Has judged wisely for Willie [JH's son] in the present uncertain state of his health. Theodore Hope has just returned from Madeira to take his place at College. Will visit the Herschels before they set out for the Pyrenees.
Discusses CL’s Second visit to the United States [1849]. Corrects CL’s error regarding location of Megatherium finds.
JDH wrote to Lindley, asking him to inform WJH of his wellbeing. They have had bad weather & dwindling food stores since JDH last wrote. They are now at the fork of the river immediately above Lachen. The Bhoteas [Bhotias] have reported that Chinese Lepchas are coming to drive them away & they heard that 60 Tibetans seized JDH’s plants. He sent the Coolie Sirdar to retrieve them as Meepo was too afraid & he reported seeing huge Tibetans called Sikars[?]. JDH describes an encounter with the men at camp & is not sure if he had crossed the Tibetan border or not. Their rice finally arrived after his people found a circuitous route to Choongtam & another load came from Darjeeling along with letters from Campbell & Humboldt. JDH’s servant Clements is ill in Calcutta [Kolkata] & Falconer has engaged another man for him named de Cruz[?], probably one of the Del Crusca[?] family. JDH describes some of the plants he has collected & discusses the drawings & specimens he is sending to RBG Kew. JDH writes of the new genera of Rhododendron & has collected woods all along the Teesta River. He requests a new pocket lens; Mr Ward will know the type as he got one for Thomson. The Rajah has sent a man to resolve the difficulties & sends gifts of silk, fine Tibetan cloth & curious fruits named ‘Gundroom’ from Persia, of which he includes a sketch. JDH is sorry WJH cannot get a man for Ceylon [Sri Lanka]; he thinks Thwaites could be suitable & will encourage him to renew his attention to systematic botany to qualify himself. He will write to Frances [Henslow] next mail. The list of unidentified Orchidaceae Smith sent are undoubtedly JDH's.
Continues water-cure treatment at home and must do so for a year. Considers himself absolutely cured.
No summary available.
Efforts by Duncan Stewart to provide new career for brother Peter Stewart, whose mischief created economic ruin, left Duncan Stewart in difficult financial situation. JH is willing to relinquish EM's appointment to Haileybury College for JH's son John and to seek position for John at [Royal Military Academy,] Woolwich, if EM would transfer recommendation to Haileybury from JH's son John to Duncan Stewart's second son.
Thanks for present of Thomas Wright's books [An Original Theory of the Universe, 1750]. Finds it curious. Suggests that it is conceptually as distant from 1849 as the ancients were from it. Praises printing of its plates.
Was not at home when JH's letter arrived. Appointment of John [JH's son] is to all intents JH's own, and Leslie Melville will sanction any appropriation JH may desire. Thinks that JH and his wife should consider the situation before embarking further.
No summary available.
Has had four men working on the Dome to complete it before the bad weather. Has not heard who has been appointed to Madras. The candidate from the Cape is in financial difficulties. Tide reductions are progressing. Outlines the disturbances caused by the expected arrival of the convicts.
JDH has written to Frances [Henslow] & since then has stood on the table plateau beyond the Sikkim boundary. He thought the Tchebu Lama’s letter had removed all difficulties, however Campbell had misunderstood. The Singtam Soubah is a good man but JDH describes difficulties with the Lachen Soubah & the Choongtam Lama. Everybody he met denied the existence of the Kongra Lama pass. The Rajah asked him to return to Darjeeling but JDH refused. The Soubah has been in Lhasa Dijauhi[?] & promised to take JDH to Tungu, but JDH had promised not to enter Tibet or 'Cheen'. After JDH treated the Singtam Soubah when he was ill, the man agreed to take him to Kongra Lama & told him that Tungu was actually in Sikkim. Samdong, the bridge, is 8 miles north of the Lachen River. The Soubah of Lachen made his apologies & the Bhoteans are civil to him again. JDH describes their journey. Tibetans use the route to graze their yaks & make butter which they eat with Fagopyrum bread. He discusses the churns they use. JDH describes visiting Peppin’s [the Lachen Soubah] camp with his dog Kinchin. They then travelled between Kinchin –jow & Chomiomo until they reached a ridge connecting the two on which a cairn stood. JDH was finally at the back of the Himalayas; comparing it to Kanglachan &Wallanchoon[?]. He discusses the snow line. He made a sketch of the landscape. The vegetation was sparse but he got good barometer readings. JDH returned on a sure-footed Tartar pony. He cannot stay there long as the road to Choongtam is too poor for food to be collected. His men often fall ill between Choongtam & Darjeeling but he treats them with quinine & calomel. JDH will not return to Darjeeling until Sep or Oct.
Lists seven French and German works [1837-1847] on optical science. Comments on one. Quotes copyright law on reproducing passages from these.
Favorable comment from all quarters on JH's latest book of poems. Draws attention to an article on Scottish abbeys and cathedrals. Has just paid his respects to the King [of France], who remembers JH warmly.
Returns the enclosed from his brother [Erasmus Alvey Darwin]