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July 12th 1849

My dear B

The long looked for coolies and letters of the 20th have arrived at last with the paper I have been so anxiously wanting and a glorious piece of beef, cigars and biscuits. The other things are left at Choongtam for it is impossible to get them in this weather and I have enough now and to spare. It is 50 days since I have fared so well what can I give you of geography? really I have been so far out in my calculations that I am almost ashamed to go on with my guesses even to you. My giddy brain now is speculating on the possibility of Powhunry and Kinchin being two mountain masses that are not connected by any considerable ridge but whose long spurs inosculate and are separated and trenchantly by streams from the plain of Thibet i.e. from a plateau skirting Sikkim in the North, and from which (a tergo sputante) Kinchin and Powhunry rise. My present puzzle is the great white mountain I have so often [?] about and which I was always looking at from your Verandah and I dare say you remember boring you with speculations about it. I pointed it out to Campbell on my first arrival at Dorkiling and he will be able to do so to you by the accompanying exaggerated sketch from your Verandah. The dagger c points up to the curious tooth like rock of [Mainisuchoo?] and a little to the left of that you will see the Mt. in question b very distant and pure white, These (liars) say it rises from the plain of Thibet - My angles place it on a right line between Kinchin and Powhunry. I see it from Lachen quite close (comparatively) as a huge mass of snow - its relative position I take to be as this

[HERE A DRAWING OF A MAP IS INSERTED]
The little a as the sketch of the map indicates "Tukchan" (probably a fabulous name) a lofty Mt. at whose n base and up the stream n of which I spent all June - it is a continuation of what is here the main chain for so far East of Kinchin there being no mountain between D3 and the enigmatical b of nearly equal altitude indeed all between these limits are low undulating mountains. The river you see is forked at the TRIANGLE SHOWN my present camp and the road to Latang is up the right branch. The frontier is I expect a shoulder of b which they call Kangcham (evidently a bad lie made in a hurry and taken from Kangecham) it is "Kangra" no doubt is not in [N?] Thibet similarly placed, similarly named? Be that as it may D3 the low Mts. [west?] of it and b are no doubt the bona fide Himal chain which [Phito] having strained his back at Kinchin and Powhunry and b could not finish properly along the interstitial spaces. Now what do you say to extending a lofty plateau or [?] all the way from Kinchin to Chumulari how it dips to Tsampu is another question - all I can say is the country north of a or Tukchan that is between D3 and my b is no more like the Himal. that [Hampstead?] hill - nor is the view from Lachen up the right branch, East of b the least like Wallong Yangma Kambachan etc and there again are low rounded hills, grassy and swelling I have always forgot to tell you that Wight in the Nilgiris has put the vocabulary at once into what he thinks sure hands to give satisfaction I forget where and his long puny letters hardly bear twice reading but try if you have a mind. I see no difficulty in taking the Shikari to Lachang, food was the obstacle this way and has been and is so to this day but all assure me the Lachang road is perfectly passable and well bridged. I still hold to my opinion of 14,500 being the average level - not that there is much there throughout the year, the steepness being excessive and drainage great but when we find it perpetual at below 10,000! in well exposed [partites?] we may well feel puzzled at what to call the snow level - The great transverse valley I have been so long in, running for 20 miles north of east from Kinchin is certainly the most remarkable Sikkim feature - wooded as it is on the north faces exposure and bare the opposite way! On zoology I have nothing to say but that I have caught some very nice moths by candle light, very like Scotch ones many of them are. Some of my most interesting plants are European and N. American genera still I do not find any genus in the vast abundance of species that the [?] present and I am fully convinces that when best explored the Himal. will fall very far behind that chain of several genera these ennumerate 300 species. We have absolutely no large genus to replace the calceolaria, cacti, fuchsia, tropaeolum and very many others of upward of 100 species inhabiting the cordillera worst of all the three great mundane ubiquitous [Nat. Ords.] are miserably deficit in the Himal. these collectively are absent by thousands literally - comparing the Himal. with the Alps, Andes, Cape or New Holland or indeed any other temperate country whatever! nor are they replaced by an excess of any one Nat. family. The Cordillera in general terms have a fair share of all the mundane Nat. Orders and genera and many vast ones peculiar to themselves. The Himal. has not even a peculiar genus of any of dimensions and importance no Nat. Order and is generally deficient in many of the most ubiquitously distributed. I wrote to Colvile long ago about the box which I think had better go to [Thuillies?] at least I asked Colville to send it there the latter has no doubt received my letter by this time - it went about 10th June from [this] I had it directed to C's care on purpose to save it the extra trip to the gardens whither the P & O sent it to. My Sirdar has put the Nepal chatta into order and I find it far supercedes the English umbrella and is most useful, it arrived in a deplorable state "disjecta membra" the drawing paper inside the other arrived so safe and well that I will send my Rhododendrons to you similarly packed so pray do not trouble about the "tin for drawings" I should be very glad that [Bhaggun] sent to [Dankootah?] for two more loads of paper - Have you money? Or shall I send you another cheque I send one in case

