Ferdinand von Mueller

1

MS annotation in M's hand: ‘To Charles Darwin Esq. with Ferd Muellers best salutation 8/10/67’.

Mansfield 12 Septbr 67

Lieber Herr Doctor,

Sonnabend d 7’ds kam ich hier, an meiner Tour nach Mount Buller, am Sonntag hatte ich die Freude diesen majestätischen Berg mit seiner Schneekappe klar und deutlich zu sehen, seitdem haben wir leider täglich Regen gehabt und sind diese Alpenberge in Wolken eingehüllt, ich beabsichtige in diese Gegend ein paar Wochen zu verweilen Mt Buller wie Timbertop zu besteigen und Ansichten aufnehmen soweit sich mir diese schöne Gelegenheit zu Gebote steht. Der Zweck dieser Zeilen ist, Ihnen hiermit meinen wärmsten Dank abzustatten für die freundliche Unterstützung und Rath zur Unternehmung dieser Tour; wenn in den Mt Buller Ranges werde ich nicht versäumen mein Augenmerk auch auf Flechten & Schwämme zu lenken und könnte ich sonst während meiner Anwesenheit hier für Ihr Departement hier anderweitig nützlich sein so bitte Sie recht freundlichst es mir mittheilen lassen zu wollen. Auf meine eingesandten Queries des Hn Chs Darwin bekam ich von der Missionsstation Framlingham erst vor ca. 8 Tagen die Antwort, daß die Eingebornen dort zu sehr mit der geringeren (low) Classe der Europäer in Verbindung wären und er deshalb die Fragen nicht beantworten könne. Mrs Green von der Coranderrk Station schreibt mir heute u. A. wie folgt:

Dear Doctor,

Saturday the 7th I arrived here on my tour to Mount Buller; on Sunday I had the pleasure of seeing clearly and distinctly this majestic mountain covered with snow; we have unfortunately had rain every day since and these alpine mountains have been enveloped in clouds. I plan to stay in this area for a couple of weeks, to climb Mt Buller and Timbertop and to photograph some views, should a good opportunity arise. The reason for these lines is to thank you warmly for your kind support and advice in the planning of this tour. When in the Mount Buller Ranges, I will not fail to direct my attention to the lichens and fungi, and if I can be of service to your department in any other way during my stay here, please let me know. In response to Mr Chs Darwin’s queries that I forwarded to the missionary station in Framlingham, just 8 days ago I received the answer that the indigenous peoples there are too much in contact with the poorer (low) class of Europeans, and he therefore cannot answer the queries. Mrs Green of Coranderrk Station

2

Coranderrk Mission Station was near Healesville, Vic. See Fels (1998?). There is no publication date in the volume, but citations to it in her later publications give 1988.

has written the following to me today, as per your instructions:

"I am very happy to inform you that we are now free of fever. It was only very recently that it finally disappeared from our station. there is not an individual here but has been attacked with it, Big Lizzie, Jack & Jacky Warren have died in it I was closely confined to bed in it for three weeks just after you were here last. — — I have not been able to give much attention to your Queries I am only able to answer four of them yet; but I hope now to be able to make special observations on the others and you may depend on me in answering none of them without carefully observing them myself." — —

Answers to Queries about Expressions:

3

For the questions being answered, see C. Darwin to M, 28 February 1867.

12., I have seen Maggie and Marie laugh until the water from the eyes run down the cheeks (NB Maggie (Tommy Hobsons Lubra and Marie, Simon Wongas Lubra are both pure Aborigines. Ch. W.)

14., The children when sulky protrude the lip very much .

15. Jealous expressions can be observed in the countenance, the Natives seem not to be able to hide them.

17. In Affirmation the head is two or three times nodded vertically with the mouth shut and protruding a little. In Negation it is moved laterally sometimes in silence and sometimes accompanied by " Eota !"

The nearest Post Office for any letters intended for me will be

Mansfield for the next fourtnight.

Hoping dear Doctor that your health has improved,

Ferd. Mueller Esq M.D. F.R.S. &tc. &tc. &tc.

Melbourne

5

Annotated in Darwin's hand: The answers by Mrs Green.