[James C.] Stewart has written to suggest the establishment of botanical gardens at the Cape. JH supports this idea. Would WH also?
Notes a small error in materials WH sent.
[Responding to WH's 1847-6-16], JH doubts that JH's endorsement of [William H.] Harvey's candidacy for professorship of botany would have much credibility. Does hold Harvey in high esteem.
Lord Auckland [George Eden] has asked JH to edit Admiralty Manual and proposed that WH write section on botany. Would WH do this and when could WH complete it?
Likes what WH has outlined on botany for JH's Admiralty Manual. Suggests some additions.
Extent of WH's manuscript for JH's Admiralty Manual is fine. Please send it as soon as possible.
WH's manuscript on botany for JH's Admiralty Manual has arrived and deserves praise. JH awaits three final manuscripts.
Requests favor from WH on behalf of Richard Jones and his wife in light of her move to Richmond.
Please distinguish between the genus Wellingtonia and the genus Sequoia.
Found some old packets of seeds of Protea yesterday and wonders if he would like them to be sown to see if they would germinate. Comments on some of the plants in his garden. Tried some Peruvian potatoes.
JDH has already written to his brother William Henslow Hooker & sister Bessy [Elizabeth Hooker] and now writes to his father, William Jackson Hooker. He explains that the expedition will not sail as soon as expected but JDH is unlikely to be allowed leave, by Captain [James Clark] Ross. The result is JDH will not be able to come home to Glasgow in the interim, certainly not until the surgeon, McCormick has returned to the ship. JDH & a Mr Ward are going on an excursion to Cobham. The Botanical commission of the R.S. [Royal Society] did not have the civility to say bon voyage to JDH. Mentions sending seeds to the East India Company. Mentions his father's communications with Talbot, Arnott & Champion & other botanists. Comments that Cape Palmas & Fernando Po are 'glorious stations', he regrets that the expedition will not stop at the Cape de Vers [Cape Verde islands]. Asks if WJH knows of a cruciferous Kerguelens Land plant, which he has heard from Brown appears in Anderson's journal. Asks if his sister Maria would copy out a list of Antarctica & Enderby Land plants for Ross. Asks about the Murrays' being in London. Commiserates with Dr [Harry] Rainey who he considers an excellent lecturer, only equalled at [Glasgow] college by WJH & McKenzie.
JDH explains to his father, William Jackson Hooker, that Captain [James Clark] Ross has been unable to confirm if JDH can take leave, he is reluctant to grant it as the surgeon & captain of the HMS 'Terror' are both away at present. Ross is angry that the ships 'Erebus' & 'Terror' are not yet in a condition to sail. McCormick has discovered that there is little support for the natural history element of the expedition from government or from Sir William Parker [of the Admiralty], which has also upset Ross. McCormick is still committed to pursuing natural history & encourages JDH in the same. JDH has been organising medical supplies & tending to some of the men from the 'Terror' who are generally less healthy. Discusses the expense of equipping the mess for a four year voyage. He enumerates his own expenses since leaving Glasgow, including purchase of instruments from Weiss, & what his pay is compared to his shipmates'. He would like to lend some money to Dayman to help him pay his debts, otherwise the practice is to deduct the amount of any outstanding debt from his pay when the ship is paid off. They will be paid on reaching the Nore. Mrs Richardson has introduced JDH to people in Chatham incl. the Davies. He has not met Mrs Wavell, as Mrs Kay suggested, as she is in Hastings. Thanks Mrs Kendall for her interest, her brother is a great favourite. Dr Smith is ill, when JDH visited him Smith lent him [Charles] Darwin's journal which JDH thinks highly of & would like to buy. JDH has also read up on the voyages of Captain [James] Cook, [George] Anson & [John] Byron. JDH is anxious about a letter of advice he gave to William [his brother William Dawson Hooker].
JDH did not write to his father, William Jackson Hooker, sooner as he was waiting until the last day before the expedition departed. The HMS 'Erebus' was waiting at Billingham with the HMS 'Terror', from there the steamer 'Hecate' took them to the 'Downs' & they sailed on to the Manse, below the Thames Nore. JDH briefly describes his cabin. Has received 'handbox' & contents incl. letters of introduction from WJH. Describes a farewell visit with his sisters Bessy [Elizabeth Hooker] & Mary Harriet Hooker at Kensington. Gurney was out of town but JDH has had a nice letter from him offering assistance. Has also received a letter from [Charles] Lyell with a profile bust of himself by Edouard[?] along with letters of introduction from Sir William Symonds introducing JDH to his sons in Sydney & New Zealand. [William Henry?] Harvey has written to JDH about botanising in the Cape, telling him where to find Wardia, Andraea & Hookeria & providing letters of introduction to the Governor of St Helena & a Mr Wilde who is a naturalist there. Mentions receipt of Natural History stores from the Admiralty. Dr Beverley, surgeon to Captain [William] Parry on two expeditions has visited the 'Erebus'. Captain Ross' mother & sister are now to leave the ship. JDH intends to write to Mr Children, Mr Ward, his Grandfather, Dr Boott & Mrs Richardson. Letters may find JDH at their next stops, which will be Madeira then St Helena. They are now in the Margate roads awaiting a new anchor from Deal [in Kent].
