Though executed only in pen and ink or pencil, these drawings have artistic merit due to the artist's skillful use of hatching and stippling to achieve realistictexture, shading and perspective. Hamilton's illustration of subjects and backgrounds that are unfamiliar to most people, creates initial interest in his drawings. His effective portrayal of actual or implied recent or future dramatic action heightens the viewer's interest in his subjects. Hamilton selected from his sketches those that best illustrate scenes in his writing.[4] This implies there were also additional drawings, however their existence is now unknown.
Douglas Hamilton, 1870, age 52
In 1862 Colonel Hamilton was relieved of routine regimental Army duties and given a roving commission by Sir Charles Trevelyan, the Finance Minister of India and former Governor of Madras Presidency, to conduct surveys and make drawings for the Government of all the hill plateaus in Southern India that might suit as Sanitaria, or quarters for European troops. Thereafter, Douglas Hamilton was on "special duty" with the 44th Regiment, Madras Native Infantry.[citation needed]
A series of five albums of careful drawings of the Annaimalai Hills, Palani Hills and Shevaroy Hills was the result of this commission. While at work on this commission he had great opportunities to follow his favorite pursuit of big game hunting, and also to observe the habits of the various animals inhabiting the different districts. These well-known drawings showed him as an accurate observer and a careful draughtsman. Each series of drawings was accompanied by a Survey article describing all aspects of the district.[5] Some of his publications about these surveys include:
Lt.-Col. Douglas Hamilton, Report on the Shevaroy Hills (Madras, 1862),
Lt.-Col. Douglas Hamilton, Report on the Pulni Mountains (Madras, 1864)
Lt.-Col. Douglas Hamilton, Report on the High Ranges of the Annamullay Mountains (Madras, 1866)[6]
WD1351, Hamilton, Douglas (1818-1892) is an album of 12 pen and ink drawings of landscapes in the Shevaroy Hills made in 1861. The 24 folio volume is entitled: Sketches of the Shevaroy Hills by Lieut-Col. Douglas Hamilton, Madras army. 1861.
Printed descriptions are attached to each picture. Size of the volume is 22.5 by 31.75 inches.
It was deposited in the British Library on 4 June 1866.[7] These drawings are:
Waterfall Near the Village of Killayur...viii
f.2 '1.(*) Waterfall near the village of Killeyor. An Englishman in the foreground.
f.4 '2. Panoramic view from the Garden of Dr Marrett's House at Yercaud. An Englishman, his wife and child in the foreground.
f.6' 3. View of the Temple on the Shevaroyen.
f.8 '4. Panoramic view of Yercaud from the summit of the Shevaroyen.
f.10 '5.(*) The lake at Yercaud.Lake of Yercaud, Shervaroy Hills...xix
f.12 '6. Panoramic view of Yercaud and the Green Hills, taken from Fischer's Hill. Two Englishmen in the foreground.
f.14 '7. Hill temples.
f.16 '8. Panorama of the plateau of the Green Hills.
f.18 '9. View of the plateau of the Green Hills.
f.20 '10. View of a Malayaly village and cultivation. An Englishman in the foreground.
f.22 '11. View of a Malayaly village.
f.24 '12. Panoramic view of the Athoor Ghaut from the summit of the Shevaroyen. Two Englishmen with servants and horses in the foreground.
(*): also published in Records of Sport in Southern India...
26 Drawings in the Palni Hills -
WD566, Hamilton, Douglas (1818-1892) is an album of 26 pen and ink drawings of views in the Palni Hills. This 60 folio volume of views in the Palni Hills was made in 1862, with printed titles and descriptions and some drawings inscribed with titles in pencil. Size of the volume is 20 by 25 inches. It was deposited c. 1866.[8] These drawings are:
View of the Pillar Rocks in Kodaikanal, Tamil Nadu, India
f.3 '1. View of the Entrance to the Hill Village of Pullangee.
f.55 '24. Distant View of the Hills near Ettoor or the Eight Villages. Hamilton with his sketch-book, camp chair and two attendants.
f.57 '25. View of the entrance to the village of Mannavanur.
f.59 '26. View of Perumal Mullay and the lower Pulnis. Hamilton looking through his field-glasses; a gun-bearer and dead deer in the foreground.
17 Drawings in the Palni Hills -
WD1350, Hamilton, Douglas (1818-1892); is an album of 17 pen and ink drawings of landscapes in the Palni Hills, 1862 (35 folios), Volume entitled: Sketches of the Pulni Mountains. Printed descriptions are attached to each picture and there are pencil descriptions on the sketches. Size of the volume is 22.5 by 31.75 inches, deposited c. 1866.[9] These drawings are:
f.2 Frontispiece. The Devil's Gap.Bodinalkenur Pass.
f.5' 1. Panorama of the High Range of the Pulnis from the summit of the Perumal mullay.
f.7 '2. View from the high ground west of the settlement of Kudaikarnal.
f.9 '3. View of Perumal Mullay from the encampment.
f.11 '4. Panorama overlooking the 'Cumbum Valley'.
f.13 '5. The Pillar Rocks.
