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- 5th Dec 1825 (Creation)
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1 letter
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Biographical history
Clarke Abel was part of the Amherst Embassy to China in 1816-1817, travelling as the botanist. He was the first Western scientist to report the presence of the orangutan in Sumatra. He became surgeon in chief to Lord Amherst when he became Governor-General of India. He died in Cawnpore, India, in 1826.
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Letter from Dr Clarke Abel to Brian Houghton Hodgson. Abel apologises for appearing indifferent to Hodgson's researches and will now put forward Hodgson's observations to the Physical Committee with any thoughts that occur to him and suggest the animal is named Antelope Hodgsonii, so the scientific community may know to whom they are indebted for knowledge of the species. He asks whether Hodgson knows anything of its feeding methods in the wild. He writes that Wallich (Nathaniel Wallich, Superintendent Botanic Garden, Calcutta) has sent him two porcupine skins and asks whether Hodgson knows anything of their habits. He also asks about a French half caste boy whom he has engaged, whether he will be admitted into Nepal. He asks how thrives the rhinoceros? Abel regrets to have to inform Hodgson that most of the skins Hodgson sent are in poor condition. He is keen to obtain meteorological reports from different parts of India and wonders whether Hodgson has any. Handwritten, 3 sides, dated 5 December 1825.
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- English