Ever yours affectionate

Jos. D. Hooker

Postscript
The cigars are excellent I was just reduced to [Christos?] My people craved so for tobacco to allay their hunger that I gave all my stock away. Will you kindly order V.P. a box for me?
Now that Gurney Turner is ['beaties'?] I have to one to apply to;, After Chris---- they are really a treat

PRIVATE

Yeumtong Sept 2nd [18]49

Dear B
Yesterday I wrote you and fulminated an epistle to C at the same time whilst I get your telling me not to scold him any more excellent advice, the best - for what are the use of my hints, or bold blow ups? What gets my back up is, that I got no support from Campbell and I cannot tell you the sleepless nights this foolish affair of the Lepcha Shikari has cost me, not on the man's or my own account, but from the fear (all but amounting to conviction) that an affair which I have told all hands I regard as most grave, will be stirred by him. I left in the position of a fool who has made a demand about nothing. You who know what it is to be left in the lurch at a pinch - what it is to have to maintain your own position, dignity, respect, character and all besides having to carry your own way can best appreciate my position. This this hour he has never reported the Choongam Lama's insolence and the Lachen Soubah's obstruction to the Rajah and he never will, to this hour he refrains from insisting on my being treated like a gentleman, though he knows full well that the Rajah's orders are that I am not to be considered in Sikkim.
Now Hodgson mark this - he has blamed me [3] times, not angrily or harshly, nor given me a moment's vexation thereby and I only quote this as contrast. I am blamed 1st for giving my promise that I would not enter Cheen when I saw that the thing was impracticable and even making out the passes with that view (taken by all the people for granted) was impracticable and even making out the passes with that view (taken by all the people for granted) was impracticable and that I believe my pursuits would most seriously be impeded and that the inevitable failure would be regarded as a triumph 2nd for crossing the Thlonok into Tibet, when I followed the spirit and the letter of yours and C's injunctions to go ahead. Guilty as best I could when finally opposed or at a loss I was both decisively opposed at Samdong, and at a loss about the road I took that I thought would lead to the Pass, I did not believe I was in Cheen and had not a ghost of a reason for believing I was
3rd for not taking the Soubah's word and coming back from the upper Samdong, when I held in my hand Campbell's order to proceed to Kongra Lama and had by patience and bribery and perseverence (of which he has no idea) through Nimbo's active help made out that Kongra Lama was the Pass as independently indicated by him Campbell. I only quote these things as contrast to this - that of all the complaints I have forwarded to C if the conduct of Rajah's authority and people not one has called forth the allusion of his disapprobation from him. On the contrary, the tender of his correspondence is to blaming me * them; of his order to uphold them and to depress me - am I wrong in saying as I do in my yesterday's to himself that my complaints, tend to prejudice me in his eyes? It is harsh I grant, but as I tell him too on my honor as a Gentleman I will hold my tongue for ever but he shall know the reason

