70. Collin Street East.
Melbourne 26. May 55.
Sir
Since I had the honor of adressing you and Dr. Harvey with regard to my proposed joining your expedition1 and after receiving your letter, I have consulted some of the members of the Legisl. Council of Victoria, in order to learn, whether probably my leaving for a lenght of time our establishment, would be sanctioned by them. I am sorry to inform you, that the result of these enquiries has been unfavourable, and that I am consequently obliged to abandon all thought of accompanying you, which would have been so delightful to me.2
It has been intimated to me, that as the expedition might remain on the journey perhaps three years, my position here might possibly filled up in the meanwhile by an other botanist; thus I trust you will coincide in my views, that I ought not to embark in a dangerous enterprise, in which my constitution may be brok althogether, and to return perhaps breadless home, and even, unless the mountainchain in the interior, where the Victoria and the rivers of the Gulf of Carpentaria arise being reached, perhaps also with little of new plants.
With warmest expressions of thank for your confidence in my services and with the sincere hope, that they may yet be in some way useful to you after your glorious return I beg to close this letter, stating yet, that nothing would give me greater pleasure as to be permitted, to have a glance on the botanical treasures which you will accumulate, and furnishing perhaps a preliminary report thereon. I would at once come to Sydney for the purpose.
Dr. Greeves desires me to direct your attention to the use of goats as animals of burden, each of them according to his opinion carrying from 1/4-1/2 hundredweight more with the wish to comply with his desire, than to give a traveller like you, who earned so much well deserved favor in the steppes of Western Australia, any advice, — I have stated this.
Can I in any way be servicable to you, please let me know your commands. If I cannot go, I may recommend to you, unless you might procure a botanist, the services of a good collector.
With my best wishes for a grand success of your expedition, I remain,
Sir, your most devoted servant,
Ferd. Mueller
Gregory. Esq.
Please cite as “FVM-55-05-26,” in Correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller, edited by R.W. Home, Thomas A. Darragh, A.M. Lucas, Sara Maroske, D.M. Sinkora†, J.H. Voigt† and Monika Wells accessed on 19 April 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/vonmueller/letters/55-05-26