[?] [?] May 13 [1849]

My dear H
I wrote to you two days ago and have not much to add beyond what the Journal contains, all the rubbish about road routes and obstructions I have bothered Campbell with. I believe the [?] [?] [Nivian?] trouble is part with Meepo's feeble exposition of the silly Rajah's wishes - Meepo is evidently no fool though simple enough and has the honesty to giving me the credit of knowing the Rajah's feelings and nature of [?] obstacles. I could not help laughing at he simple manner in which he delivered the R's hookum that I was not to go to Lachen Lachong till Autumn and the evident expectation or certainty he entertained of any such proposition being overruled in two words for the moment I said I would do he dropped it and a goose gave the second hookum that if I did go I was not to cross into China. The scenery up this valley is very grand and I am getting new plants every day, though so far North of you (about 40 miles I guess) we have still a luxuriant tropical vegetation for 2500ft above each bank of the river. Vast timber trees, groves of Pandani and small Palms Bombax etc etc. The roads are extremely bad the great spurs and masses of rock all but impassable sometimes along the river bed and at others up the [steeps?] with scarce holding for the foot. India-rubber fig grows in the ricks beautifully but of all things the Pandanus is the most beautifully typically tropical and remarkable a feature - The forest is passing lovely I wish Tayler could see it and yet he could not appreciated the foliage and tints [or/on] the Gt. Rungeet and his pictures shew a total absence of feeling or judgement in this matter. Poor fellow he is groping in the dark as a Landscape painter and I am haunted with the idea of [Miss?] coming out from England and snubbing Papas foregrounds! After all the market is the best proof of the value of art, when that art has a market as his eminently has now and I assure you that as a work I would not bid a guinea for one of his Darj. landscapes. I would offer more for the place. I ventured to remonstrate on his foreground and opaque plasterings of body color daubed with outlines of trees without tone or transparency but got as summararily pooh-poohed by himself and Mrs. Lydiard as if I had not studied the finest galleries in Europe with judges of each as my guides, or was ignorant of the works and [workings?] of Mr. Stanfield, Fielding, Harrison, Stone, Richardson and fifty other water colour painters. I do not like to boast, being no artist myself but of art, I should be a judge, if [liking?] and training school the mind. I was anxious that Tayler should think for himself, for it will be a bitter day for him when he compares his own Landscapes with those of our first and second rate Masters in England. You have well remarked on the coloring of his portrait faces, whether European or Bhothean as opaque as untrue and [?] neither the tone, nor like flesh un-transparent and his Landscape foregrounds shew the same fault exactly. In [fancy?] works, costumes etc he has excellent taste and has carefully studied the subjects. His group of irregulars I agree with you is his best drawing but the landscape, fore and back ground are as bad as the figures and uniforms are good, literally horribly ill done are the great [tree?] and ground. No critic would grace it with the name of daub, but rather of plaster. His Hottentots and native solitary or grouped are all admirable. Except 'Jung Bahadur' who is ridiculously out of drawing, tumbling down and however rich and gay and good the coloring and uniform, the drawing and pose of the figure will effectively damn him as an artist; do look at it, and if you can, slip in a hint. Legs and arms and waist are all out of drawing and I fear he intends to publish it. The position too is vulgar and affected, not like a native whose grace no bad dressing can hide. Your [Martibar/n?] Ling is quite as good a drawing. The difference between an [outrageously?] dressed native and stage actor is so strong, that you, I am sure, would detect the figure and inherent grace of the former under any disguise and what trace of that is in Jung Bahadur? or of aught but a stage actor in Tamurlaine or [?] the Tartar. You will not I know think me hard on Tayler, but if he will throw up his best prospects and take to the worst [?] [?] man ever took to (painting), it would be well that he could be drawn to think and I know no one can do that better than you, in short I wish him to improve with you as I have done, and through you and he has ten times my talent and ability to avail himself of your guidance. There, as you often say are not questions whose sense an artist only can appreciate - that art may be best judged of by common sense and a practiced eye, is most clear and of this the [?] are ignorant picture dealers (who are rarely wrong) art, in the [annals] of paintings is the best proof and these ignorami detect the painter's hand in unknown works by the handling, where artists too prejudiced in their own favor cannot for they are blind to other merit than their own and know but their own means of attaining [force/form?] color shade etc. From all I can gather the Lachen Lachong passes are as I expected South of Waugh's Powhunry and I have given to Campbell my notions of the distribution and origin of these waters; if I am right the paper will lead on to a [?] and not on to what I should call the plain of Thibet proper and so great a distance therefrom that it would be out of the question to expect to reach it. I shall, at the top of the pass be South of Powhunry and except I make much more [?] than I expect (which would land me at P'hari) great spurs of the Mt. (Powhunry) must stretch N. East of me.

It appears to me that the fact of the Northern feeder, the Lachen, rising in a Lake and flowing to the Teesta, is conclusive on the so called plain against Cholamo (near it) being on this side the water shed, even if I did not see by my route a-head that the passes were S. of Powhunry. Suppose I get to Cholamo, that is as far as I can, for the next stop if I remember right is a village and this is I suppose on top of the water-shed, or therabouts

May 14 [Lings] W. bank of Teesta

Dear H.
We came on here last night - are about 1/2 of a mile or so South of the junction of L.L. with Teesta some [500ft?] above the riverbed, where there is a bridge which I am about to cross and strike N.E. up the Lachen Lachong. I am extremely doubtful if I am doing right in persisting in Lachen Lachong, now that the upper course of the Teesta which Campbell says leads to a pass is open to me. for, if true such a pass would [sink?] my Thibet plan [?] the best, and I could most surely descend upon it without fear of obstructions. This must lead far W of Powhunry and go right North through the Snowy range. None of my people, nor Meepo, nor villagers profess to know any th9ing of a Pass in that direction, all say, after a few marches the country is impracticable. I doubt the Rajahs wishing me to go there if it led to a pass and Campbell's information is very vague, especially as to time and ergo the requisite food - as an axiom it is better always to adhere to first intentions, and if I am effectively opposed about Lachen Lachong, I can still bear up or this is [Autumn?]. The country here is outrageously wild and the branches of the Teesta E and W look specially uninviting. These marches in the hot valleys are most fatiguing and I am generally utterly prostrated in mind and body by the exposure and heat and fit for nothing but bed. I never felt any thing like this exhaustion and my body is as salt as a herring dry and clammy, a good wash revives me but I can hardly keep my eyes open to write up my journal. The people all behave remarkably well ad really they are a very fine race these Lepchas, patient and enduring and so cheerful and kindly disposed to one another for [fi'deleness?] and [?] I am always prepared. I never hear of a row in camp or see them quarrel as the men of [?] did. I think it is the full chin that gives much of the womanish cast to the face and really some of them look more like great girls than men. One of my boys acts valet really very well now that [Hoffman's/Hopman's?] arm is disabled. Washes me down much as an ostler does his hack and is most careful and attentive, he is a clean youth whom I liken to Cherubino in Don Giovanni. To see two washing my feet would make you laugh they handle them as if made of glass and when highly polished blow any specs of dust off! But I must break off - I write to Jenkins hereby.
Best regards to Tayler

Ever yr affectionate
Jos. D. Hooker

P.S. I have found a fine new (to me) species of Tree Fern with prickly stems and a very succulent eatable core.

