Please thank the Evening News and other Sydney papers for their kind encouragement to my last appeal in the interest of poor Leichhardt. I hope to arrange that Mr. Forest1 shall take the field again, and carry on the search from the source of the Murchison, or from Sparkes'2 Bay to Carpentaria, during the next cool season; but will write you fully on the subject. Mr. Forest's last journey appeared in detail lately in the columns of the Melbourne Leader.3
Forrest.
Shark Bay, WA?
'Journal of proceedings of an exploring expedition in search of the remains of the late Dr. Leichhardt and party, undertaken by order of the government of Western Australia, by John Forrest, Government Surveyor', Leader (Melbourne), 9 October 1869, p. 21, continued 16 October 1869, p. 23.
The report in the Empire continues: 'It is not generally known that our missing explorer was a perfect stranger to Dr. Mueller, who had never heard of him, except through the public newspapers. The persevering industry and interest taken in the cause of Leichhardt and humanity are, therefore, the more praiseworthy, and worthy of a corresponding sentiment in those who knew him better—the people of New South Wales.'
The item was reprinted in the Brisbane courier, 23 November 1869, p. 2 (B69.11.03), where it is introduced by 'Dr. Mueller, of Melbourne, still seems to cling to the idea that we have not heard the last of poor Leichhardt. The Empire says:—'
Letter not found. The text given here is from 'Leichhardt's fate', Empire (Sydney), 4 November 1869, p. [2] (B69.11.02). It is introduced by 'The large-hearted and scientific Fred. (sic) Von Mueller, of Melbourne adheres to the hope of eventually finding out, if no more, the fate and last traces of the long lost Leichhardt. In a letter to an old friend in Sydney, he writes:—'. The item is dated to October 1869 as the latest likely date it could have been sent, to reach M's friend in Sydney and then be forwarded by him to the newspaper in time for publication on 4 November.
Please cite as “FVM-69-10-00b,” 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