24/2/76.
Ich danke Ihnen, edler Freund, für die Zusendung Ihrer schönen Notizen und Karte von Nordenskiöld’s wichtiger Reise. Ich habe diese Documente in Ihrem Interesse für eine der hiesigen englischen Zeitungen verwerthet.
Aus beigefügtem Druck werden Sie ersehen, dass Mr. Giles auf dem von mir zuerst empfohlenen Wege heimkehrt!
Ein Blick auf die Landkarte genügt um zu sehen, dass der Oberst Warburton sich zu weit nördlich hielt, während Gosse und Forrest zu weit südlich blieben. Es ist merkwürdig, dass niemand den Fingerzeig, welche die Strahlung der Ströme N. W. Australiens giebt, u. deren Wichtigkeit ich vor Jahren zuerst demonstrirt als eine Überlandslinie von der Nähe des M'Donnell's Range gebend, erkannte.
Übrigens hat die Regierung W. A.'s Mr. Giles nicht engagirt, wohl aus Rücksicht auf die localen Forrests, so dass die Heimreise auf Mr Elders alleinige Kosten stattfinden wird. Ich habe die Vermessung des Alfred & Mary Range empfohlen, auch die Vollendung der Untersuchung des Lake Amadeus, zumal da letzteres Wasser uns vermuthlich zu andern Höhen, vielleicht Gebirgen leiten wird, welche die Ausdehnung dieses grossen Landsees nach N. W. erklären.
Mit steter Freundschaft u. Bewunderung
Ihr
Ferd. von Mueller.
24 February 1876.
I thank you, noble friend, for sending me your fine notes and map of Nordenskjöld's important expedition.1 I have utilized the documents in your interest for one of the local English newspapers.2
From the enclosed publication you will see that Giles is returning home by the route first recommended by me!3
A look at the map suffices to see that Colonel Warburton was keeping too far north, while Gosse and Forrest remained too far south.4 It is strange that nobody has recognised the pointer given by the way the north-western Australian watercourses radiate, the importance of which I first demonstrated years ago as giving an overland route from the vicinity of the MacDonnell Ranges.
By the way, the Government of Western Australia did not engage Giles, probably out of consideration for the local Forrests,5 so that his return journey will take place solely at Mr Elder's expense. I have recommended the survey of the Alfred and Marie Range, also that the exploration of Lake Amadeus6 be completed, especially as the waters of the latter will probably lead us to other elevations, perhaps even mountain ranges, thus explaining the great extension of this large inland lake towards the north-west.
With constant friendship and admiration
your
Ferd. von Mueller.
Nordenskjöld's expedition from Tromsö to Jenissei, June-August 1875; see Petermann (1875), with the associated map, plate 24.
There is a brief article on the expedition in the Argus, 18 March 1876, p. 4, but neither M nor Petermann is mentioned.
There were a number of newspaper accounts of Ernest Giles's planned return route (for example, Argus, 21 February 1876, p. 5) but it is not known what report M sent to Petermann. After successfully crossing Australia's western deserts in about latitude 30°S from the overland telegraph line to Perth, WA in late 1875, Giles made a return journey from the WA coast to the overland telegraph line on a more northerly route, leaving the Murchison River area in March 1876 and reaching his destination in August; see 'Mr Giles' exploration', Argus, 25 August 1876, p. 5.
The Central Australian expeditions by Warburton, 1873; Gosse, 1873; and J. and A. Forrest, 1874.
John and Alexander Forrest.
NT.
MS annotation by Petermann: 'Erh. 19. April 1876' [Received 19 April 1876]. For a published version of this letter, see Voigt (1996), pp. 129-30.
Please cite as “FVM-76-02-24b,” 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