3 Marches beyond Lachen
Village up the river 11,000ft

June 7 [18]49

My dear Hodgson

I received your most kind and welcome letters of [18?]th and 26th at the same time and on the same day as that on which I last wrote to you. Ere this you will learn that you have ['cutely?] hit the mark about the Passes this and (t'other too no doubt) [?] on the plain N. of this main range and there is no pass N. of Cholas along that wonderful meridianal range. This makes me more than ever doubt native information. Nimbo, Meepo and the Dingpen all independently and out of hearing of one another [?] at months intervals pointed out the routes all miles wide of the mark. Doubiah-Lah is I expect Waugh's Powhunry. I am now doing my best to find out the Pass of Lachen. hitherto unsuccessfully - I am straining every nerve the more so as Campbell evidently thinks my giving up the Chin and telling Meepo that I would not enter Thibet, a dead loss is [caste?]. I am very sorry indeed, really vexed not at the lack of credit, but that any thing I have done should be is difference from his opinion. He particularly dwells on my having "promised not to set foot in Chin" he combats none of my reasons for giving that promise and I would still hope he may reverse his sentence. Every day more than ever convinces me I was right in giving up Thibet and then declaring my having no intention to cross. In the first place the Rajah forbid if that is little to me, but everything to all Sikkim and Meepo was threatened with the most severe punishment should I cross the border - and I heard that both Lachen and Lachong are large villages of Bhoteas who care not for the Rajah and would interfere with my going to the Passes at all and my intention of crossing the border was taken for granted by Rajah, Meepo and people and the first question put to me by Meepo on agreeing to take me to Lachen was "if you go there will you cross the border" I [evaded?] as you know and such a [?] was expressing my intention to do so. I had no choice but to give up or evade. I evaded in the hope of something turning up. Not only nothing turned up favourable but every thing against it and written down to be read to me by Meepo the intelligence of the hostility of the people to my seeing the pass at all and Meepo's constant state of harras and alarm - Now, against the hostility of the people Meepo was my only [fence/defence?] and to expect his help when my views were threatening him with severe punishment was absurd. I knew full well that one bridge removed en route, past CHoongtam, would cut me off from the passes and this the Rajah would never blame the people for doing it nor Meepo interfere I was also actuated in a less degree, by regard to the feeling of a faithful and respectful Serot as him who is [loaded?] with his own Durbar and instructed to [?] me whenever possible. I have now seen fully what I anticipated, that without his active help I could not have reached Lachen village - would he not, have assured the people at Choongtam I was not going into Chin the road would have been cut off and as I said the R. would have thanked them and Campbell could have said nothing - and now I am here not one man in Lachen for any bribe will give me the route to Latang and the Rajah's own [?] coolies bound to Thibet are delayed [8?] days at Lachen lest I should find the track. Meepo is no more cared about than I or Campbell and if it was not for his activity I should have no chance. He has found out one route, the direct one 2 days, but the villagers have, a party of 20 or 25, been all away on it, disfiguring it etc. so that I have taken the route up the Lachen river, first said by Campbell's route to lead to Latang. The border is said to be on the [Cis?] Himal plain of Latang, at the crossing of a small stream a Samdong - this the people gathered at Choongtam and in a letter from the Rajah to Meepo forbids my crossing that bridge. The Latang plain is said to be continuous with the Thibetan though a lofty Mt. rises out of it. I am determined C. shall not say it is from want of spirit that I did this. I acted calmly and with deliberation, did not acquiesce in any order of the Rajah. but five days after receipt of that by Meepo I called the latter on one side and told him I would put him out of his uneasyness and that to pacify him I promised not to set one foot across the border - he had been there 10 days in suspense and took my word at once and has never hinted a wish to have it repeated. Except under such an assurance, I insist that Campbell himself under any circumstances could not have reached Lachen village still less have the hope I still entertain of finding the Pass. The great talking Durbar guide who I blamed as well as Meepo for ['clubbing?] with the Lachen Soubah, is I find a quack and had never been here in his life, he staid away to hide his ignorance. This I learnt from Nimbo who is keeping a very sharp look out Meepo as I know if profoundly ignorant. I am in great perplexity here, not knowing where I am. This is the greater river branch, and I presume the Lachen, but the people say, some no, some yes and there is another name for it. Campbell's old route says one the inferior route is up the Lachen [2?] and an old woman told us there was a route up here, long ago deserted and 2 day's march then the river turns up due N/W for 6 or 8 miles opposite us are some deserted huts and, a shallow Pass-like glen going due N. We think that may lead to the Pass, but have failed in our attempts to cross the river which is very broad and rapid. The [roads?] are infamous; over great beds of snow and what is worse through Rhodod. jungle - there is no path, cut branches alone point out the direction and we scramble along like Dogs. The Mts. are stupendous and we are clearly close to the crest of the Himal. but whether if we cross a path will lead up the glen, or whether we should follow the Lachen due [w/n?] 8 [?] miles (2 marches more) I cannot say. Nimbo and I to day scrambled along one march and came late in the evening to an impassable defile through which the river ran from under a great bed of snow beyond. I have therefore halted here and sent back for more food. When that arrives if we cannot bridge the river I will follow it up with Nimbo and Meepo, carrying nothing but your cloak, blanket and food for 3 days. No one shall say that I gave in about Thibet from any others though [possibly] a mistaken motive of expediency and propriety. I could not have had less Bhotean opposition than now under any circumstances, would I not have had more and could I have commanded by guides aid had the expectation of any crossing the border been held - I have not sat down from 5 this morning till 5pm and shall be up at day break tomorrow to the hill behind us for a view then shall try to "bridge the river" I see no signs of another Pass, for the Lachen must come from near Kinchin, and a branch only from Campbell's lake at Cholamoo, if this be the Lachen that may be the branch from Cholamoo in the valley running up opposite me and if so that branch on the Latang plain is probably the Sikkim and [Bhote?] frontier. I have very fine weather here and am getting a noble collection of alpine plants and drawings there is not a beast or bird to be seen the fir woods at Choongtam are far richer and better than these wild bleak mountains. I have only 3 coolies here the route is so bad and country so wild - one for bed, one for tent, and one for food and cookery. Indeed I have long given up the wish that you should travel in Sikkim up towards the snow. I would dread it as much as you do the Malaria, for me the difficulties at this season, with the fully leaved trees, the twigs across, the path, the leeches, rain, deep mud, slipperyness and torrents are a fearful aggravation if the [?] inseparable from [?] routes at any season - I have wrenched my back trying to save myself from falling, had many falls and my shins are covered with scars and bruises. Nevertheless my halts have been so frequent and long that I cannot call mu work severe on the whole and I am amply repaid in Botany. Thank you very much for writing to my Father. I have been too busy of late to do so as often as I ought. Instead I leave Cheen alone, but when asked pointedly by every person who comes to Salaam, I must evade and as I said above, so great is the dread that evasion is acknowledging. I have no authority with me Meepo is [?] here any more than the Havildar was at Wallanchoon. Every soul takes for granted you want 5to go into Cheen and I doubt if any one could at this season do so, armed with any thing short of Engineers 'to bridge the torrents'. The alarm is up at the moment your footfall sounds in these valleys and I do solemnly declare that no one could reach the passes at this season, but by avowedly giving up Cheen - I did so before I was required to because I saw, that if I put it off till absolute necessity demanded I should be held as having been forced to give up an [intention?] and this evil would be far worse. I should hope in C's eyes, than he thinks I have committed [About?] your letter of 26th [how/now?] do I understand the Sikkim pass about [?] further than I take it to bear immediately on your opinion of the Rajahs and Lamas grounds for opposing my even touching the frontier. Both these functionaries know that our name is a curse along the whole frontier, the Choongtam Lama told me plainly that if the Chinese frontier were invaded by me the passes would probably be shut to their trade in old bones, [Manis?] etc. I assure you I [avoid?] all allusions, but the Bhoteas of Lachen regard me with perfect aversion and to a man will if possible avert me from the Latang pass. Meepo says he can make nothing of them, I give medicine, shew my drawings etc. and M praises me up, call me the Rajah's friend and all else but adds these are not [Sikkimites?] they can't even make Salaam and are little better than beasts, have not a scrap of cultivation and live in the most wretched squalor, filth and want. Chin is their all in all and they did not like the Rajah's son visiting Latang last year and say he brought evil of the land and themselves. I do not think this an affair of the Sikkim Dewan at all, the Rajah is as you all along supposed afraid of his Chinese Connexion commercial and ecclesiastic being [hurt?] by a hated Feringhi crossing by any of his routes. Many thanks for the good things you have sent me - it is very kind of you and I hope still to have something worth your knowing from this side the frontier. You will I know [?] charitably of my giving up Thibet, through a country so hostile it is, at this season especially impossible without engineering powers - I cannot wonder at your taking such steps as you did on the receipt of F's subscription paper - staying as he was with you, it was monstrously indecent, putting all other matters and considerations on one side but I do assure you I never saw a subscription paper circulated for the benefit of the author that did pick up a great deal of dirt - metaphorically as well as substantially. Had I been Tayler the very least I should have done would have been inserted your name with my own hands for 2 copies and send the [thus?] filled paper with a note of explanation and request of your acceptance of the same. Nothing will I hope ever [?] me to defile my hands with a subscription list - I offered long ago to take for self and friend 6 copies of a Lithograph of K. never dreaming of a higher price than 10/- or a guinea - C has kindly modified it to 3 on the [?] of the monstrous price, which pride prevents my asking my friends to take it off my hands for whoever gives more than £1 for the most perfect lithograph of a first rate master. The price however will not break me, but the reasons he gives "that it is injurious to the credit of an artist to publish cheap is the most callous price of selfishness and inordinate vanity I ever heard perpetrated. What a compliment to his brother artists, to authors and every one who has the good of the public at heart and feels for their pockets as well as tastes. I am sure Tayler cannot think what he does - the pricing his own vanity is monstrous, and yet he is the last man to mean it so. My journal is rather behind, but I am getting it up, and hope to send it with something of note yet. I am very anxious till I hear your verdict on my conduct - if you agree with Campbell, I must [?] hold myself wrong and do better with my remaining days and weeks. You will I know tell me exactly what you think and feel.

