Brianstone
Dorjiling
Feby [11] 1857

My dear Sir,

Your recent letter came to hand just in time to enable me to add a [few?] young [?] of the Rutwa Muntjac to Capt. James' despatch of birds I had however priorly at his his request afforded him all the advantages of my long experience in England of the pheasants and partridges of the Sikim Himalaya so that he was enabled to comply with the wishes of the Zool. Socy though not so [effectively] as he might have done had more time been afforded for procuring, taming and fitting for their journey our splendid game birds. I trust that some of his may nevertheless reach England in good health, though if you would make the [experiment?] of conveying these birds to Europe with all available chances of success, you should make your application, one season and, your transport of the birds, the next one, and so that the birds might be clear of the Bay of Bengal by the end of February. As it was it was too late to collect and quiet down the birds before they were sent off; and I apprehend that their embarcation will also be too late even if a sufficient quantity be forthcoming at Cala [Calcutta] when your Agent is ready to receive them and to convey them to England. Every thing depends on having birds duly prepared for the journey down the country, upon shipment at the [people?] season or height of the cold weather and upon ample room and careful supervision of the voyage. With all these advantages the birds may be assuredly conveyed home in high health, as I witnessed during my last voyage to England; without them here is but a doubtful chance of success. I request you will convey to the Committee my acknowledgements of their flattering attention to Dr. Horsfield and your suggestion for the illustrated publication of my Mammal novelties. Had I got this intimation a little sooner I could have forwarded with the Birds not only a fine live Ratwa or Kaker/Kacker which I did and beg to present the same to the society, but also, the [spoils?] of the wild Yak and of the Tibetan badger with one or two more rarities particularly a splendid skin of the Melanic variety of the leopard. But the intimation of your purpose came too late for that opportunity and the season is now so far advanced that the transmission of these skins, with any others I may get in the [interior?] had better be postponed till next season I have also now in the house a healthy and joyous individual of the Paradoxures tricus or the 5 striped species. But that is too great a pet to be parted with, though I may at all events be enabled to send you by and by an account of it's manners and habits as observed under circumstances of unusual advantage, I sent you long ago a drawing of a fine old male of Cervus Affinis I cannot hope to get a live sample but may procure more skins. Should I do so I will remember your wishes
Very [truly] yrs

B.H. Hodgson

Mr Gray engages to publish forthwith in London periodical the novelties (by Feby). Also to prepare in 3 months a corrected Catalogue of the whole to be distributed with the specimens and to be sent to me as well as copy of the above by overland to care of Sec. As. Soc. Bengal
3-4 To consult and arrange for the publication if possible be as soon as may be of a book of illustration from the drawings and of text from the skins and my notes [?] Gray wants List of works wherein I have published copies if may be [sent] and [?] depend on receiving a regular [set?] o9f the notes that they may [?] arranged here [?] the required additions

J.E. Gray Esq

Lingdam 2 Marches E of Pemiongchi
Dec 22 [1848]

