To Arthur Freeling   12 May 1857

Melbourne bot. Gardens¹

12. May 1857.

Sir

I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter dated April 28,² and to thank you for so prompt a compliance with my desire of recieving information on the north of your colony. I have also to thank you for your kindness of promising some additional information on this point hereafter, and am delighted to learn, that this interesting part of Australia is under your orders now to be surveyed.

Unless Mr Babbage overrated the distance of his northern most position, his statements become very interesting, as they seem to prove, that the channel of Lake Torrens towards N.E. is much narrower, than was anticipated, and if, at it seems probable, the Lake consists in that direction of isolated salt lagoons, a passage through the morasses might perhaps be practicable yet to the N.E.³

I remain, Sir,

your most obedient and humblest servant,

Ferd. Mueller.

The honorable Capt. Freeling, R.E.

&c &c &c⁴