Ever your affectionate and [?]
Jos. D. Hooker

PRIVATE

Dear H
I send a wee bit of the private to thank you for "unburthening your word to me" most sincerely. I read such demonstrations of true brotherly kindness with equal sympathy and pleasure and pride at having thought truly I do not like to think of the [calculations?] of the world; there are such heaps of [excents?] for many people and temperament so differ. If there be one thing I more than ever rejoice at in our communions and in my receipt of so large a share of your means, time mind and everything, it is in the perfect assurance of the utter unselfishness of your every action towards me, sympathy with me and generosity towards me. I often ask myself if I would be as disinterestedly kind to another and all I can answer is, I do not think I once would, but hope that after this example I now should. I do not remember what Mrs. [Cunliffe?] said but thought Campbell mentioned it at breakfast to us, it was something about [Mrs. D] again flirting since her [union] with Mr. D perhaps it was Tayler told me. I had heard yesterday what a prop. gossip Mrs C was and paid no attention to it - my impression still is that whatever it was. who told you and me together. I think you have hit Tayler's character off to an [ace?] he cannot think properly and I often think all your comparison of his and Cathcart's happiness and wonder which will last longest with you I can admire F's [Dola Par Minta?] style but do not envy it one bit. I do take C's disapproval of my avowedly [?] my having no intention to cross the frontier, as very hard from him though I dare say he does not think what inconsistency if is. The giving the promise to satisfy a poor, honest and most anxiously placid man, who would not serve 2 masters, he can [?] into a [?] or giving way. I should not have made now putting expediency and what I regard as the positive urgency and necessity for so doing on our side, it is for him to rebuke it? Who for 8 long years has out up with every sort of contempt and insolence, who cannot get a answer in 3 weeks from a [Durbar?] 3 days off in whose person official communications have been grossly insulted for so long, whilst he never lifted his hand or voice, to avenge or avert, wrongs which affect equally the govt. he serves and the dignity of his own position.

Ever your affectionate
Jos. D. Hooker

Please let C see the first part of this post, my apology for telling Meepo etc. all but this [?] [?] [?]