Dear C
This will be given you by the Havild. and Lep[ch]as who have accompanied me from Wallanchoon. On the whole their conduct (and that of the others send home before) has been excellent, but I think the neglect I experienced returning through Nepal out of which Kingdom I was starved though passing through villages full of food - should be enquired into. Daily I told the H. I wanted food, and he as regularly told both myself and Serot, that he would get me some tomorrow, always pleading the villages to be too poor to bring backsheesh or sell. This is not true the Vs were as large and fine as any we ever saw, [Khabhang?] where we halted a whole day had countless flocks of sheep and cattle and extended over several miles, but though he was thick with the Soubah and villagers all day and night he pretended he could not get me a drop of milk, a fowl a vegetable or any one thing. Sablakoo was as fine a village and I could enumerate many smaller - At all of which his Tent was full of visitors to whom he did not insist either upon paying me any token of respect, or of bringing food to give or to sell. At another place, a leg of mutton was brought as a present to him (as all the people swear) to this I of course I have no objections, but where such things are to be so had the like are to be purchased. He denied its being brought at all but when proven said "it was taken away" and when asked why not offered for my purchase said "he had not orders to do so". The long and short I well know is that he made himself the Sahib received and kept all the presents. The total want of respect to me by the villagers, so different from their conduct the whole way up, is a grave matter then he always told them to go and Salaam to me whether or not they had backsheesh to spare and then I had [?] no lack of milk, fowls, eggs and vegetables. Indeed the Hav. quite forgot himself and twice left me to march without any attendance he busy with his Brahmins. In the mountains he bought a whole Deer unknown to me and never paid for it I am assured when we were all hard up and 3 days afterwards offered me a most microscopic portion. This was greedy and unfair, but I found no fault till the total want of food was accompanied by an equal want of respect on the part of the villagers and latterly himself, but that was I hope and believe a transient forgetfulness I reminded him of the Durbar order to which he answered "that was only to accompany me" he told both of us the contrary before. His helplessness at Wallanchoon I must report to the Durbar as I told him - please remind him of it then I did every-thing myself he was worse than useless sick and giving in to the [quabah?] before any reference was made to me, to the extent of wishing me to turn back as we came so that I always had first to undo what he had done, both as to visiting the Passes, [assistance?] and food. As to the Rupees and Rupete the nature of my duties rendered it impossible for me to keep any check on either. A glance at my observations and worked out day and night will prove my own Serot's general opinion is that the Rupete had vanished mysteriously fast and the Rupees too. The people accuse him of feeding his Lepas on their ghee, onions and chilis and Rupete and from the beginning and his friends too. The accusation came late and I refused to listen. Nimbo is I believe quite an honest man and he had better be examined if the affair be work it. I do not care a [rush?] but think it my duty to report it. I have fed both him and his Lep[ch]as and Coolies ever since the [18th?] Nov. and I expect before it too, was this right? In the snow I paid the men every attention, clothed them and nursed them gave them a share of my own stores (for they are [no wise?] particular to a shade). His subsequent ingratitude vexed me at first very much as I told him but the consequent obseqiousness of himself and Lepa have all but disgusted me. Still it is the way of the orientals. He has had many presents from me and I have no idea of making his final present the price of his [slave?] except you think proper - but this I leave entirely to your judgement for all the use he has been I should have thought 20 or 30R abundance and 8 or 10 to each of his Lep[ch]as. I thought of 50 before his ingratitude offended me so much and then of not a [pais?]. That he has feathered his own nest well on my Rupees I am sure as, also that the [cruise] has not cost him a penny. Since entering Sikkim he has had noble treatment from Meepo the smallest attention [in?] Nepal. The ghorka coolies, 6, behaved very well they were fed all along by me, as indeed I believe all hands have been and to this day. Here by backsheeshes of rice nearly keep me in Rupete. The Casi of Ling droom is also constant in his attentions to me and to the Havildar. I told you of a furious quarrel he had with some of his Lep[ch]as as in ghorka on the subject of his cheating me at Mywa Guola to which as conducted in ghorka I took no notice, but heard it talked over afterwards. I always [laid?] my account to a good cheating in the East. Pray read this carefully and act as you think proper, I do not want to disgrace or punish the man, only to let him know what these things do not pass unnoticed we part good friends.
Ever your troublesome
Jos. D. Hooker

There were 10 blankets bought by the Havildar we have of these only 5 4 went with Lepchas to [?] the Havild is responsible for the other which he takes with him [?] blankets are all right
Please send the [Chaprapin?] back to Lingdam and Pemiongchi with letters and a little parcel that Muller will send - and some loaves of bread.
P.S. Rain, every yday

My Havildar wants to talk to you about some [?] sent by him for sale to Titalya being [looted?] on the road some stupidity of his own or trespass on the Rajah's property - he begs me to mention it J.H.

