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To The Secretary Bengal Asiatic Society Spring 185-

Sir,

When I went to England in 1844 and presented my immense Zoological Collections (10,000 specimens to the National Museum osteological and ordinary) I was immediately asked how many of the species had been named. I answered that all the new Mammals had been so, by myself in the Bengal A.S Journal or in the India Review that a vast number of the new genera and species of Birds had been described in a paper sent from Nepal just before I left it. But that paper it was replied to me had not appeared and I was requested to recast it, so well as I could from rough notes, not having returned a copy of the MS. I did so and the papers was printed. But it did not include the whole of my ornithological [stores?], and it seemed expedient to put at once in print, my own Complete Catalogue of Birds. Accordingly I placed that catalogue in the hands of Mr. Gray for publication and it soon after appeared in London substantially my own, but with its groups disposed according to the system followed in the National Museum [tear in paper] Catalogue. The alterations I think were not always for the better, my own [distribution] having been founded on a [-ful] [tear in paper] examination of the entire [tear in paper] of species in a fresh [tear in paper] vast advantage, though one, no doubt [tear in paper] qualified by my non access to Library [tear in paper] Museum. In due time another [complete] catalogue of all my Collections appeared under the auspices of the Trustees of the National Museum the Museum and therein the Curator of Zoology in that institution made such rectifications of my printed [J].M.S. Catalogue as seemed proper to them. No doubt there was upon the whole much improvement upon my unaided work performed in the Jungles. But for the reason I have already assigned the new determinations of species and allocation of types according to their affinities were not always sound, and students of Himalayan Zoology have accordingly found it expedient to refer consult the priorly made Catalogue of Birds which with notwithstanding the changes made in it also by the same hands yet more clearly than the latter and official one reflected my own conceptions particularly as to novelty of species.

Accordingly I have been frequently asked for copies of this prior Catalogue which is frequently cited by writers in Europe. But I have no more copies left and cannot comply with these requests. It seems to me that the republication of the Catalogue giv[ing?] [tear in paper] it is the great aim of our Journal to as[sist?] [tear in paper] and facilitate; and that this Catalogue giv[ing?] [tear in paper as it does in one view, a complete [?] of Nepalese Species, must a [tear in paper] be convenient for consultation, notwithstanding its errors. I therefore forward for publication if the society see fit and have marginally noted the chief points in which I think Mr. Gray has unwisely deviated from my own allocation of new types

I am Sir
B.H. Hodgson

7 Nov 1837

A minute of this date refers to Mr. Hodgson's proposed publication on the Zoology of Nepal, and gives a statement from one of Mr. Hodgson's letters to the effect that he had despatched to the case of the Royal Asiatic Society, 26 sheets of Mammals and Birds, and will continue to send others till the series be complete, which he recommends to the Keeping of the Society: stating also that he had despatched [8] boxes in Jany last by Captain Robinson with directions to deposit them with The Royal Asiatic Society, in case his prior stores should have been removed from the keeping of the Zoological Society - the Minute concluded thus:-
'None of the above articles having been received the Committee directed that the matter should lie over [for] the present.

15 March 1838

The Chairman read before the Committee a letter written to him by J. Princep Esq of Calcutta relative to Mr. Hodgson's work on the Mammalia of Nepal, the publication and circulation of which the Bengal Society are desirous of furthering etc. etc. 'Sir Alexander Johnston stated that he had communicated the contents [of] Mr Princeps letter to Sir Wm Jardine, who had expressed his willingness to cooperate in any measures whereby Mr. Hodgkin's labours might be given to the world

5 March 1842

A Minute of the Council of this date accepts Mr. Howard offer to dedicate Mr Hodgson's Mammalia of Nepal to the R. Asiatic Society, and promised to subscribe for a copy of the work

To B.H. Hodgson

Lord Derby wrote to me that you have written to him shall I send off his box of Specimens? The list of Drawings only refer to The Mammalia

