To Lady Hooker. DARJEELING. March 2nd, 1850. My dearest Mother, This is one of my joyful days by reason of the arrival of three overland parcels from England; two had been long due, but were accidentally detained at Calcutta and on the way hither. As usual the articles are extremely useful and å propos to my wants. I have you, especially, to thank for the Polka jacket. It is as neat and still warmer than the last, it fits perfectly well and is a remarkably tidy looking piece of dress, though as no one sees me here arrayed in it, but "brother Brian" (Mr. Hodgson) and "Archy" (Dr. Campbell), my appearance matters little. The slippers are beautiful, and you may tell Bessy, that my Lepecha boys are wrapt in admiration of them. Papa kindly sends me no less than 5 pairs of scissors, a most opportune supply, for I wanted some myself, and can also spare a couple to the little Campbells. The colour boxes, pencils and paper are peculiarly valuable; but, really, I am quite ashamed of taxing my father's liberality so heavily. He will be glad to hear how serviceable the things are, and I do hope he will see some work executed by the drawing materials. One little book I had filled, but

Mrs. Lydiard seized it and is determined to make a large picture from one of the best subjects for Papa, or it was going home by this Mail, and, poor though the execution is, I know you both will value it. The scene which Mrs. L. copies is Thlonok River, issuing from under a bed of snow below Kinchin Junga, with a deep gully clothed with Rhododendrons in bloom. I have just sent her the book, and a present of some of my abundant stock of colours and brushes; and I am very glad to have them to give, and so to acquit myself of my obligations towards the lady, of whom I know little, but who is a favourite with Mr. Hodgson. My engagements are so engrossing that I have no time to make acquaintances, and hardly see a person from one week's end to another. I have begun rather to like Capt. B. in spite of his want of sense. He is a truly kind-hearted fellow, and neither captious nor vain. He has received a severe rebuff from Government, for his mismanagement of affairs while Campbell and I were in prison, and as he is necessarily sore on the point, and since I feel sure that he truly acted, however injudiciously, with an earnest desire to serve us, I feel that it would ill become me to reject his friendly overtures. He is liberal and warm-hearted too. His wife is an active, clever little woman, who does not succumb under the weight of both her husband's and her own cares; she is agreeable, intelligent, hospitable and kind,

and with no nonsense about her. The children, (a young "Torrington" among them) are not bright, but they are young and if they inherit their mother'e sense, may get on very well. You will be delighted to hear that Campbell is restored to his old post, with all honours, ampler jurisdiction, and the certain prospect of an increased salary. I have ordered a silver mug for my little godchild, Josephine. Miss Colvile had it made for me on the pattern of one which Lady Holland gave to Sir. Jas. Colvile, and I, therefore, expect it will be very pretty. The child grows apace, she is a slim, white, nicelooking creature, or was so, at least, when I last saw her a month ago. Helen, the eldest of the family, about 7 years of age, is a remarkably agreeable and clever girl, but very plain; the boy and next girl, Emily, are exceedingly handsome. Papa tells me that his conscience "twinges" at sending me

some of the things which come overland free, and I think justly, where personal articles are concerned; but certainly pencils, colours, pens etc., are strictly for scientific purposes, and therefore entitled to privilege. The favour we thus enjoy is immense and I shall gladly pay for whatever does not come under the above category. I think that the E. India Directors act nobly in franking the great telescope to me, and, as I said before, I would willingly have defrayed the cost of receiving it overland. Herewith I send 3 more Navy Bills, 1/2 pay. Altogether I have now transmitted home nearly £170 in Navy Pay Bills, which ought to do much more than cover all my purchases of Instruments from Newman, Cary and Adie, together with some other debts which I left behind, and which I hope are all now discharged. I have not yet thanked you for your long and full letters; they always give me a great deal to think of and bring all home affairs fully before my mind's eye. Your last is dated 7th January, and I long for the arrival of the next mail, which will tell me how you bore the intelligence of my mal-treatment by the Sikkim Rajah. I fear it must have cost you great disquiet, though I hope that you trusted in my own report, rather than in the alarming accounts which probably reached you from other quarters. I am glad to hear that Capt. Stanley and Dayman get on so

well, the latter is a very superior man as to ability and a more honourable and valuable character does not exist. Your mention of cholera and scarlet fever sounds strange to me, for here epidemics are wholly unknown. You may depend upon what I assure you respecting Gurney, that he never would have returned to England till his time for leave had arrived. I saw and knew a great deal of him and I fully believed, that the opinion he expressed of his own case proceeded from firm conviction. In the first place, he was aware that he had only to express the wish, or even to hint at the desirableness of such a change, and he would have been asked by his family to return to England. Secondly, he did not think that his health required it, and thirdly, I do not at all believe, that if he had been of the contrary opinion he would have acceded to the proposal to come home. I had no conception that he was so ill, no more had he. And if it be true (which I in no wise doubt) that lungs, stomach and bowels were all equally and mortally affected, the going home would have done no good whatever; and he would have known that too. If a contrary idea exists it is unreasonable and unjust, and you may, if you please, say so from me to the person to whom you allude. Poor dear Gurney wrote to me only 3 days before he died, and expressed his entire expectation of a speedy recovery, though he thought himself very ill indeed. I saw by the newspapers that H. F. was married. I sincerely

to Frances till to-night. Be so kind as to tell her this in case I should be too late. Your ever affectionate son, I had taken it for granted that the article in the Quarterly Review upon Fontenelle's Signs of Death was by Dr. Holland, The subject is one to be moralised, and not philosophised, upon, except in strictly professional works; and I cannot say that Dr. H's essay gave me one serious thought or new idea. My best love to Bessy, who is, I suppose, high busy with the new house at Kew. How does it like you or rather how do you like it? This is nominally the last post day and last hour. I am generally in time a day later and so I put off writing my letter