Notes on Mammals of Tibet, 1842; New genus of Birds, 1845; Catalogue of Birds of Nepal, 1847; Description of Wild Ass and Wolf of Tibet, 1846; Wild Sheep in Himalayas, 1831; Tame Sheep and goats in Himalayas and Tibet, 1847; Articles in Journal of Asiatic Society of Bengal, 1847
Paper published in the Calcutta Journal of Natural History (quarterly)
Notebook of manuscript copies of printed papers by Hodgson, 1848; letter from Darjeeling, 1847(?); letter to the editor of the Sporting Magazine, 1846
Muttra 15th Sept
To B H Hodgson Esqre
RD Agent
Goo Gal
Katmandoo
Nepaul
My dear Sir
I fear you will have thought me forgetful of you, but to shew you, I have not been so, I send half a dozen lines to say that more than 5 weeks ago I sent over to Major Herring of the 37th Regt. N.I. at Agra a case in which, there is a Tin Case containing the few specimens of Birds that I had and which I requested him to get down to Mr [Grey?] at Patna by the first opportunity, as yet no opportunity has offered, but in all this month, we may [?] calculate up on one presenting itself - the delay I hope will not be [material?] the Birds have been very securely packed in Tin and [?] down so that we may feel pretty confident that they will reach you in good order. To each specimen I have appended a brief note which will give you all the particulars that I am in possession of regarding them: some two or three specimens will I doubt not be new to you, and I shall be grateful if the lost prove acceptable. Yesterday I obtained two Bustards for you from the neighbourhood of [Hansia?] and these, I will forward also to Dinapoor by an early opportunity with anything else, that I may meet with which I think may prove an acquisition to your Museum. The Bat and two or three others of the same order I will also send down. I did not like to put the Bottles containing them with the Birds fearing that accidental breakage might destroy the entire [lot?] I very much regret to say that up to this hour I have been able to procure a good specimen of the [Bijoo?] such as I could send to you. The weather has been so unseasonable and the ground is [?] so dry, from want to Rain that the Kanjurs cannot get at them, if we have a good fall of water soon i.e. before my duties carry me into the district, I yet trust we shall be able to procure you a specimen or two male and female if possible. When you write me again just say in what way you would wish them to be preserved and how I can best manage it. [Devarell Rupesh Lebveld?] a good friend of mine used to pack Mamlia in Jars containing a mixture of [Jpait?] Alum and Spices. If you approve of this plan - and if so I shall follow it you perhaps can give me a Rp for the Pickle. About a fortnight ago my people accidentally met a couple of Kanjurs, conveying a dead Bijoo into the city, they brought the Men and Animal to me, but it was in such a mutilated state, and so advances in putrefication that it's skeleton would have been useless. I made a few notes which I herewith send you, which shall be added to if I have the good fortune to get possession of another Bijoo ere I proceed into the district on Duty. I merely copy the remarks as I entered them in my private Memorandum Book.
IN MY PRIVATE MEMORANDUM BOOK
Lessitox: Common name Bijoo of the Western [states]
Female: full size killed near [Mathea] and brought for my inspection on 4th Sept 1837
Food: Carrion of every description by reports of the Kanjurs
Abode: In holes of all varieties of depth, but chiefly under the foundations of old ruins report by Kanjurs
Weight 19lb 10 ounces avoirdupois. Extreme length from point of nose to extremity of tail 3 feet. From nose to first cerebral vertebra 7 3/4 inches. Length of [?] 2 3/4 inches From neck to Anus 20 inches. Length of Tail 7 inches. Measure across the shoulders to the extremity of the longest claws of the forefeet 28 1/2 inches. Length of Fore limb, from Shoulders to the extremity of the longest nail 13 1/2 inches. Length of head - Do- from Hip to extremity of longest nail 12 inches. Length of Fore Foot from extremity of Heel to point longest nail 5 1/2 inches.-Do- of Hind Foot - Do- Do Do -To -Do - Do- 4 3/4 inches 5 toes armed with Nails on each fore foot: Inner toe of nail shortest outer Toe and nail, next shortest. 3 centre Toes and Nails excepting that the hind nails are only half the length of the fore ones. Length of longest nail on Fore Foot 1/4 inch -Do Do- Do- Do- Hind foot 1/2 inch. or a little more. Teats on 2 each side of the abdomen one inch asunder on the same side and 3 inches separate, across the abdomen, the lowest Teat is situated 4 inches from the Inferior orifice of the Vagina.