Camp Samdong
July 19/49

My dear B

Your long and kind letter of the 30th June has this day arrived with the much acceptable brands of Tea. It would have been well had I given up the cutting and hewing line, as you (too late) wisely advise, but really I was at a loss what to do and did, do feel sure that to give up here, is to expose myself to a quadruple amount of annoyance elsewhere - If I give this pass up, I may as well give up Lachoong too, for to find, or cut one's way is equally impossible - Meepo knows neither way, and the Quaber I still as all along suspect - It is all and ever part of it the Rajah's doing and as I have said over and over again this 10 months, except under fear or coercion there is no place for me. After all I did get something for my cutting and tearing. The Th'londe and [Genui?] the former running W to Kinchin, and cutting off the great Mt chain from the long spurs of the Thibetan table land and the sources of the Genui, amongst the low (comparatively) hills of the latter, are points of moment and besides this I can now connect the geog, of that frontier - W to Kinchin with this (I hope) East to Powhunry true it cost a month of such a life as I hope never to spend again, but my curiosity to know the features of that quarter, (behind the visible ranges) and the course of so large a stream as the T'hlonok must ever have been an aching void - Especially when I should have found how singularly anomalous this quarter is. Again, I am in no hurry to reach Lachoong even were my prospects there better than here, for I may be weeks and never see the length of my hands so perpetual are the fogs of this region. I am clearly out for all the rains and August has no rain, September with heavier rain has clearer weather a great deal. Lastly I think I have made out a point of exceeding interest - that Kongra Lama. the frontier [by] this route is bona fide the water shed! the true frontier of bare table land, and grass and [?] low thought it be as also, that what I may see from Lachoong will be inexplicable without this bit. Look you dear B - The Singtam Soubah called on me this morning, and as usual I talked him into the most delightful humor, told him tales of my younger days, of all the Bens in Scotland and Papa's pulling me up precipices after plants and such like when he volunteered to give me a geography of N. Sikkim and Thibet, called for paper, rice and charcoal and squatting on the wet ground (which has given me a touch of lumbago) he knocked off really an excellent chart, making the Mts. of heaps of rice and drawing the routes and rivers - I send you a copy you will remark that he cannot tell N and S well amongst Mts and that I take it his Lachoong pass ridge should run [E and W?] not N and S [Kancheng jow?] Is my great Mt (alias Choyarribo) it is very holy and Poojahs offered annually to it. Cholamoo is undoubtedly a table land, declining West and North - Kongra Paber he assures me is continuous with the plateaux and the boundary of the bare mountains and grassy ones. All the Lachen waters come from South of it, - from Cholamoo to [East[ or low hills like these to the West. He forgets the name of the great Mt he places North of the Lachoong Pass - I presume it should be East and that it is Waugh's Powhunry he says it is a little higher than Kanchen jow. Immediately N of Kongra Lama is [Genoo/Geroo?] a large Thibetan village, and no doubt the reason why they visit by progress in this direction - Waters flow North from thereabouts, or rather N.W. to the Y. Tsampoo, but is tortuous amongst ranges of hills in Thibet, that it is difficult to guess their direction the [?] (of Campbell's [?]) is the largest - At the back of Kinchin the country is very mountainous and uninhabited K is visible from Dobtah, but no further the country is altogether so mountainous that neither Kanchen jow, Doubia lah or Chumulari are seen from any distance at all - Hence doubt Turner's silence about all this stupendous and superior range west of Chumulari the Soubah thinks probably the head of the Yarron! but is not sure, at any rate great water flow thence to the Yarron. From the back of Kanchenjunga and he thinks from N.E. of it even, the [Arun] waters rise. He knows of no stream from Kamchang to the Yarron. Now you see the probability even, of Kongra P alias Kongra Lama being the water shed, renders me extremely anxious to visit it. Everyone says it is a low spur, never snowed till late in the season. Not a mt. ridge at all, and as perhaps the lowerst Himal Pass I do long to see it - If you did not know how weary I am of [?] after Mt. views you would not wonder at me heart's not bounding at the prospect of the Lachoong view. I know what it will be over and over again I shall climb the Pass to see nothing I Soubahs worrying me and wearying my people - Even granting I get this length. But is all comes of Sikkim this halfway between the two great Mt groups is the most curious, and I shall leave it thus unexplained, if such is my doom with hearty sorrow. Every additional bullying and obstacle makes me more cautious and guarded and for God's sake dear B don't advise my leaving this route - If Lachoong is really to be more practicable - Amen there's lots of time for that too. I do hope C. will write to the Rajah before he gives this Kongra Lama (alias Kongra Paber) it is promised me and let me stick here here till the answer comes. Do consider it is 1 1/2 march N. of this and with these Macadamized roads. What a distance that is north of my now remote position north too of my dearly beloved Kancheng jow do look out for it and "pensee a moi" If the apparent obstacles have induced Campbell to recall me home, recall the recall I beseech you - fool that I was in my ignorance to say "I personally did not care 6d for such a p" it is of all points the most interesting and be that as it may - any [?] in the quarter is fatal to my prospects in another I ascended an average Mt of this district yesterday it was 14,000ft about and I had not a particle of jungle in

