H. M.1 Police Barracks
Glendhu, 26th February 1883
QL.2
Dear Baron von Mueller
I have only delayed answering your esteemed letter dated 10th Nov. /823 in the hope of being able to send you the flowers and unexpanded buds of the Eucalypt of which I sent you the leaves &c,4 but the wet season has been extraordinarily late this year and up to the present date I have been unable to find any flowering specimens but have been continually on the look out and you may rely on receiving specimens as soon as they flower. Now that I know the tree by sight, I have found numerous specimens of it in this vicinity and have instructed the troopers to let me know as soon as one is in flower5
In reference to the E. Torelliana6 I will do my best for you, but you must remember that in most cases when crossing Seaview range,7 I am on duty and pressed for time; however, I will try to secure you some specimens on my next trip (whenever that may be).
Regarding the aborigines in the vicinity of Bellenden Kerr8 I should think it would be most unsafe for a collector to venture there alone, as that neighbourhood is about the only place on that coast in which the blacks are in numbers and they are notoriously hostile to the whites
I will do my best to assist you with collections of seaweed &c from the coast at any time that opportunity may serve and on my next visit to Cardwell9 will try to procure you some of the sea grass which forms the food of the Dugong.
Your idea of getting the children of splitters &c to collect lichens mosses &c is, I am afraid, hardly practicable as they (the children) are few & far between and when they arrive at the age at which they would be sufficiently intelligent to collect, their parents generally employ them to assist at their work.
While thanking you for the honor you propose conferring on me by naming the Eucalyptus Cooperiana10 after me, I must deprecate being actuated by any motives of personal vanity in rendering you any small assistance in my power. My friend Mr Sellheim has often spoken to me of your efforts in the cause of science and I am only too glad to be the collaborateur (in however humble a manner) with one whose fame has spread over the world of science as yours has
Accept my best thanks for the book, which arrived safely and is of great interest to me and
Believe me
Sincerely Yrs
Brab. R. Stafford
Eucalyptus Cooperiana
Eucalyptus Torelliana
Her Majesty's.
Qld.
Letter not found.
See B. Stafford to M, 24 October 1882 (in this edition as 82-10-24b).
See also B. Stafford to M, 10 April 1883.
See B. Stafford to M, 21 April 1883.
Qld.
Mt Bellenden Ker, Qld.
Qld.
How the proposed name related to Stafford is not known.
MS found with a specimen of Eucalyptus howittiana (MEL 1610552). MS annotation by M: 'Sent Census 21/3/83'.
Please cite as “FVM-83-02-26b,” 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