To Frederick McCoy   2 December 1857

2. Dec 57

Dear Prof. M'Coy,

These bone-fragments came from the Rev. Mr Woods of Penola in a letter[.]1 They were found by himself imbedded in limestone, about 1' below the surface.

What is your opinion of cameels as travellers over a rocky country? I must say with Tacitus relata refero2 when I made my statements on the comparative value of cameels to that of horses before the Institute.3 It was however but one of the objections, that on which I have been put right.

yours obediently

& attached Ferd Mueller

1
editorial addition. Letter not found.
2
'I [only] report what I've been told', a technique frequently used by Tacitus to work in incriminating suggestions without evidence.
3
'The use of camels in our deserts has been recommended, but when it is considered that much of the Australian interior is of a stony, and not of a sandy nature, that these animals require a management of their own, and cannot roam about by night to find food, being deprived only of their freedom by the hobble chain — I still believe that horses will remain preferable, if kept shod constantly.' (B58.13.04, p. 166).

Please cite as “FVM-57-12-02,” 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 20 April 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/vonmueller/letters/57-12-02