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From Ferdinand von Mueller to Alexander Macdonald   14 June 1896

14/6/96

Absorbed in endless Office-Work, early and late, dear Mr Macdonald, I have neglected to send back your copy of Abel Jansen (as we write in Germany) Tasman.1 In candor I must confess, I could not make free yet the time to read carefully this splendid essay, but hope to enjoy this. Perhaps you will send a copy to His Excellency, should the Governor not have received one on the evening of our last geogr. meeting.

Passages from this book discussed would form an instructive and attractive theme for one of our Colleagues, who may visit one of the country-towns. I had just an opportunity to consult personally a Gentleman who knows all about Camperdown.2

Do you see the slightest chance to obtain at present any funds for what Consul Gunderson proposes,3 even if he made up his mind to operate within the antarctic circle, therefore far south of Kerguelen's Land.

Very regardfully

your

Ferd. von Mueller.

1

The work referred to is probably J. Walker (1891).

2

Vic.

3

i.e. Hans Gundersen, consul for Sweden and Norway at Melbourne. It is not known what he was proposing in the way of Antarctic exploration at this time.

Please cite as “FVM-96-06-14a,” 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 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/vonmueller/letters/96-06-14a