Notebook by Campbell and annotated by Hodgson
To B. H. Hodgson Esqre
British Museum
1 February 1843
Sir,
Mr. Gray, the Keeper of the Zoology has reported to the Trustees that he had received a very extensive Collection of Mammalia and Birds, collected by you in Nepal, out of which you have been pleased to offer to the acceptance of the Trustees such specimens, as are desirable for the Museum on the following conditions
That you are furnished with a list of the whole collection
That Mr. F. Howard engaged in publishing your Drawings of these Mammalia and Birds be allowed to have on loan such specimens as he may require to verify the Drawings
That no one be allowed to figure or describe the specimens which may not hitherto have been described until Mr Howard's work now in the press has appeared.
I am directed by the Trustees to acquaint you that they most cheerfully accede to the terms which you propose, and I am at the same time to request that you will accept the Especial Thanks of The Trustees for this very valuable addition to the Natural History of The Museum.
I have the honour to be
Sir
Your most obedient
humble Servant
J. Forshall
Secretary
Knowsley
June 29 1844
To B.H. Hodgson
Bengal Civil Service
Longport
Canterbury
[?] Hotel
Vere Street
Oxford Street
London
Sir
I have this morning [?] with yours of the 23rd Inst. and beg to return my best acknowledgements for your kind assistance not on this account alone but on many others previous as I have been fully informed by [Wm. J. Smith?] of the ready aid you have always afforded in enabling him to carry out my wishes of obtaining the various interesting productions of the Hemmaleh Countries, altho' I regret to think in how many instances your kind exertions in my favour have been frustrated by the conjoint efforts of the changed climate and the length of the voyage which has been particularly distressing in the case of the Pheasants of which I fear I must say that the only individual which ahs survived the transit and still does in a very fair specimen of the male [Thos. lineates of Latham/Khatam?] which however we cannot induce to cross with the Hens of any other kind. I earnestly hope that those announced in tour present letter may prove more successful by [?] Smith's advice. I am about to send out in the next Month a person from hence to aid William L. on the spot in the care of the young animals and to take charge of them on their transit to this country partly by the overland and partly by the sea voyage. This person is my principal superintendent here and he will take an assistant or two with him to promote this division of the forces on the return. If you sh[oul]d happen to see Mr. Ogilby or Drs. [Royle] or Falconer, they can tell you the whole of the Plan and [?] [?] remaining in London. When he goes up, I shall return to give him a letter of introduction to you in order that he may profit by any hints you may be disposed to afford him. Should you be aware by what ship the animals your letter has announced to me will be conveyed you will much oblige me by this intelligence, that I may put in train the requisite enquiries after them
I remain Sir
Your very much obliged
Derby
To B.H. Hodgson
From J.E. Gray
25th Dec 1844
British Museum
My Dear Sir
This will be delivered to your by Mr. Gerard who will pack the specimens and give you an account of them. I have [desired?] him to bring the Thibet items with him by rail and to learn from Mr Masters the best ways of sending of the others.