Moldah

May 11/50

My dear Brian
Here we are at last and comfortably housed for [?] [?] by Mrs. Campbell's father Dr. Lamb such a fine hale old gentleman who reminds me greatly of John Crawford now in England. We have given up [?] which is said to be a [?] defaced as it will soon be an effaced monument of the former greatness of India. The [?] are now and have been for many years removed by cartloads to ]?] where every one who can muster 5 rupees must have a [?] home I have detailed our [?] and facilities to Campbell and so shall not trouble you with the [?] of that most treacherous of all proceedings progress in India. My letters from England and 4 from Falconer were awaiting me here. They announce the death of my venerable Grandmother who has for [?] [?] [?] been no less conspicuous for her unappeasing charities and piety than she was for 30 before for her rare beauty, fascinating manner and acquirements. It was impossible to know and not to venerate her and little as I saw of her it was quite enough to make me love her more I always longed to be with her, but as I have often told you my poor now bereaved Grandfather [?] managed to make me so exquisitely miserable when a boy that I shunned [Gt. Gamworth?] and ever since and nought but dire necessity [?] took me there - of other news I have not a syllable but that my mother is remarkably well and [Bessy] too. We have managed to get some [?] along the banks of the river and have picked up about 300 species of weeds. The white wild Rose amongst them whose appearance is [?] to say the least of it. I believe it grows no where but in the plains of India. I am as you may suppose sick, weary and disgusted of this life already and miss all my Dorjiling friends most terribly. I certainly never expected to have at my time of life and so far from home such yearnings as I have felt and that too in the almost unexpected society of a most excellent and amiable compagnon de voyage. Thomson is all alive jumping like a cat out of the [book] and scuttling along the banks like a [?] after plants. We get a long walk every morning and he greatly eshews another during the evening together with [?] of the above [?] his on the banks. We are now [?] in the [clay?] of the Gangeta/ic?] valley which is to me the great enigma of Indian geology. I found amongst Thomas's maps one of yours out of 'Murray's Geography' which I will return from [?] i.e. book of Campbell's. We have had breezes always [?] of course but they keep the temperature always below 100 often as low as 94 in the day. No hot winds and no rain or storm for the last [8] days. The Perry's are all well. I have no other letters from England but [dreary?] details from my Mother of poor Mr. Turner's demise and news from Calcutta. I am [reasonably] busy considering the heat and sleep gloriously, have been reading Humboldt [?] [?] with renewed profit and [?] up some old notes and new facts. Still on my good Dorjiling [?] and half wish to fall ill and have to go back per force I shall be all right when I get to Churra and on a new field. I miss Campbell's children more than I can tell and sigh for their light hearts, though why I can hardly say, for I reflect with little pleasure on the days of my own childhood and consider every year of my life as on the whole much happier than the past. Be that as it may I had no idea the youngsters would have wrapped themselves so round my getting elderly heart.

