[[1]]*1
H.M.S. Erebus. Berkeley Sound
Falkland Isl[an]ds.
Apr. 25. 1842.
My dear Elizabeth,*2
So very long a time has now elapsed since my last letter to you was written, that I
fear you may think I have forgotten my sister, who has, I am sorry to hear, been
somewhat of an invalide[sic] during my absence. I thank you very much indeed for
the long letter you wrote me with your own hand, & for the last one I fear I ever shall
receive, though only dictated, by my dear little Mary.*3 These are, however, subjects
from which I must refrain; & so little do I know of what is going on at home that I
cannot but hope that you may now be all together in health & happiness:-- those of
you, at least that remain:-- in which case it would be very ill--timed to trouble you
with a repetition of your past & my present sorrows. On my return, I shall feel as if I
had life to commence afresh, not however, without new griefs to come; -- but still
with, for a time, a season of joy, which may continue long unalloyed.
You have been indeed a great traveller since I have been away. The dates of your
several letters being "Campden House," "Hastings," "Hampstead" & lastly "Jersey." I
shall not, when I return the be the only travelled monkey in the family. In all these
places, you are often in my thoughts; & frequently do I call to mind the scenes of our
childhood, though most of the actors in the various scenes are now no more. Many
a whistled tune brings you & the Pianoforte, or mamma & her Harp, back to me;
though now some years have passed:-- N I have a decided whistling turn,
[[2]] & I relish whistling the old tunes, though the practice is deemed dangerous, as
likely to raise a gale. We are sadly off for music; the Boxes[?] have been hoarse or
their voices have broken, long ago; & our Ship's fiddler is but a poor hand, though
the Ship's company do dance to his notes with great glee. Our Purser boasts of
Peter Pindar's*4 Flute, given by Dr. Wolcot himself to his father, on which he plays,
from ear, some pretty airs, or elicits the doleful notes of "Home, sweet Home." Even
a bad performer is much prized with us, as all are very fond of anything that can be
called music.
Since we quitted the Bay of Islands, we have had a long cruize to the Southward, the
particulars of which you will hear from my father. The weather was, in general, so
bad, that reading, or copying out my notes, or learning German, were my most
common resources. During the whole time we were in the Pack Ice, our time,
including the Christmas & New Year's holy days, was agreeably spent; for the sea
was generally very smooth, & when we could not get any further, on account of the
Ice being too firm, we used to make the Ships fast, one on either side of a Floe, to
prevent the other Ice from squeezing us, when an uninterrupted communication was
kept up between the two Vessels. During the whole of Christmas week, we were
fast in this manner to a flat piece of Ice, about 2 acres large, & 4 feet above water,
covered with a thick layer of snow. The snow was soon cut up into lanes & walks;
after which, Saloons were trenched out, with seats all round, for dancing, -- racing
grounds, & apartments for refreshments, -- all ready for Christmas Eve. Mr [John E.]
Davis, the second Master of the "Terror," a clever little fellow, agreed with me that
we would turn Statuates, & under the names
[[3]] of "Westmacott" & "Chantrey," we carried on an active business, taking our
designs from any book we could find, -- & soon we became greater adepts than we
could have expected. In conspicuous places, we caused the snow to be cleared
away, leaving a block standing, about 4 or 5 f[ee]t high, out of which to mould. Our
first attempt was a Hebe,*5 which struck astonishment into all hands; she was all
grace & elegance, (though a little out of proportion in various ways), & by carefully
covering her with a coat of fine newly fallen snow, she shone like Persian marble.
