[[1]]
Hobart Town Van Diemen's Land
April 5th 1841*1
My dear Father
Yesterday at 4 PM we anchored above old station opposite the paddock, &
accordingly I hasten to have this letter ready to send you by the first opportunity
which will be in a very few days -- We have indeed had a most glorious & successful
cruize to the Southward & seen many wonders hitherto quite unexpected, though it
has been very unprolific -- we reached 78.°3 Sth latitude & approached as near to the
S[outh]. Magnetic pole as was possible within 150 miles, having laid down its position with
perfect accuracy from observations made to the N.W. & S.W. of its position -- We
have run along & roughly surveyed an enormous tract of land extending from 72° to
79° S Lat[itude] every part of it further south than any hitherto discovered land, & our
progress was finally arrested by a stupendous barrier of ice running 300 miles E & W
-- I shall however give you a list of our positions every day at noon since leaving
V[an] D[iemen's] Land last that Maria may lay it down in your S. Polar chart & shall
add a small chart of the coast seen. P.S. I have too much to say to leave room.
Nov[embe]r 12. 1840 at 5 AM sailed down the Derwent Sir John [Franklin]
accompanying us for about 30 miles -- 13th Lat.44''.10'.15'', Long.149.29.9 -- 14th
Lat 45.13. Long. 151.58. -- 15th Lat 45.33' Long. 152°45' -- 16th lat. 46°.15' Long.
154.28 -- 17th,, L.49'.46. L.158 -- 18th L.49°.23 L.160°.10' -- 19th L 50°. 28'
L. 164.9’ – 20th made Lord Aucklands Islands -- Dec[embe]r 12th sailed from Lord
Aucklands group 13th 7AM made Campbell' Island anchored in S. harbor.
Dec[embe]r 17th Sailed from Campbells Island all well & zealous for southern
discovery --18th L.54.21.23. L.169°.11'. 19th L.55°.56' L.169°.29. 20th. L.56°.44'.26''.
L.169°.32' --21st L.57°.47'.20'' L.170.24 -- 22nd L.59°.0'.38''. L.170.57. -- 23rd
L.59.41. L.169°.35' 24th L.60°.32'. L.170.33. -- 25th L.62.10. L.170.24 a gloomy
Christmas morning &c --26th L.62.3. L.172 27th L.62.43. L.173.47. Freezing almost
all day for the first time. 28th L.64.32 L.173.0 -- 31st L.66.22 L.171.49 first saw the
white petrel -- Jan[uar]y 1st L.66.32.20. L.170.24. -- 5th L.66.55 L.174.31. -- 6th
L.68.17. L.175°.21 7th L.68.31. L.175.49. sailing through the loose pack ice that we
entered yesterday -- 8th L.68.28.29. L.176.31 9th L.69.15.30. L.176.14. -- 10th Lat.
70.23. Long.173.48. Having passed through the ice we are again in clear water -11th L.71.14.35. L.171.15. passed the latitude of Cook's farthest South 2.30 saw an
immense range of snow capped mts to the S. at night tacked to keep off a pack -12th L.71.49. L.170.52. Landed for a few minutes on a small island off the land all
snow & ice no trace of vegetation 13th L.72.6.37. L.172.19. -- 14th L.71.51.
L.172.40. --15th L.71.55.30 L.171.52. -- 16th Lat.72.12 Long.172.15 17th L.72.8.57.
L.176.6 173.35 -- 18th L.72.56 L.176°. 6' -- 19th L.72.32. L.173.39. -- 20th L.73.47.
L.171.50. -- 21st L.74. L.170.43. 26th L.75.3. L.169.4. -- 27th 75.47. L.168.59.
Landed with very great difficulty on a small island entirely covered with snow except
on the cliffs where it cannot lye[sic] coast lined with ice -- could not get a yard up
from the boat no trace of vegetation -- 28th L.76.57. L.169.25. Saw an active volcano
at a great distance S. covered with snow except round the top of the crater -- at night
saw an immense line of ice 160 feet high rising eastward from the volcano -- 29th
L.77.47. L.176.43. Running along the Barrier of ice. -- 30th L.77.6 L.189.6. lost sight
of the Barrier from thick weather & snow -- 31st L.77'.6. L.189.6. among the pack ice.
February 1st Lat.77.6. Long.188.27 among the ice -- 2nd L.77.45 L.187.0 -- at 9.15
PM we reached Lat.78°.3'.6'' S. Saw the barrier about 5 leagues off -- 3rd L.77.17.
