"Samdong" (Campbells Latang)

July 15th 1849

My dear B

I filled 4 pages of foolscap and despatched them to you on the 13th, but the intelligence has just reached me of the coolies having lost his footing and my letters, crossing a stream. I therein told you that I found this place to be quite what I expected, a country of low hills, through which the Lachen river runs 11,500ft above the sea, with flattish terraces along its banks, of no extent. The general nature of the hills is exactly what I saw up the Zemu river, they rise to about 14,000 ft and are grassy and sloping. No snow whatever is to be seen hereabouts and I am assured that neither E.W. or N. (near hand) are there any mountains of Perp. Snow. It is a long half days journey from this to the frontier which is in a low range of hills by this river and thence the route into Thibet, North is for a long day's march, like this sparingly wooded, on the third day you have only grass and the 4th march is amongst [stoney?] ranges with intervening flats the true treeless Thibet. My great Mt. is called [Choyarribo?] said to be a long way N.E. of this and south of Cholomoo rising out of the plain of Thibet. I ascended a S.E. slope today to 14,000ft all grass, no jungle but scanty trees of pine etc. The weather was so bad that my view was limited to the immediate neighbourhood of my position and I was at 14,000 amongst shallow valleys quite unlike anything Himalayan, all grassy with scarce a patch of snow. The Himal. flats ascended full 1000ft higher than any where I have been and I doubt not the snow line is [proportionally] elevated. I procured a great many new plants, some of them Thibetan type. The Lachen river runs north from this 1 1/2 march, through low hills and flats and then turns East to Cholomoo. My information is gradually becoming more precise and I have had long talks with the Singtam Soubah, who appears intelligent and trusty and knows the Lachoong route well. He assured me there is no snow north of this on to Dijauli where the road is highest he cannot exactly say, but 3 marches beyond this were the roads join all is [blue?] and you descend all the way to Dijauli of this he is positive. All agree calling country Mai'dan even my Lepcha and Bhothea coolies and this I confess staggers my preconceived notion of the Thibetan plain and has led me to make the most pointed enquiries. Happily I have now, what I always wanted, a modicum of [comparison?] and both the Singtam and Lachen Soubahs, and others agree in the affirmation, that hence north of Dijauli the country is very like this only the hills are lower, quite naked and still more sloping, the flats larger No villages are seen from any distance, and it is up and down the whole way. The road winds amongst high hills and crosses lower, is always good through stoney, crosses no snow but little patches are frequent on many ridges which rise above the valleys as high as those above the river. Dijauli is very cold stoney and barren and mountainous or hilly. Perpetual snow lies very sparingly on some of the ridges seen in various directions north of [Zalies?] interspersed. He too asserts that the general features of Thibet are like this all I can say is, that this country is as little like Sikkim as it is to my preconceived notion of Thibet and I was particularly struck with the mt. valleys this morning and considering how violent the contrast is between these hills, valleys and [roads?] and them only 5 miles south of us, I do now wonder at the people calling calling Maidan though the bona fide flats is incomparably inferior to the [Yangma?] terraces, in extent and level surface. The Soubah says I shall see as much and as long as I like from Lachung, over the plain of Thibet and Cholomoo but that I shall see range upon range of hills and very little flats like this river terrace, all stoney and barren, with snowy mountains about. The descent from Lachong to this Cholomoo Maidan is not great - If as it appears Choyarribo is near Cholomoo and in sight close to Powhunry, the Cholomoo plain cannot be expected to be very level and if further, Powhunry be with [Doubia Lah?] - three such mountains indicate a very rugged country - my notion is yours too, that a table land extends N of [Sikkim] this declines no doubt from Powhunry (perhaps from Chumalari) west to my position - it also declines north to the [Yarron?] I am now assuredly well north of all characters [in?] Himalayan features in this longitude though not if the watershed which high or low (undoubtedly lower than the ranges South of me) is the true Himalayan axis - I feel myself quite out of Sikkim here, though by no means in Thibet, still I could fancy myself in a table land this morning, when at 14,000ft I wandered amongst broad mountain ridges with shallow valleys, no snow and the rocks only cresting the ridges - [?] and access the [Yarron?] (which flows near to and little below the level of this town) the hills are more rugged and the flats smaller, but none rise to such height, though so rugged and incessant, that it is a months journey for laden yaks to the Salt Country which is no great actual distance. From Dijauli east to the 'great lake of the Yarron' (these people call it) the whole country is mountainous-flats of various extent like that of [P'haii?], some sandy, some stoney, all bare, access between all the ridges - The villages are never seen from a distance and all like this collection of stone hovels on the slopes of flats between the ranges. Llasa stands on a great plain, its Gompas being visible for half a day's journey all round. The horizon is rocky and very hilly but the Soubah does not recollect seeing perpetual snow any where. There is no plain as large as Llasa any where else that he knows of in Thibet. The town itself is hilly and hence [?] no other part if the plain of Thibet is plain like Llasa all is Mai'dan like this! but not a continuous flat of half a day's extent. The Yarron is very rapid, but no where cuts a very deep channell its bed rocky in many places. Below Llasa of it is navigable, but he has seen no boats above that town and there are none at Dijauli i.e. he saw none P'haii occupies a mai'dan surrounded by high hills exactly like these, but bare and stoney after leaving it and crossing three hills, you descend towards Dijauli always crossing other low ranges. One of my coolies, an excellent man knows it well and confirms this. He says that all round the base of Chumulari are ranges of stoney hills with flats every where I have indeed toiled for views, and would give willingly 1000R for a good prospect from 15000ft but so uniformly misty in this region that I quite despair, and often think how much credit is due to travellers, who toil for geographical discovery alone, with no love of Natural History to draw them in. What I saw today, and from the Zemu, perfectly coincides with what the people say of all these hill tops, that they are broad grassy, with shallow ravines and no great mountains amongst them - how far we are to trust their further comparison with the Thibetan Plateaux, is another question. Lachang should tell us volumes - what weighs most with me is that throughout my long conversations with my own collies, Nimbo and the Soubahs, they are always referring to and comparing with the features around me, in E. Nepal and Sikkim. I never could elicit the remotest comparison. You have every where and every day's march mountains like there is their constant affirmation, now this has all the appearance of a very mountainous plateaux, and is no doubt the verge of the Thibetan ditto thought better grassed, wooded and watered, and more varied, though perhaps equally free from very lofty ridges or [peaks] and very deep valleys. Little rain falls here, and little snow in Winter comparatively speaking, though enough to render it uninhabitable further south the rain and mist become gradually less and less ceasing where the vegetation ceases. It is very windy too here, another Plateaux feature. 17th I have had another talk with the Singtam Soubah who questioned me about England and Calcutta he has been to Pumeah and volunteered the remark that the [Cheen] Maidan was quite another affair [than] that of Pumeah the latter was a flat maidan, the former no where so flat and every where mountainous. I am bothered again about getting to the Pass, the Tchebu Llama's letter (which I could not get translated till arriving here) says nothing about a hill pass - only "take the Sahib to the frontier beyond Samdong" - I am at Samdong and the Lachen Soubah is [?] on at a fearful rate. The Singtam Soubah is the head man but I prefer his ignorance. I have acquainted (Campbell with further particulars) I hope he will get the Tcheba Llama to write to the Singtam Soubah and tell him as he did Campbell what the Pass really is - I [?] [?] insisting on Kongra [Pahar/Pabat?] and the stone boundary. What a shuttlecock I have been this past 3 months
Ever your affectionate Jos. D. Hooker

P.T.O
Notes on paper appended to first page of letter
B.H. Hodgson
With a skin and bottle