This was Davies' design & as we were to take turn about, I next devised some
production on a grand scale, nothing short of a Sphynx, to be hewn out, just off the
main road between Erebus Town & Terrorville:-- & the intervening snow was to be
removed on the night of the 24th when the Captains would have to pass, on their way
along "the Strand," to "Almacks."*6 Well this Sphynx was to be 7 feet high & we
labored many hours with great diligence. The front face was finished & very good,
quite majestic, -- broad features, calm dignity. -- Egyptian flatness of features & very
colossal, -- considering:-- All this was done, & we were leaning back, with our heads
on one side, feeling mightily proud criticizingly it most knowingly, -- when a gust of
wind came, bump went the "Erebus" against the floe:-- there was a shock like an
earthquake, -- tottered the Sphynx to its very base, & then gradually heeling over,
crash came it down, on the proud projectors & we were left kicking & sprawling in the
ruins. Poor "Westmacott" was puffing & struggling, with his Scotch Cap sticking out,
under the left ear of the departed great, entreating "Sir Francis" to lend him a hand to
get out. It was too late to
[[4]] execute another, & so we had to content ourselves with some paltry pillars,
Etruscan Vases & other small designs, much below the dignity of us Sculptors.
New Year's Eve was another season of great festivity, but falls of snow had seriously
injured our former works, & I was too busy on board to project any more. However,
the men cut out apartments, with roads to them & thrones for the Captains, race
grounds for our 2 live pigs, & greased poles to climb: they also got the gongs (used
in fogs) & cow's horns for Trumpets; -- Banners & Flags were stuck here & there,
with various designs & mottoes upon swinging signboards, such as "the Pioneers of
Service," -- "the Sailors' Home," -- with clasped hands & "Erebus & Terror" written
underneath[.] It was of course, quite light at midnight, when the Ships' Bells struck
42 times, signal flags for 1842 were hoisted, Royal Standards, in silk & gold "floated
on the breeze," besides silken Jacks & Ensigns innumerable, -- a royal Salute was
fired from each Ship, 3 cheers were given, the Gongs beaten, -- the cows' horns
bellowed & groaned, -- the poor pigs had their tails pinched till they squeaked again,
& such a shout was set up, as none but sailors could find lungs for. On going over
the side the Captains were cheered 3 times 3, & an awkward squad of soldiers was
mustered as a Guard of honor. All the officers repaired together to "Almack's,"
where Captains & all danced Quadrilles, Country Dances & Waltzes, to a fiddle, 2
flutes, a gong, drum & tambourine, until 3 o'clock the next morning. The men were
meantime playing at "Baste the Bear,"*7 -- "Bell the ring" &c, in an adjoining snow
room, with the most excellent good humour & kindly feeling between the 2 Ships'
Companies.
[[5]] As usual on Christmas Day, we dined in the Gunroom, having, on the previous
evening, given our Captain & officers a supper in our mess, with Snapdragon &
Palefaces.*8 On New Year's day we all dined in the cabin & again on Twelfth Night
we assembled there for the Twelfth Cake, which was quite sound & good, though 3
years old. So you see, we do not forget old English Customs, when our situation
allows us to keep them up & we bring home & friends back to our thoughts, as
forcibly as we can.
We have had fewer pets than usual on this Cruize, the Rabbits having been given
away. Phantome the old cat, is still alive & well, but an intolerably sulky brute &
grown very large. On Deck the Captain had 4 Goats, 2 of which, Black Nan (she
went our first voyage) & Big Nan, had kids, during our stay at the Bay of Islands.
The first is a small black goat & the second a large rusty--grey animal. Black Nan
lost both her young ones, but Big Nan's twins we took to sea along with their mother
& they grew up fine promising Goats, being fed upon biscuit every day, with hay &
straw. The "Terror" have a large breed of Cats, though they are unfortunate with
their Kittens, which often die in fits, Catalepsy I suppose. They have also a tame
Opossum, just as mischievous & reminding me a good deal of Kinkajou, climbing
about the beams of the Cabins & crawling over the beds. He is also very capricious
& will not sleep in anything but an uniform coat.
We get no news here at all: the Governor brought no newspapers out with him, &
has received very few since. However, we all see the change of Ministry & wonder
how whether it will affect our Expedition or not: more especially I hope that it will not
injure
[[6]] my father's prospects in his present situation. You would, doubtless, be very
glad to hear of our last year's success in the Ice, & so I hope were others & perhaps
the Royal Society are a little proud of having got it up. They have all the laugh
however, & we all the work: nor have we yet even had the satisfaction of knowing
whether we have pleased our Employers or not.
