LADIES'
LEICHARDT
SEARCH COMMITTEE
Upper Darling1
5. May 1865.
Dr. Mueller
Melbourne.
I have just heard that there has been heavy rain at Mt. Murchison2 and all along the Darling and to the northward, so that, there will be no difficulty about water for the next two or three months.
I will be back at Mt. Murchison in a month or two for a mob of Horses, I will then start, direct for the Flinders.3
Should the Expedition be ready to start then we could all go together, as I know all the watering places. It would save the leader a good deal of trouble. I will have about a hundred Horses to take over. I expect to overtake the other stock about the Thompson or head of the Flinders, I will then leave what Horses I do not require and go on to select a Run somewhere on the Leichhardt River.
Should I be appointed leader everything would require to be at Mt. Murchison in July at furthest, As I shall be away for good by that time. That is Camel waterbags & Camel pack saddles and anything else that might be required such as Mt. Barometer4 or Berlin water Apparatus5 or both.
Nautical Almanacs6 for this and the next two or three years, a few Navy Colts Revolvers and 20 boxes revolv. caps.
Camel Hobbles
24 pair Stirrup leathers.
There is no paddock at Mt. Murchison or in the neighborhood
There should be an account of everything Leichhardt had with him — given to whoever is going to search for him, such as the number of Horses, Cattle, Mules, sheep, Goats etc. etc. white men and natives.
You can address anything to me
Kallara
Darling River, N.S.W.
Signed
Duncan M'Intyre7
NSW.
Sheep station on the Darling River, near present day Wilcannia.
Flinders River, north Qld.
Mountain barometer, used for determining elevations.
Hypsometer, used for determining elevations by measuring the temperature at which water boils.
Published by the Greenwich Observatory, with tables for determining longitude.
The President of the Ladies' Leichardt Search Committee, Eliza Bromby, forwarded this letter to the Chief Secretary (E. Bromby to J. McCulloch, 22 May 1865, M65/4706, unit 209, VPRS 3991/P inward registered correspondence, VA 475 Chief Secretary's Department, Public Record Office, Victoria). Her covering letter explained that the Ladies' Leichhardt Search Committee was 'anxious with as little delay as possible to ascertain how soon they will be authorized in entering into negotiations with the leader whose services they desire to secure for their proposed expedition. A steadily increasing interest in the cause gives every hope of ultimate success.' On 26 May McCulloch minuted: 'Th Wright to see me on Monday'. On 29 May he minuted: 'If the 3 other Colonies give £500 each.'
Bromby had previously written in anticipation of a meeting with the Chief Secretary to report that support had been sought from Lady Bowen (Qld), Queen Victoria, the Princess of Wales and the Princess of Prussia (E. Bromby to J. McCulloch, 6 May 1865, M65/4187). In another letter a month later she enclosed telegrams that indicated that the SA and Qld governments would recommend to their Parliaments that funds be provided (E. Bromby to J. McCulloch, 6 June 1865, L65/5182). At the end of the year she wrote to the Chief Secretary's Department asking that the £500 granted by the Vic government be paid into the Committee's bank account (E. Bromby to [J. Moore?], 12 December 1865, M65/11597).
See also M to J. McCulloch, 29 May 1865.
MS transcribed by a clerk with 'Signed Duncan M'Intyre' in M's hand.
Please cite as “FVM-65-05-05,” 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