To Euphemia Henderson   1 April 1863

Melbourne bot. Garden,

1/4/63.

My beloved Euphemia

I received yesterday (Tuesday) afternoon both the kind letters, which you wrote since my departure.¹ I have read them many times; they instil so much joy into my heart, your words being so full of love and solicitude for me. O! you will now soon be here; possibly not even these lines will reach you yet in your home. So a few happy hours with you will be spared yet for me previous to my departure. How I always think of the noble elevating strophes of Byron, under the reading of which my love to you was so fully kindled, and your gentle hand allowed to rest in mine.

You revisited our rock! Could I but have been with you again. On my voyage across to Kings Creek I was vainly watching for a glimpse of your friendly cottage and the places, which I shall ever so fondly cherish in my recollection. But they were not, like on the passage to Benn's, visible, and I felt very sad!²

You cannot, dearest Phemy, imagine how I was even pleased to see Fletcher yesterday and to day, because he belongs to the island of my love. He has got the pair of White Swans, the pair of Californian Quails (purposely caught) and our few remaining English pheasants. I enclose for your sisters album a carte de visite, copied from a larger photograph made about a year ago. The latter I will be so happy to leave with you, and if the hectic-melancholic flesh has been, as I trust, removed from my face during my home voyage, I will send you a more cheerful image from Germany.

I wrote hurriedly by both last mails. There is much engaging my attention, and irrespective of the agitation of my mind I enjoyed but little rest and sleep in consequence of the myriads of mosquitos, which in warm autumn nights invade every place here abouts. My thoughts are not so well collected as at other times. So pray, dearest Euphemia, do not criticise too much what I write. In my last note, I believe, I mentioned, that I should probably shorten my home voyage to 7 or 8 months and try to escape the wintercold, though the journey involves so great an expense as to render me so far sorry to see it reduced, altho' the thought is delightful of my likely seeing you so much sooner again! — Only recently I have been able to form an estimate of the outlay, which the voyage & stay at home will cause. It will be not less than £300 and possibly £400. The voyage to Triest alone will cost at least £120. By a clipper it might be accomplished at half the expense to get home, but the opportunity is lost of seeing the Orient and the voyage around Cape Horn cold long & uncertain. In anticipation of my absense I have arranged already some things in my department; but I shall be much harrassed all April to complete arrangements; but I will reserve as many hours as I ever can for you. Towards the latter part of the year I shall arrange that the needful fund is placed at your disposal for the purchase of any articles of our household, which you may be desirous to select during your stay in Melbourne. But more about this when we meet again. It will be a great pleasure to me to conduct you all over the ground under my control and to point out to you the contemplated improvements. Trusting that your sister Georgie³ is not suffering again I send her my very kindest regards, also my best wishes to Mr M'Haffie, and to you, beloved Phemy, the solicitous wishes for your happiness & health and my admiration & love.

Ever affectionately your own

Ferd. Mueller

I shall have an opportunity afforded by his Excellency, to whom I spoke on the subject, to introduce you as my bride & your sister to Lady Barkly.

Thursday. The French Consul, Mons Truy, has just presented me with the insignia of the Legion of honor, accompanied by the Imperial Decree. The first favor I must ask of my beloved bride, when here, will be to fix this decoration to my brest: I shall be very proud to wear it thus when occasion offers. It is the only distinction, which the first Emperor always bore.

Good Friday. Dear Phemy! Last night I was agreably surprised by a Serenade of the musical members of the German Gymnastic Association. I was much touched with the kindness of my countrymen and only regretted you were not here.

I am still dreadfully in arrear with the preparations for my departure and more particularly with the arrangements to be made prior to my going in my department. I have just arranged about the extension of the forcing houses and am engaged with the plans of extending the Yan Yean Aqueduct along the higher ground of the Garden.