[[1]]*1
H.M.S. Erebus Rio de Janeiro.
Brazils.
June 21. 1843.
My dear Father
I have given to my sisters the sum of all I know of our proceedings, which is that we
fully expect to follow this letter very closely. I may add one circumstance which had
better be kept quiet; which is, that a vessel which sailed yesterday for Monte Video
(a Packet) took the last English despatches (for May Packet) on to the Admiral, &
that though it was believed we had dispatches enclosed, Capt[ain] Ross would not
break open the Mail letter bags, though told he might do so in presence of 3
commissioned officers, giving a receipt for what he might take out:-- this shows that
he does not wish to be detained here, & there is no doubt but that we start as soon
as ever we rig a new Bowsprit, Saturday is the day announced. Nothing but
despatches from Monte Video can detain us much beyond; It is a toss up whether
they come or no.
And now we may consider the voyage as over.-- I hope never to regret having
entered on it, though it has proved in many respects very different from what I
expected. My uppermost feelings now, & throughout every day of it are of gratitude
to you, not only for all the personal
[[2]] comforts I have enjoyed in it as far as regards outfits, correspondence,
encouragement, & means of improving my mind by your handsome gifts of books,
but for having made me love Botany, & having led me on in it.-- Botany alone has
rendered many months tolerable which otherwise would have been to me, as they
were to others, scarcely endurable; & your name & fame alone have induced one to
treat me with a great deal of kindness who might have made others far happier &
more comfortable likewise.-- As it is I am the only one who can look back to
pleasant hours spent on board the Erebus: almost the only one who has not fifty
times over wailed the day he ever joined.-- The fair fame of the Expedition, & a high
principle of honorable[sic] emulation have alone kept us together (tho' we never
quarrel among ourselves).-- With hardly an exception, every officer has I am sure,
done everything he could in forwarding the objects of the Expedition, out of all which
objects none but the Geographical could be of much interest to naval officers, they
have not however been treated as if such were the case. This however is meddling
with the affairs of others, which (tho' they be all my friends) is no business of mine. I
have received a great deal of kindness from Capt[ain] Ross, for which I thank you,
had others, who deserved it better, received the same, this Expedition might have
been
[[3]] a very happy (as well as successful one). To conclude, I may & will honor[sic] &
thank Capt[ain] Ross very much, but love him I never can or could.-- This is
probably the last letter you will ever [1 word crossed out, illeg.] receive from me
before our arrival home, & by it I wish to return you again & again my heartfelt thanks
for all the enjoyment this Expedition has afforded me. Every one thinks that his own
love is the most valuable gift he can offer to a fellow creature; that I loved you as a
child you know: as I have added manhood's years to childhood's, so has my love
increased, in spite of distance in time & space.-In my letter to you from St Helena I told you fully how far I stood affected towards the
service, to that I have nothing to add but that I was misinformed in supposing I s h[oul]d
not be required to pass again at Edinburgh before receiving a Surgeon's
commission. I see there is plenty of time to think of all this after our return to
England,-- Capt[ain] Ross has not written for Lyall's or my promotion, though he said
he wanted so particularly to do so. I am not in the least vexed at this, it is, as you
know, a matter of perfect indifference to me. Until we meet it is impossible to settle
the question of my continuance in the service, you know my feelings towards it, &
that I far prefer continuing in it to being a burthen *2 to you in any way whatever. I
[[4]] must confess however that considering you now go to the expense of another
first assistant, I ought to be of some use at home, & hope to be of as much as will
cover my food & clothes; of such use I hope to be,-- Come what may I never looked
forward to the fulfillment[sic] of any Day or Night dream with so much pleasure as I
do to meeting you again, & the more so because we shall shake hands in the home
you have so long looked forward to, & I have so often wished you to obtain,-- I mean
as at Kew.
The letters of many friends have doubtless accompanied yours, missing or rather
aberrant ones to me, had they been received I fear I should not have time to answer
them, & so you will thank them all for me, & all other friends who have taken an
interest either in me or in the Expedition to whose aims I have devoted these 4 years
past.
At St Helena I collected 22 species (distinct) of Ferns including 2 Lycopodia, & at
Ascension, 8--, Strange to say, out of the Ascension ones, only one is identical with
a St Helena species. What do you think of a Marattia from Ascension? A Genus I
longed to see alive. Some of my duplicate Auckland Isl[an]d plants suffered dreadfully
in the hold from damp, produced by the hot weather in the holds. They were in good
order before arriving at the Cape, when the moisture was as it were fixed by the
Cold, but when a few days ago the hold was opened (the Capt[ain]s storeroom)
[[5]] a smell came out that induced me to have[?] the place unstowed to get at my
plants, & found them mouldering already, but not quite spoiled. A set of N[ew].
Zealand duplicate Ferns kept beautifully, it is strange how they resist damp. I have
been examining a Diplazium from St Helena, & it appears to me that the double Sori
or Indusia are formed because the vein is really a double one, the inner indusium
opening towards the rachis with which it is most nearly connected, as arising from
the primary venule, & the outer towards the midrile[?] of the pinna because it belongs
to the fork or branch of the venule; the specimens show very clearly what I mean. I
daresay that Mr Brown knows all about it, & you yourself better than I do.-- I wrote to
the latter from the Cape of Good Hope. I am very glad that he comes to Kew
sometimes.
8. P.M. I have just received a most kind letter from Mr Gardner which has been lying
for me at a Merchant's office, & of which I only heard today, he most handsomely
encloses 8 letters of Introduction to different friends here. This is most attentive of
him, & though somewhat expected, most gratifying, with only 2 days before me I of
course can make little use of them, would that I c[oul]d for his sake & my own. The
Sierra dos Organõs frown magnificently over the head of the Bay, alas! it is only
their outline I can ever know at present. I had a nice party arranged
[[6]] for 3 days to go to the [1 word crossed out, illeg.] Tejuca, & gather the Cladonia
perfilata, but we cannot get leave our stay is so short. I am so glad you have got
Gardner a situation with Fielding, which will I hope be profitable as it will certainly be
agreeable, & most advantageous to him as a Botanist. Some situation will I hope
turn up for him in London ere long. I wish there were any hopes of such for poor
Arnott, as valuable a Botanist as he is. You may almost expect to see me before
hearing from me, I shall start for home as soon as I can get ashore wherever that
may be.
With kindest love to all Believe me | Y[ou]r most affect[ionate] son | 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. Burthen. An archaic form of 'burden'.
Please note that work on this transcript is ongoing. Users are advised to study
electronic image(s) of this document where possible.