You need not return me Darwin's letter nor the others

Tungu July 29 1849

Please send me some Rupees

My dear B
I must now proceed with my story of the Pass which I do with feelings of great self-gratification, in which I doubt not you and Campbell join. During the whole way we did not pass a patch of snow, nor did I see any except up a glacier bound or rather ice-bound gully facing [S.E.] There was not a particle for 1000 - I should say 1500ft up the flanks of Chomiomo in Kinchin - jow and the top of the pass had a good many flowers - but no bush even of dwarf Rhododendron. The weather was wretchedly cold, with strong S. wind and we were sodden by the previous rain as usual I have sickness of stomach and a wretched headache. I cannot tell you how depressing these symptoms are, the head feels bound in a vice, the temples throb at every step and when I stoop the feeling is as if a knife went through the brain. These headaches last all night and till next morning. I can't eat when I get back to camp and I call Heaven to witness that I'll never go up to 15,000 again. Geree lies N.W., if I made out aright from the top of the pass and its water's flow into the Thlonok by the lateral valley west of the Zemy on which I dwelt at some length in June the way is difficult and hardly frequented but crosses no height so great as Kongra Lama, than which Geree is considerably lower - Kambajong the military part (not Geree as I erroneously told you) is half a day N.W. of Geree and its waters flow into the Arun! this I had from 4 independent authorities. The first water shed into the Yarron is consierably N. of Kambajong! This if true is most marvellous, for Kambajong must be well East of Kinchin. All the country south of Kambajong and thence south of the road to Dobtah i.e. at the back of Kinchin, is a tractless mass of mountains, high but not much snowed Kinchin is visible from Dobtah alone, but from no where East of that. Now as far as I can guess the relative positions of these place is thus - see other sheet

[DRAWING OF A MAP]