My Dear Sir
The list sent are correct in the numbers but the names as I am aware are ludicrously wrong but this arrived from the ignorance of the copyer but I thought you would be able to recognise them when you send them back the names shall be corrected. It was quite impossible to describe the new species until the whole collection was [sorted?] that the new and old might be compared and you appeared so fearfull that we should keep all that I concluded the sooner we could get the duplicates out of the Museum the better you would be please. The Mammalia their Heads and Horns exclusive of the of the more or less imperfect skeletons which are not yet unpacked have been sorted as follows
Skins Head and Horns
British Museum 170 195
Skins Skull and Horns
Collection n. 1 102 Ind. H
n. 2 78 ? [Leiden]
n. 3 48 Paris
n.4 37 Berlin
Collection Skull etc for Col. Surg 50 [58]
Horns for India House 45
Collection 5 - 7 For Mus. Frankf
6 - 1 [?] taken by Mr. Ogilby
Horns [Promican?] to Mus. Canterbury 2-

Bird Skins
British Museum 1753
No 1. Leyden M 655
2 Paris Leyden 536
4 Berlin 411
5 Frankfurt 352
6 321
7 290
8 259
No 9 237
No 10 213
11 205
12 169

The birds names are nearly finished I much fear that there are many errors in the numbering of them two very differing kind[s] having the same number and the Bills shew they evidently do not belong to the genus of the [?]

We have seen no more of Mr. Howard. Have you written to Mr Rees of the Zool. Soc. about the Drawing? I believe they have no or very few Birds [Bones] at the Zool. Soc. The anatomical museum I mentioned was Haslar near Gosport under the care of Dr. John Richardson the arctic traveller.
Yours ever
J.E. Gray

To the Dean of Carlisle
Grosvenor Street

Dear Robert

Let me trouble you for 2 lines directed to Canterbury to tell me when you migrate northwards. It is only on the last day of my stay prolonged to make enquiries for my son Brian as to his projected publication that I hear he has been corresponding with you and under very reasonable dread of his drawings and specimens being unfairly dealt with has given you power to remove them - this particularly if Mr. Bennett's illness should terminate fatally - every body agrees to be the first and most essential step and if you do not yourself seal them and place them in safe custody I shall have to beg your authority to this end for the present adieu
V[er]y Affect[ionate]ly
William Hodgson

[C- Latymer} 20 May [18--]

I shall stop a day or two in London passing through but not under 2 or 3 weeks

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.

Bhomsong Teesta
XMAS [1848?]

Dear H

Many happy returns of the day from Campbell and myself. I arrived here two days ago and yesterday the letters I first sent you from Pemiongchi were returned to C. both himself and Mrs. C being away. I want none of the things therein begged for except some [Hoolyrah?] Tobacco which perhaps [Eli R.?] will get for him and a light load of brown paper - [Langrip Lepcha?] is a good faithful coolie and will soon find a companion to follow him - them the books and the cigars are all I want and a little parcel of note-books which Muller will send you. I wrote you last by the Havildar and the letter went 3 days ago. I was then on my way here where I found Campbell waiting for me to my surprise for my [?] were all fake ones and denied to be so. I suppose to facilitate my sending away the Havildar. It rained hard and always so that I have little to say of the route. The Rajah is here such a droll little object, the presentation etc is a perfect mummery conducted with propriety enough but a perfectly tedious show of poverty and pride. The Dewan is a thorough faced liar still a well conducted man in all his intercourse with us except on politics. A yellow striped Buceros here do you know it? He has been all over Thibet and gives the information most willingly - is a [Shukan?] and jolly rogue - we get on capitally for he is always civil and respectful though I would not trust him 2 days running for the latter qualities. Politics have progressed C insists on a proper [?] and the only one [?] and fit is the [Heir app's]. Dewan, a dead enemy of the R's D and a man of more liberal and enlightened ideas. He also insists on my visiting Lachen and Lachong next year. March-April. The R. is thoroughly frightened, or rather I should say bewildered we are off at once for Mainanchoo the high Mt. with the rock you see from [fillapabar?]. I shall then go S. along the spur which divides Teesta from Gt. Rungeet. Then across to Pemiongchi and so on to Jongri. I do hope to get some geology this way. I like the Lepchas betteer the more I travel amongst them.
Please send to Pemionchi

Ever your affectionate
Jos. D. Hooker

P.S. I send you a fine Yak

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

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