The correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller: Melbourne, 9 March 1854. ¶ M incorrectly wrote 1854, instead of 1855.On 9 March 1854,M was travelling between the Snowy River and Avon, Vic. (see M to J. Foster, 10 March 1854). On 9 March 1855,hehad ...

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Physical location:

Private hands. 55.03.09

Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to Friedrich Krichauff, 1855-03-09. R.W. Home, Thomas A. Darragh, A.M. Lucas, Sara Maroske, D.M. Sinkora, J.H. Voigt and Monika Wells (eds), Correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller, <https://vmcp.rbg.vic.gov.au/id/55-03-09>, accessed September 11, 2025

MS envelope front: 'Fr. Krichauff Esq. | Bugle Range | near | Macclesfield'.

Melb 9. März 54.

Mein lieber Krichauff

Gestern Abend bin ich von meiner Alpen Reise zurückgekehrt, nachdem ich am gastrischem Fieber darnieder gelegen. Ich danke für Deinen freundlichen Brief, u condolire mit inniger Theilnahme über den Trauerfall in Deiner Familie. Gewiss wird Euch bald eine frohere Zeit beginnen.

Vielleicht kann Dein Wunsch unserer Wiedervereinigung noch erfüllt werden, indem ich vielleicht nach Macclesfield komme, sollte wirklich das wissenschaftliche Department hier eingehen aus Geldmangel. Ist da wohl Aussicht auf ein Stück Brod als Apotheker? oder was denkst Du von Port Elliot u Encounter Bay.

Herzlichen Dank für die in Aussicht gestellten Pflanzen; ich will Euch Broschüren als Gegengabe sein.

Verzeihe dass ich aus Eile zur Post zu kommen, für heute nur noch bemerke, dass wenn keine Arrangements getroff es mich freuen sollte, die Hütte in M. nicht auf lange Zeit weggegeben zu sehen.

Grüsse Deine liebe Frau u guten Schwiegereltern aufs herzlichste von Deinem

Dir treu zugethanen

Ferd. Mueller

Melbourne, 9 March 1854.

M incorrectly wrote 1854, instead of 1855. On 9 March 1854, M was travelling between the Snowy River and Avon, Vic. (see M to J. Foster, 10 March 1854). On 9 March 1855, he had just returned from another alpine journey, and the letter is to be dated accordingly.

My dear Krichauff,

Yesterday evening I returned from my alpine journey, after I had been laid up with gastric fever.

In M to W. Haines, 10 March 1855, M uses 'last night' to mean he returned on 9 March, not 8 March as iimplied in this letter.

I thank you for your friendly letter,

Letter not found.

and express my condolence with deepest sympathy on the bereavement in your family.

Details not identified.

Surely a happier time will soon begin for you all.

Perhaps your wish for our reunion can still be fulfilled, as I may come to Macclesfield, should the scientific Department here really perish through lack of money. Is there any prospect of earning a crust of bread as a pharmacist there? Or what do you think of Port Elliot and Encounter Bay?

Sincere thanks for the promised plants; I will send you pamphlets to reciprocate.

Forgive me, when in my haste to catch the mail I only add the remark for today that, if no arrangements have been made, I would be pleased not to see the hut in Macclesfield disposed of for a long time yet.

See Gemmell (1975) for details of M's hut in the Bugle Ranges, SA. The land with the hut was leased; see B. Mueller to F. Krichauff, 6 May 1856 (in this edition as M56-05-06).

Give my sincerest regards to your dear wife and good parents-in-law

Dorothea Krichauff, Ludwig and Maria Fischer.

from your

always devoted

Ferd. Mueller.