Now the Patchien flows we all know N.W. into the Yarron and if these other watersheds are right, I can only reconcile them with the idea of a triangular lofty plateau, from Powhunry beyond Kinchin, pointing towards the Yarron dipping N.E. to the Patchien and N.W. to the Arun water sheds. After all river sheds and water courses are much anomalous and inexplicable in all table-land and plain countries e.g. the African rivers and the Australian where [?] elevations throw waters out if all reclining and where rivers cut slap through the principal mountain chains. One thing I think is certain, that the Teesta sources and the Arun are both between Kinchin and Powhunry and are an [?] way behind the main range, or any range. I fancy Turner's water shed if the Patchien is like this of the Lachen. All the people tell me that Pari flat is a flat in a very broad valley - such a plateau as there but twice as big and I can quite suppose the true Pass N. of Chumulari is like the Kongra Lama and with the features of K.L. Turner's description precisely tallies - my conclusions we know tend to the grandiose and the existence of such remarkable breaks in the chain between Chumulari and Kinchin and the throwing back of the water shed being opposite the Bay of Bengal must have some bearing if we agree with Humboldt, Lyell, Sedgwick and Dean Cockburn that all thr world has been under water. I ascended Chomiomo to I guess 17,000ft the other day, on a due S. exposure, but did not meet with a particle of snow there except what fell the previous night for we had a good fall at 14,000ft upwards and 4 inches fell on Kongra Lama. I cam on Chomiomo to the flat top of a ridge of flat stones, which suddenly dipped N and the snow fell and fogs were so thick I dare not go further. Yesterday I made a grand effort for the Perpetual Snow of Kichin-Jow. I went up the Tungu Choo which flows via Kinchin-Jow S. West to the Lachen at Tungu. The road is good - at 10,000ft the stream runs tranquil and pools for miles as does the Lachen at 15,000ft was beautiful rolling plains and hills, no where above 16,000 ft to which the ridge between the Tungu Choo and Lachen rose in isolated low sloping knolls. These flats are all grassy and beautiful, the Tungu Choo runs in a very broad flat bottomed valley amongst them and every where are back "Tents" of Thibetan Argali sheep and wool goats of two varieties - it is a splendid place I have been twice over these flats once on pony back gallopping for miles and miles in every direction as free as the wind. Kinchin-Jow rises out of these undulating meadows on to which it is planted by short abrupt [?] [?] on to which it abruptly descends in snowy precipices divided in this case by a [foss/fose?] - the water drain = which [foss/fose?] is deep broad bottomed - abruptly divides perpetual snow and rocky debris from grass meadow-land. The ascent from 15,000 to 17,000ft was very slow and slight at 17,000ft I came abruptly on s steep rocky narrow spur of rick and a little beyond it, on the Perpetual Snow in sheer cliffs of ice and snow reaching to the summit. i.e. 4000ft high, and several hundred thick. Kinchin-Jow you know presents a [wall?] face to the South. my course was North to about the middle of the mass of Kinchin, and so steep is this wall and little broken by [?] angles, that this tremendous snow barrier, stretched E and W at a uniform level for many miles. It was a most stupendous sight. Unfortunately the weather was very bad, a dense curtain of mist hung over all the upper part of the Mts. from under which the great snow bed descended [?] on a cliff of [debris?] to the East and against a short rocky spur to the West. I never conceived any thing so grant with your hands you might almost touch the snow the grass and rock. It snowed and sleeted more heavily than I ever saw it in the Himal. and we could get no shelter, for the ice and rock were too dangerous to crouch under - We spend two hours most wretched ones as [usual?] and I took Temp of Boiling Water most carefully - Now the water of all this tremendous mass of snow is, for 5 miles at least, collected into a stream which as the height of the [?] you might drink it up! and which for 4 miles doe snot flow at all. For many furlongs you see no drainage whatever from the Snow. I asked many people about the table-land and have collected much curious information. It snows here at 15,000ft not uncommon throughout the Summer. The other night 4 miles thick fell, the same as at Kongra Lama but neither this nor two nights rain, not the literally [?] snow and sleet I experienced swells the Tungu Choo, to speak of. The people laugh when I speak of this. Country rivers in comparison with the drainage of Kinchin Junga and all the ranges south of this. They say this is Cheen - the same Cheen that goes from Samdong to [Dijauli?] and the sun [takes?] up above snow water! we drink snow in Winter, in Summer catch the cloud in the little rills and pools you see - I was very much struck with the river or rather [hill] courses of this table-land south of Kinchinjow, and the impossibility of tracing these courses and even on finding the way without compass or guide, the elevations are so low and the valleys so [?] and similar. The people tell me that in Chien there are no villages off the main road, nor any roads but the main. This and their utter ignorance of the compass, or Pole-star is incompatible with their being any extent of plain and I am inclined to abolish that word, as being necessarily comparative with the plains of India of Africa, of Australia, or La Plata[e?] and [professing] that we confine ourselves to the terai plateau and Table-land neither of which involve my idea of continuity of level surface - such as the afore-said countries present. I have read Strachey with some profit; though it contains nothing absolutely new, it is the best expose of facts I have seen - still he stumbles sadly and it is neither the [?] a man of [?] nor gentleman. I shall have heaps of notes for you - it is not worth your while taking up the matter of the note to which in any discussion I maintain as to the Sub.Himal. I shall not even allude. Profound contempt is all it deserves when such men as Falconer Royle and Madden and Hodgson and Waugh, as geologists, men of science or surveyors of practical experience take the same voice as we do, i.e. [coxcomby?] of such a note from a pedant profoundly ignorant of any and all of our several branches of science or art, is rather [amusing?] the more so as you very properly judge him out of his own mouth - throughout Strachey's paper there is a tone of snubbing all predecessors [?] and the gravest want of acknowledging the authors of many parts, which hence read as his own. He is a small fish after all. By the way whilst [Thomas] is denying all plateau features even [?] Thibet, Strachey is calling all Plains. Certainly Thomas's picture of the Ladak territory is not promising and the definition of the relative amount of breadth of valley and slope to that of Mt. belts dividing them, appears conclusive about that part, but I speak from memory and read his little [?] - one thing is flat - that the very [?] country he denies plain features to and Strachey calls plains Thomson's conception of the real axis from [?] to [?] is a grand one, and reminds me of the Guernsey Parson who prayed for Guernsey, Jersey, Alderney, Sark and the adjacent Islands of Great Britain and Ireland - still I suppose T has head something of a meridianal belt there - away and the greater mess he makes of his conclusions therefrom, the better pleased you may be who can put things in their right places - Now there is something very Griffithian Strachey, Thomson and the whole gang up there - The whole tone of T's correspondence is changed and I am convinced that neither a soldier's life not a jungle one is improving at all. I find myself adopting a supercilious tone which I pray may not merge into Strachey's dogmatical disagreeable style - but depend upon it the retaliatory style is unsuited to Philosophy and on this Humboldt never has commented himself - by this Buckland has lost himself and Babbage, and many others and so I would beseech you to abstain from answering Strachey, except by an essay not aimed at him, but in which his view may possibly come under notice though upon my honor it is beneath notice from the like of you. As to Thomson the less said the better, till I see him, his [?] range is lunatic - Mts. of the moon. In the mean time I am too busy with this curious country here to dwell much on the N.W., if you can lay hold of the information as to the course of the waters between Kambajong and Dijauli it would be most important all I can make out is that the [R] is the first into the Yarron which flows from E and W range of hills several marches north of Kambajong. These hills are well marked and on these alone the Kiang is found! along the road to [Dijauli/Dejauli?] I therefore guess it to belong to the Northern part of the triangular plateau and to separate the "flowing Yarron" from the Arun waters. Do make up your notes of the [Pelian?] rupees from Nepal. Except that there is a road from [Dijauli/Dejauli?] to Ladak via Mansarovar and [?] we know nought ot that my track and by the way Thomson is ignorant of that road though Strachey mentions it and the people here know it but no one but Lamas and the China mail frequent it, they understand it is a good road all along. As to any Thibet penetration in this quarter it is ridiculously out of the question, till very different relations are established with Sikkim and Thibet and I now regard my [Guandara/Gandara?] hope, faint as it was as supremely ridiculous. In the N.W. it is different, there the people are [?] up to the frontier here you have Sikkim opposition for all [?] up to the great range and Sikkim and Cheen hence on to the frontier:- Chien and [Lepas] after that - and I do not imagine one could go far except by the main road - when we have to leave to travel unmolested in Sikkim without a Rajah's guide, guard and [spy?] a little may be done by bribing these Lachen and Lachoong Soubahs, but they could not carry you beyond Geree and Cheen and Sikkim - [Bhote] are so inextricably mixed for 20 miles South of the frontier that I doubt anything being done N. of Kongra Lama - Indeed no results of consequence can be obtained except by a journey all the way to the Yarron - Kongra Lama is distinctly the top of the Plateau in this meridien 15,500 ft and it [?] thence to [Dijauli/Dejauli?] mpe 15.200 is the [?] as [?] so that it is probable [Dijauli/Dejauli?] will not prove more than 12,000 thence you [sink?] all the way to I hope where walnuts grow and which all the world says is much warmer than [Dijauli/Dejauli?] your Petien [?] alone offers hopes of clearing up particulars-west of this it is altogether a puzzle. I have made a great hold in the geography here, but only to offer more difficulties and greater then we supposed the original ones were.
July 30
Since writing the above I have been pumping the people and by means of [?] the ground [stones] etc they give a very consistent view of the country. I cross question repeatedly and level all manner of big blows at their information and they stand it better than I expected, nor does any thing contradict Campbell's [routes/notes?] in the information I got in E. Nepal all agree Geree is N.W from Kongra Lama - Kambajong N.W. again or more westerly and thence the route is [N?] to Dejauli. Breathing is affected at 3 several crossings en route to Dejauli one between Geree and Kambajong, a second N. of Kambajong and a third considered the greatest range of all, is in the Yarron range, [4?] marches north of Dejauli and hence probably Campbells [Kianglah?] at least the Kiand is found on the S. face of the range and there only en route to Dejauli. The ridge is rounded and not snowed - all the waters north of Kambajong s far north s this range (about 4 marches and these from the South and West face of this range flow to the Arun - there from North of it - to the Yarron - The Lachen Soubah most particularly indicated this, said a river comes from the S. face, another from the West face and meeting soon from, he believes the head of the Arun. Kinchin junga is S.W. of Kambajong and S E of Dobtah, he does not know anything of the country and that triangle - no body does that he knows or I have asked all are bare mountains with very little Snow west of [?] along the Mts. between Kambajong and the Thlonde, he says there is very little snow, all is mountainous table land like Kongra and Cholamoo but the villages Geree and Kambajong are much below the level of the Mts. Just as Geree is mch below that of Kongra Lama. Chomiomo they say is the only high Mt. W. of Kinchin-jow till you come to Kinchinjunga which is only seen from Dobtah -this wholly agrees with what I saw. I saw from Tukchan early in June and from the Zemu on the 1st July. The jungle and crossing the river are the only impediments in the way of getting up the Zemu as I tried and so on to Geree the road is hardly kept open. The other route further up the Thlonok is better, but longer and leads to Kambajong the head of both streams, like those of the Lachen are on table-land, west of Chomiomo and North of it rather but not quite so high as Kongra Lama plateaux (i.e. Cholamoo) a traveller here feels so bewildered that he hardly knows how these beautified thibetans can come to the just conclusions they do - [?] I resume Waugh's Powhunry is they say lower than Kinchinjunga a very little lower than Chumulari too - Kinchinjow lower than Poyhunry but higher than Chomiomo all quite true and yet there probably is not 2000ft between them and they are not in sight together. All the country West of the Geree and North of the Thlonok is Thibetan and in the Soubah of Kambajong:- so they told the truth about my being in Cheen the latter half of July. I forgot all about Darwin's letter twice. I have another which I must really answer and will send you anon - he advises me not to be too [?] about Glacier Action ancient, but says Lyell considers my Yangma Terrace as certainly ancient glaciel action. I am reading the Athenaeum instruc with great gusto as usual - Dean Cockburn is miserable trash, I am very pleased to have seen it however. The Singtam Soubah, now my guide, is a very civil well behaved man but evidently instructed to get me out of the country as fast as he possibly can really this is most aggravating and insulting considering the nature of my duties and their absorbing interest. I cannot tell you half the worry worry the Rajah has put me to - now I should like to get him soundly drubbed. Campbell seems to have said that I will return without delay as soon as soon as I have been to the Lachong frontier, I hope this remediable, if not it is fatal to my finishing the Sikkim Flora and disastrous - but I think I must misunderstand him - after failing to bully me out of the country to apply to the govt. is almost incredible - but he has brass enough for any thing I hate the very name of Sikkim Rajah

