[[1]]
Tumloong alias Sikkim Durbar
Rajah's Residence
I am in my tent
12 Nov[ember] [18]49.*1
My dear Father
I hope that you may not have had causeless alarm from evil reports of my safety
having gone to England, & write this in a sort of forlorn hope that it may reach your
hands as soon as any other news of me, & thus set your mind at ease. I am a
prisoner under the Sikkim Rajah, along with Campbell, but my bonds are not very
heavy & I am under no apprehensions whatever on my own or Campbell's
account. He was seized & very roughly used, on political grounds, & I, in the hope
of extracting information from me by intimidation & otherwise, as to what course
these stupid people should pursue. In this I am happy to say they have utterly failed & I
think they are so nonplussed that they will not detain us much longer. Campbell is
very strictly guarded, I am much
[[2]] better off & have so very many friends amongst these poor people (to an evil
faction amongst whose rulers this is attributable) that I hope & believe I can be
useful. My Travels are in no way the cause of this outrage, nor can I extort from
my custodians a pretext for my imprisonment, I know them full well to be, the fear
of two tall Englishmen, & the aforesaid desire of gaining information.
I am altogether prohibited from approaching or communicating with Campbell, but
we keep up a capital correspondence!
My hand is so fatigued with writing, copying his despatches to Govt. for I dare not
send the originals by this opportunity, & sending a copy of my journal for Hodgson
to forward to you, that I can write no more -- the said
[[3]] journal H[odgson]. will send you a copy of at once. I also so very much doubt
this reaching you that I do not care to write much hereby.
I have made you a fine collection of seeds & am in excellent health & spirits too.
The weather is wretched, fog rain, but this place is low (about 6000ft) & the climate
delicious at this season.
My old friend Meepo sticks well to me, & will I hope get this on to Darjeeling where
a demonstration from the military will affect our release at once -- the Rajah has
not 50 stand of arms, nor 50 men to handle them.
I have now to beg & implore you not to make a stir about this -- I have never
deceived you nor my mother, & intreat[sic] you to remark that all I say on the score
of my position not exciting any apprehension of my safety, is strictly true, & to
make it otherwise is mere romancing. I am allowed the
[[4]] free use of all my instruments plants & books & am busy & well occupied all
day long.
Pray write to Frances Henslow & Aunt Palgrave & do not allow my Mother to
harbor dismal thoughts of any description -- I have heaps of letters written &
writing, Bentham, Berkeley, Darwin &c but send only this by this chance.
Campbell's situation is distressing for Mrs C[ampbell]'s confinement is expected
early in December & she has usually been confined a month earlier than that.
Best love to Bessy who I hope enjoyed her visit to Scotland.
Have any of my Meconopsis grown? I have ripe seeds of another, quite new,
yellow flowered & very beautiful. Thomson is to be at Darjeeling on the 20th. No
news about Nepal I have written you heaps of letters of late & have several sheets
still to send.
Ever your most aff[ectionate] Son | Jos D Hooker [signature]
ENDNOTES
1. A note written in another hand records that the letter was: "recd. Jan[uar]y 27.
1850".
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