26/7/65
Allow me, honorable and dear Sir, to draw your attention to the enclosed copy of a letter from Mr Pemberton Walcott of Karri Dale Warren River1 and ask, whether now when such strenuous efforts are made to ascertain the end of the traveller Leichhardt these efforts could not be seconded by the West Australian Government in sending a small party to the spot, indicated by the native as mentioned by Mr Walcott, where a party of whites had fallen. Though it may be but a vague rumour or an invented story, yet while the eastern colonies are doing their share to set the contradictory account of Leichhardts death at rest, the western Colony —I anticipate — will gladly share in this work of humanity by enquiry locally. Under any circumstance the general discoveries of a journey such as pointed out, cannot fail to offer a vast recompense for the outlays incurred and no further attention need then be paid to the talk of the native. I am also informed by Mr George Clifton of Dartmoor,2 that he found also huts and the remnants of firearms at Sharks Bay.3 The barrel of a gun had been used for knocking oysters from the rocks. It is by no means beyond possibility that this were not the traces of a wrecked sailor but of members of Leichhardts party, who after loosing their horses (perhaps by the Gastrolobium of N. W. Australia now known) may have walked into Sharks Bay for a chance of relief. As occasional vessels proceed to the spot or perhaps a governments vessel may be available for the purpose, the Ladies of the Leichhardt Search Committee would regard it an especial favor if also the origin of these remnants of Europeans at Sharks Bay could by the goodness of your government be ascertained, and if also the account given to Mr Walcott could be trusted.
Perhaps the two enquiries could be combined, for from the locality mentioned by Mr Walcott the party after performing the enquiry there might readily descend to Sharks Bay for continuing the search. Mr Clifton informs me, that his successor has in his possession the remains of the firearms brought from Sharks Bay.
I may add, that the Ladies movement has excited a deep interest in some of the highest circles of Europe and that probably towards their enterprise the patronage of many a throne will be extended.
The South Australian promoters of the search have been asked to send a vessel from Adam Bay to Port Essington4 for the purpose of learning, whether Leichhardt possibly may have proceeded once more to the goal of his former destination without being aware that the settlement was abandoned. The successful efforts made by West Australia to recover the remains of the poor explorers at Roebuck bay reflects great credit on your country.5 May the same spirit of philanthropy now move your government to embark in the enquiry of Dr Leichhardt, who after all may have reached to within near of your settlement.
It is my intention to attach your honored name to some lovely W. Austr plant, which the next season may bring within my reach for description.
Ever with most friendly regards your
Ferd. Mueller
The honorable F. P. Barlee & &c.6
Gastrolobium
MS enclosed with the above letter: 'Extract from a letter of Pemberton Walcott Esq. West Australia | "A certain native whom I could produce offered, & begged to be allowed to conduct me to the remains of 3 white men who he said had - died for want of water he said they were followed and watched in a country destitute of water (the natives obtain it in summer weather by tapping a species of Eucalyptus) for three days that the whites were constantly looking for water & that one died and that to this day there were plenty of paper talks (papers) to be found there. they had no horses. The locality was about 100 miles to the N. & E. of the Geraldine mine which about N.E. of the Murchison River I do not believe that the natives were harmless spectators, from my knowledge I am inclined to think that if there is any foundation for the story that the natives murdered them, I am also of opinion that any Expedition to test the truth of this statement ought to start from Champion Bay commanded by some one who understood the dialect there spoken, and accompanied by natives of that locality it could be very easily accomplished and with very little outlay 3 or 4 months in that direction might yield important results, and possibly open up much country for I am firmly convinced that a belt of good country extends from the Nickol Bay country back of Champion Bay & ditto York & finally reaching the settled parts of Adelaide"'.
WA; letter not found.
Shark Bay, WA.
NT.
Frederick Panter, James Harding and William Goldwyer left Fremantle in March 1864 to explore the Kimberley region of WA. Panter's brief report of the first part of the expedition was published (Inquirer and commercial news (Perth, WA), 8 June 1864, p. 2). They later set out to explore the country between Roebuck Bay and Lagrange Bay, and their failure to return led to unsuccessful local search parties. The WA Government despatched a search party led by Maitland Brown that left Fremantle on 16 February 1865 (Perth gazette and Western Australian times, 24 February 1865. p. 2). The remains of the explorers were recovered by Brown's party who, based on the journals of the three men recovered at the same time, reported that they had been killed on the evening of 13 November 1864. Brown reported killing several Aboriginal men who had followed and then ambushed his party, asserting that 'all the natives concerned in this assisted in the murder of Messrs Panter, Harding and Goldwyer'. See 'Discovery of the remains of the north-west coast explorers', Inquirer and commercial news (Perth, WA), 17 May 1865, p. 2, which also includes the Journal entries of the three explorers.
MS note attached: 'Dr Mueller written - Enquiries will be made as to truth of Walcott's story which is very improbable. Mr Walcott cannot give name of native, but says native Boy "Kingarra" at [C. L. von] Bibra's station knows him. Old guns from Shark's Bay sent to Dr M. - Copy of L. W. Clifton's letter 16 Aug 65 & an extract of J. Cliftons offl report of 1859 sent.'
The Clifton items, which have not been found, may have been enclosed with F. Barlee to M, 6 October 1865 (in this edition as 65-10-06a). That letter states that M had sent the extract of the letter from Pemberton Walcott in a letter to Barlee dated 25 April 1865, but the reference to April is probably an error, confusing the enclosure sent with the present letter with the Ladies' Committee's request for assistance sent with M to F. Barlee, 26 April 1865 (in this edition as 65-04-25c).
J. Clifton's 'official report' is probably an account of recapture of escaped convicts in the area near Shark Bay by a party in his charge; the newspaper reports include references to a convict having died and been buried by his comrades (Perth gazette and independent journal of politics and news, 4 March 1859, pp. 2-3).
MS letter head: 'LADIES LEICHARDT SEARCH COMMITTEE'.
Please cite as “FVM-65-07-26a,” 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