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.

JDH thanks his Aunt Elizabeth Palgrave for two letters, the first received in the Falkland Islands, the second, dated 3 Jan 1842, at Simon's Bay in the Cape of Good Hope. He is glad to have received so many backdated letters with news of his family, even though early in the expedition every letter at a new port brough bad news: the illness & death of his brother Willy [William Henslow Hooker] in Jamaica, the death of his sister Mary [Harriet Hooker] & the illness of his Grandfather & sister Elizabeth ['Bessy' Hooker]. But god things have befallen JDH on the expedition as well, he is satisfied he has done his duty & the expedition has been a success. JDH is delighted for his Father, William Jackson Hooker, who is very happy with his situation as Director of RBG Kew, as are the whole family. Mentions the education of his cousins Frank [Francis Turner Palgrave] & Giffy [William Gifford Palgrave] & his Uncle [Francis Palgrave's] health & poverty. Mentions MURRAY'S HANDBOOK FOR TRAVELLERS IN NORTH ITALY, written by his uncle. Also contribution of his aunt & Lady Callcott to a volume on Westminster Abbey. JDH recalls visiting Lady Callcott in 1829. JDH hopes that on his return his aunt will teach him an appreciation for art. JDH has missed music & art whilst at sea. He has heard no music since the band of the HMS 'Carysfort' played at Berkeley Sound in the Falkland Islands. When previously in Van Diemen's Land [Tasmania] JDH found the ladies at Government House very musical. Now, in Simon's Bay he goes to see the band of HMS 'Winchester' every day, even though they are not very good. JDH has just heard the news about the subjugation of Kabul & Afghanistan, so Gurney [Turner] should no longer be in danger, JDH sends Gurney his regards & good luck in India. JDH wrote to Dawson [Turner] from the Falklands, he hopes his uncle can find less taxing work, as his father has done in leaving Glasgow for Kew. JDH hopes to be in England in 5 months.

JDH informs his Mother, Maria Hooker, that at Cape of Good Hope he has got many letters & affectionate tokens from her. JDH has sent home Davis' circumpolar chart showing the expedition route. JDH has not been to Cape Town yet as he has no good clothes. The only 'society' is the crew of the Flag ship. Simon's Bay village has provided some fresh supplies. Letter continues under date 29 Apr 1843 with excuses for delay &again under date 12 May 1843 having left Simon's Bay. Describes trip from Simon's Bay to Cape Town on a bullock wagon road, includes a small sketch illustration of a wagon driver in typical hat. The route encompassed False Bay, Cape Flats, oak plantations at the foot of Muysenberg [Muizenberg] Mountain, view of Table Mt, David's Mt & the area beyond known in South Africa as 'Hottentots Holland', Wynberg village, an estate called 'Paradise', & 'Feldhauzen' where John Herschell catalogued the southern hemisphere stars. Comments on Herschell calling the Ross Antarctic Expedition 'the folorn hope of Science'. En Route to Cape Town also went through Rondenbosch village, over the slopes of Devils Mt & saw the view of Table Bay with the Royal Observatory & shipwreck. Describes the 'wretched' view of Cape Town flanked by Lion & Devils Mountain. Describes Cape Town itself: the houses, streets, castle & street sellers. The library & Baron Ludwig's Gardens are its only redeeming features. JDH briefly met Mr Jadine. JDH is dismissive of the 'ugly fir trees' in the town. Describes the Cape Town people: African-born Dutch known as 'Africandoes', Malay, Indian soldiers & Merchant Navy sailors. Recounts his visit to Baron Ludwig, Ludwig's current situation, health & house. Ludwig has replaced William Jackson Hooker's portrait with William of Wurtemberg, but still has the copy of Peter Schlemihl from JDH's grandfather. This letter will go from St Helena. Discusses his mother taking up music again & the singing talents of other family members. Writes about 'Betsy'.

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'.