L.185.27. passing through much ice -- 4th L.77°. L193°.29' Sailing through thick ice.
5th L.77.10. L.193[?].48 in a pool of water surrounded by ice watered by taking in
lumps of ice. 6th L.77.1.25 L.186.35 -- 7th L.77.39. L.187.5. -- 8th L.77.39. L.187.5.
Running through much ice -- 9th L.77.56. L.190.15 Ran into a bight in the barrier
[[2]] a most stupendous sight, running through much ice all day -- 10th L.77.32
L.186.48. passing through quantities loose ice. 11th L.76.11. L.187.51. running along
a pack edge through streams of young ice. 12th L.76.31. L.184.56. -- 13th L.76.54.
L.183.16. -- 14th L.76.22.33. L.178.15 -- 15th L.76.3.11. L.170.15. -- 16th L.76.32.
L.166.12. still for several days past among the young & old ice which is sometimes
forming around us. Saw the volcano emitting a stupendous column of smoke tinged
with flame -- 17th L.76.35 L.165.31. Running along pack edge among much loose
ice -- 18th L.76.5. L.166.11. much ice -- Stars seen for first time. 19th L.75.3.
L.168.45. -- 20th L.75.9. L.176.26. Running to the westward through & storming[?]
the N. coast of the continent with a hard S.E. gale -- 21st L.71.5. L.169.58. -- 22nd
L.70.27. L.166.40. counted 84 immense bergs in sight -- 23rd L.70.17. L.167.26. off
the land as before -- 24th L.69.52. L.168.9. -- 27th L.69.23. L.167.55. -- 28th L.69.56.
L.117.36. -- March 1st L.69.4.24 L.167.42. off a heavy pack saw the first aurora 2nd
L.68.23. L.168.6. -- 3d L.67.32.14. L167.1. Running along the pack through much ice
4thLat. 66˚.48'.38'' Long.165 ˚ .45' -- 5th L.65.34. L.167.47.-- 6th L.65.51. L.164.45 -7th Lat.65.29 L.162.15 -- 8th L.64˚.38' L.162.53'. Sailing through young & stream ice
-- 9th L.64.21. L.164.32. -- 10th L.64.5. L.163.17. -- 11th L.64.3.28 L.163.12. -- 12th
L.64.12. L.161.28. -- 13th L.63.28 L.159.35. 14th L.62.41. L.156.59. -- 15th L.64.0.
L.156. -- 16th L.64.11 L.154.40. -- 17th L.64˚.21 L.153. 23rd L.62.12. L.136.17. -24th L.62..11. L.133.52. -- 25th L.60.22. L.131.28. -- 26th L.59.24. L.130.3 -- 27th
L.58.4. L.135.18. 28th L.57.21. L.127.46. -- 29th L.56.28 L.129.57. -- 30th L.55.9.
L.132.28. -- 31st L.54.4. L.134.51. -- April 1st L.53.4. L.135.18. the last iceberg seen
to day. -- 2nd L.51.1o L.136.56. -- 3d L.48.56. L.138.34. -- 4th L.46.34L140.36. -- 5th
L.44.52. L.143.27. 6th L.44.1. L.147.57. -- 7th anchored (off the government
paddock) for the first time since leaving Campbells Island.