Daily we are looking out for ships, & the moment a sail is descried above the
horizon, all glasses & eyes are strained towards it; both from the deck & aloft.
Yesterday (this is 26th) a sail was seen in the offing & after we had been kept about 2
hours in suspence[sic] & hope that she might be from Rio, instead of beating up for
the harbor, the wretch stood on & was no better than a Flying Dutchman to us.
Time, however, will do wonders & the "Arrow" must come, ere long.
Now, my dearest Bessie, you must give my love to all who care about me, & at your
convenience answer this, by ever so short a note, giving me all the news you please,
about yourself especially. Most sincerely do I hope that this may find you well &
happy, wherever you may be. Your Muffettees[sic] are worn out at last, but proved
very useful to me in the cold weather, when I wore them constantly. I fear it is of no
use asking you to make me another pair, there is so little chance of hearing from you
before we reach the Cape of Good Hope, where I hope to see "Thanks." By the bye,
I have doubled both Capes now, & am not to be sneezed at in any society. We want
to go to the Southward once more in Weddell's*9 Track, where the French have been
twice beaten under the redoubted Admiral D'Urville,*10 whom we regard with great
scorn & hardly ever mention his name on board but as a boaster. As to poor
[[7]] Wilkes,*11 & his Yankee Fleet, they are extinguished; about which I should like to
have a talk with our friend Bowie Knife (if you remember Dr Gray*12 by that name.)
This is a sad rainy place, but not at all cold & we like it very well, there being plenty
of sporting, -- shooting & riding. For me there is plenty to do among the Plants,
which have as yet, left me no leisure to go out for game, except once. Winter comes
on slowly here, & is more distinguished by rain & cold winds than by snow.
Y[ou]r most affectionate Brother | (signed) Jos. D. Hooker.
ENDNOTES
1. This letter is a 19th Century manuscript copy written in a hand not that of the
original author, Joseph Dalton Hooker. The copy was probably made by Hooker's
mother or sister so that a version could be circulated amongst family and friends.
2. Elizabeth Hooker (1820 --1898), Joseph Hooker's sister, she married Thomas
Robert Evans--Lombe in 1853.
3. Mary Harriett Hooker (1825 -- 1841), Joseph Hooker's youngest sibling who died
of consumption in 1841.
4. Peter Pindar was the pseudonym of John Wolcot (1738 -- 1819). A Doctor who
went to London and began writing a running commentary in satirical verse on
society, politics & personalities 1778 --1817.
5. Hebe was the Greek goddess of youth and cupbearer of the gods, who served
ambrosia at the heavenly feast.
6. Almack's Assembly Rooms was a social club in London from 1765 to 1871 and
one of the first to admit both men and women.
7. "Baste the Bear" was a medieval game that was featured in Brueghel's painting,
"Children's Games." Two players are chosen to be bear & keeper. If they catch a
player that player then becomes the new bear.
8. "Snapdragon" is a parlour game where players try to extract raisins from brandy
that has been set alight. "Palefaces" are a sort of biscuit with white icing.
9. James Weddell (1787 --1834) was a British sailor, navigator and seal hunter,
who, in February 1823 sailed a record 532 statute miles south of the Antarctic Circle
and into a region of the Southern Ocean later known as the Weddell Sea.
10. Jules Dumont d'Urville (1790 -- 1842) was a French explorer, naval officer and
Rear Admiral, who explored the south and western Pacific, Australia, New Zealand
and Antarctica. He was a botanist and cartographer.
11. Charles Wilkes (1798 --1877) was an American naval officer and explorer. He
led the last all--sail naval mission to encircle the globe. On his return he was court-marshalled and the charge of illegally punishing men in his squadron was upheld.
12. Asa Gray (1810 --1888), is considered the most important American botanist of
the 19th century. He was instrumental in unifying the taxonomic knowledge of the
plants of North America. Gray, Hooker and Darwin were lifelong friends and
colleagues. Hooker and Gray conducted research for Darwin while on an expedition
in1877 to Colorado.
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