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JDH thanks his Grandmother, Mary Turner, for the letters she has sent him during his time with the Ross Antarctic Expedition. He reports that he saw Mr Clowes at Port Jackson, he was first introduced to Clowes by the McLeays. Miss McLeay was the first to tell JDH that his father, William Jackson Hooker, had been appointed Director of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. From what his GRandmother says JDH thinks the job & residence at Kew will suit his father. Mentions the situations of his aunts, Mary's daughters: Harriet Gunn, Mary Anne Turner & Hannah Brightwen, the latter now married to Thomas Brightwen & living in Southtown near Gorleston. Mary's sons, Gurney Turner & Dawson Turner, JDH's uncles, are doing well in their professions. Aunt Elizabeth has informed JDH that his cousin Inglis will go into the family bank [Gurney's Bank] & her older children Francis & William Gifford are going to college. Mentions a report of Mr Jacobson being given a lectureship. JDH recalls how Mary used to sing at the bank , he wonders if her daughters carry this on. He writes of how he has missed music whilst at sea & relished opportunities to hear any band play whilst on his travels, he especially recalls a band playing Rule Britannia at a ball in Hobart, New Zealand. JDH & the expedition are now returning home. JDH would like to travel more but will likely take up a job at Kew Gardens, an opportunity to pursue the study of his favourite science: botany. Discusses their family friends Mr & Mrs Brightwen, JDH recalls riding to Caistor with Mr Brightwen during harvest.

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JDH informs his Father, William Jackson Hooker, that he has just returned to HMS 'Erebus' after dining on the HMS 'Lilly'. The 'Erebus' is reportedly leaving for St Helena the following day but JDH is uncertain whether this will really be the case. JDH has received his father's letters from Jan 1843, they were brought by HMS 'Samarang' along with copies of the ATHENAEUM, ILLUSTRATED LONDON NEWS, BRITISH FLORA, NATURALISTS ALMANAC, & LONDON BOTANICAL JOURNAL. JDH is sending letters to Frank, Giffy, Sinclair, J. Adamson, Gardner, Aunt May & Grandmother Turner, Westwood, R. Brown, Grandfather Turner & Mitchell, all under cover to WJH & transmitted through Captain Beaufort.

JDH thanks his cousin William Gifford Palgrave, 'Giffy', for writing to him. He has written to Giffy's brother Francis Turner Palgrave, 'Frank', congratulating him on his scholarship to Balliol College, Oxford, & hopes Giffy will have the same success. JDH speculates that they might visit Scotland together one day. JDH has been unable to get Giffy the walrus or elephant tusks he wanted. The only things of interest in the Antarctic Ocean are the penguins & some marine animals. The Ross Antarctic expedition will not be going south again. Though they did not reach the South Pole itself they have navigated further south than any other expedition. The Americans are particularly upset to have been outdone by a British expedition. JDH dismisses Commodore [Charles] Wilkes' account, published in the ATHENAEUM, which attempts to 'rewrite' the route of the Ross expedition as only reaching Balleny's Island not past Wilkes' land [United States Exploring Expedition 1838-1842]. JDH laments the fate of [Jules Dumont] d'Urville & his family [who died in a train crash in Versailles]. JDH thinks d'Urville was unprepared for the trials of travelling through ice. It is sealers who have elucidated the most Antarctic geography. The Americans have never found undiscovered land there, the French-found lands of Terre Adelie & Côte Clairi may only be ice attached to the land & the coast of Terre Louis Philippe was only named by the French having previously been chartered on maps by [James] Weddell & [Edward] Bransfield. The Russian Expedition [Captain Fabian Gottlieb Thaddeus von Bellingshausen, 1820] sailed round most of the Antarctic circle & detected the farthest known southern land in the form of the Islands Alexander & St Paul's. Sends regards to Giffy's brothers Reginald & Inglis, the latter of whom is intending to work for 'the Bank'.

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