JDH informs his father, William Jackson Hooker, that after 5 days delay at Margate they have set sail for the Downs where they will stop only to land their Thames pilot. JDH sent his last letter with Mr Sibbald who was sent out for a new anchor. After leaving Gillingham they had to wait for the winds to change. At Margate many 'vulgar & uneducated' visitors came on board HMS 'Erebus' & made a nuisance of themselves.
JDH informs his Father, William Jackson Hooker, of their safe arrival at Funchal, Madeira. Briefly recounts the voyage past the Lizard & Torbay & losing sight of HMS 'Terror' in a gale. They made good time despite sounding every day to take the temperature of the deep sea water. JDH has not been sea sick but he & the crew find that the positioning of the cabins 'athwartships' exaggerates the rolling sensation disagreeably. JDH has found no 'animalculae', meaning protozoa, in the water & does not expect to until they reach the tropics. JDH keeps a regular journal recording anything of note as well as his natural history diary for the Admiralty. He will send any specimens he makes for his personal collections to his Father. Captain [James Clark] Ross will deal with specimens for the Admiralty incl. both plant collections made by JDH & animals ones made by McCormick. JDH is keen to avoid any confusion over who owns which specimens. JDH is only allowed to go onshore to collect if one other medical officers remains with the ships. Whilst at Madeira JDH intends to visit Mr Muir & Mr [Richard Thomas] Lowe. Describes his impressions of the island of Madeira as seen from the sea, mentioning the volcanic rock, the vineyards, pine capped hills & village of Santa Cruz. He is disappointed to find the island less wooded than he expected but describes it as beautiful at night with a perfect climate & clear blue seas. Adds a note dated 22 Oct [1839] stating he has met with Muir, Lowe, Mr Reilly, Dr Renton & Dr Lippold & will go on an excursion with the latter to the hills.
Captain Crozier of the HMS 'Terror' has just informed JDH that they must sail as the weather is making it dangerous to remain anchored [in the Funchal Roads, Madeira] so JDH has little time to spend on this letter to his Father, William Jackson Hooker. Recounts his time spent in Madeira; botanised for a few days but was then bedridden by rheumatism. After recovering enough, spent some time with Mr Muir & Dr Lippard who brought him fruit. In his limited collecting time JDH only gathered plants he thought were uncommon, it was not the best season to get specimens. The expedition may go to Port Praya [Praia] in the Cape Verde Islands, they will certainly go to St Helena & St Paul's Rock on their way to the equator. JDH & Mr McCormick [surgeon on the HMS 'Erebus'] get on well. JDH has sent flowers from the convent for his Mother & sisters, including myrtle wreaths, they are sent home by Mr Muir via Mr Pamplin. Mentions that he met Mr Johnstone & a lady who were friends of his Grandfather & Mr Baker from Norwich. Notes that the date on his previous letter may be wrong. Mr Hally[?] is in Madeira & is dying. Dr Renton[?] & Mrs Montgomery Hamilton née Wallace have been attentive to JDH. Letter also contains a note from Mr Muir dated 16 Nov 1839, presumably added when he was given the letter to forward. Muir writes that the 'Erebus' & 'Terror' sailed on the 31 Oct [1839], before which he & his family enjoyed JDH's company. Mr Smith of Jordan Hill has since arrived in Madeira with his invalid daughter.
JDH sends this letter accompanying some specimens [not present] for his father, William Jackson Hooker. He discusses his monograph of Van Diemen's Land [Tasmania] plants, it is a revision of WJH's papers in the BOTANICAL JOURNAL & CURTIS'S BOTANICAL MAGAZINE[?] & needs the addition of Malvaceous plants from ICONES PLANTARUM & Brown's genus Stenopetalum from De Candolle. It is to be printed in the ANNALS & Mr Taylor will send copies for Sir John Franklin, Captain [James Clark] Ross etc. JDH expects the expedition to leave VDL for the ice in Oct 1840. Discusses the need to revise his description for the ICONES PLANTARUM. JDH's collection may be extensive enough to warrant adding new VDL genera to future volumes of the FLORA BOREALI AMERICANA. JDH is now considered the naturalist to the expedition though his nominal rank is as a medical officer [assistant surgeon].
