[[1]]
Berhampore
March 18th / [18]1850 *1
My dear Father
You will I dare say be surprised at the heading of this letter, but so many people
say that I shall not get leave to travel in Nepaul [Nepal], & I am so obstinate that I
am on my way to Calcutta *2 to catch Lord Dalhousie & Jung Bahadur together.
The former arrived 4 or 5 days ago, the latter with other Nepaul Princes is also at
Calcutta on his way, on a mission to our Queen. Lord Dalhousie has expressed
himself quite pleased with my whole conduct & proceedings & sees no objection to
his own asking for permission for me. So I do not abandon hope & am determined
to carry it if I can. I left Dorjiling [Darjeeling] on the 14th with Thomson & we
[[2]] botanized together to the foot of the hills. I took palkee on the 15th & have got
this far, where I am resting my shaken bones with a cousin of Brian Hodgson's,
who is Collector here, both his self & his wife are remarkably nice people. The
latter knows Mrs Sabrine & is an exceedingly pretty & engaging person. I forget
who she was, but have heard. This afternoon I go on Dawk to Kishnagur whence if
possible I take a boat & get down to Calcutta in one tide. I have been most
fortunate in getting cool weather & refreshing breezes. -- travelling as fast as I can
no plants are to be had.
I saw Lobb at Darjeeling and also on my way down, at Khersiong [Kurseong], he is
a most steady industrious & well to do man. Tom will have some botanizing with
him on his
[[3]] way up, (for I leave him at the hills.) Lobb does not seem to think Dorjiling so
good as Cossya for his purposes, (Orchideae) & doubts it being worth his while
going into the country after Rhododendrons the expense & risk of losing them is so
great. Now we have added so much to our possessions, he can get 14 or 18
species without any personal danger, but must of course go as I did in the rains
when transport is all but out of the question. He has filled one very little Ward's
case with beautiful young plants of argenteum, he doubts if he will stay more than
6 weeks where he is.
Your letter arrived on the 12th of this month & relieved me from a grievous load of
anxiety. I was desperately afraid of Mamma taking on at my captivity -- I am
[[4]] not surprised at your blaming Campbell after all that Brian wrote to you & to
tell you the truth I was so busy at the time of going over the Kongra pass, that I
never asked but took for granted he had pushed through in spite of the Chinese -but such was not the case, he went through with their permission & escort & as to
the Sikkim Rajah he never had nor has any more right to interfere with the border than
you have to slam Kew Gardens gate in Ld. Carlisle's face & that's the literal truth -But he or the Dewan have been playing us off against the Chinese & the Chinese
against us til the former have got disgusted & when ee applied for assisittance
from them was coolly told -- "it serves you right". -- I have however so often all
along told you not to pay the smallest heed *3
[[5]] of politics & border rows, that you are I am sure credulous of all I say & I hope
especially so where what I do say may appear to incriminate. Lushington is
abused in all the papers, the General ditto, Campbell & I alone came off with
continued respect & some credit. Govt. is said to be greatly dissatisfied with both
Lushington & the General & I quite expect to be up to the ears in it all at Calcutta -However I shall take very great care to communicate to no one but Lord
Dalhousie, or people authorised by him & to these I can of course explain fullly the
mismanagement that has followed our captivity. I mean as to vindicating our honor
or producing any moral effect, or getting any security from the Rajah for his further
good behaviour and not one
[[6]] of which requirements has poor Lushington fulfilled. I wish I could hope that
nobody would ask me any thing about it for I really like Lushington & the General
too, though two more incompetent people could not well be selected for the
exigencies of the case.
I got all my collections arranged composed & neatly packed before I left. Thomson will
do the rest they are huge, some hundred mens' load, & will I doubt not give you
satisfaction. Falconer apprises me of the despatch by "Queen" Capt. Mc Leod of
all my 1848 & part of my 1847 collection including the much desired "leaf bellows"
guns wood cups & vast chest of museum articles, many of which I thought had
[[7]] gone home overland long ago -- whence my many queries. I have also
posted all my drawings -- of about 300 species, in various stages of incompletion,
together with my sketches -- tales quales -- including the Fungi. I have now done
more or less to drawing 500 species & plants -- which is but half of what I should
have & should like yet to get through. I also send a few plants (dried) with the
sketches, chiefly of Compositae, from 17, 18 & 19 000 ft elevation which may
interest you from their habitat -- in the general collection are thousands of specimens of
the same. The Tchuka Rhubarb is amongst the drawings, but I entirely omitted to
take out specimens for overland. The drawing occupies two folio sheets but is very
unfinished
[[8]] as I could not work out such papers in my Tent.
