From Annie McCann to Ferdinand von Mueller   10 Sep 1882

Rockalpine House

Snowy Creek

via Beechworth¹

Sept. 10th 1882

Dear Baron Von Mueller

Pardon me for not acknowledging your interesting Work on Mosses² earlier. I was delighted to get it, and now beg you will accept all my thanks I was pleasingly surprised to find such an extensive Catalogue of mosses. I think I have enumerated 600 or there abouts in your pages.

How very delightful it is to have a knowledge of so many of those beautiful, fragile things, strewn, as they are "by an unseen hand".

I fear I have not made much progression in adding to your already extensive list. I send herewith a packet of those lovely inhabitants of our lonely glens; One enclosure, is from the fertile banks of the Mitta Mitta³ — one, from "Rockalpine", and the others were gathered near the River Dart.⁴

I also send specimens of a few plants whose beauty has struck me much.

The creeping plant "No 1" is truly lovely when seen twining round the tall Musk trees, It has numerous stems, some of which are 1½ inch in diameter. I send some of the valves or pods which have remained attached to the branches since last year, but there are no seeds. It forms a grand "vegetable cable."

No 3 is also very beautiful and luxuriant. I fancy it is "Native Hazel" or "Black Wattle".

Please tell me their respective names (if not encroaching on your valuable time)

The Acacias Nos 5 & 6 have been found at a much lower elevation than the specimen sent you previously. But these seem different, as they do not bear the two varities⁵ of leaves. And one of them is off a tree about 20 feet high. The stem, about 1ft. from the ground seems to be, from 4 to 5 inches in diameter. It is now in full flower and looks very handsome.

I trust you are enjoying perfect health and with best wishes for its continuance in which I am joined by Mr McCann

I am, dear Baron Von Mueller

Yours Most obediently

Annie [M. D.] McCann