Ever yr affectionate
Jos. D. Hooker

Lachen alias Lamteng
August 3rd 1849

My dear Brian
Your letter of 23d and its charmante enclosure from Lord Carlisle reached me an hour ago and though I have little to [add] but of continued success in my [herborigations?] I take up my pen to thank you for your warm and flattering congratulations, all you say will I hope [?] me to future exertion, and it is the more agreeable for being written in your ignorance of my late successful tour to the frontier, where results have so much overtaken my most sanguine expectations. I cannot tell you how heartily glad I am that Lord D should have heard of me through you, and that that tire and spoke should have formed part of my wheel of fortune. I had no idea of Campbells having made the application, it is very kind of him and the help is truly acceptable, though what I should never have sanctioned his his applying for, thank God I was not asked. I am as you know in some foolish matters as proud as Lucifer and the dread of its being thought that I had curried favour with my Lord for future advantage, and if being quoted as a precedent for similar calls on the [?] purse, are either of them a sufficient reason to prevent my being accesory to any application in my favour [to-boot] I am well satisfied that for many reasons Borneo is not the place for me and that the £300 is far better employed in the Himalaya I wish they might make it £300 additional but that I cannot expect and it may be only £300 for 1850 instead of the £400 I have hitherto had. n'importe, my father gives without a grudge, and I cost him far more than the £200 he allows me here, when at home. I cannot tell you how disappointing this season is, I have been inthe Mts. all day for views, but not one glimpse do I get of the glorious scenary surrounding me. All is thick fog and showers of rain we have very little and I should not complain I collected just 20 new plants today and really I cannot keep pace with my duties at all. I am further [?] by finding seed-time begun! and now I must do something for Kew proper i.e. the gardens - In my conscience I believe I ought not to leave this, August and September and October will be seeding months, all of them and to spend the flowering season in pursuit of my branch pure Botany and go back when the Kew duties should commence would not be doing my duty. There too are the hardy plants calculated to withstand our Winter in England, these particularly demand my attention - so I must with your approval and Campbells consent struggle on here. Still too I find whole natural orders wanting and cannot doubt but that their flowering season is to come and I should collect wood and dry fruits for Kew Museum, which I have hitherto not had time to do. I am now well inured to my vagabond life and in the full spirit of hard work the Sikkim Royal can offer no objection to my going on as I have done but what insolence and the rude desire for me to begone may dictate and further I think I can see much less jealousy and objections to my visiting Lachoong far from any inhabited Tartar district than alienated the Lachen frontier. My conduct too at Lachen must, or ought to dispell any real or pretended alarm as to my motives and objects. Not that the home Govt. has behaved so handsomely (considering how hard up it is) the continuing my life of labor at its maximum is the more imperative now that another year is to be spent in the Himal, I feel as if my duties were tripled. What would be left undone in 2 years might be excused on the grounds of 24 months being too little noone can say but that 3 years is enough if well employed and please God spare me health and strength they shall be one thing is fortunate my curiosity about Thibet is rather quenched, I mean in so far, as that. I one hoped that a two or three days March therein would have effected much - now I am convinced that nothing short of the whole journey hence to [Shigtigi?] in Dobtah will add much to what I have done but I may exaggerate my own performance, though in truth it adds little to boast of - I hope my letters will enable you to judge accurately if if its results and must beg you explicitly to demand of me further information upon any point. One thing I forgot to tell you - that falls of 2-4 inches of snow are not uncommon throughout the Summer, on all the table-land south of KinchinJhow and Kongra and upon the three Thibetan ranges on route to Llasa, but it never, or very rarely remains the day - this argues [?] a great power of nocturnal and solar radiation and how Strachey can deny the effect of the latter reaching the P.S. far within the northern limit of the P.S. belt is wonderful.
Choongtam all safe August 6th
I close in haste, very busy writing to my Father. I send you his letter and Falconer's. convey my father's greatful acknowledgement to Campbell. Yours of the 16th and 18th only arrived yesterday and shall be answered anon.
Ever yr. affectionate [?]
J.D. Hooker
I shall be a week here sorting my plants It was Darwin's Geology of S. America not the "Journal" I asked for. Confound Cathcart for bothering you and leading you to suppose I would apply to him to do anything for me [in your house?] I sent Schleiden (not Scheider's) Schneider's or any other Dutch painter to Cathcart and to this day he has not returned it, ergo I asked him for it I ask boldly
Potatoes
Onions
Pepper
Flour, not the very fine which makes tough Chapatis
Table-rice
Butter
Pray do not send me your Salmon, the substantial necessaries are enough more than I deserve.
Soap no where to be found, pray speed me some, I am awfully badly off "for soap" and use a great deal

Yeumtong Septr 1 1849

My dear B

It is an age since I heard from you and since my visit to Tunkola Pass nothing remarkable has occurred except a run of very bad weather. Dorjiling to all intents and purposes except that the actual fall is nothing to compare now I think it has cleared up again and I hope for a recurrence of the usual Mts. rainy season climate, which is splendid mornings, showery afternoons and cloudy nights. I am getting on to the Doubiah Pass very slowly, for in such foggy weather with snow falling abundantly at 15,000ft it would be no use going far head. This valley is more remarkable for the flatness of its floor on the [N?] flank to which precipitous Mts. dip suddenly - as ever at [abt.] 12,000ft: there is little dip downward, not above 3000ft in 8 or 10 miles all are old lake beds most conspicuously so; divided by ridge of stones [?] [?] [?] [?] I am longing to know what you are about in geography and how the [?] progresses - I am strongly inclined to think that the Plateau of Thibet may prove really more the watershed than the Himal. We have now 3 of your [rivers?] to which it is undoubtedly so, viz the Arun, Teester and Matchiou, all contigeous rivers! you have told me the same of others and same of the Bhotian rivers all reputed so. It would be rather fine to exchange the Himal. altogether and seek the sources of all in an equally high latitude with the Indus Valley and Brahmaputra.

[BELOW IS A DRAWING SHOWING THE GANGES AND B.P. [BRAHMAPUTRA] RIVERS. NEXT TO IT IS THE REQUEST 'DON'T LAUGH AT MY WONDERFUL CHART']

Just see how dogmatical Madden is about the snow line! because Strachey makes it (I doubt not most accurately 15,500 in the N.W. I am to be expected to do ditto here - My [?] conceived before I ever said I know that the snow line extends from the Indus to the Brahma [?] will I expect come out right. Willcox gives it there 14,500 if I remember aright. I think I have found a glacier after all and if so of a totally different character from the [European?[ and only an exaggeration of what are [?] enough and what I call patches of glacial ice filling up a narrow excessively steep gulley and not like the Swiss moraines i.e. a broad valley of little inclination and many miles long. These are all more accumulations of frozen snow then streams of the same as which I understand true glaciers. As to the snow line here it can never be [judged?] if as Strachey does in the [?] our September and October [finds?] all so [?] and are truly [criminal?]. S. says that the N.W. snow line is not lowered till January ours is distinctly in October and most [materially?] Where I now am we have Perpetual Snow abundantly in perfect shade below 13,000 ft this does not affect the snow line I know, but it is a singular circumstance and very common in Sikkim even at 11,000 ft. It shows how feeble the sun's power is to raise the mean temperature of the summer solstice. Can any think be more striking that Thomson's and Madden's remarks the first talking of a fortnight's hot dry weather in July at Simlah, the other of the rains setting in on 25 July! at [Alenevah?] only fancy too fevers a Simlah in May and June to which Grant alludes I do not understand there to be [?] or agues [?] those English fevers so prevalent in hot Autumns in England. Madden talks of [?] the prevailing features [?] elevations in the N.W. now a [?] from Sikkim where at Dorjiling 20 miles within the range of where the eye roams over the greater part of Sikkim. No Pine is visible below 10,000ft By this [?] I have lifted the tropical genera up good 1000ft viz [?] [?] and all flowering [?] I have just found out is totally different from the N.W. None at all alpines flower till May [?] in March! I could draw except a curious parallel of flowering months and Please God will do so when I have the N.W. materials. My future prospects begin to occupy my mind I will not do through such another Sikkim Summer [?] like this nor would it be [?] profitable when the [?] and [?] Nepal. [?] latter is now [?] expensive [?] too expensive as you see that £300 is all the govt. give for next year except [?] F. applies for more and both her and I think it better to draw its [?] now and press the giving me a settles position and salary on my return. I should not however flinch at taxing the old gentleman for £300 more he could not afford me as he lives at great expense and has not allowances whatever Pray don't send me more wine and spirits - I do not divide a bottle of wine in a week and the brandy is really untouched. I send in a lot of roots for Campbell's and your garden. I hope they will live [basically?] the young pines require both care and [?] which your [?] cannot have however I [?] in future. I am [?] by the affair of the [?] which I have detailed [?]. The deeper insight [?] into these people the more clearly I see that the Rajah's orders are and were that I was not to be treated as a gentleman nor considered as such in Sikkim. Could I tell you the insolences given for me to my servants you would be as disgusted and shocked as I am that [an] Englishman, an officer and a gentleman should receive such treatment at the hands of a bare breeched dependant of the British Crown. It is not as I [told] Campbell as if I were where I had no right to be. He [thinks?] I have told him of the grave matters only [supported?] [?] insolence and spite displayed [?] whose word efforts like [?] water wears away stone [?] to heaven I have no spite [?] the Rajah, nor can one [?] he be punished or [not] [?] shocked and disgusted I am that such conduct should be suffered for months and months. People at home will not believe it. I don't care whose fault it is G.G's [Deriatus in Agenti?]

