[[1]]
Momay Samdong, Sikkim
Himal. Thibet frontier
Sept 23/ [18]49
My dear Father
As you are no doubt anxious to know how I propose employing this coming my last
year in India, I hasten to give you the earliest information I can on the subject,
subject as it is to all uncertainty. You desire that it should be in the Himal. & I have
set about conquering the great difficulties that lie in the way -Sikkim I have done with, nothing should induce me to tilt with the Rajah & suffer
what I have albeit[sic] the conqueror & I further think I have explored it pretty well,
too well to render it worth while to devote another expensive season to it.
Bhottan [Bhutan] or the Dhurmah country is virtually shut to Europeans, its Rajah a
thousand times worse than he of Sikkim & his people thorough scoundrels. -- The
Mishmis are so unhealthy that Jenkins advises me not to try them -- The N.W. is or
is being completely explored -- Nepal
[[2]] alone remains! Now the proper & profitable Nepal route is, to go to
Cathmandu [Kathmandu] straight through the heart of the country, from Dorjiling
[Darjeeling] in January via Ilam & Dunkotah to visit the Passes East of Cathmandu &
West of Wallanchoon (Gossain Than &c) in spring; & in autumn to travel to those
west of the capital & to Dawalgiri & so on to Kemaon. The difficulties at present in
the way are, 1) the Rajah's leave -- 2) the expense, 3) the great labor for I must in
such a wholly unexplored route pay much attention to Astronomy 3)[sic] some little
hardship. As to the Rajah's leave I think considering how graciously that was
granted last year, on Campbell's request, an extension could not be refused to the
Governor General. The expense would probably be £600 for the whole years
travelling, of which I have £300 from W & F. [Woods & Forests] This & the labor
would both vanish if Thomson
[[3]] would bear me company, & as to the hardship so glorious a journey unrivalled
as I should thereafter stand in the Annals of Indian travelling, is not worth thinking
off[sic] .
I see no other way of fulfilling your wishes & as it is no use puzzling at difficulties I
wrote off to Lord D[alhousie]. the moment my mind was made up, asking if he
would proffer the requisite application to the Rajah & if so would he object to
include Thomson's name in the request should T[homson]. be inclined to join me. I
of course propose both Thomsons & my doing it out of our own resources,
knowing that Lord D[alhousie]. would not give 6d. for the results be they ever so
good. I have at the same time caused Sir H. Elliott to be written to, & acquainted
with my intentions & also advised to hold out some encouragement to Thomson to
undertake it with me. Elliott is a great patron of Scientific exploration & has been
pleased
[[4]] to express a high opinion of my enterprize, so that I have hopes of carrying
through the scheme & turning out a great man & then I shall bear up for old
England with some satisfaction.
So matters stand -- I have had no opportunity of consulting Thomson but have in
no way compromised or trammelled him -- He & his Father are quite rich enough,
& I can hardly doubt Tom's desire to accompany me -- If he will do so & stand
£200; whilst I (ie my 300 & £100 or say 200 from you) stand 400 the thing may be
well done. the Great expense being coolies to carry our dried plants & their food.
Should Thomson decline I must do it myself though labouring under two grievous
disadvantages, first the aforesaid astronomy, & second my ignorance of incapacity
for acquiring tongues. The astronomy is unfortunately essential for it is impossible
to guess your direction. *1
[[5]] or distance in this country, without known bearings, or the constant use of
astronomical observations; Here, in Sikkim, you know, the great peaks are all laid
down by triangulation from Dorjiling, & I always get my position by them with an
azimuth compass. This process costs no time or trouble, & with the pocket sextant &
horizon I can set my watch to a second, with half an hour's labor. In Nepal, the
peaks are both alike unknown by name or position; & the country, being as
mountainous & torturous[?] as this, in 4 days I should not know where I was by
perhaps 20 miles; for you cannot guess distances or directions where when
wondering over range after range of thickly wooded mts & winding through the
most torturous perplexed deep valleys -- As to languages, I have difficulty enough
here; & there one should know, (besides Hindustani) Purbuttyah (the Ghorka
[Ghurka] colloquial) & Bhote, a dialect of Chinese. -- now my Hindustani is
atrociously bad, of Purbuttyah I don't know a word; & I have only but a smattering
[[6]] of Bhote (or Thibetan) -- Thomson is, of course, perfect in Hindustani & versed
in Bhote, too; whilst with his remarkable talents as a linguist Purbuttyah would
come to him fast enough. It is true that this ignorance of languages does not stand
much in the way of Botany; but in every other aspect it is a fearful draw--back -Still the prize of success is too great to be lightly lost; & I am bent on undertaking the
task, with all its trifles of difficulties, which will vanish on approach, as heaps of
others have die before. I want nothing but your blessing, the telescope, & one of
Newman's short Barometers; about which I wrote before. Should any unforeseen
obstacle arise then I shall take the Khassya hills instead; but I anticipate nothing
but success.
I am still up at about 16,000ft, & exploring right & left: my collection from these lofty
regions is I think
[[7]] now complete have repeatedly ascended to 18,000 ft, & the other day to
20,000; if the boiling point tells true; but I have no faith in Boiling points, though my
instruments & appliances are of the very best -- There is nothing like the
Barometer for portability & convenience. I never can get a fire up for B[oiling]].
Point, under an hour, & with head aching & snow falling, the affair is a perfect
nuisance. (I have found two splendid glaciers here, one a true mer de glace, of
stupendous area. I am collecting seeds as fast as I can, & I think you will be
satisfied this year -- It is, however, very difficult to get plenty of a kind of these
alpines, which are all small. I hope Cyananthus will grow; it is a lovely plant & its
exquisitely delicate petals bear a cold of 29˚ in the night, & a heat in the day which
raises the black bulb therm[omete]r. to130˚; but I am more anxious you should
grow the great Rhubarb (Tchuka) than any other Himalayan plant. Its white
pyramid of reflected bladdery bracts ia 4 feet high, & the huge green leaves spread
out all on the ground, like
[[8]] *2 a wheel, it is the most wonderful -- looking plant in the Himalaya & excites
my unbounded admiration. You see the individual plant miles off -- The
inflorescence is wholly hid under the beautiful papery glossy & semitransparent
yellow bracts; the upper of which are tinged round the edges with pink; the
average height is a yard & its Pagoda form is singularly suggestive of these
Tartars, people whose country it inhabits[.] I sent lots of seed last year, both in
letter & in parcel, & now enclose more. I think a wretched figure of a bract is in
Royle's Himalayan Flora. A little Rhododendron, new to me, is common here at 18,000ft,
along with the "Tsalla" (R. setosum.).
We have wretched weather at present, -- snow, both day & night, at intervals, & it
is miserably cold. *3
Best love to all. Ever yr affect[ionate] Son | Jos D Hooker [signature]
ENDNOTES
1. A note written in another hand queries: 'End?'. The conclusion of the letter has
been stored out of order within the archive volume and is numbered folio 248.
2. A pencil sketch illustrating the described rhubarb covers a large part of this page
with the text written around it.
3. The text from here is written vertically up the margin of the page.
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