner's] children & Gurney [Turner's] prospects. JDH & Gurney are both surgeons with military commissions & JDH sympathises with Gurney's need to travel & support himself. JDH hopes Dawson Turner junior finds a job more fitting to his education than teaching. Regrets that Uncle [Francis] Palgrave was rejected for Town Clerkship of London. He does not have recent news of his family & has to read about them in the 'Red Book'. He does not know why his father, William Jackson Hooker, is not listed as Director of RBG Kew or indeed in any position under the Commissioner of Woods & Forests. JDH believes John Smith is Kew's head gardener. JDH tells his Grandfather how he has found the Antarctic Expedition, Captain Ross has been very considerate, JDH likes life on ship but prefers being in harbour & would not spend more summers in the Antarctic ice because of the monotony & discomfort with no chances to make natural history collections as there is in the Arctic. The expedition is now preparing to return home, where JDH will devote himself to the study of Botany. He would like to travel again, as a naturalist if he can afford it, on a land expedition or if Ross goes to the North Pole. JDH never liked medicine, he hopes to work assisting his father, or will stay in the Navy after taking further exams. He could stay in the Navy on half pay & resign when assigned to a ship but feels that would be dishonourable, as he only took the commission to be useful to science. JDH gets on well with his shipmates & has met friends all over the world during the expedition. JDH does not think that the expedition will gain him more than 'a fair name'.