JDH on his way to Calcutta [Kolkata] to ask Lord Dalhousie & Jung Bahadur together for permission to travel in Nepaul [Nepal]. Resting with cousin of Brian [Houghton] Hodgson's. Discusses Lobb & his collecting: Lobb has a Ward's case full of young Argenteum. Discusses Sikkim incident, Lushington & the General in detail. JDH has arranged & parcelled vast collections, some hundred men's loads. [Hugh] Falconer [HF] has informed JDH of the dispatch of some of his collections by the ship 'Queen' under Captain McLeod. The shipment incl. all of the 1848 collection & part of the 1847 collection incl. the leaf bellows, guns, wood cups & vast chest of museum articles. JDH has sent all his drawings of c.300 species & sketches, incl.fungi. Has drawn around 500 species & plants in total. Also sends a few dried plants chiefly Compositae from 17 to 19 ,000 feet. Tchuka rhubarb is amongst the drawings. Hopes WJH will publish Rhododendron series consecutively in 3 folios fascicules. Has descriptions ready for Apr Southampton mail. The Hodgsonia plate WJH sent is magnificent. If he goes to Nepal JDH hopes to send the desired anther drawing. Discusses telescope, actinometer & compass. Knows nothing of Boott & has not received his Ward's cases. Thomson is collecting Rhododendron dalhousiae, R. argenteum, R. punctatum[?], Orchideae & sundries. At JDH's request HF planted a few seeds of nearly all the Rhododendrons in Ward's cases for RBG Kew. Lord Hardinge writes craving Rhododendron & alpine seeds but JDH has none. Courtenay has left Lord Dalhousie. Also mentions Grey, G.G. [George Gardner], [Archibald] Campbell & Welby Jackson[?]. Discusses the reasons for & against going to Nepal incl. credit of being the greatest Himalayan traveller if he goes in by Sikkim & out by Kumaon. Would not go to Bhotan [Bhutan] without 500 men in front & behind him. Is overloaded with Sikkim politics.

JDH has Nathaniel Wallich's [NW's] letter of 2 Feb recd via Dr Cantor. Came to Calcutta [Kolkata] to persuade Jung Bahadur [JB] to grant permission for Nepaul [Nepal] expedition. Thanks NW for friendly anxiety during his imprisonment. Highly gratified by Mr Grove's letter as Secretary to the Philosophical Club. All Calcutta is talking about the Sikkim fracas, JDH has been questioned by Lord Dalhousie, Sir H. Elliott, Halliday & Grey. Has endeavoured to place conduct of Mr L. [Lushington] & General in as favourable light as possible. [Charles] Thoresby, Political Resident to the Court of the Rajah of Nepal, arrives today. The huge bubble of Chinese jealousy & interference has blown away. JDH describes his visit to JB this morning. JB proposed JDH join an expedition to 'lick the Chinese' & make the 'Tsamper Yarroo', or Brahmuputra, the boundary of British & Ghurka power. JDH could see the 'barbarian' would like nothing better than another plunder of Shigatzi [Shigatse] & Teshoo Loombo. Thanks NW for account of the honours recently paid to Brown. Von Martius' letter is beautiful. NW's Amherstia now flowering at Sir Lawrence Peel's & at the botanic gardens. JDH has not yet seen [Hugh] Falconer. Lady Dalhousie left yesterday for Simlah [Shimla] via the Trunk Road. Lord Dalhousie brought JDH two polished tables made of various woods, from Malacca, & insisted they must not go to the museum. Only the Governor General & Aides de Camp, Metcalfe & Bowie, are at Government House. JDH has given up buggy driving & taken up a palkee gharry [palanquin]. Asks NW to give regards to Madden & Grant. Does not know Strachey. Left Thomas [Thomson] at Darjeeling to await news of Nepal negotiations. Sends regards to Mrs NW & family & Dr Boott.