Singtam November 1 [18]49

My dear Brian
Thanks many for yours of the 24th now received from [Sleeman/Sherman?] which is very kind and leaves no room to doubt of my Nepal reception on the British [Resid.] account. What Lord D has to say remains to be [read?] we are delayed a day or two here with rain and my plants but move tomorrow [Tumloong?] wards whither the Rajah denies us not to come and sends us to his [congees?] and directions to go hence as we came, insufferable impudence I call it. The Lama has been awfully threatened and punished dismally but we have bolstered up his courage successfully and he is up to [?] scratch. Meepo too appears to be on our side and in the Lama's confidence. I think Campbell will do it this time and meanwhile we are at loggerheads on the question of Capt. Baines and the Austrians which I upheld through thick and thing and [glory?] in the 2 headed Eagle having to receive a Middy's [crew?] with a salute and its own band playing God save the queen nay I would have held out for Rule Brittania I tell Campbell and he will get it out of the Rajah yet. Jubilate for your improved health. We shall be in about 12th I hope. For God's sake send that black [?] off [incontinent?] [Hoffman/Hopman?] wants no bad examples and I fear may want to do down with [Gomes?] Let Bhaggui give him what he likes remembering that as he coluntarily demands dismissal on Oct 6th his wages cease Sept 6th (so says Campbell) I think he cheated En Route up to [Bhaupilpure?] but cannot tell without reference to Calcutta. I have just read [Queen Koock Dhimal?] and with great admiration. The religious bit extremely interested me and it is written with [?] [?] clearness and good style - true or no n'importe to me. I doubt not it is as accurate as good. What a miserable affair is [Andrew Fleming's?] (son of the Zoologist of ?] bad English and miserably poor in details - Cunningham's paper is very clear and good but I still cannot clearly see my way about the atmosphere being varied at all - You may be quite right but I do not penetrate it on these grounds.
1/ The density is no different at special elevations on an isolated Peak rising from the [sea?] and on a plateau,
2/ The constitution does not differ in these elevations nor in either from that of level of [sea?]
3/ The mean temp of the year is not greater in one that the other Any one of these postulates granted I do not see how we can talk of the "atmosphere being carried up" - We cannot exaggerate the amount and rapidity of evaporation. Even I could hardly believe as I saw the thick hoar frost of night go by magic.
The height of P S is not a mere element of mean Temp - The reverberated heat of the Thibetan plateau which is very great does not imply and increased Mean Temp for the cold by [?] radiation is equally great in [?]. I appears to me that the diminished fall of snow, and the rapid evaporation of what does fall and powers enough to raise the snow line - If you raise the atmosphere with the elevation i.e. place on the plateau an atmosphere where normal [position?] related to the surface of the [globe?] is elsewhere beneath the level of the plateau - that much betrays itself in one or all of the three attributes. Density, Composition and Temperature, of these the Density is the most conspicuous and the most accurately and easily measured but I can positively affirm that the density of the atmosphere [?] [?] on 10,000 in Thibet is within 100ft of what prevails over all equal elevations in that Latitude - and as the mean temp. of the said for 3 days was below 30o we cannot suppose the second attribute (Temperature) that of an inferior level, as referred either to the general state of the atmosphere or to that floating round an isolated peak of said elevation placed in the ocean. I hope that I mean is clear to you, if not I can explain it i.e. demonstrate it (right or wrong) on paper when we meet. Thibet is certainly a huge plateau but not [?], it is truly awfully rugged and mountainous and very many of the mountains in sight from where we were much reach 20,000ft and not a few 22,000 how very curious that none should be higher materially whilst the mean level is so great and peaks so high. Cunningham uses the same Expression that I did "Douses" for the [?] [?] and these I learn are very confined few and far between in this quarter. Cholamoo is the great one and perhaps 10 miles every way, but on it the quantity of surface 1000ft above the mean is very great. Old Muller has quite against my orders sent a Barometer out to me - A new one and it arrives smashed. I told him that I did not want it and on no account to send it out - 2nd to accept it himself as he asked me for a Barometer - this is not all he forgot to send me the sheath and case with the tube sent before and so entailed the smashing of another Barom. the original one I brought from England - Five broken Bars. in one year is a [?] allowance - not one being my fault in any way! worst of all I have now to buy a new one again for old Muller. Cunningham's paper on the Embankments is highly philosophical and good, he must be a man of great attainments. What he says [illustrates?] my noticed of the river bed between the Ganges and Terai exactly. He does not apply the word "table land" to Thibet probably from restricting it's meaning in a [?] I do not - but we had better look up the [?] if it means a surface on the whole [?] plain or [?] than mountainous I cannot admit it for this part of Thibet but if as I suppose the term implies a mass of land greatly elevated and continuously so above the mean level of the [?] - however rugged a surface - then that will do for their part of the world. Humboldt applied the term to the centre of Spain which is no plain if I remember right. Campbell denies [?] [?] [?]
from
Yr ever affectionate
J.D. Hooker

Govt. House

Mar [22nd?] (Supp)

My dear Brian

I hasten to inform you by way of supplement to my this days despatched that I have seen [Jessie?] a very nice looking lady-like and agreeable girl all [bloom?] and draws remarkably well [?] especially far better than Papa, with expression and better flesh tints! She has just finished one of [Francis?] Buchanan for his intended a remarkably [?] water colour portrait. Mrs/Miss Taylor is certainly a most agreeable [swell?] looking person but probably much altered since you saw her. She has magnificent eyes but rather larger hollow [?] and her tints are sallow In manners she is remarkably pleasing, quite engaging [?] [?]. I saw [B?] on the course but only at a distance. Miss [Colvile] rides a great deal and always in a very tasteful costume, she dressed really simply and elegantly and is certainly as lady-like a person as any in Calcutta in manners, dress and appearance. Someone remarked yesterday that she had grown quite pretty. The tide of [?] and gaity has ebbed only for the season at Calcutta and from all you can hear and see we would not suppose money was scarce. All are unanimous that this season has been unparalleled for gaity. Taylor had the prettiest turnout on the course but poor fellow I fear it often causes an aching heart - He certainly does [?] and [?] [?] ship but only because his time for promotion is all but up and he cannot and he cannot hold the P. Office much longer. He would still prefer a Calcutta appt. for his families sake but supposes that he will be obliged to take on [?]. He things of the [?] if, as is probable that is to be brought down to 2500 but unfortunately however good his character was, as a magistrate it is now so low as a man of business that I should doubt his standing a ghost of a chance and further a barrister is [?] of for it amongst whom there is plenty of choice. [?] Taylor expects a [?] judgeship and hopes the station may be a healthy one. I am to see Thornley/Thoresby tomorrow morning. He is at Spence's. Taylor has just received the picture back from [?] together with his copy of the Rhod. book. Dr [Falconer?] looks fit and well but pale and is reported sickly and unable to retain the garden. I only saw him at the college for a minute. He reports the Rhod. seeds to be springing up as a "[?] of green" Calcutta Garden and the Lawn is also sprouting - all are in [?] [?] Bethune's Hindu Girls School bears a [?] [?] character. He [?] [?] one of the most uncouth looking [?] I ever set eyes upon. Falconer says that Strachey's Himalayan work was the most suspect he ever set eyes upon, and that all his operations Geometrical, Meteorological and Botanical are [?]. His cross sections from the Snow to the Plains are both panoramic and exact with details of Elevation, Temperature, Geology, Plants, Animals and all else. He went a long way into Thibet over [Niti] and spent the whole season upon other work. He and Madden publish together and at once on their reaching England. So tell Thuman/Thurman we must look to our points.
[?] 23rd I have just had a long talk with Thornley/Thoresby he says the Nepaul Durbar is firm and sure that the Rajah [?] and Jung Bahadur brother (now supreme) very inferior. Erskine not likely to get on. His own doubts are whether J.B. would like introducing an Englishman to [?] travelling during his absence when the said traveller would be under the care of others - when the general feeling of the people might be against the measure, and when he himself could not be present to give confidence. The best plan by far he says is to wait till November when Jung Bahadur will be back again and when everything is certain to go on well and when he is certain to promote [ad libitum?] intercourse with us. I however guess the present opportunity and he will undertake it on J.B.'s return from Jaggernath for which I [?] [?]

Ever yr. affectionate
J.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?]

