[[1]]
H.M.S. "Erebus",
Funchal Roads
Oct 31st 1839
My dear Father,
I went on board the Terror this morning for a few minutes & while there Capt[ain]
Crozier *1 came on board with the news that we are to put to sea immediately as it is
coming on to blow & the anchorage here is very dangerous. I have just returned on
board my ship in a great hurry & have just time to scrawl those few lines & send
these ashore to Mr Muir who will forward them by the first letter bag. My stay here
has been most unfortunate for the first two days I was very busy botanising & got a
few good things but caught a severe rheumatism which has confined me for a week
on board & almost to my cot indeed. The pains were in my elbow, back & leg &
prevented my using my limbs. Yesterday I was ashore for the first time for
[[2]] a week & spent the afternoon at Mr Muir's. I cannot still carry my hand to my
mouth but improve every day. Dr Lippard was to come & see me bringing some
grapes & jelly of Raisin[?], Madeirense[.] Mr Muir also came after & sent grapes &
basketfuls of oranges, if you can I should like you to write to Mr Muir & thank him for
his unremitting kindness & attention to us all & me in particular. During the two days
I had opportunity I collected as hard as I could but got on very poorly. Everything
was in fruit or out of it & except of plants I thought not common I did not gather
much. There are some talks of our going to Port Praya [Praia] in the Cape de Verde
but the Capt[ain] is still undecided. I hope we shall[,] if not we go straight to St
Helena touching at St Paul’s Rocks on our way on the Equator.
Mr McCormick*2 & I agree uncommonly well & I can get plenty of shore leave.
I have sent a few flowers from the Convent to Mamma & my sisters. There are two
wreathes & enough myrtle to make another as I could not
[[3]] get three. Could I have got ashore again I would have added other things to the
parcel[.] Mr Muir got them packed & sent to Mr Pamplin.
I have a full true & particular account of my stay here for you, I shall send it from St
Helena it is however very dull & stupid. Excuse greatest haste as the ship is putting
to sea & the boat waits for my letter. My arm is so stiff that I can hardly write but the
pains are all gone.
Best love to all. A Mr Johnstone & Mrs [mss illeg. blotted] introduced themselves to
me as friends of Mr Baker's at Norwich home of Grandpapas home of mine. I have
no time to tell him about them but will write to him from St Helena & tell him all about
it.
Best love to all | Your most affectionate son | Jos.D Hooker [signature]
I believe I dated my last letter wrong[,] we arrived on Sunday week. Mr Hally[?] is
dying here I have seen him.
Dr Renton[?] & his wife Mrs Montgomery Hamilton alias Miss Wallace have been
most attentive to me. I have an account of his garden for you.*3
[[4]] *4
Mr M[uir] with respect to Sir W[ilia]m H[ooker] begs to inform him that the Erebus &
Terror sailed on the 31st ultimo; & have had favourable wind & weather since.
Mr M[uir] & family had much pleasure in Mr Joseph's society & the flowers he left will
be sent by the first direct opportunity to London.
Mr Smith of Jordan Hill arrived in the beginning of last week & I hope that the
favourable weather of the island, will prove beneficial to his invalid daughter.
Mrs S[mith] & her other daughters & Mr S. are well.
Madeira
16 Nov 1839
Sir W[illia]m J. Hooker | Woodside Crescent | Glasgow NB *5
ENDNOTES
1. Captain Francis Crozier, second in command on board the HMS 'Erebus'.
2. Robert McCormick, ship’s surgeon on board the HMS 'Erebus'.
3. Written vertically up the right hand margin of page 2, the text continues into the left
hand margin of page 3.
4. The remaining text is written in a different hand, probably that of Mr Muir after the
letter had been given to him to post by Hooker.
5. Written upside down to the rest of the text on the page in order to fold the page to
form an envelope.
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