From Frederick Barlee   31 March 1869

Copy1

Perth, W.A.

31 March 1869

My dear Dr. Mueller

I am happy to be able, in reply to your letter of 28th Febr.2 to say that your request, that Mr Monger's discoveries should be followed up and that the rumors as to the fate of Leichhardt, as narrated by the natives to Mr. Monger and Mr. Roe,3 should be tested, will be carried into effect.

A party has been organised to start shortly after the 10th April and their movements will only be finally decided on, when we know, whether you will or will not be in a position to accompany the expedition. I am greatly in hopes, that this letter may not find you at Melbourne till your return thither from this Colony.

The party has been organised very much in the way you suggest and the command will be entrusted to a very smart young surveyor, named Forest,4 who will be guided by you, should you accompany him, and who is fully capable of carrying out the expedition successfully in your absence.

I feel so strongly that you will be present, that I refrain from entering into any long detail of the arrangements, but should circumstances prevent your coming, I will send you a full account next month.

I have made much use of your report on the rust disease and extracts from it have been published in the local papers.5

It has been a sad scourge to us here. I am glad to hear of the success of the Zamias, their retention of vitality must be very great.6

The party will consist of six; four Europeans, two natives, a cart for some distance and then pack horses; I think one pack horse for each man in addition to his riding horse, will convey all that is necessary.

I have secured natives known to the tribe who report the deaths of white men 11 days journey from Mongers furthest.

Hoping soon to become personally acquainted with you I am

Very faithfully

Yours

(Signed) Fred. Barlee

 

Zamia

 
 
Original letter not found. The copy is in an unknown hand.
M to F. Barlee, 28 February 1869.
See A. Hughan to M, 29 March 1867, and Hunt (1866), installment of 14 November 1866.
John Forrest.
B65.09.01; see M to F. Barlee, 28 February 1869. The full report was reprinted in B69.03.03; extracts in other papers have not been identified.
See M's circular letter (in this edition as 69-02-19).

Please cite as “FVM-69-03-31,” 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 29 March 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/vonmueller/letters/69-03-31