Ever your affectionate
J.D. Hooker

Lachoong October 5 1849

Dear B

We arrived here last night having made but two marches from Chungtam and Campbell is out of his wits in love with the difference and beauty of this country at your Dorjiling elevation.
We are getting on extremely well the Tchebu Lama managing splendidly but the Singtam Soubah my old guide who volunteered his services back and who was ordered by the Rajah to clear the road has been as wiley and obstinate as a [pig] and done nothing at all. Campbell behaves splendidly and has lost ten time more [temper] patience this three days that I did all the time I was out and no wonder it does immense good and if I had bullied a little more I should have got on better but it is very [diverting] to find Campbell sending the advice he preached me all to the wind and outhectoring me as I tell here on every point. He had I assure you adopted a most admirable [course?] in action and tone to the Rajah and to the people and we will do extremely we.. The unlucky Singtam Soubah has put his foot in it and is utterly stupefied - I never got over angry with him but always acted to the letter (if not spirit of and advice) to appear to trust him. Over and over again I warned him of the danger he was running in treating me as he did and now he finds it true. Short of all his powers and forced to contradict all his former lies, he now comes back to [stake] a most humiliating position in the scenes of his former glory. The snow-line is down 1000ft since August! and so my point of its Sikkim elevation is settled.
We are marching all day [rising] at Sunrise which does not leave me the time I need to have to write you it is wretchedly cold now at Sunrise.
Ever your affectionate
Jos. D. Hooker

Momay Samdong
October 19 1849

My dear Brian
I have just come in and so tired that much as I have to say I can scarcely keep my eyes open - Campbell arrived here before dark and has his letters all but finished to go the first thing tomorrow morning. We have spent the best part of four days in Thibet the little Lama managing capitally and Campbell behaving splendidly and calling forth all my admiration and my fullest confidence in your early opinion of his character. He has [?] [?] me with the confirmation of my suspicions that he did not believe my report of the stupidity and obstructions I had met with Ref the character of the Sikkim authorities. C made up his mind promptly at Tungu to break the border if possible and to leave no stone unturned to do so - His mind once made up he never swerved one inch but carried all through to my [perfect] admiration. Whether altogether right or no is another matter he has not committed himself I firmly believe and has outwitted the Rajahs and Cheen authorities I believe to perfection. The unlucky Singtam Soubah never got a civil word from C and was finally dismissed from Tungu. to the Durbar with face blackened the ruffianly Lachen Peppen who C found to be what I stated, (a half outlaw fearing nor God nor man) was stormed out and threatened with Lepas and what not and when fairly frightened [?] by to the Lama in to obedience and [?] in the matter. At the Pass we were met by the Kambajong Dingpen 12 Lepas and a gang of ruffians of all descriptions We were stopped of course at Kongra Lama the [Peppen] got frightened, the Lama entreated C to wait and see the Cheen authority and I seeing nothing better to do gallopped ahead Campbell keeping the people from following. Once off I stopped not till I reached Cholomoo lakes, up the Lachen river all the way, the pony [?] up of course and late in the day I returned meeting Campbell half way but who had successfully bullied through all obstructions. No hands were laid on either of us but the coolies were stopped and but for the Lama and Peppen no human aid could have got them through nor could we ourselves. In the evening the Soubah came after us and camped, the Dingpen riding a Yak and the Lepchas all looking terrible with [?] and black faces. Next morning after due deliberation we laid a trap and caught the Dingpen inducing him to visit us and to accept a Shawl and a purse of Rupees etc. as escort whereby we now appear in a widely different light from [border breakers?] The poor Devil thereafter (as all along) kept out of our way, but we were bullied and badgered by the ruffianly [Lepas] on all occasions - ascending a [?] [?] the Lachen, the second evening what was my surprise to see due East an enormous [snowed[ Mt. Exactly where Turner places Chumalari I was about [8?] miles north of K. Jhow and had bearings of K. Junga of Doubiah and of Waugh's Chumulari, all of which bearings came in beautifully [crossing?] at my position, as I say proving there to be a huge Mt. due east along the line east from Chomiomo by K.Jhow and Doubiah, and exactly where Turner places his Chumalari. Reporting this to Campbell he agreed at my earnest interception to stop, where we were (on the bank of the Lachen N. of K. Jhow) another day. On the following we again went North, the Lepas in a devil of a rage and endeavouring by threats thus to stop us. We however pushed on to the [?] eminence and again saw and took bearings of the Mt. I also got angles from which I can make a [crude] estimate of the elevation. The cursed Lepas broke that beautiful [Aximuth] Compass Thiallier lent me, not intentionally however but they are rude, insolent, and required the very highest hand Campbell and I could bring to bear on them. A solitary stranger in this part of Thibet would be surely misused and cruelly treated in this part of Thibet. On this side the Mt. was evidently the [?] course and low hills dipping precipitously Eastward was exactly what Turner gives as the bounds of his [lakes?] The view of the Thibetan Konga etc. from [?] feet and 50 or 60 miles all round from East to West was perfect. The Arun valleys waterless at our feet and from the East and North converging to the great valley of the [Chemacho?], a flat sandy plain bounded by tremendous Mt. Cholomo, Dunes of about 10 miles square, spread all around, bounded by the spur of Chomiomo and Doubiah on the West and East, K. Jhow on South and Kambajong range on the North. These plains dip South to the Lachen and North to the Arun feeders which ([dead?] empty valleys of sand) converge as I said above to the Westward. Beyond them 10 miles of plains, the whole Thibetan surface rises into tier after tier of rugged precipitous Mts capped often deeply with snow along almost the whole horizon north towards [Shijatzi] [?] there are breaks [?] N. East where in the extreme distance other snows are seen an immense way off N. West are stupendous snows but so distant that I could not get an angle with the theodolite. Standing as we did at 17,500 ft nearly all the horizon was above our level and the peaks much so, though probably none exceeded 22,000 ft except the really distant N.W. South as the sweep of the Himal. snow was unequalled. The line is from some confused map of K. Junga, by Chomiomo, K. Jhow and Doubiah, to Turner Chumalari (which I call is because the Lepas did etc.) thence the Himal [trended] still to Northward of East by some grand tremendously snowed peaks. North of said Chumulari. Waugh's Chumalari I think is a Mt on the S spur from Turner's c. The bed of the Lachen is a broad sandy flat, occasionally grassed full of holes of the tailessrat and fox of [?] Campbell saw one. I saw two Kiang (as did many of the people) two antelope Hodgsonii, a great flock of small antelopes, plenty of Hares a great many birds. Your Shikari was so knocked up that he was in tent all day and knocked nothing down. Swallows, Hawks, Vultures, Ravens, Stone Chats, Finches, Geese, Ducks and other water birds were in great plenty, also no lack of plants but all burnt up. North of this the country becomes still more sterile not a habitation is any where visible, roads are quite trackless, except by experience and to find one's way over such a wilderness without guides is utterly impossible. There is no snow at 19 and 20,000ft very little water or grass anywhere. The cold intense at night and the wind and dust at day most grievous Campbell's people are nearly all knocked up, all mine [hearty?] C himself ditto but suffering from sore eyes, nose and lips of all which I have recovered long ago. Last night we slept at Cholomo Lakes, and this morning came over Doubiah pass hither. I ascended to nearly 20,000 ft to look out for cross bearings for Chumalari but in vain. I found a fine bed of Fossiliferous Limestone in situ! and yesterday one of fine state at the back of K. Jhow. I have [?] [?] from the South, a real live shell in the ponds (anquinea) and various [?] plants, quite Siberian in type, in Sept I might not have reaped a capital harvest. We often wished that you could have seen all we saw, but [?] [?] your name was constantly in our mouths and is yet but with no real wish that you should be here - it is a desperate life, literally and truly, up at these passes. God bless you where you are dear B. The Dingpen and Lepas accompanied us to the Doubiah Pass this morning or rather did C and the party for I lingered on the Thibet side till late and have just arrived here walking since dawn and very tired. My two boys and the pony which I loaded with stores knocked up and are left behind poor souls. I send a letter of [Thomson's] just arrived by Kangla he means Kiong La and he mistakes me about Turner's Pass. See what he says of Strachey and let it dispute the illusion that there is a solid [clique] in that corner of the Himal. should I care what all [?] to do with him? I have engaged a good K. N. for my future travels. I cannot get on with [?] except for plants.
Yr ever affectionate
J.D. Hooker