Teeth in half the upper Jaw
3 false Molars
1 small Bicuspidate
1 Canine and 3 Incisors:
The latter are by no means
trenchant but short project
little from the alveolar process
and are extremely blunt
[SKETCH]
This sketch will perhaps make clear the meas[uremen]ts. Teeth in half lower Jaw the same as in the upper excepting 2 Incis. Teeth The only one there is short and blunt
Teeth 8 upper jaw
6 lower jaw
Extreme length of the alimentary canal 13 feet 9 1/2 inches, that is from the upper point of the osophagus to [cardiac] orifice 16 1/2 inches, length of stomach 7 inches and from pyloric orifice to the extreme point of the intestine at the anus 11 feet 10 inches. Stomach was empty, and so the intestines. The former I filled with liquid tying it just below the pyloric, and filling it up to the origin of the cardiac orifice. It contained when full, and quite distended 32 1/2 ounces [of] fluid. Apothecaries measure- Colour of the animal: is as follows: Throat, Chest, Abdomen, Inside Arms and Thighs deep dirty brown and scantily covered with course black hairs- surface of Head, Neck, Body and to within an inch of the extremity of the Tail, light dirty white approaching to grey: the Hair thick, throughout: from Eye Lids to Nose deep black: Eye Lids are rigid and provided with Eyebrows: The Ears are provided with little or no whiskers are perceptible, a few straggling hairs arise in the Upper Lip: The Arms and Legs are black. The animal altogether strongly resembles the 'Teledu' or 'Mydaws' Meliceps of Dr Horsfield, but it is more [disgusting?] has the white stripe on the back more extreme; its tail is longer, and sharp pointed, the snout also is not so long; neither is the eye situated so high in the head. I send you a slight sketch of the beast, merely to show you how deep the white stripe runs down the side: it is like the animal and quickly copied from a drawing I made of the beast at the time I examined it.
Such my dear Sir, are the particulars I have been able to collect from you, thus far, but they shall be rendered still more complete, if I can only get hold of another animal. This Bijoo, is of the Mephitic Weasel Tribe, and had it been in a bearable state, I would (with the [?] of a medical friend of mine) have looked at the [nephritic?] glands and glands from whence the secretion comes. We will do so with the next however. Pardon this hurried letter, I am much interrupted, and [otherwise?] suffering from a sharp attack of morbid sensibility of the stomach and intestines which materially distracts my head and mind. I need not say I shall most happily render myself of service to you in any way and therefore beg you will not hesitate to [use?] me if I can aid you in search of Indian Mamalia
Yours very truly
Robt. Wroughton
Express overland
B.H. Hodgson Esq
Care of Messrs Coutts & Co
Strand, London
Sept 21 1844
Calcutta
My dear Hodgson
[Maddock?] sent me a few weeks ago an extract from a letter of yours [reverting] to the publication of your Zoological Drawings by Mr. Howard I would gladly do my utmost in furtherance of so desirable an object but as I told Maddock I thought you were in a better position by proximity to artists and publishers to ascertain if at the high rate the drawings must be sold, the subscription could fill and secondly whether the addition of a more obscure name be interested in the progress of the work might not interfere with its success. I did what I could in giving publicity to your prospectus and publishing in the Journal a coloured specimen of your [reduced?[ drawing: I think England and not India is the place to ascertain the two main points noted over page and you will oblige me by letting me know how these stand after enquiring and how you wish me to act. Yours of the 20th July has been sent me by Piddington would you know the arrogance Blyth has given us by disobedience, shuffling and erosion of his duty as we acquire it to be done, you would not wonder at any thing from him, he now says as an excuse for three years delay in editing [B's?] Zoology of the subject on the plates which [?] that he has lost [Dr Ford's?] notes on them! I will see about your papers the man is [deluded?] by that wretched professional English [?] which insists in denying all merit and if possible interfering with all success of any other naturalist more especially one not professional:- the [?] of