Scanned by Derek Thompson drthom@ihug.co.nz
HIMALAYAN JOURNALS
or
NOTES OF A NATURALIST
IN BENGAL, THE SIKKIM AND NEPAL HIMALAYAS,
THE KHASIA MOUNTAINS, etc.
First published 1854
To CHARLES DARWIN, F.R.S., etc.
These volumes are dedicated,
by his affectionate friend,
J.D. HOOKER
Kew, Jan. 12th, 1854
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HAVING accompanied Sir James Boss on his voyage of discovery to theAntarctic regions, where botany was my chief pursuit, on my return Iearnestly desired to add to my acquaintance with the natural historyof the temperate zones, more knowledge of that of the tropics than Ibad hitherto had the opportunity of acquiring. My choice lay betweenIndia and the Andes, and I decided upon the former, being principallyinfluenced by Dr. Falconer, who promised me every assistance whichhis position as Superintendent of the H.E.I.C. Botanic Garden atCalcutta, would enable hum to give. He also drew my attention to thefact that we were ignorant even of the geography of the central andeastern parts of these mountains, while all to the north was involvedin a mystery equally attractive to the traveller and the naturalist.
On hearing of the kind interest taken by Baron Humboldt in myproposed travels, and at the request of my father (Sir WilliamHooker), the Earl of Carlisle (then Chief Commissioner of Woods andForests) undertook to represent to Her Majesty's Government theexpediency of securing my collections for the Royal Gardens at Kew;and owing to the generous exertions of that nobleman, and of the lateEarl of Auckland (then First Lord of the Admiralty), my journeyassumed the character of a Government mission, £400 per annum beinggranted by the Treasury for two years.
I did not contemplate proceeding beyond the Himalaya and Tibet, whenLord Auckland desired that I should afterwards visit Borneo, for thepurpose of reporting on the capabilities of Labuan, with reference tothe cultivation of cotton, tobacco, sugar, indigo, spices,guttapercha, etc. To this end a commission in the navy (to whichservice I was already attached) was given me, such instructions weredrawn up as might facilitate my movements in the East, and a suitablesum of money was placed at my disposal.
Soon after leaving England, my plans became, from various causes,altered. The Earl of Auckland* [It is with a melancholy satisfactionthat I here record the intentions of that enlightened nobleman.The idea of turning to public account what was intended as ascientific voyage, occurred to his lordship when considering myapplication for official leave to proceed to India; and from the hourof my accepting the Borneo commission with which he honoured me, hedisplayed the most active zeal in promoting its fulfilment.He communicated to me his views as to the direction in which I shouldpursue my researches, furnished me with official and otherinformation, and provided me with introductions of the most essentialuse.] was dead; the interest in Borneo had in a great measuresubsided; H.M.S. "Maeander," to which I had been attached for servicein Labuan, had left the Archipelago; reports of the unhealthy natureof the coast had excited alarm; and the results of my researches inthe Himalaya had proved of more interest and advantage than had beenanticipated. It was hence thought expedient to cancel the Borneoappointment, and to prolong my services for a third year in India;for which purpose a grant of £300 (originally intended for defrayingthe expense of collecting only, i