As soon as I have received the specimens and been able to sort them into kinds I will as once proceed to make the short descriptions you desire of the hitherto undescribed specimens which are marked as not having yet been characterized in the list of your birds which you have promised to send to me and send their descriptions for mention in Taylors Annals of Natural History. It would be more satisfactory if you transmitted with the list the descriptions you have already made on these species that my additions may only be the filling up of any [?] that may be necessary as I consider everything that van be [?] from your own hands so very much more valuable thats what is to be desired from the study of the dry skins and bones and at the same time more satisfactory. As soon as the collection is sorted out and the duplicates distributed into sets for the different Museums according to your letters we will set to work to form the catalogue of them and of the drawings but it would greatly facilitate this affair if you will give me a complete list of your various Papers and the Books in which they have appeared that I may search for them in the India House and other libraries for the local magazines of India very rarely find their way to this country and are even more rare in perfect sets. Hence the great difficulty we experience in knowing when the Indian species are described. This catalogue may be made in 3 or 4 months so as to appear in the Spring. I consider this catalogue of the greatest use as making known where your numerous and very interesting descriptions are to be found for if the works which contains them are rare in London their existence are quite unknown on the Continent and if the Specimens were sent without being accompanied by such work the names would almost all be considered as mere {Mss.?] one and therefore little or not at all recorded. You have more than once accused me of being anxious to grasp at your Collections, in this you quite misunderstand me, my anxiety to have the specimens is more on your own account than any mere wish to increase the Museum Collection which has been increasing at the rate of 20,000 specimens a year for the last 2 or 3 years and will have added more than 27,000 specimens this year. But by your sending a series of specimens to the British Museum there can be no [cavilling?] in time to come your discoveries and the type of your species and you will have them to refer to any time that your Nepal fauna may appear, at the same time it must be owned and nobody can be more willing to allow it than I am that your collection is a most magnificent contribution to the National collections and Science in general. I will use my utmost endeavour to induce some artist to undertake the publication of a selection of your drawings [figuring?] especially the more interesting of the numerous new species which you have discovered for I don't think that it is possible that I could ever find any one to Engrave or purchasers to support the entire series. I say artist for large publishers will never undertake such publications and I believe it is only a person who will devote himself to the work and to getting it into circulation as Mr. Gould does that could make a work of the hands pay its expenses. Should such an artist be found I will give him any assistance in my [?] power as I did to Mr. Howard when he was engaged upon it. If you were going to remain here I should have recommended you to have at once set to work to collect together [reports?] in a systematic form all the very interesting and strikingly novel [research?] and observations with which the backs of your Drawings and Notes Books are filled and to proceed to print them for I believe they would form a work which many publishers would be glad to undertake and which would be a most valuable contribution to [natural?] knowledge, but as your are going back to nearly the same neighbourhood I think it better the work should be delayed for a few years that you may add to it any fresh observations which you may be enabled to make and read it over when it is collected together into an acceptable form to take from it any [repetitions] and add to it the facts that must recur to your memory on such a perusal. When you have your materials together I will peruse and give you any friendly assistance that may occur to a [closet?] and systematic naturalise like myself but I am convinced/concerned from what I have seen of the notes that very little assistance will be wanted from me as I should not recommend you to over[burden?[ the work with dry systematic descriptions taken from the dry skins or measurements which are comparatively of so much less importance than the notes on the structure and habits of an animal or Birds made on the spot by an enlightened and accurate observer like yourself but what ever friendly assistance my numerous and laborious occupations here will allow me to give to the work I shall be most happy to afford though at the same I must decline to take on myself any responsible part in either the publication of the plates of letter press descriptions
Believe me my Dear Sir
Yours Truly
J. E. Gray
To B.H, Hodgson Esq.
To Brian Houghton Hodgson
British Museum
26 Dec 1844
My Dear Sir
Herewith as you wished I send you the following abstract of my letter to the Secretary of the British Museum respecting your collection
"Mr Hodgson wishes the museum to prepare at once "a short description of the new species to appear in one" of the Monthly scientific Journals and then to print a short "catalogue of the specimens and drawings presented by Mr. Hodgson to the Museum referring to where he has described them that he may have the credit of his discoveries which have been very numerous" "The collection of Specimens and Drawings are certainly the most extensive and complete materials which have ever been collected together for the Fauna of any country and of Europe (excepting perhaps those made by Mr Gould in New Holland) and it is very desirable that Mr. Hodgson should have every credit for the very great exertions he has used to make us acquainted with the Natural History and habits of the Mammalia and Birds of the provinces of India and Thibet "with the patronage of the India Company and the list of subscribers which Mr Hodgson informs me he has in India. I think it is very probable that before the end of the two years specified by Mr Hodgson (during which he has reserved to himself the exclusive privilege of using his [figures[ as specimens) It is very probable that some artist with the consent of Mr Hodgson may be induced to undertake the publication of a selection of them. If this should be the case I have promised Mr. Hodgson that every facility and assistance which it can be in the power of the Zoological department (consistent with their other duties) to afford him shall be given to him to forward his wishes.
