[[1]]
Copy *1
H.M.S. "Erebus"
Berkeley Sound. Falkl[an]d Islands
Sep. 4. 1842 (re[ceive]d. Feb. 11. 1843)
My dear Maria [Hooker]
This sheet should rather have been devoted to Elizabeth, seeing that I wrote to you
by the last opportunity (in May) a letter which went by way of Buenos Ayres, but I
intend addressing her too, nothing doubting that both she & you have sent me
letters, which are not yet come to hand, but which I hope to receive on our way from
Cape Horn, whither we propose going in a very few days. In a box & cask, for my
Father, I have put 4 or 5 little boxes of Shells for you & I trust they may prove
interesting; as some of them, though with little beauty to boast, are p rare in the
places where they were picked up. While collecting them, you were often brought to
my mind in very wild & desolate spots, and this, were I not naturally fond of
collecting, would alone have sufficed to render the task pleasing to me. None of
them are properly cleaned, nor are any labels attached, except to the outside of each
box; so that perhaps you will gum a label on each specimen, for the habitat is as
important as the shell, & no good conchologist should omit such a duty to his or her
collection.
All yesterday I was employed dredging for shells *2 & sailing about the harbor[sic]
with a fine breeze & altogether I picked up a good many things after a hard day's
work; though there were but not any very few shells & only one scarce shell alive, a
fine specimen of the rare Voluta magellanica, the first I have seen & which, of
course, goes to the Government Collection. Whether I
[[2]] shall be so fortunate as to get another, I do not know; if so, fraternal affection
may outweigh Patriotism, especially if there is a chance of keeping it quiet. There is
only one Land Shell found here, a very minute Planorbis: the 2 specimens of murex
in the box were given to me & they came, I believe, from the South Seas. My few
Auckland Island Shells & the Albatross Eggs, *3 with specimens of the Antarcctic New
Land, are all in another box, down in the hold, which I cannot get at, to send home
by this opportunity.
This is a sadly dull place & were it not for Natural History I know not how I should
dispose of my time, for there has not been an arrival since the "Carysfort" in June, &
all together, only 3, during the 5 months we have spent in this harbour. Our Mess is
now very small indeed, & composed only of Yule & myself, Oakeley having become
a Lieutenant since MacMurdo has invalided[?] to go home, whose place he (Oakeley)
fills up as Junior Lieut[enant]. of the "Erebus", whilst Lieut[enant]. Sibbald goes to the
"Terror" as their 1st Lieutenant. Our berth is so large for only us two, that it seems
dismal, so we are going to divide it by running a canvas screen across, which will
make it very snug; -- and whenever we give a party, the screen can be removed.
Our stock all came down from Rio in the "Carysfort" & proved most seasonable; for
we had to use Purser's Stores, which are very coarse. Most of the good things we
lay by, until we start for the Southward, since we can get plenty of fresh provision
here. Our Beef we put in Corn, & we live, very mainly, on Rabbits, which are quite
inexhaustible
[[3]] & our Steward being a very fair cook, we have them dressed in all sorts of ways
for a change. The Geese have become very wild & can scarcely be got within shot
of; & further, as the Berries have all gone off, these birds now go down to the beach
& eat kelp, which renders their flesh exceedingly unpalatable. The Snipes are just
immigrating & afford delicious food, also a small kind of Teal, which is rather rare.
Summer has at last commenced here, but except the budding of a few insignificant
little plants, we see no happy signs of the favourable change. There are no trees or
hedges to put forth foliage, no Snowdrops, Crocus or Hellebore to show their
flowers; all here is one uniform yellow--brown grass, except where a few rocks are
seen on the hills & the mountain--tops, which are covered with snow. It often freezes
hard during a Falkland Island winter, but generally accompanied with such falls of
snow, that I have had but one day's skaiting[sic], which from want of practice, tired
my ancles[sic] very much.
The only gentleman here, except the Governor, is the celebrated Captain Gardiner,
of the Zoolu [Zulu] country, who was driven thence by Dingaan, the Kaffir Chief. He
has been living some time on this island, waiting for an opportunity to take his wife &
children down to Hazy Bay in the Straits of Magelhaens [Magellan] on the
Patagonian Coast. His wife is, I believe, a very nice person & equally enthusiastic in
the cause with himself; she is daughter to the Rev[eren]d Mr Masters (I think this is
the name of a clergyman at Hampstead, so that aunt Palgrave may know something
of her friends, & may inform them that the family are all in
[[4]] excellent health. The poor Captain himself seems much annoyed by his long
detention here & except some Sealer comes in which may convey him to the Straits,
he may yet wait a good while, only 3 Ships having arrived (as I mentioned before)
since we came in lay here. For my part, I now never dream of seeing one, & have
quite given up going into the rigging to scan the horizon, as it is a grievous waste of
time & clothes.
We now are all ready for sea, & expect to sail tomorrow for some port near Cape
Horn, probably St Martin's Cove in Hermit Island. Shells, I believe, are very rare
there; but I shall get what I can for you. We hope to see some of the Natives, who
appear to be a very curious race of Savages, probably in as low a state of
degradation as can be; at least according to Darwin's account, though Weddell
speaks more favorably[sic] of them. Our stay there will probably be for about 2
months, after which we shall return to this place & I hope receive many letters from
England, which must now be of old date. However, I shall not build much on the
agreeable prospect of hearing; for fear of disappointment; nor should I much wonder
if he we have to go again to the South without intelligence.
This winter has been unusually severe, which will be against our progressing very far
towards the Pole. I hope, however, that this will not be the case, as it would be a pity
to go for the last time & to return, without, at least, beating Weddell, who penetrated
to 74 South. In these high latitudes the seasons are peculiarly variable & it is
probable that the same places are for a series of many seasons, open & clear of Ice,
& that they again slowly fill up & remain inaccessible for several years to
[[5]] come, which makes me think that we may find much Ice, where Weddell met
with none. Sailing in the Pack Ice is, however very pleasant work, it being light all
day, & the lanes of water, through which the Ships are pushed, are as smooth as
canals. Besides, we have then plenty of opportunities for mollie--mawking, or visiting
from ship to ship, a curious term, in use among the Greenland Fishermen, who,
when their fleets of whalers meet, are in the habit of congregating to one Ship, & are
then said to molliemawk, because the birds of that name assemble together in a
similar manner in the North. There is also a good deal of fun in the Pack with the
Seals & Penguins which we catch, & especially when we have an occasional good
game of snowballing, on a Floe.
As I gave you, in a former letter, some account of our Christmas holy days, I shall
not recapitulate, but shall conclude by wishing you as happy a New Year (which will
come at about the same time as this letter) as I hope to enjoy in the Pack. There I
shall think of you & wish you many happy returns of the season, & to myself that I
may pass but few more out of your society.
Your most aff[ectiona]te brother | J. D. Hooker
To Miss 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. The words "Marine animals & Seaweeds, also, as elsewhere mentioned" have
been written horizontally at the bottom of the page, to be read as an addition to the
text at this point. It is unclear whether this addition is by Hooker or by the copier of
the letter.
3. The words "Gathered for dear Mary--Harriette at Auckland's groupe, on the first
Cruize[sic]" have been written horizontally at the bottom of the page, to be read as
an addition to the text at this point. It is unclear whether this addition is by Hooker or
by the copier of the letter.
Please note that work on this transcript is ongoing. Users are advised to study
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