Govt. House
Calcutta
March 22/50

My dear Brian
I have as you will see by my letter to [?] 2 interviews with Jung Bahadur one with Elliott and Grey as advocates and interpreters, the other with Capt. Kavanagh was wholly private. I look on both as very unfavourable but do not yet give up. The hitch is supposed to be the dislike on the part of the [?] to his own rule:- if so it shews a dangerous state of J.B.'s own affairs if not I do not see what it can be, for he [professes?] the utmost wish and friendship of you, he [?] most warmly says you were half a [?] and that you were allowed to go and do exactly what you pleased all over the country a statement I took the liberty of contradicting. In [person] he is certainly good looking and very lively, intelligent and agreeable in manners very dissipated however and with such bad teeth that the woman kind in town will not count his favours so much as they otherwise most certainly would have. I send you the list of his suite you desired, the two younger brothers are not the least like himself but round faced fat fellows. They are all living at a very fine house on the outskirts of Calcutta, but such a scene of club and conference as I encountered this morning struck me as rather disrespectable. I have J.B. a copy of my Rhods. book which pleased him vastly and he asked me for a special letter of Introduction to my Father at Kew. Have had a talk with Lady D, who advises me to [seek?] Thoresby first and that if Bahadur does plead the [enmity?] of other chiefs it would be as well to drop the matter if not he was press a straight forward answer and consider its being withheld as an unfriendly act to our Goot. Meanwhile J.B. goes to Juggernath for 10 days starting at once but Lord D. will write to him there rather detain me unnecessarily in Calcutta. I breakfasted at Colvile's this morning and found both himself and Mrs C looking remarkably well. They made many enquiries about you. I am [?] with buggies already and have taken to a [Palber Gharry?] rather low you will say but not leaving a single turn in the town and eternally misled as one is, a Bhuggi drive is no sinecure in this heated, dusty and crowded city such a wretched and hateful place as this I never was in no names to the streets, homes, shops or people - no pronouncing the directions you gave [?] to tis natives not they intelligently to you - no Directory - People and Homes called after some fanciful resemblance or [-unction]. It is quite impossible to get along without an interpreter or very clever [?] such as are not to be [?] up in a hurry. Then there are half holidays that affect the Merchants only, the Law Courts only, of the Govt. offices only or any two or all three. No water by day, no lights by night. Streets blocked up with lumber at one end and open at another always miles behind. That trade should flourish under every disadvantage and yield an enormous return only shows the inexhaustable revenues of India and the bad use made of them but I am not going to growl any more. Though I do say this is one of the most unsatisfactory holes I ever was in and giving the name "City of Palaces" to the lath and plaster suburbs of as [?] a city of hovels as any country in the world presents is mere mockery. It is post time I have no more news at present [Taylor/Tayler?] is almost never to be found at the Post Office and his house is so far off that I have not been there yet. I called yesterday and will again to-day. I fear his character is ruined in Calcutta as an officer - Mrs. Colville told me that Lord D remarked very severely on his absence so long in Nepal and Darjeeling and I hear his pay was cut. I fear that he has been very foolish

