[[1]] *1
Choongtam Convents, Sikkim Himalaya, 12 days march N.E. from Darjeeling May
24, 1849
Dearest Mother,
Your letter of the 19th March has just been forwarded to me from Darjeeling; &, as
I am sending messengers thither tomorrow, I write by them. It is uncertain what
post this may catch;-- I hope the Marseilles June 1st. Here I have been camped 5
days, in want of food for my people, which I must receive from Darjeeling, ere I can
proceed to the Snowy Passes. I have encountered much difficulty & opposition to
my progress, from the rude behaviour of the Rajah; also because the country is so
poor, that I could procure nothing on the road. I have plenty of provision for myself;
but my poor followers, whose religion restricts them to few articles of diet have
been for 5 days on half allowance; & they have eaten so many wild things, that my
medicine--chest is in greater requisition than I could desire.
The Rajah sent me a Guide, the same excellent man who attended me before; but
not till after I had spent 10 days in making my own way without assistance; & His
Highness has allowed no food to the Guide nor the Guide's Coolies (of whom there
are 3). I quite expect that this man, Meepo, would be deputed to attend me; for his
master is well aware that I should soon send any less well conducted person about
his business. I have received three insolent messages from the Rajah, since
starting; & I took no notice of any, but the last; which was to the effect that I must
"return at once to Darjeeling" for that I had plenty of time to visit the Passes; & get
back again." To which I replied, that, as he expects me to feed his servants, as
well as my own, I am delayed, for lack of the extra provisions, that I shall not return
to Darjeeling, till I have visited both Passes & shall then go back at my leisure &
wait there, near the snow, as long as I please; & that if he thinks to bully me,
because I am so far from Darjeeling, he will find himself mistaken, for that I will
receive none of his orders, except through Dr. Campbell, who is, as he well
knows,-- the only proper organ of communication. I have also reminded him that I
am recommended to his hospitality as an
[[2]] Englishman & a guest, by the Governor General of India, & that I look to be
treated accordingly. I fully expect to be left in peace, for the future, for Meepo has
informed the Rajah that I am in a towering passion, & has cautioned him that evil
may thence arise to himself, at the hands of Lord Dalhousie. The least concession
is construed by these people as a proof of weakness; so I am compelled to hold
firmly by my own. I anticipated all these annoyances; & they cost me no
uneasiness. So long as Campbell keeps my people supplied with food, according
to his promise, the Rajah cannot drive me out; & all the men behave admirably, not
one having murmured at the short--commons of the past week. I have plenty to
eat, myself: eggs, fowls, & milk, I can generally obtain from the villagers, but the 2
lbs of rice, the daily allowance to each of my 40 followers, is not to be picked up
here by purchase & must be regularly supplied. The Rajah hopes, by throwing his
Guide & party upon my resources, that he shall starve me into going away; & he
has also followed up this scheme, by sending a foolish old official to frighten my
people;-- but the poor man cannot bear any degree of ridicule; & between laughing
at his menaces & treating him with all kindness, I have fairly won his heart. I have
been very sorry to lessen the allowances of my servants; but it could not be
helped. The Rajah wanted to get me out of Sikkim before he should go to his
summer Quarters; but I have just heard, that finding me impracticable, he has
decamped in great perturbation & left the coast clear for me. I pay most liberally for
every thing I get; I give large presents to the Authorities & to the convents: every
day I heal the sick who come to me for advice & medicine; & nobody has received
even a hard word from me, except in reply to the insolence of the Rajah, who
ought to be ashamed of his inhospitality.