And now as regards the object of the expedition, it is certainly a failure, our intention
having been to have made observations on the actual site of the S[outh] magnetic
pole, & also to have wintered within the Antarctic circle, that we might have made a
series of experiments with such instruments as must be used on land -- from the first
object we were deterred by the pole's lying inland, among a stupendous range of
mountains covered from their tops to the sea beach with everlasting snow & ice -nor can we anywhere approach the mainland, as the sea is covered with streams of
ice & floes, bergs &c & the whole coast lined with enormous tabular masses, filling
up all the bays & sometimes extending in one continued line for many miles -- The In
approaching such a coast the danger arises from the chances of a shift of wind, or a
gale which would prevent our working off when all the ice would set down on the
coast & jam us, or, what is quite as bad, we might be becalmed & frozen in, for the
sun has no power to melt the ice even in the height of summer, & wintering in such a
latitude Capt[ain] Ross pronounced as totally impracticable, as we should be frozen
in, & only get out when a current should take the pack which would imbed us north &
melt it in warmer water. All the polar voyagers were astonished beyond measure at
the stupendous masses of ice & their singularly regular figure; they are all square or
oblong squares, generally about 60-100 feet out of water & of course 7 times that
below, it, 7/8th being always under water, they are all formed along the coast &
drifted north from it -- 84 have at one time been counted from the mast head, of all
sizes, from 1/4 mile to 4 miles long; this was in about 70˚ South. -- The whole of the
land surveyed from 72 to 79 presented the appearance of range upon range of
peaked mountains, covered every where with snow, except where the precipices
were too perpendicular for it to lye[sic] & these are exposed to constant
disintegration from the masses of snow rolling from above down their faces, &
sweeping huge masses onto the icebergs below on the cliffs which when they are
removed from the coast by a gale, transport these erratic boulders -- all the coast of
one of the islands we landed on is lined with masses of ice covered more or less
with sand stones & rocks -- In such situations it is impossible for plants to grow &
when I add that during the whole time that we were within the circle, the
Therm[ometer] never rose above 32˚ & very rarely so high you will not be
surprized[sic], & this on board the ship its average range was 18˚-24˚ never lower
than 12˚, of course ashore it must be much cooler -- the sun is very powerless here,
at 75 North the sun in summer raises the mercury in a black bulb therm[ometer] to
100˚ & upwards, but here only to 42˚. The sea is equally unproductive, its
temperature averaged 29˚, & 28˚ in the freezing point of sea water -- When
[[3]] near the shore I have always been looking for some trace of vegetation in the
sea but now I am perfectly convinced that in this longitude vegetation does not enter
the circle -- Emerald Island off which we passed some seaweed is probably the
Northern limit. The success of the expedition in geographical discovery is really
wonderful & only shows what a little perseverance will do for we have been in no
dangerous predicament & have suffered no hardships whatever; there has been a
sort of free masonry among the voyagers to keep up the credit they have acquired at
having done wonders, & accordingly, such of us as were raw to the ice made up our
minds for frostbites & attached a most undue importance to the simple operations of
boring packs &c which have now vanished, though I am not going to tell everybody
so; I do not here refer to travelers who do indeed undergo unheard of hardships, but,
to voyagers who have a snug ship[,] a little knowledge of the ice & due caution is all
that is required; at one time we thought we were really going on to the true S. pole,
when we were brought up by the land turning from S to E. where there was a fine
volcano spouting fire & smoke in 79° S & about 9000 ft high, covered all over with
eternal snow except just around the crater where the heat had melted it off. I can
give you no idea of the glorious views we have here, they are stupendous &
imposing, especially when there was any fine weather, with the sun never setting
among huge bergs, the water sky both as blue or rather, more intensely blue than I
have ever seen it in the tropics, & all the coast one mass of beautiful peaks of snow
& when the sun gets low they reflect the most brilliant hints of golden yellow & scarlet
& then to see the dark cloud of smoke tinged with flame rising from the volcano rising
in one column, one side jet black & the other reflecting the colours of the sun then [.]
Turning off at right angles by some current of wind & extending many miles to
leeward. The idea that we have penetrated far farther than was once thought
practicable, & there is every thing beyond what we see is enveloped in a mystery
revived for future voyagers to further. But you are all this time wondering what are
the fruits of this expedition to me especially. During our stay at L[or]d Aucklands
group, I made a collection of plants with which I hope you will be pleased, among
them are two tree ferns, & many new species, have accompanied some them with
as full notes as I could especially relating to their geographical position. There are
some most remarkable new genera, & I think a new nat[ural]. ord[er]. among them.,
whether they will go to you or no I cannot tell, nor am I so anxious, as I have many
duplicates for you & Polytrichum together with some others, 2 pretty Hookeria &c -all my time when we have had fine weather to the S[outhwar]d has been taken up in
examining them, & I fully think that Mr Brown will be most pleased with the notes, &
drawings which are numerous, they must however be judged very leniently of, I have
endeavored to be careful & when the motion of the ship is such that my things have
to be lashed to the table & I have to balance myself to examine anything under the
microscope I fear many errors have crept in -- At Campbells Island our stay was so
very short that I had only one good days botanizing. There again I collected as much
as I could taking a man to carry y things & help, Capt[ain] Ross also collected a great
deal for me one day, when I was busy arranging & making notes , he brought his
gally along side with its bottom like a garden. The two tree ferns grow here too, & I
got them & they are sent to you just as they were dried (the Cryptogamia I mean.) I
endeavoured [to] take a complete set out for government, but have no inclination to
trouble myself about it if they go to you there is no occasion for it, if to Brown I can
pick them out afterwards for him if the neither I shall be the better pleased that the
set is imperfect -- I spoke to Capt[ain] Ross about the plants not going to you & he
took the matter quite to heart, I did not mention it till after we got to sea, as he has so
many things to attend to & the news came tom me so late that it
[[4]] could have done no good for this he scolded me & said "the Admiralty before I
left allowed me to dispose of all the collections of nat[ural]. hist[ory]. Through Capt[ain].