June 12 1849

My dear H

After writing to you today we took camp across the river and whilst the men were pitching and repairing the shingle [shed] I took a ramble through the forest and in 2 hours found a narrow track up the stream N. Returning I took some men and we opened it up for 1000ft through Webbiana pine and a [horrid?] scrub of a small Holly it took 4 hours getting so high about 1/2 a mile linear in distance. The river is a tremendous torrent, swollen fearfully, it is a cataract for this whole 1000 feet i.e. no where pooling for a yard, but in one sheet of [?]. At 12,500ft it was tranquil in a deep ravine and to my astonishment I find its temp 4o higher than at 1000ft lower down. It hence arises from a flattish country or flows through such from, a very distant snowy source, we returned by dark very tired.
June 13th
Ascended the river again to explore further reaching in 2 hours our yesterday's finites continued up, through a deep [defile?] verified my yesterdays temperatures. At 12,700ft are vast beds of snow and most uncomfortable slips of stones. The snow bridges the river for many yards[s] and is 30-40 ft thick but there is little on the surrounding [?] mts. and there are at the foot of lateral [?] still the [communication] is prodigious. At 13,000ft the valley suddenly expands, with low hills on either hand, is piled full of huge rocks and so impenetrable a scrub of Rhododendrons that we did not get 1/4 mile in 4 hours had to knock off at 4pm utterly done up scratched and bruised. The day was very bad thick mist and heavy rain, cold and comfortless and our devious route through the [shrubs?] clambering precipices and worming through clefts of rock or up the river flanks ducked in the showering cascades most disagreeable. Could we cross to the opposite side for the last 1/4 mile is very practicable to appearance. At this broad part there is hardly a patch of snow as far as I could see - even up to 14,000 ft on either flank of the valley and the river still kept the high temperature of 49o at 13,000ft! whilst at 12,000ft it was 47o and at 11,000 45o the main stream into which it falls 40o I need not say we had no path of any kind we were 4 hours returning as fast as we could drive reaching camp in pitch black, but they even had come out with lights in the wood. Since 10am we sat down but once, at 4pm for half an hour. I must now take a part of the camp up the valley and continue the exploration but how to get the coolies along is the difficulty and they are of course heartily sick of this work. I conclude the river has a remote source or near one, in low hills though my position the views I have had and temperatures all but convince me I am beyond the main range of the Himal. and very close to the Plateau. I am the more anxious about the route, as I think I am surely informed that the Lachen Pass is a bridge and that a China post has been recently established there. One thing is certain that the Rajah's [munject?] is left at the bridge and then received by the Thibetans. This does not prove the beyond being Chin for the Wallong [salt?] is taken by the Thibetans to Wallanchoon

14th
I had a fine view this morning - West of Kinchin and Waugh's [D.Z.?] I take it both South of my position which is as presume as this

[MAP]

June 14th
This morning was fine but day too drizzly to take the things up the Pass road

June 17th
Since writing the above I have been laid up two days and the weather has been too bad to allow me trying the Pass The Bhotheas came to make their Salaam but I refused to see them and sent the, back to Lachen at once. They said this was Chin others told my coolies (coming up with Rupett) that there was no Pass here but only stony hills others that the Bhoteas had gone round from the Pass to oppose my progress this way and that the Thibethans were down at the frontier along with the Lachen villagers who are still all up at Latang. Meepo is in a great state about this being Chin and is evidently heavily threatened upon that point. I have been very busy drawing and my collection is now getting very large. I have just finished 30 Fungi all different from Darjeeling species. So I Strachey has settled the snow line question as far as the N.W. is concerned, and I am very anxious to see how it will turn out here, but the continuous snow ridge is evidently wanting in this meridian and it is impossible to say at this season what is perpetual and what sporadic there are such enormous beds at 10,000ft and even below it and snow has fallen at 13,00 within these few days. I calculate the breadth of the P.S. ranges have between the Sub-Himal and Thibet to be 24 miles or rather less. As far as I can make out there is no plateau proper N of this but bare undulating rocky hills and all the evidence I can collect is against there being any Pass proper, i.e. over a snowed ridge North of Lachen but you know I give you my information just as it comes and you must weigh it irrespective of my opinions which must lean to what these lying wretches say in the absence of better data. You cannot I assure you form an idea of the difficulty of getting on in this weather without route, guide or dependable information nor of the multitude of paths you may take these being all even the best [?] more than tracks to Yak grazing or to Shikari - a bush once cut indicates a path, where it leads and how long or far you may track it you must find out yourself and you have no sure guide in direction, no bearing, no distances to help you. I have written to Falconer declaring my sentiments fully as to his conduct and that except he can explain or apologise for it herewith my communications must be discontinued with himself and the [H.E/S?] gardens directly or indirectly, My Father is complaining of my sending nothing to Kew and you know what hundreds of roots I have transmitted to Calcutta with what trouble for diversion with Kew, very few of which were, previous to Macree's taking charge even acknowledged. [?] F. says with some bitterness "we have literally nothing to shew of yours in the Royal Gardens" I have said nothing to him about F. Bowling wrote to me about cultivating [?] at Darjeeling and the scheme appears good and he is a zealous and skillful horticulturist so I have backed the recommendation

