[[1]]
(Copy) *1
H. M. S. Erebus, Berkeley Sound,
Falkland Isl[an]ds Nov. 26. 1842.
(rec[eive]d march 6. 1842)
My dear Mr Ward,
Long ere this arrives you will have read 2 long & prosy epistles, sent to you
about a month ago & written 3 months prior to the receipt of your most kind
letter to which I can make, at this time, but a brief reply. Since addressing you
last, we have been to Cape Horn, where I was astonished & delighted beyond
measure, with the Cryptogamic treasures of the woods, rocks & snow clad
peaks of that rugged clime. On our June return, only a fortnight back, your
welcome letter was put into my hands together with the books on the growth
of plants. You must not feel vexed with me for not having read the latter & I
scorn to give you an opinion, deduced only from skimming the leaves, but my
time has been wholly occupied in arranging my various collections, public &
private & perusing the kind communications of correspondents at home.
What you tell me about the Niger expedition that they did not when in that
most unhealthy region, push onwards, because "it was Sunday", quite
astonished me: & I can hardly believe that such fanaticism could be displayed
in the 19th century. I knew no officer connected with it but always looked upon
the scheme as very hopeless. Poor fellows! It is impossible not to admire the
bravery & contempt of danger which they showed. But did they suffer more in
proportion than other expeditions? They were & perhaps deservedly, better
known & so their unhappy fate has been more publicly deplored & commented
upon; but their losses could not be severer, (if equally so.) than Park's'-or
Tuckey's, or Captain --,
[[2]] when surveying, or many of our W[est] Coast Cruizers: but I speak from
memory alone. Lander buried his master; who, I think on a previous occasion
had performed the same sad office to his servant. But these expeditions are
all alike disastrous; & acclimated men alone should be permitted to embark in
an enterprize, so well intentioned & yet of such a dashing nature as hardly any
ardent young mind can resist, unless tempered with more than an ordinary
share of sound sense. If I were near you I would recommend Dr. [William]
Stanger to settle at V[an]. D[iemen's]. Land. New Zealand is a bad
speculation: He & the other officers did do not seem to have lacked the
comforts of this life, from your amusing accounts of their daily fare. I cannot
agree with Dr. Stanger that his dietetics saved his life:--7 glasses of
madera[sic.], 3 or 4 pints of pale ale & a pint of claret is no bad allowance
certainly; but did none of all the rest take the same & still fall victims? Did no
one follow their example? I do suspect that the Ale, Grouse & Claret had as
much to do with their good health as our salt Junk, weavily biscuit & rum, -- or
our Wednesday's dinner of 1/2 lb of fat preserved Mutton, -- hase[sic], in
keeping us free from scurvy. Human nature is pretty nearly the same at the
Tropics & Poles:--doubtless these gentlemen followed their own inclinations &
were lucky in having the power of doing it so much to their taste. When we
arrived here our bread was so full of green mould & live maggots, that is was
with the greatest loathing we could eat it; & my stomach is pretty strong. The
Commissariat at Hobarton had supplied us with old bread, brought out by a
Convict Ship -- Prisoners' refuse! Our stay at Cape Horn for a month was very
pleasant; though there was a great deal of snow & wind. The former often
prevented
[[3]] my muscologizing on the hills but seldom in the woods which really
contain far more species than I could have believed. Leptostormum Menziesii
is a drug in the market; so common that I hardly gathered enough of
specimens: also the noble Polytrichum dendroides (very rare in fruit) & 2 or 3
other species. The Woods consist of the 2 Beeches, Pernettia, Wintera,
Escallonia, Berberis, & a few others of smaller stature. Not having seen any
vegetation, properly so called, for such a long period, I was charmed with
everything & filled a fine case with the Trees, Shrubs & many alpine plants to
send home, unfortunately, the season was too far advanced for the Trees,
though they still look almost too well.
A few of the poor wretched Fuegians used to come down to our ship but they
are so accurately described by Darwin, King & Fitzroy, that I have nothing to
add about them. The Botanical features of this Island are as you know, totally
at variance with those of Fuegia [Tierra del Fuego], though enjoying perhaps
a very similar mean temperature: or if there be any difference, Is it is probably
in favor of this place. And yet Fuegia is wooded, to a degree, unknown in
Scotland. Even as far south as 56°, the timber, though small, is so dense &
luxuriant that the country for a thousand ft upwards, is covered with a thick
mass of foliage on all the sheltered shores. This difference depends on soil, -the formation of the land, -- the diurnal variations of temperature & the
hygrometric state of the atmosphere; -- all these in the Falklands, presenting a
most remarkable contrast to what exists in Fuegia.
Here a bed of very stiff, hard & good clay is invariably found under the peat,
never more than 3 or 4 f[ee]t down, & on it the peat rests. This clay overlays
equally the Quartz rocks, & the sandstone & clayslate[.]