Yrs very truly
John Edw. Gray
[Written on outside of letter]
1844
Gray's pledges
and report to the Trustees
He promises
1st describe new species within a month
2nd to make catalogue in 3 or 4 months
3rd to exert himself touching publications of Drawings
N.B. Catalogue to be distributed with each set of duplicated forwarded to the following by Brit. Mus. Paris, Leiden, India House, Canterbury, Newcastle, Plymouth, Manchester, Liverpool, Edinbro., Dublin
Their address?
To B.H. Hodgson
British Museum
Feb 6th 1845
My dear Sir
I saw in looking over the list of Birds that the Tibetan Pheasant that the 2 [Grandalleus[em] Caldeola?] has not been marked, it was at the stuffers when the list was being prepared, so it escaped, we did not retrieve any specimens of the Ganges Pelican but only a head. Besides the [587?] Birds distributed according to the list there are numerous specimens in so bad a state as not to be of any use to any person. What shall be done with them?
The catalogue we are preparing will contain a detailed list of every specimen we have received from you between 1840 and now. I send herewith a list of the Mammalia shewing how they and their bones have been distributed. If you let me have the list of Birds for a day the distribution of the Birds since should be added to it.
I should recommend the Bird Bones to be sent
My brother desires me to inform you the Sun Birds stuffed they come to 1. 5. 0 case and all. Shall they be sent to Canterbury or where. I here from Mr. Rees that they have found 50 drawings of Birds at the Zoological Society but they say they are waiting for your instruction to deliver them. Pray write to them.
Note on the back of the list says 'List of Mammal Drawings delivered to Mr Hawkins 24th Decr. 1842'
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 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
Beyond Lachen 1 March
June 5 '49
Private
My dear H
It is a miserable [resource?] in distress to trouble ones friends with a share, but I do so by you with less scruples than any one, here we are still, without a morsel of food from Darjiling, and not what this [?], nor can go any where but back - Except some comes at once. I was wrong to push on so far but could not believe so - so careless or bad a calculation. A [chaprapin?] arrived 6 days ago at Choongtam, sick with the coolies who have the things you so kindly sent, of which they had eaten a good share I believe, for the serot I sent says, there were only 1/2 [mound?] Potatoes - poor Devils I cannot blame them - many thanks all the same, the onions are a blessing, as to the Potatoes they all go for food to my starving people - ditto all my rice. You have no idea what a horrid hole this is - I did think to redeem things a little with the gun, but in vain. two pigeons are all the Shikari and self together bagged in a week. At Lachen the people would not give us a morsel of rice. I well believe they could not -, and just as I had determined to send the Shikari back to Choongtam (which thank God is done) - The Soubah sent to forbid any shooting, you may guess the answer I gave. Next day he and the whole village came to say that the shooting brought on rain: and that the Rajah's son shooting here last year had done so - they brought a present (wretched of course) and so I wish the whole village to the [?] and took Shikari and gun out forthwith for the day - but shot not one thing say nothing in short - In the evening the whole village came again bringing 2 kinds and another present imploring me not to shoot, and they they would subscribe every scrap of food they could share kids and fowls. I again sent them away and asked Meepo, the Sirdar and Nimbo what was to be done. I was shooting nothing and were the villagers to be trusted? - I found that this worthy trio devoutly believed its story of the rain! that was not the question however and after due deliberation I agreed to give up the gun and get what food I could - it was really not choice but necessity and the villagers really believed the story of the rain. Since then I have had 3 fowls, milk and 2 kids, paying of course exhorbitantly, still it has enabled me to hang on, God knows how miserably anxious, for I have no hopes of Campbell's supplying food in time and [quantity?] now for another grievance - [?] at the Kid's flesh together for 6 men and leaving some men behind with nothing at all. I started for the passes, reputed 1/2 day off. Meepo knew nothing of the route and the village. Soubah came to shew it, We got started in the afternoon and got some few miles when we camped at a bridge over the Lachen, which the Soubah swore was the pass to China! It was useless getting angry so I said nothing, they offered to take me across and see its old Chinese guard house. I went and sure enough this which is a triangular spur falling the Lachen is [crowned?] with the remains of extensive old fortifications, with spur is continuous with Thibet of course and I dare