JDH writes from Lisbon regarding his journey, letter sent with one to Miss Henslow. Anticipates good passage as far as Sidon but plans after reaching Egypt are uncertain, he will stay close to G.G. [Governor General]. Discusses how grandfather has invested JDH's money & how to draw money from W. & T.[?] after arrival in Calcutta [Kolkata]. Letter arrived at Portsmouth containing letters of introduction for JDH in Calcutta. Suggests Miss Cracroft would be liked by his family & should visit Kew & wants to know what friends of hers he should visit in India. Mother to forward this information through Mrs Kendal. Reports on progress with V.D.L. [van Diemen's Land] plants to be sent home by Dr Salmon, not Miller, along with the with the Niger m/s [manuscript]. Provisionally calls the new V.D.L. cruciferous plant Bretonia. This & the Fagus called ‘gunnii’ from the m/s of Gunn’s trip should be checked by Pl[anchon?] to see if names are occupied & characters drawn up. Dr Richardson to be informed what ship the plants are sent on so he can send case of bottles by the same via steamer to Barnes. JDH to write again from Gibraltar with account of Lisbon.
Transcript
HMSSF Sidon *1
Tagus
November 17 1847
My dear Father
Our going into Lisbon gives me the opportunity of writing to you much sooner than I expected, though after so short an absence & before visiting any strange land, I have very little to say but what relates to home affairs. You will see from my to Miss Henslow to ship this home, that we have been getting on most delightfully, & the prospect of a very pleasant passage as far at least as the Sidon is concerned , for what is to happen when I put into Egypt is more than I can say. To stick to the G.G.'s coat tails will be my plan of action, & hope he will drag me on. Perhaps you my hear from my grandfather what I am to do about money matters damage from the T.F. how I am to draw my money from them , but at present I have neither cash enough or credit to go a day after my arrival . My Grandfather put almost all my money into business, the remainder is I suppose exhausted on my outfit & outstanding debts, so that I doubt his being able to get me credit at any Bank in Calcutta, perhaps the best plan would be for me to draw on you for £400 a year & you to draw my allowance from the Mr T.F. to the same amount. The G.G. had received a letter for me at Portsmouth, it was from with 4 most excellent letters of introduction to Calcutta. I forgot to ask you before you before we left whether my mother would not like to ask Miss Cracroft to spend a few days at Kew, she is a most lady like girl & I think that both my mother & would like her very much; I enclose a note asking her for the names of the friends in India whom she wished me to see & which she forgot to give me, my mother will perhaps be good enough to forward it to Mrs Kendal or so that
HMSSF Sidon *1
Tagus
November 17 1847
My dear Father
Our going into Lisbon gives me the opportunity of writing to you much sooner than I expected, though after so short an absence & before visiting any strange land, I have very little to say but what relates to home affairs. You will see from my to Miss Henslow to ship this home, that we have been getting on most delightfully, & the prospect of a very pleasant passage as far at least as the Sidon is concerned , for what is to happen when I put into Egypt is more than I can say. To stick to the G.G.'s coat tails will be my plan of action, & hope he will drag me on. Perhaps you my hear from my grandfather what I am to do about money matters damage from the T.F. how I am to draw my money from them , but at present I have neither cash enough or credit to go a day after my arrival . My Grandfather put almost all my money into business, the remainder is I suppose exhausted on my outfit & outstanding debts, so that I doubt his being able to get me credit at any Bank in Calcutta, perhaps the best plan would be for me to draw on you for £400 a year & you to draw my allowance from the Mr T.F. to the same amount. The G.G. had received a letter for me at Portsmouth, it was from with 4 most excellent letters of introduction to Calcutta. I forgot to ask you before you before we left whether my mother would not like to ask Miss Cracroft to spend a few days at Kew, she is a most lady like girl & I think that both my mother & would like her very much; I enclose a note asking her for the names of the friends in India whom she wished me to see & which she forgot to give me, my mother will perhaps be good enough to forward it to Mrs Kendal or so that
it may reach Miss Cracroft; putting it in an envelope. I have very nearly finished the copying out of the V[an]. D[iemen's]. L[and]. *2 plants & will send them home by Dr Salmon (not Miller) of this ship along with the Niger mss I have called the new V.D.L. cruciferous plant Bretonia perhaps Planchon will see if the name is pre-occupied & draw up the characters, as also of the Fagus what I called Gunnii in the m/s journal of Gunn's trip to the interior. The brown paper bundle of V.D.L. plants which just arrived, & contains these things had better go any-where into the 2 V.D.L cabinets in Fitch's rooms (there next the window, after taking specimens with the tickets out for the Herbarium. I already miss my books, *3 very much & I wish I had known how easily I could have taken all with me, pray do not forget to let Dr Richardson know by what ship we send them that he may send the case of bottles by the same method he would prefer having them go to Barnes by the steamer. I hope to write to you in a day or two from Gibraltar & and tell you what I shall have seen in this city beyond whose walls I hardly expect to get on our short stay. With best love to all Believe me yr ever affectionate son J.D. Hooker [signature]
Please send a respirator out with my books or otherwise.
Falconer will take any small things out for me as letters, the respirator -- his address is at "Edward's" Norfolk Street Strand.
1. Her Majesty's Ship Steam Frigate Sidon.
2. The island formerly known as Van Diemen's Land is now called Tasmania.
3. The address of the recipient appears here as the letter would originally have been folded in such a way that it formed its own 'envelope'. The address read: "To | Sir W. J. Hooker | R[oya]l Gardens | Kew | Nr London."
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