God Bless you my dear Brian
Yr ever affectionate
Jos. D. Hooker

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

Knowsley

Jan[uar]y 14 1845

Sir
I know not how far I can put forward any right to intrude upon your attention still more to ask any favour of you but your well known attention and zeal in the adornment of all that may any way [tend?] to the furtherance of Natural History and in particular Zoology has been too conspicuous not to draw upon you the wishes if not hopes of others to obtain your aid and [?]. I have just learnt from my friend Mr. J.E. Gray that you are about to return to Nepal. I hope for an extended period and I am bold enough also to return to solicit your aid in the plans I have for some [few?] years of late been sedulously attempting but with hitherto but indifferentness to put in execution of bringing over to this country some of the interesting and [?] living [productions?] of those mountain [?] you are I believe aware of this fact both from the circumstances of your [late assistant?] [Lieut Smith?] having been a main support[er[ of my views and thro' D. McClelland and who by the way I learn from Mr Gray had stated himself to your to be an agent for me at Calcutt[a] and in that character obtained from you for me certain specimens which you have intended to bring in your own care to England which you suspect were never embarked at all, certainly they have never reached me, any of them. But you w[oul]d much oblige me by the statement of when this occured and what was the time of year. It is certainly perfectly true that tho' I could never have I could never have ventured to have so designated him, Mr. McC has been kind enough to act as an Agent for me on more than one occasion and especially in re[cent] things sent down from Catmandoo by Lt. Smith and shipping such as survived the [wight?] of Calcutta from that port to England. But I am sorry to learn that my first Mainstay in this business is now broken as I am told that Lt. S. has been ordered from Nepal to join his R[e]g[i]m[ent]. I have lately obtained also the assistance of Mr [Vansittart?] and I hope Major Jenkins at Assam to which I flatter myself I may add the aid of Mr. McClelland and Blyth at Calcutta together with a nephew of my own Mr Edw. [Champays?] who is now employed as Auditor of Military Accounts and is resident near the last placed. My new plan is that these gentleman sh[ould?] give me their kind [?] in collating Zoological Specimens in Life and transmit them to the care of any other [?] named who will take charge of them until a sufficient stock is collected for transfer to this country and give me notice of that occurence when I will take care that a person shall arrive at Calcutta on my part to receive the Collection into his charge and to return with them or the most delicate of them by the Overland Route, thus avoiding the risk which I have found as I [?] of twice crossing the Equator [?] the cold for a hot climate. Should you approve of this project which has obtained the sanction of Drs. Falconer and Forbes as well as their scientific friends, may I hope that you will allow me to consider you among the List of my other encouragers and supporters, and [?] will afford me the important advantage of your personal knowledge and influence among those Hills. I have omitted to mention that I have been advised to apply, which I have done, to the present Governor General for the encouragement of this [?] sanction and the permission that the stock when collected together may be received into the Government [?] at Barrackpore which I am informed [?] is Sir Henry's purpose to raise again from the [depression?] into which it was cast by L Ellenboro' and I have been [?] to expect that my request will be granted. I am well aware that you have already been kind enough on different occasions to favour me with your aid thro' the [medium] of Lt. Smith by making over to him for me several of the [?] among the Hill Pheasants, but unfortunately they have never reached me alive except in one instance a Male of the Phes. Lineatus which has resided with us here most admirably but will cross with a female I will put to him. The course of the [?] of those things when sent I attribute to the [?] period at which they were despatched to Calcutta and thence to England some little time since I was flattered with some hope of a visit from you to inspect the Collection here but that seems now to have faded entirely. I had the pleasure of a few days since a similar visit from Dr. Falconer and if you meet with him while in London, I have hopes that he will speak rather encouragingly of my attempts to introduce foreign Animals and Birds into this country Among them I have the pleasure of seeing a very fine specimen of the [Elaphoides?] as I believe it to be but unfortunately tho' in perfect health [?] arrived [?] [blind?] and has continued so ever since I fear [incorrectly?]. It annoys me [?] as I have never [?] to procure another specimen, and I have no doubt we sh[oul]d have established the Breed here. And now, having sufficiently trespassed on your indulgence I will sincerely repeat my apologies for the intrusion and [?] myself with [much regards?]
Sir your obedient and obliged [?] Serv.

Derby

Lord Derby to B.H. Hodgson

Zoological Society of London
11 Hanover Square
London W

23 July 1874

Dear Sir

I think your view of the Bye-Laws is correct, and that your annual contribution will be £2.
As soon as I get the order of Council for your admission I will write you again.

Yours truly

P.L. Sclater
Secretary

B.H. Hodgson Esq.

Zoological Society of London
11 Hanover Square
London W

13th July 1874

Dear Sir

I have received your letter and enclosed list of the drawings of Mammals which you propose to present to the Society's Library. I need hardly say that we shall receive the valuable collection with great pleasure.

Yours truly

P.L. Sclater

Zoological Society of London
11 Hanover Square
London W

12th Aug[us]t 1874

Sir

I am directed by the Council of this Society to acquaint you with the following resolution which was passed at their meeting held this day. "That B.H. Hodgson Esq. M.Z.S. be admitted a Fellow of the Society without a ballot in accordance with the Bye-Laws, and that his admission fee and [composition?] fee be remitted in acknowledgement of service rendered to Zoological Science, and to the Society"

I am Sir
Your Ob[e]d[ien]t Servant

P.L. Sclater
Secretary

B.H. Hodgson Esq.

Zoological Society of London
11, Hanover Square
London W

12 Aug[us]t 1874

Dear Sir

The enclosed letters will I think, explain themselves and we shall now put your name in the list of Fellows of which I send a copy by this same post with a "double asterisk" before it

Yours truly

P.L. Sclater

B.H. Hodgson Esq.

Zoological Society of London
11 Hanover Square
London W

12 Aug[ust] 1874

Sir

I am directed by the Council of this Society to acquaint you with the following resolution which was passed at their meeting held this day "That the best thanks of the Society be offered to B.H. Hodgson Esq. F.Z.S. for his acceptable present of his collection of drawings and notes on Indian Mammals to the Society's Library"

I am Sir
Your ob[e]d[ien]t servant
P.L. Sclater
Secretary

B.H. Hodgson Esq.