BOTANICAL INFORMATION. 23 
-Letter from Dn. Hooker to Baron HuMBOLDT, dated— 
Khossya Mountains, Sept. 23rd, 1850. 
MY DEAR AND VENERABLE FRIEND,—My correspondence has been 
thrown into such confusion during the last twelve months, that I am 
almost afraid to think how long a time may have elapsed since you 
have heard from me; much longer I know it is than it should have 
been, under any circumstances ; especially as I have never yet thanked 
you for the distinguished place you are said to have accorded to my 
name in the * Aspects of Nature.’ My copy of this work has not 
yet reached me, but I do not want that to persuade me how grateful 
I should feel. I have very much to thank you for, and have had for 
years. 
I acquainted you with my having applied in vain to the Surveyor- 
General for information about the elevation of the peaks, Dwhalghiri, 
Gosain-than, &e., &c. He has not replied to me; and Dr. Campbell, 
who addressed him since on the subject, has met with no better success. 
I believe that he has not calculated any but Chumalari and Kinchin- 
junga. There are four which he considers as rivals; all are within a 
very few feet of the same height, and from what I hear that he has said, 
I conclude they are— 
1. Kinchinjunga, 28,148 feet accurately measured. 
2. A mountain, in about 86° 30^ E. longitude. 
3. Gosain-than. 
4. Dwhalghiri. 
Jewahir is considerably lower than any of these. 
The Deputy Surveyor-General (Capt. Thuillier) is an intimate friend — 
of mine, but he can give me no information, his Principal having neither 
forwarded results nor data to the office at Calcutta: These particulars 
are probably just what I told you before ; I know no more. Mountain 
No. 2, I have seen repeatedly : it divides the Arun river from the 
Kosi rivers, and is visible from Darjeeling and elsewhere. 
You are aware of my visits to two Thibetan Passes, in Eastern Ne- 
paul, west of Kinchinjunga, in November and December 1848, and of 
my protracted residence on the Sikkim frontier in June, and my visit 
to five other Passes in September and October 1849. During the latter 
excursion Dr. Campbell joined me, and it terminated in our imprison- — 
ment by the Sikkim Rajah’s prime minister and counsellors. Our — 