Tell my father that I am gathering lots of new plants, & such Rhododendrons "as
Papa can't think". Three of them -- (I have sent home the leaves) bear white
flowers, as splendid as those of R. Dalhousie; &, as the shrubs themselves grow to
a great size & are loaded with blossoms, they produce a much grander effect than
the twiggy & straggling R. Dalhousie. One of these new species is beyond all
comparison the glory of the genus. Its flowers measure 5 ½ inches (just half a
[[3]] foot) across the mouth; & it has a great disciform Calyx. My drawing of the
head of flowers, with its leaves, is of the full size, but in no degree exaggerated; as
the specimens will show: it nearly occupies the whole sheet of paper, which is 22
inches by 17. Roots of it are sent to Darjeeling. I have nearly finished drawings of
5 new Rhododendrons, & have just found another, previously unknown species,
quite distinct from any of the rest: it bears solitary, axillary, purple flowers
resembling those of an Azalea -- There are 7 or 8 kinds, which I shall want to find
in flower.-- besides new ones "galore". Several splendid novel Orchidea, a noble
Aristolchia, & really a heap of undescribed things have lately rewarded my labours;
& yet I have hardly touched the Alpine vegetation! I reached it 2 days ago, at 3-4000 feet above my camp, & presently gathered Androsaces, Primula & 20 plants,
which had never before fallen in my way all in 2 hours! The above grew in a wood
of Abies Brunoniana, which, except longifolia, is the first & only Pine I have seen
since leaving Darjeeling. I have still the almost unknown vegetation of 12--15,000ft
to collect. My camp here is at an elevation of about 6,000ft above the sea, in a wild
bushy gorge,-- the mountains rising abruptly to perpetual snow, on all sides, &
quite inaccessible. Two valleys, that of Lachong to E[ast].N[orth].E[ast]., & Lachen
N[orth].W[est]., lead to Thibet [Tibet]; &, as soon as ever the rice arrives, I shall
start, first for the Lachong Pass, up the valley of the same name, & afterwards for
the other (Lachen). Each is distant several days march: the roads are difficult, but
in no respect dangerous. It is my intention to proceed to the top of both Passes,
without crossing, which the Rajah has forbidden; &, though I dispute his authority
to give such a prohibition, I cannot act in defiance of it, & cross the passes in
secret, Thibet is the Head--Quarters of the Sikkim people's Church; & if through
any act of mine the Passes were to be closed, I should inflict upon the natives
what they would consider a serious injury, namely the shutting of their Church
Door. It is most reluctantly, I give up the intention of crossing: especially as the
Rajah's own orders & other circumstance convince me that I could do so if I chose,
& that no one has power to hinder me; for the 1st Chinese village is 2 distant days
marches on the other side of the Border However, I have plenty to do on this side;
& if by crossing I should throw any effectual impediment in the way of my Sikkim
investigations, I should be a great
[[4]] loser by it. I do my best to improve my time; Every morning I get up at
sunrise; & breakfast at 7 or 8. At 9, if the Sun is clearly shining, I take observations
to correct my Watch, for the Latitude, Longitude, &c. I dine generally between 4 &
8 p.m; at the former hour if I have been working within--doors; at 7 or 8 if I have
been out, during the day. These are my only meals. It is quite dark at 7 & I write till
10 or 11 p.m. when I go to bed. All day except when on the march or collecting I
am occupied in drying, or examining & making notes on my plants; only getting up
to observe the Barometer & Thermometers, Weather, &c. These duties, with Camp
arrangements, orders to the coolies, my correspondence, the purchase of various
matters, journalizing, & catching all the Insects that come in my way, keep me
always hard at work. Thanks to the kindness of Hodgson & Campbell, I am quite
comfortable, dry & warm,: indeed, of late, I have been rather too warm for the
vallies[sic] through which we marched were oppressively hot, I go dressed, nearly
as I did in Scotland, with the addition of an umbrella to keep off the Sun as much
as the rain; & I use a linen coat in the hot weather. I always wear long worsted
stockings, & my trowzers[sic] tucked up to the knees, on account of the immense
quantity of Leeches which get all over one's person, & of which I have sometimes
taken off a hundred in a day; & they work quite through the clothes! I always carry
a large bottle of snuff, for the Peasantry; & I find this powder so infinitely distasteful
to the above Blood--suckers, that I often dust myself with it from the knees
downwards (not my nose): thus preventing them from attacking me.