I still hope that you will be able to publish the Rhododendron series consecutively,
in 3 folio fascicules -- I have the descriptions all ready for the next (April)
Southampton mail. The Hodgsonia plate you sent is magnificent. If I go to Nepal I
hope to send you the desiderated anthers drawn.
The Telescope was on its way up when I left & all safe. One actionometer & the
beautiful compass arrived in perfect order & splendid Instruments they are. The
other actionometer arrived safe in Calcutta & was sent with Telescope. Of Boott I
know nothing, nor have I received my "Ward's cases" which were sent under his
care to Dorjiling -- I have heard however & sent carts for them to be brought
[[9]] to the foot of the hills. Thomson is collecting young plants of Rhod[odendron].
Dalh[ousiae], Argent[eum]: & punctatum -- some orchidaceae & sundries to fill
them. So I hope they will be in Calcutta in good time. Falconer at my request has
planted a few seeds of nearly all the Rhod[odendrons]. in wards' cases for Kew. Lord
Hardinge writes cravingly for seeds of Rhod[odendrons]. or any alpines but I have
not a morsel, he was our good friend in the affair of Thomson getting the Thibet
mission & has I believe otherwise done us good service
Courtenay has left Lord D[alhousie]. they have I know been on bad terms for 18
months; & as C[ourtenay] is such a thorough coxcomb, that I never expected the
two to get on. Grey served as P.S. to G.G. he is a great friend of Campbells & son-in--law of my friend Welby Jackson. What C[ourtenay]. will do I know not, get
some good app[ointmen]t: of course, probably in Calcutta. I go straight to Govt.
House on my arrival in Calcutta, where if full, I leave for Colvile's where on many
accounts I would rather be, but I am first bound to Lord D[alhousie]. & he would
not like my preferring any house to his -- he it is said stays but 3 weeks in Calcutta
but no one knows, Lady D[alhousie] they say goes up to Simlah [Shimla] at once,
whither my Lord follows as soon as he can get away. I hope to be only a week in
Calcutta.
Of the Botanical advantages of Nepal & Khassya for me there appears really
nothing to chose. Griffiths has twice botanised Khassya, Jenkins Lobb & collectors
without
[[10]] number have been there. Doubtless the Botany is far richer though not so
new as Nepaul. Against Nepaul is the unvarying sameness in some degree of all
the Himal. -- for it, the interest too is Bot[anical] geography, & the eclat of being the
greatest Himal: traveller if I go in by Sikkim & out by Kumaon -- What are is your
geography about to suppose Sikkim affairs would disturb the Khassya for scientific
travelling? it may be have (may) Nepaul. As to Bhotan [Bhutan] I would not go
there for all the world without 500 men in front & 500 behind *4 me if the Rajah was
ever so civil -- but the Cossyah have no more to do with those countries than Kew.
Thomson is well & sends best regards, he is a capital fellow amiable articulate &
very clever a regular Planchon, but with twice the steadyness[sic] of character &
has no crotchets.
I am overloaded with Sikkim politics, but think I have accurate information by heart
of the state of the border & also our relations therewith. It will require much of tact
to *5 govern the new territory we have acquired & Lushington's first step was all but
depopulating it by bringing it under Hindu courts of law & justice! They have
appealed to Govt. to be under Campbells rule & I hope Govt. will not be made
enough to slight the supplication of the poor natives. Best love to Mamma Bessy
Frances your most aff[ectionate] son | Jos D Hooker [signature]
ENDNOTES
1. A note written in another hand records that the letter was: "(Recd. May 20
Monday)".
2. The city formerly known as Calcutta is now called Kolkata.
3. Bottom line of text has been obscured by the binding of the letter into a volume.
4. The address of the recipient appear here as the letter would originally have
been folded in such a way that it formed its own envelope. The address is as
follows:" Via Marseilles | To Sir W. J. Hooker | Royal Gardens | Kew London".
5. The text from here to the end of the letter is written vertically on the side of page
ten.
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