his finding him has been [?] discussed and I am ready to carry it through for the amount of arrogance I undergo from the jealousy, arrogance smugness and absurd pretentions of all my subordinates in the Society requires a thinking example you shall have by the next mail of the fate of your papers and I hope have copies sent you as desired. Allen & Co have also written good accounts of the progress of the Bust, it's place is empty but the [?] say the vacant pedestal waiting it with impatience at least [?] impatience as that of which [?] I [shall] be proud [?] of having seen these noble busts of great and good names added to our collection in my time [?] Princep, Hodgson: - we are going on in all departments though not exactly straight as in Blyth's and Sir [B] Hardinge will be our President. I trust you enjoy England:- I doubt much if I will see England again. I have played a great game and tried to come in and drew the stakes just as I hoped for success. Let me hear from you, and believe me
Very sincerely
H. Torrens
British Museum
To Brian Houghton Hodgson
29 Jan 1847
My dear Sir
As we are sending some of the copies of the catalogues I take the opportunity of sending you some letters which have been [waiting?] here. I hope the catalogue will be satisfactory to you, there are some points on which we may differ but such differences elicit truth while easy compliances only perpetuate error. I have just had a visit from Mr. Grace who gave me an account of you. I have looked over his skins he has no Mammalia and only three kinds of Birds not in your collection. Blyth appears to have treated him as he did you as he passed Calcutta. Your skeleton(s) has caused us to go on collecting others and now we have three times as many as they have in the College of Surgeons and nearly as many as they have in Paris except in [?]. We are printing a catalogue of them and your specimens will there appear again as they will in my new catalogue of Mammalia and Birds now in the press. You will see by the catalogue what are the desiderata of Skin and Bones but I shall be very glad to receive good fresh skins of each species and they shall be duly stuffed and [protected?] from London dust [?] soon makes new ones requisite and desirable. I shall send you a list of the Drawings but we have not so many hands here as you have in India and these things take time. I should much like to have the Wild Horse and Ass. What is the Kiang? I shall have a fine work on antelopes for you shortly
Ever yours truly
J.E. Gray
VIZ 27 Sheets of fish, snakes, lizards etc. and 6 sheets of bats also a vol of Meerat Mag and 37 Mss descriptions also a new paper on [Murines?] and another on Birds abstract of [?] paper (to Zool Socy) Gray has for correction List of distribution of skins, Bird and Beast and List of Drawings, recent that is, those given to himself and to Gerrard and those first recd from Zool Socy
Original Drawings lent to Gray to look at returned
[Namthiki?] right opposite
Darj. on shoulder of Tendong
May 5th 1849
My dear H
I have just finished a long story to Campbell about my reception in Sikkim which comprises all of importance I have to detail and which I need not repeat you will be glad to learn that the new [Vakhil?] the Tchebu Lama has as far as appearances go my full approbation, whether armed with proper powers of no I cannot say. I hope he is, having very promptly stopped the feeble demonstration just shewn by an ill conditioned burly Bhotea here and sent forward an order which he says will prevent further mistakes. The man is the one I told you of at Bhomsong is the Dewan of the late Rajah's son, he has been to Llasa and Dejauli resided at both, swears that my [grapes?] there are brought fresh to Ladakh that it is a cold place in Winter too hot for his present robes for many months of the Summer and has but a scanty growth of [?] trees he never saw the [Bison] but describes it well and as from the North where the horns are brought to Llasa much prized. You would get much out of him and will find him altogether a fool and a [?] (and I speak advisedly) superior a man. I am pleased with my first impressions regarding him and can only say I most sincerely hope that Campbell's troubles have ended or approach it. After leaving you we bade good bye to Mrs Campbell and the children from whom I thought I should never get away and then