Ever dear Brian
Yrs affectionately (scribbled)
Jos. D. Hooker

May 29th 1850

My dear Brian

We have reached [Daua?] at last after a most tedious passage the whole way from Kinchenjunga which has excited even the placid [Jim's?] temper against the miserable Bengalis at [Namp?] we had great difficulty in getting a boat at all to go in and it was only after much delay and trouble that Bell succeeded in procuring a very dirty [Budgeroo?] with a rascally lazy crew at an exorbitant price R80 for 6 days voyage to take us on to [Daua?]. We had two other boats for our people and things, the crew of one of which [?] [?] requiring us to put into [Pubna?] for another. The winds were foul the whole way and often stormy the weather good but hot. I wrote you from Moldah a pretty enough place from [Rampine] I really had nothing to say to you perhaps know it one of those everlasting green flats with good [houses?] and Mango [?]. The inhabitants are very stupid people, will not have even a book club so that Bell who is perhaps the only man who would care for one is obliged to have recourse to Moors [?] and Calcutta. The weather was hot, the T. rising to 106 every day. I sent all my baskets of plants thence to Calcutta in excellent order the beautiful [?] flowering through the chinks of the baskets and all flourishing. The Bells I need not say received us with the greatest hospitality and made our vexatious delays otherwise very agreeable. Mrs. Bell still plays remarkably well with taste and feeling and I am sure I taxed her good nature to the very utmost. On the voyage from [Rampine?] nothing succeeded a more detestable country than these plains of India is inconceivable that so many long miles of country should in a tropical climate like this be so utterly devoid of interest in its people, animals, plants and geology is quite astonishing to me. Even [Tun?] with whom has [?] [?] fought the battle for India was disgusted and we find ourselves obliged to pass the whole day reading and idling. I took my temperature as usual and studied a little Humboldt, Hamilton, Herbert [Gerard] etc. works in whose contents I found myself lamentable deficient in Humboldt's especially who I have just found out utterly compounds I hope with Dejauli! does not even place the latter in his hap at all - and strangest of all takes Turner's temp. of [Teecho-Loombo?] as a datum for calculating the elevation of Llasa. I have recalculated the same data using however as the auxiliaries of absolute [?] of my own instead of Humboldt's guesses on the [?] of heat in ascending above 7000ft between the parallels of 24 [degrees] and 29 [degrees] and find [Shigatzi] to be between 13,500 - 14,200ft which curiously enough tallies with my conclusion drawn from the reports of its [?] in Turner and from what the people told me - Humboldt makes I hope (meaning [Shigatzi?]) 1000 or a little over it - and assumes that as the mean elev. of the country between the [?] and snows immeasurably under the [mark?] I am sure he is. I have also carefully gone through his evidences of the Mt. chains without much satisfaction. By the way just look at [?] position of Llasa if I understand aright, it is due North or nearly so of Dejauli - but I am not clear about it and [?] gives no details. [Punetalia?] and its rivers are however what [?] to me most which must pass from Thibet to Bhotan from far behind the shows through the [?] [?] of [?] country which I saw between Chumulari and the [?] on [?] where the snowy chain is I believe as completely broken as at [?] and to the west of K. Junga. All I see and read throws the water-shed further behind the snowy Himal. than ever. Reducing the latter to more or less meridinal spurs from a map of greater magnitude and real importance behind. I see a good deal and plod over still - Pembertons and Griffiths and wilcox and others scattered reports and papers as to rivers. My father has received the Rhod. drawings and is greatly pleased with them. Also he has received the [?] from Bethune about the maps and is looking out for a publisher. - He begs me to give you his affec. regards and to thank you very much for the paper on the Himal. which he has read with great interest. Poor Humboldt had just followed to the grave one of his earliest friends Professor Kunth who cut his throat in presence of his family! Buckland is put into a mad house. Not a syllable about the house at Kew [?] is the new chief C for the dept of Woods under which Kew falls. Mr [Gode] goes to the other as [?] with £1000 a year. J. Philipps my father's ally comes on as commisioner in his department what is pleasant all well and mourning is the only other news. I am greatly pleased with Daua it is much the prettiest and [mint?] place I have seen in [Melia?] - the streets broad, clean and sweet, the verdure fresh and lucid, Palms and Bananas sprouting over white walls, neat thatch cottages, beautifully clean with the area and [?] cool and shady alleys no stench or filth. The many ruins are not the nasty dirty uncouth piles, or absurd affectations of [?] and art that Benares shews but picturesque groups of mosques, minarets and temples. Along every road there is much to look at. No one thing really fine or striking but every [?] in keeping. There is no such thing as a blind wall to the street - no [?] building however insignificant, without some [?] or ornament and the word of the balconies [?] doors and [?] is always remarkably pretty often beautiful. The pillars look [?] none of the nasty [bellied?] on Rope-twist columns so offensive to the eye but clean and [?] prettily moulded capitals and lovely friezes and pediments, which appear thoroughly Byzantine to me. There is nothing fine about the place. Not one object worth travelling 10 miles for, but there is every thing that is picturesque throughout the crumbling town, and outside all is real verdure and I find [?] in freedom. At last, fun the everlasting succession of black Mango topes, [ghastly?] fan Palms, 7 ashy green [dusty dirty?] Bamboo clumps which with an [?] fig form the charm of the tropic East of this. The people too are a more industrious people are mainly Mohamedan and [Armenian]! and it is quite a delight to watch the boats and boating. The population is considered greatly exaggerated at 60,000 (sixty thousand) and does not increase. The Soonderbands are draining the population when the rice for the Calcutta market is now being grown. The houses of the Europeans are truly magnificent and I doubt there being any station in India equal to this [Chowringry?] is not handsomer, not half as beautiful - here too the European houses are actually half in the native town and yet are neither annoyed with dogs, nasty poojas, nor nastier smells - To conclude our host Atherton is a very anxious fellow and we start tomorrow to reach [Pundeah?] in 10 days. I am anxious to hear how you are and hope to find a letter from you at [Chura/Chuwa?] which will be my address for 6 months I suppose at least.
Pray give my best regards to all who my care to think of
Your ever affectionate
J.D. Hooker
Tun sends his best regards

[NOTE IN MARGIN]
I regret to find that my [kind?] [?] left in debt 3R to your sais which shall be accounted for

[Namthiki?] right opposite
Darj. on shoulder of Tendong

May 5th 1849

My dear H
I have just finished a long story to Campbell about my reception in Sikkim which comprises all of importance I have to detail and which I need not repeat you will be glad to learn that the new [Vakhil?] the Tchebu Lama has as far as appearances go my full approbation, whether armed with proper powers of no I cannot say. I hope he is, having very promptly stopped the feeble demonstration just shewn by an ill conditioned burly Bhotea here and sent forward an order which he says will prevent further mistakes. The man is the one I told you of at Bhomsong is the Dewan of the late Rajah's son, he has been to Llasa and Dejauli resided at both, swears that my [grapes?] there are brought fresh to Ladakh that it is a cold place in Winter too hot for his present robes for many months of the Summer and has but a scanty growth of [?] trees he never saw the [Bison] but describes it well and as from the North where the horns are brought to Llasa much prized. You would get much out of him and will find him altogether a fool and a [?] (and I speak advisedly) superior a man. I am pleased with my first impressions regarding him and can only say I most sincerely hope that Campbell's troubles have ended or approach it. After leaving you we bade good bye to Mrs Campbell and the children from whom I thought I should never get away and then down to Grants and when I called on [McDonnell?] and chiapri both were at breakfast and I was rather superciliously presented to my Lady, with a sort of shrug of the shoulder as much as to say that's she whatever you may think of her status, old C called her Mrs McGregor or McKenzie I think. She was very nicely dressed, modest and well looking, discretely behaved, pretty withall and gracious - tall straight and handsome in every degree "a well favored wench, very broad in between the eyes and broad mouthed but undeniable in forehead, hair and a good nose. I talked advisedly about flowers and the comparative advantages of Darj and [?] whilst old [Chiapi?] ate bread and jelly like a [Mursey?] boy. I pricked his sound ear. Without nonsense she is very nearly a Lady in looks and manners. Archy would not come in and I left him to go on and wait for me [below viridi sub umbra?]. Mr McDonnell you know and I like him none the less, he remains here for the season and I am to call on my return that way! We dined and slept at the Gt. Rungeet chatting [?] and all the more so as it seemed too [?] to contrast more harshly with my present solitude. Campbell is really all you say of him putting all his affectionate regard for me on one side, his bonhomie in the jungles through appreciation of the most trifling desire to please and opportunity of being pleasant between the most amiable man breathing I would give a great deal for his temper which I [feel?] all the more from having fallen into a towering passion myself on the moment of my arrival with [Hopman] and [?] [?] These genei had preceded us, pitched my little cotton tent and put the [?] with covers off inside, it was raining cats and dogs and the 2 fools stood by seeing the whole of our goods getting soaked without lifting a hand to throw a tarpaulin over them. I looked very hard for the Pinus Excelia but could not see a specimen, nor does one of my Lepchas or Bhoteas know any other species but [tonpifolia?]. If the specimen in Campbell's garden really came from this it must have been extremely rare and is now extant but I doubt the authenticity of it's origin. The slope of Tendong a S. expanse to leeward of [Simbul?] I found and expected much drier than either slope of [?] [?] ascending to 3000ft but not very much of it. Still enough for the leaves to make the path slippery it grows no where in Sikkim, inside or outside. To-day I have been passing a very narrow [?] [?] expanding into flats and some of the spurs from it are singularly terrace like and of equal altitude. The scenery is extremely beautiful from the river beds upwards chiefly owing to the great delicacy of the young foliage, the tints are lovely and delicate, the [?] and acacia below and the smaller [?] and above this (6000ft) you enter the gloomy and harsher coloured region of Darjeeling woods but still [?] here than there. The hills too here are more rugged in outline and the landscape hence varied and pretty views of this character are rare in Sikkim. I looked again at the flats along the Gt. Rungeet and am, most positive that the rivers had nothing to do with the transport of the enormous boulders 12 and 15 yards long which are deposited on the top of the deep beds or rubbish earth and water even boulders. The accompanying may give you some idea of their position relatively to sides of valley and river being most attendant on the centre of the flat they could not be rolled down from above and indeed shew no signs of that, and any stream of sufficient force to wash them on to their present position would have been infinitely more than sufficient to have swept away the whole deposits on which they lie. I presume the Deposits to have been the bottom when the valley was an arm of the sea that boulders were deposited from glaciers in the new Fiords that on the retirement of the waters the bay became a river when beds are stretched from [?] gradually retiring to its present level always eating away the preexisting detrital flow of the valley which by diversions of its channel may be still modified but not materially altered. I must now break off and will write you up my journal by next [?] to Darjeeling. My best regards to Tayler who I wish was with me
Ever your sincerely grateful and affectionate
Jos. D. Hooker4
I am travelling in great comfort as to stores and [traps?]