JDH informs his father, William Jackson Hooker, of the progress of the expedition via Madeira & Tenerife. Describes brief trip ashore at Santa Cruz & character & vegetation of the different islands of Cape Verde: wooded St Antaois, salt plain Sal & volcanic St. Jago. Collected at Porto Praya on St Jago, has wanted to visit the island since reading Christian Smith's account & recommended Lippold go, suggests how other botanists should collect there from a base in St Domingo. Saw the rocks of St Paul from the ship & his ship mates brought him a specimen of seaweed. On the coast are birds such as boobies & noddies. A Grapsus crab that steals their eggs. Considered going across the Atlantic to Pernambuco, Brazil, where JDH could have seen Adamson, Gardner & Louder. Instead they travelled via Trinidad, JDH describes the appearance of the island & the sparse vegetation, all the trees appeared to have been destroyed by the introduction of goats, there was only grass, tufts of Cyperus & a tree fern. Describes the voyage to St Helena, which was slowed down by the inferior sister ship HMS 'Terror'. JDH spent the time working on his plants in Captain Ross' cabin, drawing sea animals; crustacea & mollusca brought up in the towing nets, & taking meteorological readings. At St Helena he gave Harvey's letter to Chief Justice Wilde who has a house on Diana's Peak, the only place Dicksonia arborea grows & he has a new Brazil Araucaria in his garden. Describes the island & vegetation: it is largely barren but there are Scotch firs, a cabbage tree, Furze, 2 Rubus[?], introduced blackberry, native raspberry, a Ruellia, barren mosses, a Scotheimia, ferns & a tree fern. JDH is disappointed with his plant collection but has done all he can, there are sets for WJH, the Admiralty, Ross & Wilmot. JDH is also keeping a journal & sketchbook. McCormick has made a geological collection for Dr Fritton. JDH is reluctant to send specimens to the Royal Society Commission on Botany. Discusses his future career as a botanist & the pros & cons of naval service for a naturalist. The thought that no other botanist will go where he has on the expedition is appealing. Also includes two enclosures: some lengthy descriptions of excursions to: the Curral in Madeira, Tenerife, Porto Praya, St Jago & St Domingo valley in the Cape Verde Islands & some journal extracts dating from Dec 1839 & Feb 1840.
Since he last wrote to his father, William Jackson Hooker, JDH has botanised at St Helena, most notable for cryptogams. JDH learnt about the island flora from Chief Justice Wilde & the Military Chaplain Mr Helps, who assisted Tournaut[?] of Dr Thomson's lab. JDH could not find Beatsonia or Mikania. He collected Commidendrum, Melanodendron & Lachanodes. Other noteworthy collections include Trimiris, Roellas & ferns. JDH dries his plant on HMS 'Erebus' by hanging them outside, some have suffered in extreme weather & the conditions of the tropics. His main collecting tools are a leather portfolio & vasculum. Using a microscope JDH draws marine animals, some of which are luminous; mostly Entomostraceous Crustacea, Pyrosoma & Sertulariae. Blainville's ACTINOLOGIE & Edwards' CRUSTACEA are his references for this work. Approaching the Cape of Good Hope JDH first saw floating seaweeds, a submarine forest with an ecosystem of fish, parasites, corals, shells, crustaceans, molluscs, worms, actinia [anemones] etc. He describes the main seaweed, a Laminaria. JDH & Captain Ross work on the marine specimens whilst McCormick is only interested in ornithology & geology so JDH is effectively the voyage naturalist. JDH describes the excitement of every new landfall. He discusses what he will include in his Antarctic Flora. Next the expedition goes to Crozet, Prince Edward Island, Kerguelen's Land, Islands of St. Paul & Amsterdam, New Zealand, then the ice of Antarctica. The artillery officer, Wilmot, will be staying at the Cape. His brother Augustine Wilmot is a medical student at Edinburgh, his father MP for Warwickshire. The HMS 'Terror's' artillery officer, Mr LeFroy, stayed at St Helena. JDH asks for some natural history books & about joining the Linnean Society. He discusses sending specimens home, all should go to the Admiralty. Suggests WJH could exchange plants with Wilde. JDH has received no letters at Simons Bay, the Cape. He will write to his sisters at Camden House.
JDH explains to his father, William Jackson Hooker, how he forgot to pay for a gun procured in Glasgow. Assures WJH that his family are constantly in his thoughts & that he grieves the death of his brother William [Dawson Hooker]. Explains how he caught rheumatic fever in Madeira staying with Mr Muir. Everyone got prickly heat on entering the tropics but otherwise JDH has been healthy. JDH recounts the expedition's recent progress. He procured plants at Simon's Town, which they left on 6 Apr [1840] heading south via Marion Island & the Crozets. He describes the islands' appearance from the sea, they were unable to land due to stormy weather. Arrived Christmas Harbour, Kerguelen's Land, 12 May. Describes the appearance of these volcanic islands, which match Captain Cook's account, & notes how fierce the winter winds are. Describes his botanical excursions & findings whilst in Kerguelen's Land. McCormick made a geological collection of Quartz crystals, zeolites, coal & fossil wood. Lists the numbers of things he has found from various orders, fungi, musci, Rosaceae etc & particularly notes new genera of Cotrelleae & Umbelliferae. Briefly describes: features of a new Crucifera which they ate, new Ranunculus, Juncus & Amarantheae & a plant that flowers under the ice & belongs to no known natural order. JDH has made drawings of all the phanerogamic plants he found, based on dissections done under the microscope given to him by [James] Dalton. Describes preparing & storing the plants on board ship with Captain Ross. Took 3 weeks to sail 300 miles to Van Diemen's Land [Tasmania], describes how the HMS 'Erebus' weathers storms well. Mentions collecting seaweeds, letters from [George] Bentham & Mr Almond & letters owed to Childres, Boott & Brown. [Ronald Campbell] Gunn has been appointed Governor Sir John Franklin's secretary. JDH hopes to go to Oyster Bay.