Sunday 1849

My dear H
I have just got through all I intend to send down and thats but half my collections and will be with you as soon as I possibly can get the coolies away with safety. That must not be till the weather breaks for here we are delayed with rain and such miserable wretched weather - It blew so hard t'other night as to wet my boxes in the Verandah, with the torrents of rain it is indeed a dismal climate and if my things are caught in such weather as this going down it will be much deplorable. I sent you Lyell pray excuse my cutting it to which I was irresistabl[y] impelled. I quite envy you the first reading of it, being convinced you will be greatly gratified.
For heavens sake say nothing of it at present but I do believe that I have caught Waugh in an error of 100ft in the height of fillapahar! Muller is convinced I am right. What a delicious morsel it will be: just fancy the [?] snob who measures Kinchin to inches with 1000 guineas appliances out of a hundred in the fillapahar. The fact is I expect he did this sort of work very carelessly devoting the [?] minute attention only to the great objects - in this he is right and were it not that he is a bombastic fellow this would be beneath my notice. As however fillapahar is my station from where I work all other heights I must not be 100ft out in it. W. says "fillapahar highest point" 287ft above Darjeeling hill - now your house is fully that, whether worked by Calcutta or Muller's house, or by angles all of which agree to 3ft [?] Lane's house which perhaps he means for top of fillapahar is good 160 above your's. The real top of F.P. is a mile further back, but that he cannot mean, or else his map is wrong and his height 200ft wrong. The document is Waugh's own and pompously signed "compared" A.S. Waugh and yet we have it in Tenglo 11,0076 feet! I mention these things to shew you how sloppy he is and how ridiculous his pretentions. I send you a few letters which I think will please though hardly interest you - I was joking with [Tim] Thurman/Thuman who asked me to meet him at Sahamupore but I suppose I was awkward in my wit, for I cannot allow that (like some other people) he can't understand a [repartee?]. Harvey is Prof. of Botany at Trin. C. Dublin a most gentlemanly and dour fellow was even Col. Treasurer at the Cape whereby hangs a most pitiful tale of real life. Bowling writes to ask C to come up and take his duties. C responds asking B to ask me when Thurman/Thuman is coming up. They must be very green to suppose I would allow [Tim] (who comes up to [?] with me) to be trapped into medical duty for his 2 or three month's holiday!
[Sammler?] ejects Muller on the 1st February and I do not think his house will be ready for him as however he will be able to get all his things in it and only want a [dry] sleeping room. I have so far trespassed on your kindness as to offer him my bed at fillapahar for a week during our absence. A bed is all he wants. I will give you two days warning of my advent. There is no prospect of its clearing up for several days Muller says - it is just raining as hard and foggy as last August cold withal and gusty at times
Your ever affectionate
Jos. D. Hooker