The weather is tolerable, mingled sunshine & showers: I rarely escape a ducking,
during some part of the day. The scenery is truly grand. Unfortunately for my
researches, the season is backward: & much snow still lies on the Hills, at 12,000
feet, which these sharp showers & bright sun will, I hope, quickly dissolve. I assure
you that I am perfectly well & very happy, & am grown so used to being alone that
after the first week, I hardly miss Society (though, I must own to feeling very dull
then). On this last occasion I travelled for several
[[5]] days, after setting out, over the ground where I had previously had Campbell’s
company; & the difference was peculiarly trying. He is as amiable a man as ever
lived but subject to such unaccountable fits of abstraction & forgetfulness that I
cannot wonder at the impression which I first entertained of his character. A similar
instance, in proof of my remark, has just occurred. Fifteen days have elapsed, &
the rice which he was to have forwarded weekly from Darjeeling, is not arrived! I
cannot imagine the reason for this neglect. My expedition has cost him a world of
care & trouble, & expense besides; for not a single thing did he possess but he put
it at my disposal, by loan or gift, if it was likely to be serviceable to me. My own
father could not have been kinder & more generous. Only 5 days ago he sent me,
& for the 3d time, Bread & butter; & Mrs Campbell kindly added a lot of sweets, as
sponge cakes & prunes,-- yet extraordinary to say, he forgets, as it would appear,
that indispensible supply of rice for my people for want of which they are half
starved, & I am compelled to lose 6 days, waiting till the food shall arrive. The last
he sent arrived (& very properly) rather sooner than I wanted it, & was
accompanied by a message, that he was "determined I should never be detained"
for lack of provisions."
May 25. The rice is arrived but only 1/4th of what is required I therefore send 20
men back directly to Darjeeling, to fetch more, & shall start for the Passes at once.
Your letter is delightfully crammed with news of various kinds. Pray tell me when
you write again how my little favourite Josephine Richardson goes on: I am much
concerned to hear of her indisposition. I have already answered your enquiry
about a neck--chain; I hardly think I could get one good enough for you to wear,
under 200 or 300 rupees here, but in Dacca I fancy they are cheaper:-- they may
be had there at all prices, from 10s/ upwards -- a 10s/ chain might serve to hang a
spider! I am pleased that Prince Albert should be so complimentary to Eastlake on
his marriage with E. Rigby: you may say that fine words are a cheap way of
encouraging art & science, but they go a great
[[6]] way with some people, & from such a personage.
I am much pleased with the improved account of Aunt Hannah & I trust Mr Webber
may perfect her cure:-- indeed I have great faith that he will. Hensleigh
Wedgewood’s case is hard; but Government is not nice as to justice, let alone
generosity, in these days. Tell Papa I have gathered Lyellia crispa in abundance in
more than one station, & that I send him a few specimens to give away, you have
not mentioned Aunt Palgrave lately; & as you say she has been poorly, I beg you
will tell me how she does in your next letter & give my love to her, uncle & cousins.
Has Frank entered on his new duties? Tell me what Gifford is doing. I have again
written to him, but have received no answer (perhaps my letters have not been
addressed with sufficient particularity); & I have never heard if he was in the battle
of Punjaub [Punjab]. Does Reginald earn anything for himself?
Darjeeling is quite fashionable with gay folks from Calcutta *2; Campbell hopes to
be appointed Resident at Nepal in a few months; & if so I shall try to join his family
party to Cattmandu [Kathmandu], & visit Wallich’s Gossain Than [Gossanthain].
Papa & J.H. [John Henslow?] must excuse me for not writing this time: I am so
busy. Please to distribute "love", "kind regards", & "compliments" to relations,
friends, & acquaintance, in the right places.
Your affectionate Son | J.D. Hooker.
ENDNOTES
1. This letter is a copy written in a hand not that of the original author, JDH, and is
not signed by him. The copy was probably made by JDH's mother or sister.
2. The city formerly known as Calcutta is now called Kolkata.
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