From Ferdinand von Mueller to Frederick Barlee   30 Jan 1870

Melbourne bot Garden

30/1/70.

It is much to be regretted, dear Mr Barlee, that the proposition cannot yet this coming cool season be carried out, to connect the surveys about Carpentaria by some bold and gallant dash with the mapped country of the River Murchison and Nichol-Bay. — With the extensive commands of splendid pasture-country and harbours on your W. & N.W. coast an overland road direct to the Queensland territory would have brought you no end of herds & flocks. But as I learn, that likely the S. E. territory of the W. A. dominions is geographically to be examined this season you will certainly call forth a line of overland commerce with South Australia, though you have not many ports of safety on that line near, nor a copious watersupply, not such good grass-country as towards the tropic of capricorn. I have failed to obtain the necessary subsidies for the northern exploit; had I private means of my own I would devote them to it, so gloriously promising is the task. I have not yet given up collecting for it, but must wait a more favorable period to raise means.

Mr Forest¹ in his new expedition to Eucla² will be able to obtain some additional material for fixing the limits of the W. A. plants eastward and the range of the S. A. westward. This he certainly might do without almost any expenditure in fund and time, and yet important knowledge would be gained.

The poison experiments are at a standing still for want of material. I hope I may get the blueflowered Grass lily (or Blind grass) some day from a place where it proves noxious, to get an insight into the nature of its poison. It is very gratifying that your reprinted public appeals have roused now several amateur collectors of W. A. plants. Every mail almost brings new material from new localities & thus I hope to give your colony in two or three years a special volume on its whole rich vegetation.

With deep regard your

Ferd. von Mueller

A fair supply of Zamia nuts & stems by any sailing ship will be gratefully received. My friend Capt Devine of the Barque Jeannie Oswald³ suddenly died. The case with plants, which my poor departed friend intended to bring you to Perth, has been trans shipped to the Schooner "Yarra" and doubtless reached you safely by this time.⁴ How soon poor Dr Hampden⁵ passed into eternity!

Zamia