30. June. 1853
My dear Mr Gunn
Many thanks for your last note of the 16 inst1 — My clever little Botanist2 has returned having done quite as much as I expected & more than any but a german, drunk with the love of his Science, — & careless of ease — & regardless of difficulty in whatever form it might present itself — could have effected in the time & under the circumstances. He started along the Sydney road to the May Day Hills in the Ovens District whence I wished him to gain access to the higher group of Australian alps. He was however from the advance of the season in Feby unable to effect this — but made for Buffalo ranges — & ascended Mt Aberdeen3 — then alone & unaided went up the Delatite river, & got to the top of the Mount Buller range 5000 + or -, & within reach of the subalpine flora, then crossed the dividing ranges to the Yarra & turning under their SW flank to the E. went in to Gipps Land & explored Wilsons Promontory returning by the coast to Western Port. In the ravines of Wilsons Promy he found your Fagus,4 as I hoped he would — none of your pines however. The results of his tour shall be printed in due time5 — in the mean time I may state that they are exceedingly interesting.
You will soon have Mr Swainson with you. All I can say is that with all his undeniable talent I have found him a very hard bargain — as helpless as a child, & a grumbler of the first water — I am prepared to see his statement of his labours in Victoria most plentifully interlarded with complaints of hardships & want of cordial cooperation. But n'importe6
When Dr Muller's report is printed, I shall of course send it to you
Kind regards to Mrs Gunn & to your brother
Yrs try
C. J. Latrobe
Fagus
Please cite as “FVM-M53-06-30,” 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 24 April 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/vonmueller/letters/M53-06-30