June 17
I am all right again and the weather looks clearing

Ever your affectionate
Jos. D. Hooker

Tungu July 25th 1849

Maps, charts, sections plans answers etc in my next -

My dear B

At last I have been to the frontier and stood upon the bona fide Thibet plateau, for to such I was well assured this Lachen river would leas, as soon as the Singtam Soubah described Kongra Lama to me. Yesterday I went thither having [carried?] my point as to proceeding from Samdong by a happy accident of which Campbell will inform you. Tungu is some 6 miles a little W of North from Samdong. The road along the E bank of the Lachen is excellent [?] in many places broad enough and flat enough, but ever interrupted by hills ridges and spurs - vegetation rapidly decreases, the Mts. become lower instead of higher and are still more sloping and beautifully green - here the Tungu choo enters from the West and the valley is very broad quite flat and with but a stunted Webbiana, Birch and little Juniper. I collected 15 new plants on the road up and 40 more in two hours about the camp. Astragalus Fumaria and other Tibetan types rapidly increasing. The Lachen Soubah waited on me, swore himself to truth and took me to the pass yesterday good 12 miles [and linear?] north of this, with a good road all the way direction about North soon after leaving Tungu 13,000ft cross the Lachen (12 yards, tem 50!) it here runs through a narrow glen with rugged Mts. of P.S. in the west which run North in a splendid line of snowy cliffs called Chomiomo but flanked by low hills along the river and this said loft snowy range is continued South to the fork of the Genui and Lachen is low ranges after passing Tungu above this the Lachen Valley expands and receives 2 streams from Chomiomo, both large, on the [N/W?] are low hills running South from Kinchin jow without a particle of snow. All along the river is flanked by broad stoney flats and spurs with only grass and tufted herbs, a little Juniper (creeping) and Rhododendrons. Some 5 miles up we passed a shallow glen opening up to Chomiomo with [lots?] of Perp. Snow at 14,500ft or 15,000ft. The river meanders and splits much, its [Channel?] very tortuous, and above there feeders from the W, is a placid stream abt. 14,500ft or so. We arrived at the Lachen Soubah's black tents, [gates] and [horses] and were welcomed by his Squaw to a sumptuous meal of Tea with salt and butter, curd, [parched?] rice, maize etc. we halted an hour when a tremendous peal like thunder woke every [?] in the glen, it was a thick fog and drizzle - the Bhoteas started up saying "the mountains are falling, we shall have rain" I was vastly puzzled, for I thought heavy Thunder storm had broken overhead, but it appeared that it really was the noise of falling masses of Kinchin jow and Chomiomo - we started and soon after it poured with rain - the roar of the falling hills was truly terrible and incessant for the hour. I never heard any thing more awful and I cannot say which Mt. contributed the most, they returned salutes and echoes so incessantly. The low hills flanking each prevents a fragment reaching the valley. The rain [ducked us/drenched us?] and cleared off; the valley opened with a funnel mouth and at 15,000ft we were on a bona fide plateau, between these two great Mts. Some 3 or 5 miles apart From either hand low flat terraces all stony and bare slanted up and down, met, joined [missculated?] and waved across the surface for 4 miles more or thereabouts we hardly ascended 500ft to a low very broad and hardly distinguishable E or N ridge, of Kongra Lama, which runs a little N of West from the N.W. extreme of Kinchin jow When on it you find it is culminant, but so low that the cairn on it is not seen half a mile off. The top is an indefinable flat into which other similar low ridges dip, producing so confined a surface that it is impossible to say what was higher and what lower of great broad ridges not 50 or 100ft above the mean level of the land, for 4 miles South and many more North. The Lachen forms a semicircle round this spur from Kinchin jow comes from N.E. of it and flows West along its N. base turns South cutting through, then East and again "South down the valley" - so confusing in the surface that standing at [HERE A TRIANGLE IS DRAWN REPRESENTING A POINT ON THE MAP] Neither Soubah nor Serot could convince me that the Lachen at A was not much lower than at B, and B, lower than C and to their division I had to walk thither some half mile to convince myself - North of A low flat spurs succeed one another, the land dipping very considerably to [Geeree], the [cheneu] but a few miles on where is a Dingpun and guards they say, it is invisible from this at time and now the storm that had pelted us passed over and hid the distance - all assured me that should the clouds lift I would see low ranges of hills with stones, hardly a rock, running in all directions - N. East the plain continues as Cholamoo and was backed at [5 or 8?] miles by a low awkward oblique range of grassy round topped hills ["Pentha-T'Hlu?] say 10 miles long and 1500 above Kongra Lama, pretty steep but not a particle of rock, theyr rise from the N slope of Cholamoo plain belong to nothing and look as if dropped from Heaven. Due E and between East and N.E. was blue sky, vry fine and not a hill of any kind [?] snowy or other one exist in that direction, all were low waving slopes of Cholamoo. Doubiah Lah passs opens on this plateau to the South of East of this Pass hence, as I said on first arriving at Dorjiling my dear Kinchin jow is the nothernmost of all the Sikkim Himalaya and must rise clear out of the Thibetan plateau? and so it does, abruptly in a wall of beare rock and slopes of debris behind which a precipice of snow towers up perpendicularly to 20,000ft capped with prodigious beds of snow west - low spurs of Chomiomo rise out of their plains steppe by steppe and S.W. the [ground] but itself, not inferior to Kinchin jow, reared its walls of snow alas all perpendicular and [trending?] South to a little north of Tunga - South the plateau contrasts as a [farewell?] and then dips down to the valley of Lachen. I walked about a great deal, for views, the people having no objection to my putting foot in Cheen, indeed we halted without Sikkim, but I could get no views, the surface is so wavy that you are lost the moment you leave the roads, as far as knowing by land marks which way to turn - It is like the Dunes in Holland on a gigantic scale, a labyrinth of mere nothings, with the stream so tortuous that you cannot guess which way they run. North of Kongra the Lachen appears all pool and marsh and though at its [?] hardly flows. I thought the flats of its North bank a good deal lower than Kongra which is the flat of its South bank, but nothing but a delicate level could determine that - be that as it may, the Lachen rises from S.E. or rather from the South of East Kongra, flows along Kongra's North flank and appears to cut the ridge between Kongra and Chomiomo and to get down the valley

July 26th
This is a splendid morning and I must make use of it - so cannot write more I was writing all last night and I am excessively busy - Many thanks for the queries of 4th and 7th and the books

Ever yr affect[ionate]
J.D. Hooker

I have finished and send the Terai Journal - very foul I fear, please send it to Campbell when read

P.S. Not a particle of snow the whole way not a speck on Kongra Lama at 15,500 nor for 1000ft up the Mts, facing Thibet. Temp. of Lachen at 15,500 47° at Thlonok at 10,000 you know was 40° Muller will send you the true height of Kongra Lama