.15 '6. Bird's Eye view of the ancient lake near Kodaikanal.
f.17 '7. View of the ancient lake from near the breach in the embankment. Near Kodaikanal.
f.19 '8. The breached embankment.
f.21 '9. View of the boundary ridge dividing the Pulnis' 'from Travancore. Englishmen shooting bison in foreground.
f.23 '10. Village on the lower Pulnis.
f.25 '11. View near Perryoor on the lower Pulnis.
f.27 '12. View of the lower Pulnis.
f.29 '13. View of the entrance to the village of Perryoor.
f.31 '14. View on the lower Pulnis.
f.33 '15. The Pulnis from the village of Pulni. Villagers in the foreground.
f.35 Vignette. Mountain antelope and Ponjola Hill.
17 Drawings in the Anaimalai Hills -
WD567, Hamilton, Douglas (1818-1892) is an album of 17 pen and ink drawings of views in the Anaimalai Hills (Cochin and Madras) 1863. European school / British school, (30 folios) 1863, with printed titles and descriptions. All signed: 'D. Hamilton delt.' Size of the volume is 20.75 by 14.5 inches. It was deposited c. 1866.[10] These drawings are:
ff.2-4 '1. Panorama of the Anamallay Mountains from the village of Anamallay. Khaders in the foreground.
f.5 '2. The Foot of the Poonachy Pass.
f.5 '3. Encampment at Poonachy.
f.7 '4. Lower valley of the Tooracoodoo.
f.9 '5. Our first view of the 'Tungachee'. An Englishman in the foreground.
f.11 '6. The 'Tungachee' and 'Ukka'.
f.13 '7. Khader Rattan Chain for collecting honey.
f.15 '8. Waterfall at foot of the 'Tungachee'.
f.17 '9. Ancient Cromlech. Lower valley of the Tooracoodoo.
f.18 '10. Primitive bridge of the Khaders. An English party in the foreground.
f.19 '11. Haystack rock. Rattan Chain.
f.21 '12. The 'Tungachee' from our encampment.
ff.23,24 '13. High range from our Encampment. Villagers and elephants in the foreground.
f.26 '14. View in Michael's Valley.
f.28 '15. Water-fall in Michael's Valley.
f, 16. Gorge of the Tooracoodoo.
f.29 '17. High range from the lower valley of the Tooracoodoo. Englishmen and elephants in the foreground.
15 Drawings in the Anaimalai Hills -
WD568, Hamilton, Douglas (1818-1892); is an album of 15 pen and ink drawings (33 folios) of views in the Anaimalai Hills (Cochin and Madras). 1863, with printed titles and descriptions. (Inscribed on fly leaf: 'India Museum, received from public deposit on 4 June 1866'). Size of the volume is 22 by 28.5 inches.[11] These drawings are:
2 Frontispiece. Cascade in Michael's Valley. Dogs pursuing a stag.
f.5 '1. Outline panorama of Michael's Valley looking west. Hamilton and an attendant stalking ibex.
f.7 '2. Bird's eye view of Michael's Valley looking west. Taken from the hill, Parli Mulai.
f.10 '3. Panoramic view of Michael's Valley looking east. Ibex in foreground.
f.12 '4. View of the Upper or Western portion of the large swamp in Michael's Valley.Bison in foreground.
f.14 '5. View of the lower portion of the large swamp in Michael's Valley. Elephants and sambur.
f.16 '6. Water-fall below Michael's Valley. Ibex.
f.18 '7. View of the Eastern Plateaux referred to in sketch No. 3. Ibex in foreground.
f.20 '8. View of Coomarikul Plateau. Ibex and bison.
f.22 '9. Encampment at the lower end of Michael's Valley. Hamilton returning from shikar with two attendants
f.24 '10. View between Michael's Valley and Coomarikul Plateau. Bison grazing
f.26 '11. View looking towards the valley of the Toracuddu River.
f.29 '12. View across the upper or western end of Michael's Valley looking south. Hamilton and an attendant stalking sambur.
f.31 '13. Panoramic view of the great plateau and the Arney Moodie Mountain looking west.Leopard in foreground and ibex grazing.
Leather cover of Records of Sport in Southern India...