down to Grants and when I called on [McDonnell?] and chiapri both were at breakfast and I was rather superciliously presented to my Lady, with a sort of shrug of the shoulder as much as to say that's she whatever you may think of her status, old C called her Mrs McGregor or McKenzie I think. She was very nicely dressed, modest and well looking, discretely behaved, pretty withall and gracious - tall straight and handsome in every degree "a well favored wench, very broad in between the eyes and broad mouthed but undeniable in forehead, hair and a good nose. I talked advisedly about flowers and the comparative advantages of Darj and [?] whilst old [Chiapi?] ate bread and jelly like a [Mursey?] boy. I pricked his sound ear. Without nonsense she is very nearly a Lady in looks and manners. Archy would not come in and I left him to go on and wait for me [below viridi sub umbra?]. Mr McDonnell you know and I like him none the less, he remains here for the season and I am to call on my return that way! We dined and slept at the Gt. Rungeet chatting [?] and all the more so as it seemed too [?] to contrast more harshly with my present solitude. Campbell is really all you say of him putting all his affectionate regard for me on one side, his bonhomie in the jungles through appreciation of the most trifling desire to please and opportunity of being pleasant between the most amiable man breathing I would give a great deal for his temper which I [feel?] all the more from having fallen into a towering passion myself on the moment of my arrival with [Hopman] and [?] [?] These genei had preceded us, pitched my little cotton tent and put the [?] with covers off inside, it was raining cats and dogs and the 2 fools stood by seeing the whole of our goods getting soaked without lifting a hand to throw a tarpaulin over them. I looked very hard for the Pinus Excelia but could not see a specimen, nor does one of my Lepchas or Bhoteas know any other species but [tonpifolia?]. If the specimen in Campbell's garden really came from this it must have been extremely rare and is now extant but I doubt the authenticity of it's origin. The slope of Tendong a S. expanse to leeward of [Simbul?] I found and expected much drier than either slope of [?] [?] ascending to 3000ft but not very much of it. Still enough for the leaves to make the path slippery it grows no where in Sikkim, inside or outside. To-day I have been passing a very narrow [?] [?] expanding into flats and some of the spurs from it are singularly terrace like and of equal altitude. The scenery is extremely beautiful from the river beds upwards chiefly owing to the great delicacy of the young foliage, the tints are lovely and delicate, the [?] and acacia below and the smaller [?] and above this (6000ft) you enter the gloomy and harsher coloured region of Darjeeling woods but still [?] here than there. The hills too here are more rugged in outline and the landscape hence varied and pretty views of this character are rare in Sikkim. I looked again at the flats along the Gt. Rungeet and am, most positive that the rivers had nothing to do with the transport of the enormous boulders 12 and 15 yards long which are deposited on the top of the deep beds or rubbish earth and water even boulders. The accompanying may give you some idea of their position relatively to sides of valley and river being most attendant on the centre of the flat they could not be rolled down from above and indeed shew no signs of that, and any stream of sufficient force to wash them on to their present position would have been infinitely more than sufficient to have swept away the whole deposits on which they lie. I presume the Deposits to have been the bottom when the valley was an arm of the sea that boulders were deposited from glaciers in the new Fiords that on the retirement of the waters the bay became a river when beds are stretched from [?] gradually retiring to its present level always eating away the preexisting detrital flow of the valley which by diversions of its channel may be still modified but not materially altered. I must now break off and will write you up my journal by next [?] to Darjeeling. My best regards to Tayler who I wish was with me
Ever your sincerely grateful and affectionate
Jos. D. Hooker4
I am travelling in great comfort as to stores and [traps?]
Choongtam May 19th 18[?]