[[4]] Then as to the formation of the lands it is all low & flat rising into a few
long, undulating ranges of hills, enclosing broad valleys only on the Quartz
districts. Shelter is no where to be found.
The Thermometer often rises during summer to a Temp[erature] of 60°--70°. -& at night falls to 32° or under:-- & from the atmosphere being often more[?]
clear by night & dry, here, than in Fuegia, the Sun's rays beam more power &
the effect of cold, produced by nocturnal radiation from the earth, is much
increased.
The vapors of the Atlantic, brought by the W[estern]. winds are probably all
deposited on the higher mountains of West Falkland; for here their dryness is
wonderful such as I have witnessed no where else. Often during this month,
16--18 degrees, & several times 26°--28°, & one 32 degrees of difference, I
have found to intervene between the temp[erature]. of air & that at which
moisture w[oul]d be precipitated -- Add to this the evaporating effect influence of
a smart wind, -- & you will at once perceive how distressing would be the
effects, produced on a tenderleaved[sic] Tree. The water is always during the
day colder than the atmosphere, -- & though on these occasions of
extraordinary dryness, the hills inland are clear & beautifully defined, the
horizon at sea to leeward is covered with a haze produced by the ocean
cooling the temperature. Parallel walls are formed to favor the ripening of fruit
in England:-- because, by cutting off from the face of the tree a considerable
portion of the face of heaven they prevent the radiation of their heat during the
night & similarly do the deep vallies[sic] of Fuegia afford an analogous shelter
to the trees of that country. The vapors of the Atlantic are, at once, condensed
on the mountains & hence the face of the sky was so constantly clouded at
Cape Horn, that I never got more than 6° of difference between the
Therm[ometer]. in a parabolic reflector, & the shaded one at night:-- & this
only once or twice.
[[5]] The valleys of Fuegia are exposed to all the moisture of deposited mist,
melting snow, & mountain torrents. All the evaporation is effected, on the
sheltered side, by the force of the sun's rays, never vertical, seldom (from the
steepness of the hills) touching their northern slopes, -- & almost always seen
through slight[?] mist. And as the least cloud prevents solar radiation, so so
much of its effects is lost. The wind cannot enter these valleys, except in
Williewaw squalls, accompanied (generally) with rain; & thus it cannot lend its
a assistance in carrying off the vaporized moisture. These combined causes
tend to clothe Fugia with wood, & to make its allies teem with Cryptogamia: &
as the mean Thermal temperature is but little above the mean Brumal, an
evergreen vegetation is to be looked for.
The Southern parts of New Zealand are very similarly situated, both with
respect to climate & the consequent vegetation; but I think Fuegia is much
richer in mosses than any other country I ever visited. These Antarctic
climates have no analogy or parallel in the world: & thus every circumstance
connected with their Botanical Geography is of deep interest to me.
Poor Mr Harvey's state, which you describe, is indeed afflicting: & could you
but know how much I have counted upon & indulged in dreams, of seeing one
known face at the Cape of Good Hope, in the course of this long voyage, you
would appreciate my grievous disappointment:-- not to speak of the
comprehensive grasp, which, with his kind assistance, I hoped to have
extended over the Cryptogamia of the Hottentot's land!
I fear that my time will not allow me to address you at great length now:-though doubtless this is quite long enough,-- & by not writing at all, I might
enjoy the ambiguous praise of "Vir sapit qui pauca
[[6]] loquitor."*2 I enclose a moss or two for your private microscope but must
beg you to remember that our Captain is dreadfully jealous of any of our
discoveries (tates[?] quales) gaining wind before our return: & I am rather
sharply restricted to sending Botanical information & specimens solely to my
Father & the Government Collections. For my own part, I would fain let all my
friends share at once in my pleasures:--but this must not be.
You will present my kind compliments to Mrs. Ward & all your family, not
forgetting your son, who will soon, I hope, relieve you from much of your
arduous duties; thus giving you time to devote your attention to cryptogamic
Botany, which is now crying out for votaries.
Remember me to all Botanists who may take an interest in me & particularly
to Mr. Loddiges, whose attention to my sister & myself conjointly with your
own, I have not forgotten.
Very truly yours| J. D. Hooker.
P.S. The specimens must go by another opportunity.
To N. B. Ward. Esq[ui]re.
Wellclose Square. London.
ENDNOTES
1. This letter is a contemporary 19th century copy, not written in the hand of
the original author Joseph Dalton Hooker, and not signed by him. The copy
was probably made by Hooker's Mother or one of his sisters to be circulated
amongst family and friends.
2. Latin, translates to: "It is a wise man who speaks little".
3. Latin. Transcription of first word is uncertain but translation of phrasing as
transcribed is: "higher quality".
Please note that work on this transcript is ongoing. Users are advised to study
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