Jan 24 1849
Darjeeling

My dear H
Many thanks for the noble bird and the accompanying letter. We are going to eat the former today. Muller is thinking of applying for the Apt. Majestray or whatever it is to [be] here and asked me whether you would feel inclined to help him? I answered that I was sure you would not object to be asked and would trouble yourself to look at his papers: more I could not add. Campbell spoke to me about the affair but not dreaming of any friend of mine being an applicant I paid no further heed him till he asked whether Thurman would do. I was sure Thurman would not take it told him so and dismissed the affair from my mind. Campbell was anxious for a linguist and in my opinion the [?] want a Man of business first for it is in a [terrible?] state I expect, and the little I have had to do there (with [Capt.B?]) has shown me more of its defects than I cared to see or have found convenient. Except something is done towards Land claims, the whole station will be in a mess - we have now robberies every night and I have taken the liberty, of which I think you will approve of making 4 of my Lepchas sleep in different rooms, besides Clamanze and Hoffman. I have no faith in [Chaprapes?] and [Birkiadans?]. Clamanze sleeps like the dead himself and would offer no protection till roused and then a good one I doubt not. To return, Muller offers to study Thibetan or [?] even if that be a Sini que non. The difficulty will be with Campbell to make him see how much attention the station wants and what a bad name is unbusiness like habits have got it. [Mr Donald/McDonald?] is the rival I suppose and what service he could do, a [claims?] being forward I cannot divine Muller's qualifications you know as well as I do, he is I find very poor 415 is all his salary, he lives from hand to mouth sending all to his children at home he has not a jot in the bank, the few thousand he had, he lost. If he returns to the plains he believes he dies and his children are thrown friendless on the world. This is his only worldly anxiety and he feels it deeply, several times he has laid by a little - to lose it all. The govt. broke their pledge to advance his salary when a reduction shd. take place in the mind, though he himself [effected] that to the amount of more than his whole pay. When the new scale of Mint officers pay was drawn out, Forbes employed hi, to do the job. Muller left his own (the only) name out, taking for granted that Forbes would attend to that and so he alone did not benefit on the advances of salary made to the officers in general. Tayler has put in the Snow and is making a splendid picture to give the effect (and he has done so admirably) he has had to [throw?] up the range to I should say 3 times their apparent height from Darjeeling. His colouring of [groups?] is exquisite and nothing can be cleverer or more tasteful than his groups of figures but I do believe that your crude ethnological sketches are the more useful for science. Never having studies as an artist Tayler falls into gross errors of proportion in fact he draws for effect and most beautifully the effect indeed is so good that few can or can take time to look deeper. He is now drawing Mr. [Luffnin's?] children very prettily and tastefully, but as portraits as a picture it is a very weak and poor performance wanting wholly in expression or power. His ability, taste and skill are of first rate order, what he wants, is time deep and long study and a careful examinations of the best masters. What a capital fellow and agreeable he is! - all this entre nouse, to broach such criticisms before the people here (who admire those drawings most which are [rainbow?] [?] and contain most homes/houses best known to themselves. Eaves, gables and [?] wd be to subject myself to ridicule- These robberies will do the station great injury and I doubt if Mrs Turner's [Panyzins?] and Tayler's sketches will counteract all. Bishop refuses to offer reward for discovery. Believe me I wd not bore you with Darj. gossip did I not think of Campbell's character and your house - I think I could give a dozen cases of C's shortcomings in my little affairs with the [catchery] since my return these bother me a little and might make a stranger angry. I have but 2 days of work through them and that I cannot well afford. My men [?] and Hoffman have done extremely well in my absence. Tayler will come up to yours to sketch and I will get chops and a fowl for him, so he shall not say our house was dry and hungry he promises to take a view from it. I have seen the snow but once since my return. Barnes will get us the Elephant, and I have told him so often that he cannot forget. Tayler talks of going down about the time I do and he will I hope stay a day with us at Siliguri I cannot stir for [8?] days at that I am sure.

Ever yr affectionate Jos. D. Hooker

Jan 29th 1849

Dear Brian

We arrived here yesterday and a few minutes after, a host of officers came in Don. of Bhangulpore and [Frilich?] the [?] en route for Darj. the others small fry from Punkabarrie who have taken the [Ressy?] over and whose company I should fancy from the cut of them you would not want. Your Tent the say is up there and no one else is at the Bungalow so you can get one half of that [as?] you like but I should think you had better be tented except these gentlemen (Artillery officers) are ordered up to Darjeeling. Don seems a capital fellow we had him and his company to dinner last night and had a most pleasant evening. I send my English letters to C, who will forward them to you. What an ugly contre temps, my father is acting strictly up to Taylers directions to me has returned the picture by the following mail! of course he has not received your or Taylers kind letters giving it to Miss H. T. begged me as you know, to have it returned without delay and I forthwith told me Father so. who has strictly complies!
This is a charming clean Bungalow and delicious temperature which I would recommend you beyond Punkabarrie by far. [Tom?] sends best regards, he is all right and enjoying himself.