My dear friend
I have this moment received yours of the 11th and as usual perused it with real satisfaction to myself and in this case with much pleasure as it contains no ill news of yourself or friends. What you say of your [Lady?] party reminds of of my neglect in not telling you in my first letter about Mrs Lydiard which in part accounts for Mr. Campbell's gaucheness in doing the honors and that to have made you smile must have been marked, for in such affairs you are the soul of good feeling putting breeding, another shield out of the question. [?] Mrs C does not quite like Mrs. L there is no more to be said about the matter - we both consider Mrs C as one of the most amiable and laudable of her sex but were she a born angel still he comes under the [bar] - wise heads have said "women are the Devil" the commoner sort of 'Kittle Cattle' and My dear H. as Napier sagaciously adds "The least said the soonest mended for though we may understand them by their actions we ne3ver can follow them without being women ourselves. So much for my purple philosophy. Many thanks for your kind attentions to my wants and [people?] [Runghim?] knows everything about my plants and that he can supply himself with whatever assistance he requires he has two [merlins?] and will have another Lepcha if he wants he is a drunken dog and has played me a slippery trick but as I like Lepchas and the complexion of their faults too, I will say no more about them. I am glad that you like my picture of which I am not the least [?] and quite believe it is as good and like as you say. The Lepchas I much liked and the scenary was not finished. Tayler craved and craved to be allowed to make a sketch for me. I did wish very much to say, give me the simplest outline of Hodgson, to send him and be kept at home for me; but I know quite well that subject not after his own fancy I mean is sure to be spoiled, and I did not know how, after the mess he made of [Miss Percy?] and the dislike he had to do the prettiest and nicest children in the station (after doing the [?]) he would take and effect my request. I know he is really anxious to do me a drawing, but what with the above - is telling Mrs. C that he would not allow her to give away her copies and his pointing out to me several that he will neither copy himself or allow others to copy, - I was placed in so awkward a dilemma that I [?] out altogether. The price of such a print as you say should depend wholly on the number of subscribers. If I remember right if a New Zealand view of about that size was 12/6- Frazers Himal published I suppose 30 years ago has I think 10 plates and letter press for £20 but things are far cheaper now. Salt's Abyssinia 10 superb views like [?] £10 I should say 10/6 at the very outside is enough. J. M. Richardson's 10 views of the Swiss Lakes and Lombardy are the most exquisite specimens of the "coloured lithograph" I ever saw (and he is a magnificent artist) sell for £5 and Tayler's cannot come near these were he at home to superintend. There will be three classes of purchaser for Kangcham-
- Ourselves and others interested in the place 2. Picture collectors and 3. Sundries who want to cover [?]. The first alone will give a good price. The second have far too good a choice in Engravings from the best Masters at 1/- to £10 and the last would only hang a coloured lithograph in the hall. The price should therefore depend on the number of subscribers and Tayler's opinion of his own merits added thereto. What their [Want?] may be in a pecuniary light I know not, but poor Harrison now dead did me an incomparably better view than any of Tayler's for £5 and my Father had the pick of Richardson's Portfolio for £10 and chose a universally admired full water color drawing of Como with the morning mist rising. I have seen first rate Stanfields and [?] Fieldings fetch £40 and £50. I talk of pictures of the size of Tayler's 6 views, larger ones fetch either untold sums more or much less, generally the latter. Worst of all Tayler must I suppose raise the wind first and to do this he has not the [advantitious?] aid of portraits and the hundred other claims on the purse and pride of members which Sikh-guns had. Nor can he sell the stone for 6d as he hopes to do the copperplate of the guns. And now I must again turn to the subject of Thibet. I need hardly say with these timorous and distrustful people my attempts in that quarter were taken for granted, not that as you suspected the [?] Sect is the religion of this Country. Except by a direct falsehood I never would have [?] my intentions and between implicit obedience to and through contempt of the Rajah's order there was no choice. That the latter was my view of my