say once was Chinese - This was of course a piece of [?] which I walked away to object and found myself fairly [?] - all the information I could collect from others was that, this once was China and the river the pass, but that now the frontier was removed 2 marches north - when the plain begins - In the evening the Soubah left and I called Meepo to council and for reproof and asked where the guide he brought from Durbar was - left behind at the village! I said nothing as usual, but dismissed him and afterwards recalled him told him that he, his guide and the Soubah had clubbed to deceive me and that I should not leave this till I saw the Mt. Pass he declared his grievance with justice but his innocence in vain poor Devil, the Rajah has [loaded?] him with lies and injunctions to deceive me and he cannot serve 2 masters - so here I am my dear Hodgson, without a particle of food but one kid like a [?] [?] the coolies complain they cannot carry their loads, it is raining cats and dogs no hopes of food from Darjilingt and I am very very anxious. I cannot tell you how much so. I have not lost hope, or [order] still less determination to stick here and send every soul but one Serot back if the authorities still refuse to shew me the way - but the complaints now breaking out of my people go well nigh to upset me, for every hour makes bad worse, and they have no faith in food from Darjiling. I cannot blame them. I do suppose Campbell has miscalculated our numbers, and also he most certainly has overlooked the fact, that I am progressing - that 5 days food, sent (say) on the 15th reaches me on the (say) 20th and lasts me till the 25th when I am 5 marches further from D. i.e. I must wait - with nothing for 5 days if C sends then next 5 days food after a 5 days interval surely he cannot be so bad a commissariat as not to know this! The Chaprapin who brought the Potatoes and was overtaken by news that coolies sent after he left, with food, had run away now as the last food sent only 5 [mounds?] reduced to 4 left on the 12th and the Chaprapin on the 17th it is plain that my movements were wholly uncalculated - Be that as it may now I have been well on for 33 days out of 13 [mounds?] is all I have received. The people try hard at the villages and are hunting day and night. Paying exorbitantly for a mere handful of grain and my money is of course going like wildfire for this and for the wretched kid - all we can buy is bought, - at whatever price. I am busy drawing or out botanizing all day, but at night I lie awake by the hour together. Every day more fully convincing me, that will the best and most generous intentions, I cannot trust in C's supplying me with food. except some one is constantly on him about it - Either he forgets it, or he sends such and so ill found coolies that they will not or cannot get on - be that as it may, or both as I suspect, the fact of my twice undergoing this starvation with a much smaller party than C can calculate when if he calculates at all speaks for itself - it is very hard and I feel it very ungrateful to speak so of such a kind friend but I am in "Extremis" and all but [floored?] through this alone - Do dear Hodgson jog his memory about sending properly found coolies for that may still mar every thing. I must also accept thankfully your offer of getting me food for myself for I am so delayed thus I must be out much longer than I expected! here I am 33 days out and not at one pass yet, not even the nearest! delayed 7 days at Choongtam and 5 at Lachen for food, God knows how many more I shall be here in this anxious state. Let Bhaggun buy me Tea, Candles, Sugar and all exactly as before. The brown sherry I will thankfully take from your Go Downs 4 bottles if you can well spare them. Also salt meat, butter and as before, Bhaggun will please get me from the [?] or elsewhere, he knows best. C. promise4d to send me such things regularly a pat of butter as big as my fist is every morsel I have received except bread and cakes, which he has most kindly sent: He is made up of the best kindest warmest and most generous feelings, but utterly forgets when to put these in practice, if your back is turned. News is just brought that the Pass is 2 marches off from this! what can I do without food! had I but food I would not care a [rush] whether this be true or not. Nimbo is very clever and has got a mound of rice! at the village 4 miles back whither I sent him with untold Rupees to get what he could, he waited all night to receive it ["sub roza/zoza"?] no one will tell a syllable about the Pass there are 5 roads or tracks to chose from all up valleys - all go to Yak feeding grounds and one to the Pass, I have not a [?] which, we see nothing for mist and rain -
P.S. The villagers have again come offering to take us to the Pass but with such lies that I will not stir from here
Forgive my troubling you so much
Ever yr affec JDH
P.S. [in left hand margin] Alas the mound is only 17 [seers?]