Momay Samdong
Sept. 27/49

My dear B

Your long & kind letter of Sept 11th has just arrived but those preceding it are still on the road, so you must excuse my apparent negligence in reference to them. Pray understand that when I complain of long silence on your and Campbell's part, I refer solely to the Post and roads it is impossible that any one could be better and more kindly treated as a correspondence than I have been, and am, by you both. So many and so long communications as I receive, were wholly unexpected, much as you have to think about of greater impact than the Wandering Jew. I am greatly delighted with your hints about Nepal coming as they do to meet my inclinations half way. I do assure you I was [activated?] in my choice, no less by my Father's wish as I understand that, than by the feeling that you would approve of my choice and that perhaps the best tribute of gratitude I can offer yo yourself and Campbell is to throw light upon a country to which (in a certain light) you are both fondly attached. Campbell's kind regrets at my giving up the Himal. smote me too. It affords too a small hope that I may see you both in India again, as I pray God I may eventually in England, at present I feel overwhelmed with the matter of lingos and [?]. It is impossible to exaggerate the difficulties arising from the wanting of a tolerable colloquial knowledge of Hindustani even, where I am and of Bhote beyond all but my powers in that direction are 0-3 separate times I learned and could converse in German now I cannot translate the simplest fable in that language. I must confess too that my protracted wanderings in solitude are rather dull. I have been off and on 11 years a voyager and traveller, and never one with a soul who cared a nub for my pursuits. Hence if one of the many reasons for keenly appreciating our Terai cruise it was a pleasure to bring my flowers to some one who cared to see them, for their own sake as well as mine. I am puzzled about Mrs. Lydiard's wishes really there is absolutely nothing that will succeed in the plains reasonably well but few do and the wetter climate of Bengal and both [Napleton] and [Pontet] (skilfull men) are [?] [?] I need not tell you that more opposite conditions of climate are hardly elsewhere found so proximate. Certainly I think a lot of air plants the prettiest most valuable and hopeful present, and I will when I send Hopman and give particular instructions as to his packing as many baskets as you please for Mrs. L. Hop. is a good packer and plantman also honest to a [straw] In every other respect the most useless, careless, idle, inattentive, dirty hound I ever had any thing to do with. The lethargic [G] cannot be worse so I will try him here. Hopman is, I beleieve a steady and safe [inmate?] and if he will only keep [?] to work and pack roots he may do good service at [?] seeds of course from these elevations are useless in the plains, but I will make a selection when I go below for you. My best compliments to Mrs. L do not agitate yourself about my abolishing the Himal. nor take what I said to the letter I really was and am struck by the Aruns's long course and as to abolishing the Himal. I spoke only in a comparative sense, as one who previously looked on them as all the watershed directly in the south. By my [?] you will see that I hold them as still more the watershed than ever and expect that the mean level of the Himal. [band?] may prove even greater than all beyond it that one expects. Your remarks upon the [?] drainage still returning to [?] are remarkably astute and what I have been lumbering my brain with an awkward form. I was not aware that the N.W. tried to abolish the Himal. Thomson seems on the contrary to throw overboard my idea of there being any watershed [to] the South, from North and through the [?] range. On such puzzling points I find it extremely difficult to express myself. I will swear by the limits by the [?] of [B's] denial if every river and its every feeder come from N of the chain what I want to get at is, the idea that your watersheds are of more paramount importance than we can guess, till we know more of the country N of the chain that in Thibet N. of Sikkim we have a basin of the Arun. How far West does it go? thus the Eastern branch, cannot have less than a 70 miles course! more probably 110 linear. The Eastern and Western gradients both I think you say come from beyond the snow. What are these basins? Whatever range confines the waters of the [?] must be I should think in reference to the Himal. in the North which the sub-Himal are - One of the Bhotean rivers is [?] as having a Thibetan course, equal to the Arun! In short what I would say perhaps comes to this - that we limit the Himal too much, calling Thibet rightly in one sense, what is strictly the N. slope (range upon range) of the Himal. The subject is infinitely more complicated that I ever guessed it would prove. The mountainous nature of the country N of Cholomar whether (as we cannot deny) the basin of the Arun, or no have given one a wholly different notion of the great Plateau. In this direction I do assure you I beg all I can to lower my estimate of those Mts. and to attribute much to disappointed expeditions, but it is all of no avail the very fact that any country should look mountainous from 17,500 or 18,000 is staggering and I have now been over and over again, and I believe to 19,000ft. and these mountains do not smile on the horizon they occupy a whole quarter of the compass. Hardly recovered from the shocks you will not wonder at my feeling unhinged and in [?] waters they presume to dictate to me what my watersheds are to be and where I am to cut my snow-line Not that what I think we may exaggerate their feelings and intentions - I don't care a fig about them one thing I must stick to and that is the climate of the Dorjiling range. If the outer range of Sikkim receiving an oceanic current from 250 miles distancer over the Sonderbunds, unchecked in influence by an intermediate range is not to differ in ranges of temperature and in humidity from the NW mountains which receive a similar wind from a distance of 700 miles over an intermediate range of great breadth (and on an average 15,000 high) and over the [?] plains. If I say these differences are not to make a wide difference between the climate of Dorjiling and [?] then there is an end of physical climateology. I think your long residence at Khatmandu, which should present intermediate features leads you exactly to halve the total amount of difference. This year you say is exceptional, but since Madden's letter of last August 12 month complains of a threatened loss of all the crops from want of rain and if only I remember right the plain beyond. Patna, Delhi Agra [etc?] were dried up till way late in the season. Depend upon your, my and our range from Rajmalal to [Condeiel?] is "il diavolo" my findings the inner ranges of Sikkim in all respects tallying with the outer ranges of the N.R is another curious fact. As to the absence of Leguminire [Granime] and [?] I am indeed a naughty boy, but it is all the worse for myself - as to [?] and [?] they together as N at [?] form 1/7th of the flowering plants of the whole world! and a fair quarter proportion is [?] flowers and immeasurably greater still in alpine and high temperate regions - I have not 20 sp of Leguminire! nor 50 of grapes! what you say of their [?] on the outer range being [carried] by the forest vegetation etc is true to the most, and I have [?] them and other [reasons] in my [?] and other [?] Campbell is wrong in supposing I get in a passion or show the least signs of anger. I have not since I was in Choongtam in May been out of temper. I take all with perfect self possession. I say freely what I think, of this and that piece of insolence, and that it is reported to Campbell for him to settle even this last was of flogging the coolie in my service and enjoining silence in my, your and his [?[ never called forth in an angry expression of look, I heard dispassionately all each had to say which was little enough, I said "I consider it as grave an insult as could be offered me, and report it to Campbell as such" Alas! my conscience whispering that it was all mere talk. Even should C take it in hand, 50 stories will be trumped up, and the original evidence I have extorted separately from the people before there was time for [combination] and [coniving] will be to to what these liars will be ready to say and swear to. Enough I, will bore you nor him more, my say is said that if required to state my opinion of Cs proceedings it must be in terms of the strongest disapprobation I am not vexed or angry with him, I address him in strong language, for that alone can rouse his torpid energies. I am your better pupil in self possession and calmness though perhaps wrong in practicing these qualities here where wrath and bluster are my only weapons for I have no ammunition at Dorjiling to fall back upon - no ally here though it be headquarters

Ever your affectionate
Jos. D. Hooker

On second thoughts I send [?] to Campbell and ask him to forward it you telling him I retain your copy have been hard on the poor Devil and in difficulties, after all it is more poor Devil than any thing and he, he has not firmness and that is his fault, he is the essence of kindness and friendship I do believe and the most aimiable of men, but even these generous qualities may be masked. Campbell has one glorious, brilliant, shining spirit, which I who know the Scotch so well cannot overpraise in him, the frankness with which he speaks of the poverty of his family and the nullity of his origin - that mark in a Scotchman and a Celt above all is beyond praise - it makes a man of him whatever be his foibles. I took the liberty of chasing the [purses] between you Campbell and Muller. I think you would rather have this as a matter of taste and had I sent all Mrs. C to divide the gaudy one (which I think vile) would of course been your lot. The Cs have no taste and will duly admire it most people too will say you come of here again 2nd best in my estimation! Thanks many for sending down to Titalya for Gomez and a descendant of Ferdinand I suppose La "Cid Campeader" by birth the Florentine (del Crusea) could not come under R40 - food again I warned him of the danger he was running in treating me as he did and now he finds it [?] Short of all his power and faced to contradict all his former ties, he now comes back to stake a most humiliating position in the scenes of my former glory. The now-line is down 1000ft since August! and so my point of its Sikkim elevation is settled. We are marching all day [?] at Sunrise which does not leave me the time I need to have to write you it is wretchedly cold now [?] [?]

Ever your affectionate
Jos. D. Hooker