3 
were very far from being confined to palaeobotany. Immediately 
after his return from the long voyage in the “ Erebus,’ Hooker 
gan the arduous task of preparing for publication the scientific 
results of his researches in the field. Still under the influence o 
With the appearance of this work, however, the task was 
temporarily relinquished, and Hooker’s duties as botanist to the 
Geological Survey came to an end, in order that he might undertake 
another expedition more arduous even than the last, ‘The object in 
view was a double one. His desire was to add to the knowledge 
already acquired at first hand with regard to the vegetation of 
temperate and subantarctic regions a corresponding knowledge of 
the vegetation of some tropical region; and at the same time to 
acquire an acquaintance with the vegetation of some large continent 
commensurate with his knowledge of the floras of so many insular 
regions. The field of study selected was North-Eastern India, a 
tract in which but little botanical exploration had been done. The 
expedition was at first intended to be a private enterprise ; during 
the course of the preliminary preparations, however, the project 
was so fortunate as to receive official recognition and to be partly 
subsidised from public funds. The amount of the subsidy was 
small, but the indirect effect of the recognition was great, and 
Hooker found as a consequence that what might otherwise have 
been difficult became comparatively easy ; indeed some of the 
results he was able to attain might otherwise have proved impossible 
of accomplishment. Hooker left England in November, 1847, 
travelling part of the way as one of the suite of Lord Dalhousie, 
then proceeding to India to assume the position of Viceroy ; from 
His Excellency, who took the closest personal interest in the under- 
taking, Hooker received continued encouragement and constant 
assistance. Reaching India in January, 1848, Hooker devoted the 
first three months of the year to journeys in the Gangetic Plain and 
in Behar, ascending the sacred mountain of Parasnath in Chutia 
Nagpur. From Behar he made his way to the Himalayas and 
reached Darjeeling, which became his base of operations, about the 
middle of April. What remained of the year 1848 and a 
the whole of the year 1849 were occupied in the botanical explora- 
tion and topographical survey of the State of Sikkim and of the 
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