Hooker, Sir Joseph Dalton
JHC87
Tungu, Lachen Valley, Sikkim, India
JDH/1/10 f.219
Hooker, Sir William Jackson
The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
14-10-1849
© Descendants of Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker
Indian Letters 1847-1851
The Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
English
Original MS
3 page letter over 1 folio
 

JDH & [Archibald] Campbell [AC] are on route to Lachen Pass [Kongra Lama]. He asks WJH or J.[John] Smith to keep a list of all the fruits & seeds he sends. Jatamansi [Paom peu Bhot] has ripened. JDH sends [Hugh] Falconer duplicates of all his seeds. He describes AC’s altitude sickness & his temperament.

Transcript

imperceptible amongst the withered grass -- I send down to Falconer duplicates of all these seeds & many others in quantity. Jatamansi I only got yesterday & it is too wet to go by this the opportunity. I think where there is enough Smith should sow the alpine seeds in several situations. Most grow on dry hard banks of earth or gravel. I wish you would tell me the general treatment you pursue with them. None of those now sent were sent before. Campbell accompanied me yesterday to 16000 ft. & is laid up with dreadful headaches & was vomiting all night, ten times worse than I ever was,-- & now I am quite inured to these, & far greater, elevations.

Page 1


Tungu Lachen valley
October 14/ [18]49
My dear Father
I arrived here with Campbell four days ago en route to Lachen Pass (Kongra Lama) & have been collecting seeds as busily as I can. The weather most wretched & continuing so where we now are with clouds & drizzle & snow, which makes seed collecting very nasty work. Still the seeds manage to ripen & I send you some first fruits. Please keep a list of all I send or ask J. Smith to do so. I have quantities of 2 kinds of Rhod[odendron]. pods ripe but all wet. & will not yet open to discharge any seeds to enclose by a letter.
Jatamansi (Paom peu Bhot) has ripened here & I spent all later afternoon trying to get the seed -- it is extremely difficult to find, the leaves being withered & little yellow stalks almost

Page 2

imperceptible amongst the withered grass -- I send down to Falconer duplicates of all these seeds & many others in quantity. Jatamansi I only got yesterday & it is too wet to go by this the opportunity. I think where there is enough Smith should sow the alpine seeds in several situations. Most grow on dry hard banks of earth or gravel. I wish you would tell me the general treatment you pursue with them. None of those now sent were sent before. Campbell accompanied me yesterday to 16000 ft. & is laid up with dreadful headaches & was vomiting all night, ten times worse than I ever was,-- & now I am quite inured to these, & far greater, elevations.

Page 3

I am too busy to write much & am all well.
Best love to all | Yr. most aff[ectionate] Son | Jos D Hooker [signature]
Campbell, who never believed my reports on the hostile disposition of the people, has thrown all the advice he sent to me, to the winds!,-- storms & hectors to perfection, & keeps me busy with bantering him, about professions & practice:-- it is the only way, he now finds, to get on; & he wonders now at my patience & forbearance; though all were instigated dictated by himself -- & enforced in me. He is the most amiable & agreeable companion I ever met with, & full of spirits[.]

ENDNOTES


1. A note written in another hand records that the letter was: "recd. Dec. 29. 1849".

Please note that work on this transcript is ongoing. Users are advised to study electronic image(s) of this document where possible.

Powered by Aetopia