Hamilton's brother Edward was the editor of Douglas Hamilton's 1892 autobiography, "Records of Sport in Southern India, Chiefly on the Annamullay, Nielgherry and Pulney Mountains, also Including Notes on Singapore, Java and Labuan, ...". It is about "years long gone by when the muzzle loader, with all its drawbacks, was the chief weapon in use."[2] All ninety five drawings in Records of Sport... (with the exception of three) were taken from his sketch books. All scenes illustrated in these drawings are based on the actual hunting experiences of Colonel Hamilton described in full detail in his Autobiography.
Those he drew in Indian ink were transferred as facsimiles by means of photo-etching. The others, sketched in pencil, were copied by Mr. J. T. Smit with such care and accuracy that the touch, as well as the spirit, of the original sketches was fully retained. The three plates of the two species of florican and of the jungle cat are from drawings made expressly for Records of Sport by Mr. Smit. Several types of big game are the primary subject of most of these drawings. Only a few of the drawings overlap with those in the India Office collection. He also drew several landscapes of Singapore, Java and Labuan during his visit there in 1848. The drawings are:
Galleries of 95 drawings
- Portrait of Major Douglas Hamilton, 1870. . . Frontispiece
- Preface art...v:
Upper falls near Muddikull, Bababooden hills...xxxviValley of Perumbookarnal, Pulney mountains...xvCheetah stalking Antelope...10Mungoose and Cobra...28
PREFACE
The Pillar Rocks, Pulney Mountains . . . xiii
Water Fall near the Village of Killiyur . . .viii
View in the Valley of Perumbookarnal, Pulney Mountains...xv
Lake of Yercaud, Shervaroy Hills ...xviii
The Upper Falls, near Muddikull, Bababoopen Hills...xxxvi
In 1861, 13 plates and 17 figures of drawings by Douglas Hamiton were published in The Forests and Gardens of South India written by his friend and co-conservator Hugh Francis Cleghorn. Several of the drawings were lithographed by Mr. W. H. Macfarane, Edinburgh. Most of the drawings were technical illustrations of forestry operations, though some depicted landscapes of forested areas.[12] These drawings are:
IX- Foot of the Poonachy Pass, Crossing the Torakudu River...290I- Usual way of loading a country cart...70
Plates
Forest Chart, facing title page.
I. The usual way of loading a country cart with a squared beam. . . .facing 70
VIII. Panorama of mountain range from this village, showing the eastern aspect ('North Latitude 10' 27". East Longitude 77.') 10°27′N77°0′E. . . facing 289
IX. Foot of the Poonachy Pass, Crossing the Torakudu River. . .290
XI. gives a good outline of the Tangachi and Akka Mountains. . .292
XII. Rattan Chain for Collecting Honey (partial image) . . .facing 294
XIII. Gorge of the Toracodu River. . . 296
II- Mischief caused by Carpenter-bees...71
III- Bamboo & The Formation of a Ghat...75
IV- Teak tree...107
V- Teak tree...108
VI- Natives Carrying Fuel...146
VIII- Panorama of mountain range from this village...289
X. Ancient Cromlech. . . 292
XI- Tangachi and Akka Mountains...292
Figures
fig. 3. Ferry Boat...41Fig. 6. Natives using the Saw...69fig. 13. Vertical Section of Kiln...284
fig. 1. Drag holes in Log...3
fig. 2. 'V' shapes incisions in Kino tree...13
fig. 3. Ferry Boat...41
fig. 4. Showing Radial and Concentric Splits...65
fig. 5. Pile of Wood raised on Bricks...65
fig. 6. Natives using the Saw...69
fig. 7. Windward - Leeward...145
fig. 8. Tap Root...175
fig. 9. Avenue Trees Protected. From Du Breuil, Court d'Arboriculture, illustrates the manner in which avenue-trees are protected in the Boulevards of Paris....198
fig. 10. Forked Stick...283
fig. 11. stacked Billets...284
fig. 12. Section of one-half of the Kiln...284
fig. 13. Vertical Section of Kiln...284
fig. 14. Horizontal Section of Kiln...286
fig. 15, Kiln After Thirty-six Hours...286
fig. 16. Vertical Section of Charcoal Pit, with Vent Holes and Covering of Sod...287
fig. 17. Kiln Dug Out the Side of a Hill...288
Hamilton often portrayed himself in his drawings. He is shown at different times with mutton chop sideburns or a full beard. He is almost always shown holding his rifle and facing to the right. These self-portraits are cropped from drawings in Records of Sport...:
Douglas Hamilton, He was upon Me at Once, 1844
Douglas Hamilton, Heels over Head, 1856
Douglas Hamilton, Tables Turned, 1856
Douglas Hamilton, Attacked by bison, 1856
Douglas Hamilton at Killeyor, 1861
Douglas Hamilton with Sir Victor Brooke after Death of Tusker, 1863