Choongtam May 19th 18[?]

My dear friend

I have this moment received yours of the 11th and as usual perused it with real satisfaction to myself and in this case with much pleasure as it contains no ill news of yourself or friends. What you say of your [Lady?] party reminds of of my neglect in not telling you in my first letter about Mrs Lydiard which in part accounts for Mr. Campbell's gaucheness in doing the honors and that to have made you smile must have been marked, for in such affairs you are the soul of good feeling putting breeding, another shield out of the question. [?] Mrs C does not quite like Mrs. L there is no more to be said about the matter - we both consider Mrs C as one of the most amiable and laudable of her sex but were she a born angel still he comes under the [bar] - wise heads have said "women are the Devil" the commoner sort of 'Kittle Cattle' and My dear H. as Napier sagaciously adds "The least said the soonest mended for though we may understand them by their actions we ne3ver can follow them without being women ourselves. So much for my purple philosophy. Many thanks for your kind attentions to my wants and [people?] [Runghim?] knows everything about my plants and that he can supply himself with whatever assistance he requires he has two [merlins?] and will have another Lepcha if he wants he is a drunken dog and has played me a slippery trick but as I like Lepchas and the complexion of their faults too, I will say no more about them. I am glad that you like my picture of which I am not the least [?] and quite believe it is as good and like as you say. The Lepchas I much liked and the scenary was not finished. Tayler craved and craved to be allowed to make a sketch for me. I did wish very much to say, give me the simplest outline of Hodgson, to send him and be kept at home for me; but I know quite well that subject not after his own fancy I mean is sure to be spoiled, and I did not know how, after the mess he made of [Miss Percy?] and the dislike he had to do the prettiest and nicest children in the station (after doing the [?]) he would take and effect my request. I know he is really anxious to do me a drawing, but what with the above - is telling Mrs. C that he would not allow her to give away her copies and his pointing out to me several that he will neither copy himself or allow others to copy, - I was placed in so awkward a dilemma that I [?] out altogether. The price of such a print as you say should depend wholly on the number of subscribers. If I remember right if a New Zealand view of about that size was 12/6- Frazers Himal published I suppose 30 years ago has I think 10 plates and letter press for £20 but things are far cheaper now. Salt's Abyssinia 10 superb views like [?] £10 I should say 10/6 at the very outside is enough. J. M. Richardson's 10 views of the Swiss Lakes and Lombardy are the most exquisite specimens of the "coloured lithograph" I ever saw (and he is a magnificent artist) sell for £5 and Tayler's cannot come near these were he at home to superintend. There will be three classes of purchaser for Kangcham-

1. Ourselves and others interested in the place 2. Picture collectors and 3. Sundries who want to cover [?]. The first alone will give a good price. The second have far too good a choice in Engravings from the best Masters at 1/- to £10 and the last would only hang a coloured lithograph in the hall. The price should therefore depend on the number of subscribers and Tayler's opinion of his own merits added thereto. What their [Want?] may be in a pecuniary light I know not, but poor Harrison now dead did me an incomparably better view than any of Tayler's for £5 and my Father had the pick of Richardson's Portfolio for £10 and chose a universally admired full water color drawing of Como with the morning mist rising. I have seen first rate Stanfields and [?] Fieldings fetch £40 and £50. I talk of pictures of the size of Tayler's 6 views, larger ones fetch either untold sums more or much less, generally the latter. Worst of all Tayler must I suppose raise the wind first and to do this he has not the [advantitious?] aid of portraits and the hundred other claims on the purse and pride of members which Sikh-guns had. Nor can he sell the stone for 6d as he hopes to do the copperplate of the guns. And now I must again turn to the subject of Thibet. I need hardly say with these timorous and distrustful people my attempts in that quarter were taken for granted, not that as you suspected the [?] Sect is the religion of this Country. Except by a direct falsehood I never would have [?] my intentions and between implicit obedience to and through contempt of the Rajah's order there was no choice. That the latter was my view of my view of his interference was known to be the case, as both Meepo and the Lamas have shown and continue is the determination of pursuing my objective in the face of this and of the religious fears of the people would so [open] me to the loss of any further advantages to be gained by continuing my explorations of Sikkim. I am neither John Knox nor a [?] [?] to break my head against their people's stone idols, and to do so would be to give the lie to the avowed harmlessness of my pursuits. I have therefore told my guide that I shall not go one step across the frontier, but fully investigate all on this side. Meepo has been thoroughly honest and candid throughout and the Monks behaved extremely well, even in the expectation of my outraging their prejudices and their interests. It is a bitter disappointment, the more so as it falls heavily upon you my kind, zealous and liberal friend and upon my equally good Campbell - you have both done all that in you lay, and if fault there be, it must rest with me. The Rajah and Monks have taken the initiative, and though I may not have asked them for the best I am quite sure the result would entail the great loss under any different line of conduct. The miserably futile attempt to laugh down fears was as far as I saw, or see the only course open to an Englishman, had I done so effectively the result would have been prejudicial to my views on Sikkim, not to talk of consequences I have before alluded to. I have written fully to Campbell on the subject and my journal will give the [?]. What you say of my being [bitten?] by Lyell and Darwin is gospel truth, they are my Masters, men of 20 and 30 years experience, over all Europe and N. America some of them around the world. Darwin is one of the most amiable and pleasing men I ever met, a gentleman by birth, education and happy [one] of fortune and in all other respects and having travelled over the same countries (he as a man, I as a boy) I naturally accept his interpretations of my many difficulties. Lyell again is the son of one of my Father's oldest friends, a man of great classical attainments, taste and good fortune and one of the most high spirited and liberal men I ever knew. Charles is not half so pleasing a man as his Father, though of more general attainments. I can just remember the stir his Principles made, its translation and [extranilation?] into all languages even Hungarian! and its [placing?] the author some 15 years ago at once over the heads of all geologists, a position he has since retained, whilst his theories, even those that found least favor at first, are daily gaining ground at home and abroad. I must affirm that I find them truer and better than any others, and now that I think more for myself than ever, I believe proportionally impressed with the fundamental truths he lays down Geologists may still quarrell and always will about the the relative age of some of the strata, of the composition and origin of them and in such trifles Lyell may be wrong, his [?] views however are undisputed and I am inclined to [carry?] them out much further than he has from an examination of the Himalayas I do wish very much you could see this country: it would change I am sure some of your opinions and of these regions one can form no proper original conception except by inspection. There is I still think less uniformity in the Himal. than you grant, this valley differs widely from that of the Gt. Rungeet or Wallanchoon resembling Griffiths account of Bhutan much further South and the mere fact of Sikkim having no Pines between 2 and 10,000ft which is every day more clear is a physical feature too strong to be overlooked. All this I will keep for a palaver, my journal will tell you of these terraces and of the [?] of pebbles [agglutirated?] to the rocks high above the river. Thanks for your kind [care?] about my men and plants, let them go on drying and packing the roots I send with moss in baskets. Also kindly send another (2[n]d) load of Nepal Paper and ask Bhaggun to get some Potatoes, Onion and Rice - two bottles of brown Sherry I will beg from your store. Have you thought of advertising your home? Then repairs will be very expensive and if the house stands empty a season all will be throw away.

Best Regards to Tayler and Compliments to Mrs Lydiard
Ever your affectionate and [?]
Jos. D. Hooker

May 20th
P.S. Campbell is again anxious about Nepal - calm him if you can I will [?] the G.G. and would ask roundly had the question involved any Scientific Interest - but you know my opinion of the G.G. and that he would not like my interference on any non scientific subject. I have made a point in all my correspondence of making direct allusion to Campbell.