Your ever affectionate
Jos. D. Hooker

Darjeeling
Feb 4th 1849

Dear H

I am crazed with letter writing but have got over 10 long sheets for the English mail to [Lahine/Sahine/Sabine?], Lyell, Darwin, [Whatstone/Wheatstone?] the Survey etc. It has thrown me back with my plant arrangements; but is well over - a [worm] [accident?] has [?] the total [derangement?] of the little [?] the standard it is all adrift and we have now no standard to work upon except the big brass affair at Mullers. I am helping Muller on this new difficulty and I cannot tell you the amount of work it entails. I wrote a blow up to Scott Thurman for the breakage of that they sent up and they offer me another at cost price which I accept for I must have a standard to work back upon. Your letters have just come Turner's thanks I send, you enclose, accidentally I suppose a note to Mr Turner which I post on chance of your having forgotten it. Thanks for Mrs C's very nice letter I send her [?]. The Thurmans ate splendidly. I send you [?] letter with my [dacoit] as it is too late to find the Baboo. Very many thanks for your notion of the letters and attention to them in respect of the Review. I hope to get my work over in another week but still we have not had one really fine day - v. busy and partially a thick fog and ground always sodden. It looks like change now but there is nothing to be seen. I am very anxious to get down, without you and Campbell's children this is a weary weary place though Muller and I get on famously. Excuse my [not] saying more at present.

Ever your affectionate

Jos. D. Hooker

Many thanks for your kindness about Thomson. But you have enough with me we will have him to meals if he [comes] and you think proper but he will have as many plants as I have and our one house will not hold 2 collections. On no [account?]....

Darjeeling
Feb 8 1849

My dear H

Thanks for your kind letter I am getting really through my work now. I see the end and packing but the great curvaceous Rhododendrons and Conifers from my journey are not really dry yet. The weather however improves and I do most earnestly hope to get down soon. Now too the weather has cleared beautifully and I want to be in the field. Muller is working too as hard as his Liver lets him and I have had a good deal to do bringing the Baroms to rights the excellent as Muller is as to calculations he does not jump at contrivances or new laws for reductions etc. We are daily expecting a box of Barometer tubes from Calcutta and I have ordered [6?] new tubes from England with God knows (I hope my Father will honor the bills) what other instruments from England. Also 2 portable Barometers of Neuman's [contract?] which are at Scott Thurman & Co in Calcutta tho' no use doing things by halves and overdoing is impossible. Many thanks for the offer of the Reviews but please not more. What with my chart etc. I am busy all night. Wallanchoon took good 6 hours to work out, there being no table for such low temperatures, it comes out 16,642ft - the Calcutta observations giving only 21 the difference from the Darjeeling. I like to get things so close because it will rile (as the Yankees say) the Surveyors. The elevation I reached on Kanghacham pass 15,746 Choonjerma Pass 15,186 I have still Nanga Pass to work, about equal Kanghacham I suppose. Jongri i.e. the elevation I reached on Kinchin will entail a fearful calculation as the little Barom was injured. Wallanchoon is a good way N. of top of Kinchin (i.e. N.W.) Yangma is I presume the loftiest permanently inhab village on this side of the Himal. that has ever been visited. I have not worked it out yet; but I presume it 13,500 or 14,000ft. I do wish your would come to Tayler with me on our return from Terai. there is no view of Nepal, Sikkim and the Snows at all to compare with it. You remember the Terai soils are very curious. I long to go over them with you. If the weather clears I shall get down in a week. What tent furniture shall I bring? I cannot conceive what has come over Falconer, who I must give up if things go on so he certainly has again affronted the excellent Colville and I cannot but think he is crazed. I shall send my things to the Garden as usual but tell my Serot who goes with them to keep an eye to their being [booked to there and report to me?]. I wish you could have a talk with Darwin, we shall in England and make 2 of a quartet bachelor's party at his home in Kent. I was not aware of that curious fact about the silk-worms developments is it more remarkable in them than in other Moths? [Praise?] my genteel paper my Dad sent me a lot of it. So [Moultan?] has given in, not fallen as the papers have it, in my opinion. I am heartily glad that the Soldiers had not the credit of taking it though deeply humiliating we ought to feel it that it was not stormed by us even at so late a day and still more that it was not taken months ago.
This bright day is just charming
Ever your affectionate
Jos. D. Hooker