view of his interference was known to be the case, as both Meepo and the Lamas have shown and continue is the determination of pursuing my objective in the face of this and of the religious fears of the people would so [open] me to the loss of any further advantages to be gained by continuing my explorations of Sikkim. I am neither John Knox nor a [?] [?] to break my head against their people's stone idols, and to do so would be to give the lie to the avowed harmlessness of my pursuits. I have therefore told my guide that I shall not go one step across the frontier, but fully investigate all on this side. Meepo has been thoroughly honest and candid throughout and the Monks behaved extremely well, even in the expectation of my outraging their prejudices and their interests. It is a bitter disappointment, the more so as it falls heavily upon you my kind, zealous and liberal friend and upon my equally good Campbell - you have both done all that in you lay, and if fault there be, it must rest with me. The Rajah and Monks have taken the initiative, and though I may not have asked them for the best I am quite sure the result would entail the great loss under any different line of conduct. The miserably futile attempt to laugh down fears was as far as I saw, or see the only course open to an Englishman, had I done so effectively the result would have been prejudicial to my views on Sikkim, not to talk of consequences I have before alluded to. I have written fully to Campbell on the subject and my journal will give the [?]. What you say of my being [bitten?] by Lyell and Darwin is gospel truth, they are my Masters, men of 20 and 30 years experience, over all Europe and N. America some of them around the world. Darwin is one of the most amiable and pleasing men I ever met, a gentleman by birth, education and happy [one] of fortune and in all other respects and having travelled over the same countries (he as a man, I as a boy) I naturally accept his interpretations of my many difficulties. Lyell again is the son of one of my Father's oldest friends, a man of great classical attainments, taste and good fortune and one of the most high spirited and liberal men I ever knew. Charles is not half so pleasing a man as his Father, though of more general attainments. I can just remember the stir his Principles made, its translation and [extranilation?] into all languages even Hungarian! and its [placing?] the author some 15 years ago at once over the heads of all geologists, a position he has since retained, whilst his theories, even those that found least favor at first, are daily gaining ground at home and abroad. I must affirm that I find them truer and better than any others, and now that I think more for myself than ever, I believe proportionally impressed with the fundamental truths he lays down Geologists may still quarrell and always will about the the relative age of some of the strata, of the composition and origin of them and in such trifles Lyell may be wrong, his [?] views however are undisputed and I am inclined to [carry?] them out much further than he has from an examination of the Himalayas I do wish very much you could see this country: it would change I am sure some of your opinions and of these regions one can form no proper original conception except by inspection. There is I still think less uniformity in the Himal. than you grant, this valley differs widely from that of the Gt. Rungeet or Wallanchoon resembling Griffiths account of Bhutan much further South and the mere fact of Sikkim having no Pines between 2 and 10,000ft which is every day more clear is a physical feature too strong to be overlooked. All this I will keep for a palaver, my journal will tell you of these terraces and of the [?] of pebbles [agglutirated?] to the rocks high above the river. Thanks for your kind [care?] about my men and plants, let them go on drying and packing the roots I send with moss in baskets. Also kindly send another (2[n]d) load of Nepal Paper and ask Bhaggun to get some Potatoes, Onion and Rice - two bottles of brown Sherry I will beg from your store. Have you thought of advertising your home? Then repairs will be very expensive and if the house stands empty a season all will be throw away.
Best Regards to Tayler and Compliments to Mrs Lydiard
Ever your affectionate and [?]
Jos. D. Hooker
May 20th
P.S. Campbell is again anxious about Nepal - calm him if you can I will [?] the G.G. and would ask roundly had the question involved any Scientific Interest - but you know my opinion of the G.G. and that he would not like my interference on any non scientific subject. I have made a point in all my correspondence of making direct allusion to Campbell.