Beaufort as I liked, he Capt. B., promised to see that the plants should all be
immediately sent to you" & further Capt. Ross wrote with the collections to Capt.
Beaufort reiterating his orders, as however he received no admiralty letters he
cannot conceive why his wishes were not complied with -- Next to yourself there is
no one to whom I should prefer this collection going than to Brown[,] it is however the
feeling, the most unnatural feeling, that Brown has thus shown the both of us & to
you in particular that seriously annoys me, as far as the good[?] of the collections are
concerned you are no loser I am well aware; but the present collections may go the
same way. I have taken great pains with the drawings -- I am very uncertain however
whether (considering how few good days I have in these blowy latitudes in which it is
possible to examine), the loss of time that finishing the drawings takes is a
compensation for the small proportion I can thus get through. I have rough duplicate
copies of the notes & drawings should they be lost[?].*2
Captain Ross intends to write again to Beaufort with the present collections & I have
just received a splendid box of books from you, I cannot thank you enough for them,
if you could but conceive the delight they give me. For Nee's [von Essenbeck] & the
Amaenitatis[?] & Acharins organisms[?]. I am especially obliged as also to my
grandfather for the other German books which I doubt not he sent, though I have
received no letters from home since my arrival. I know however too well how good a
correspondent you & my mother are to suppose you have not written, very likely
Gunn who has removed to Launceston has the letters & a parcel of books that
arrived too late for my excellent friend Johnstone to bring out with him for I find in the
present box No.12-15 of the B[otanical]. Journal & I have not yet received the former
ones -- I am heartily glad that it is separated from the Annalla, as it is, the new in it is
excellent & the whole affair tasteful & very good am highly delighted with it. The
letter on the D. of 15 is also very good & is in my opinion as little * as much as you
could say. The plate I expected would be the Lycianthus it is better however as it is -The genera Filicum have I see reached the 50th odd plate -- The season here has
been dreadfully hot & every thing is burnt up about Hobartown -- I have just seen
Kay, who has been left behind in charge of the observatories[,] he tells me that
Elizabeth's health is nit much improved ^ that Mary is not well either, this news
grieves me much though I wait patiently for more direct news -- My Grandfather
however us tolerably well god bless him though bedridden I fain hope he will receive
my affectionate love by this letter. Lady Franklin has gone to New Zealand in the
"Favorite" but is expected back soon[,] there have been many changes here since
we left -- I fear you have not progressed regarding Kew Gardens, the promises of
ministers are very easily broken, every thing is no doubt for the best in the long run.
In a few months you will see Gardner *3 I should have rejoiced to have been at home
to receive him[.] I suppose he will immediately set to work at his plants. For my part I
am very glad we did not winter South as I consider it 12 months gained what we
shall do I cannot tell, probably go from here to Sidney[sic], New Zealand, Chatham
Island down to the ice & up by the Falklands & then for old England[.] as soon as I
can get my bill made out I shall send it home to cover some of the expenses of what
you have laid out for me -- you shall hear from me very soon again -- with best love
to my mother & grandfather, Maria, Eliz[abeth]. Mary & the little one Believe me your
most affectionate son
Jos D. Hooker[signature]
*4 P.S.
I am very much ashamed to send this letter in such a state but cannot help it, I
left my cabin for a few seconds & it was blown on deck where the people where
washing & scrubbing -- it must go immediately as it is & you will excuse & not
attribute it to disrespect.
ENDNOTES
1. Annotation written in another hand records that the letter was 'received Aug. 13.'
2. The address of the recipient appears here at right angles to the bulk of the letter
text as the letter would have been folded in such a way that it formed its own
'envelope'. The address reads: "Sir Wm. J. Hooker| Woodside Crescent | Glasgow |
Kew | London". It also bears several postal marks and has been redirected from
Glasgow to William Hooker's later residence in Kew Gardens. There are also pencil
annotations written in another hand which appears to be a list of names, possibly of
people to whom the letter should be circulated.
3. The text from this point to the signature is written along the right hand side of the
page at a right angle to the bulk of the letter text.
4. This post script appears at the top of page 1.
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