Darjeeling Feby 10 1849

My dear H
I am still toiling away at these plans and getting every day more and more dreadfully tired of the standing on my legs from morning to night. Writing to you is a good excuse for leaving off a little and with that mention of the [?] I go so far as to address you when I have nothing worth your reading to communicate. 5 great Banghy boxes of seed are just sent away and I shall have I suppose 20 coolie loads of plants to go by boat to Calcutta with my serot Yangma village is 13,700ft - permanently inhabited growing wheats and radishes in Summer. Do you know of any [?] Himalayan villages higher, or any Thibetan ones carefully measured. What an expose is poor Strachey's boiling point altitudes I have no wish to drive height measuring further than to within the nearest hundred feet, that I think is necessary and enough but Strachey may be out 1000 or even more thus 1o of boiling temp is equal to 500ft at his elevations - his instrument had the scale very small only reading to 2o further it was a common therm and not intended for boiling temps at all. Such instruments are often 3o or even 4o out. Again I find that any [?] will not do for this method. Nor any thermometer and with every advantage I cannot get the boiling point to within 1/2 a degree. Again the water used will affect the result to as much as 500ft, the best Darjeeling water making the height of this [?] more than that lower than it should be by more than 600ft. Lastly I find the connection for Sp, grav, if air makes a diff. of 700 feet om the Wallanchoon Pass and of this element he takes I think no account at all. How far these may connect one another it is impossible to say. Muller says he can't trust Strachey to 2000ft. I say 1 or 1500 I am extremely sorry for it for I had expected to look on [?] as a fixed point and to know the [?] of the Thibet Highland from that I suppose the [culminant?] point W. to where Thomas has been. I am all in confusion about the Stracheys - another brother seems to have been to the Lakes since the long [?] [?] and writes a most confused letter to Thomson which you have no doubt seen. As from N.23 to 578 and which is printed without date and without locality. There is a great deal of mystery about the gentleman or I am very stupid (or both). What on earth the latter letter writer means I can't divine. A volcanic eruption raining a bed of gravel [6-800ft?] between two lakes! The depth of ground on the plains (800-1000ft) is a grand fact and I hope good [Muller] has just been over to [Mrs O's] and returns with the bad news that he will be recalled to Calcutta ere long as since Mr [McDonald?] is going home on leave. The mail is in with letter from home for me. My sister very considerably better. You kindly asked about her in your last; she is my unmarried sister, younger a good deal than myself and has long been subject to chest or throat attacks which alarm us all exceedingly and are most tedious. My only other sister (who married the Scottish Parson) is also my junior and the same mail brings me an account of my being doubly an Uncle through her. Her husband who rejoices in the name McGilvray is a genuine Celt and not a favourite of mine - said to be a monstrous clever fellow and "powerful preacher". How he managed to captivate my sister, a most charming girl I can't conceive. I was abroad at the time. I believe the free kirk persecution had a good deal to do with it. I occurred in Glasgow when my F and M were nursing a 3rd sister in Jersey where the latter died of consumption and where also was my now ailing sister. I was at sea and Maria left to keep house in Glasgow where she fell in the with Revd McH. The match was opposed for 5 years but as in all like cases, opposition was only temporary - they are very happy together and that is the great decider in most unequal [?] (However I weary you with family details). They were no sooner spliced that the Revd. Dr MacG received a pressing call from the [Braitheren?] in both Americas to unite the bond of the Free Kirk from New York to the Polar Ocean, which he obeyed, taking Maria with him, when they were wrecked in the Great Western (of "Britain" which was it?) on the coast of Iceland after travelling in Canada for 2 winters they returned to Glasgow where Mr McG resumed his duties of renouncing the Devil himself and denouncing all who don't do the like - at least such as the work with the followers of rank Presbytarians when I was at college with Scotch Divinity Students in Edinburgh and Glasgow. Mr Mcrae of [Rob?] Gardens answers my letter promptly and writes very civilly and kindly. Falconer has just arrived at Maulmain and was starting for the jungles, with the T at 88o he will not be in Calcutta before May. My Father says he has sent me an Aneroid Barometer a new invention strongly recommended. There have been more rows at the R.S. about a secretary. Brown supported our friend Bell against [Grove?] who carried it. Grove is a good man but not very agreeable in manner. I think his wife is a nice person and that is a great deal in giving a tone to Scientific Society. Even to half the battle with unscientific lookers on.
This is a [regular?] [?]
So goodbye for the present
Ever your affectionate
J. D. Hooker