2 Marches above Lachen June 9 [1849]
My dear Hodgson
I wrote to you so lately that I have nothing further to add, but what my journal and letters to Campbell will contain. My position here is curious, you will observe, by my observations to C and the Flora and climate I should think much modified by the proximity to Thibet. I am certainly beyond the main chain of this longitude but except at the Passes the ranges North are quite inpassable it is a humid country. The snow on the N exposed faces of the hills is good 1000ft. lower than on the opposite and woods ascend 1000 higher on the S. exposure which is diametrically opposite to what I told you of the country South of the main range and can only be accounted for by, its effect of the Thibet plain I should think to the winds of which the hills South of me are freely exposed. Two coolies arrived today with some of the good things I owe to your and Campbell's kindness they have been desperately long on the road and I cannot tell you how acceptable they are for I was reduced today to nothing but one tin of carrots, no rice, bread or vegetables of any sort, meat of any kind and half a can of sardines. I left Choongtam with far too little for Lachen, not expecting such delays as well as obstacles to my progress and I find such great difficulty in getting laden coolies along that I reduced my baggage to 3 men and my whole party including self to 14 - Your Shikari are at Choongtam I am glad to say there is absolutely nothing [living?] here but Insects and these can range from, the tropics to the snow. In spite of all their experience they do not understand camping a bit and are eternally in dirt and confusion their things wet and themselves adrift. They do well enough when left alone and in halts, but travelling they cannot get on. They do not trouble me at al but I do not like to see the poor souls uncomfortable and though there are lots of coolies and they need not want, we never go a short hard trip but [?] picks himself up half found, his things and clothes sodden for want of what he might have for the asking and what is often offered and refused. The [Danjah?] is very industrious and active always out and hard at work. I think he is a very good man wet or dry he is at it whether you get all the birds he shoots or whether they are worth any thing I do not know, but I am sure he always does his very best. [?] behaves very well but has no tact, or nouse or zeal, just dawdles over the ground and never takes the gun. My Serot continues the most incomprehensibly stupid lout I had ever anything to do with still honest and willing [Pakshah?] behaves well being out of the way of [?] Nimbo is a remarkably active and intelligent fellow, very sharp and always awake. Meepo behaves as well as ever as do all the coolies. I have no troble indeed with any of my party. My only trouble is having given up Thibet and that not having given satisfaction but I cannot alter my opinion as to the necessity of having done so and the propriety of acquainting Meepo of what my intentions were. It was no hastily done thing I assure you. I was first asked on the 12th and then told that I was to go only on condition I did not cross the frontier. On the 16th the order came forbidding me to pass the border and still evading the question, on the 21[st] the order ordering Meepo to bring me back came. The latter they told me, on my refusing to go back, that Chin was the ground of offence. Still I evaded that point and afterwards on finding how thoroughly uncomfortable Meepo was and putting all other things together, I weighed the case maturely, and made up my mind that with the understanding in the Rajah's Meepo and the peoples mind that I should cross, it was evident I would not reach the frontier even. If I cannot bridge this river here, Meepo found a place higher up, but that is a mile of terrible Scrub on this side the river, and worse on the other. I am most anxious for this pass because it may lead directly on to Thibet. the others lead to the plain of Latang said to be continuous with that of Thibet though high Mts rise out of it. The Pass by the other route is certainly a bridge on Latang flat or plain or whatever it be and the village people offered to take me there, which I refused as they already humbugged me and at any rate I do not want them. Meepo's instructions expressly mention the bridge, but not it name and he will of course stop at whatever bridge the villagers say is the pass as he did at the Lachen the other day. This route up the river again is quite deserted and we had great difficulty in getting this length what's across no one knows. We find no vestige of a bridge, whether there once was one or has lately been removed we cannot say. This Pass may lead on to Latang plain. You may depend on my despatching a special [messenger?] as soon as I know. We have lovely weather and the continued blue vault over Thibet is very enticing - it reaches half over our sky the clouds always coming up from South and resting on the S. hills. My elevation is about 11,000ft Willow, Pine and Rhododendrons the vegetation I am making a great many drawings of plants and want paper. Please send me 3 or 4 quires of folio white papers. There are two kinds and about 2 reams of each in my room, on a chair near the fire. Please send 4 quires of each kind, one I use for drawings the other for tickets to my specimens etc. If placed between some quires and tied tight of Nepal or brown paper (for drying plants) it will come quite safe. Also please ask [Bhaggun] to get me some wax candles and a box of good hardish biscuits: after all these are the best things for travelling with. This is a wretched route to what that by the Great Rungeet is, the people are miserably poor, and I hardly get fowls and eggs, no butter and but little milk. I talk of its villages below, of course there is nothing here, it is a dead country this, no birds or beasts, no voice of any kind in the wood. I must break of now this is a snowy morning (June 25th)
Ever your affectionate
Jos. D. Hooker
My envelopes are all out - I have plenty [at?] Choongtam