DARJEELING. April 26th 1849. To Lady Hooker. Received June 25th. My dearest Mother, Another day's grace being allowed for the English Mail, I avail myself of it, to write currente calamo to you. I am exceedingly busy, and have already closed (yesterday) my letters to my father and Francés*1, and Colonel Sabine,*2 so you will not expect that I can give you much news. I am packing a box for the Kew Museum; it contains specimens of cloth, stuffs, etc., with which I hope my father will be satisfied. No news yet of my servant Clamanze*3 having reached Calcutta with my collections!! I cannot but feel anxious. This minute I have heard from T. Thomson*4, who seems to be in poor health and bad spirits. His appointment to Patna is gazetted at Calcutta; but the intelligence has not reached him. He has been too unwell to proceed with his reports at Ferozepore, and is off for Simla on 3 months sick leave. His collections have all been despatched to Calcutta, in excellent order. I am sorry to say that Lord Dalhousie*5 has been compelled to refuse Thomson's application for leave to join me

at present, owing to a stringent order from the Court of Directors. As I am convinced that his Lordship would have granted it, if he could, I am not at all annoyed, though sufficently disappointed. Thomson's plan is to continue working at his journals; - - if health permits, to join his regiment in the Punjaub next November, and immediately thereafter to take the six months' leave which he is then entitled to claim, and come to me at once. After which his plans will be regulated by mine. Before he quits India, by the May steamer, he will visit his cousin Sconce, at Chittagong, whither I should extremely like to accompany him via the Cossya and Tipherah, because that country will be perfectly salubrious at the season in question. The Report of Professor Thomson's death alarmed poor Tom*6 dreadfully, and Gardner's*7 decease has been quite a blow to him. He writes in wretched spirits and complains of bilious and dyspeptic maladies which I trust are of no serious importance. I have already begun a letter of consolation to him and will despatch it immediately. He recommends that my father should provide for the safe transmission to England of Gardner's M.S.S., and collections, and he wishes that the superintendence of this business should be confided to me. If so, it must be by the direction of the Colonial Office. It would interfere with Borneo, but I hope that papa will decide as he judges best,

acting on his own responsibility without regard to my opin ions. So far as I am concerned, I care comparatively little where I am employed, while I am away from England. I have just been writing an exceedingly long epistle to Humboldt*8, and can really add no more than my love to Bessy*9, whom you may tell that my dog is growing a splendid animal. Your most affectionate son, (signed) J. D. HOOKER.