Ferdinand von Mueller

1

Letter not found. For the text given here, see Express (Melbourne), 27 May 1873, p. 2; it was reprinted in shortened form in the Ballarat star, 28 May 1873, p. 2. It was evidently received before M to A. Petermann, 20 May 1873 was written.

[Baron von Mueller has received communications from Mr Ernest Giles, the Victorian explorer now in Central Australia, to the effect that his party is now leaving Beltana, amply provided, and that it is his intention to choose the Alburga (between the telegraph stations of Charlotte and Peake) for his first westerly course, the lower part of the Alburga only being known. As the Mount Olga Range trends far eastwards and likely also southward, no difficulty is likely to be encountered in choosing the shortest line in the manner indicated. The season in Central Australia has been hitherto unfavorable through rain for a westerly or north-westerly commencement of the new explorations. The party consists of three white men, and one aboriginal, the latter a companion of Mr. Giles' for many years in his former travels beyond the Darling River, but not with him in his last year's expedition.

2

The Aboriginal man, 'Dick', joined the party at Beltana but left before the exploration proper started on 4 August 1873; see E. Giles (1889), vol. 1, p. 139-43. He had also started with Giles on the 1872 expedition. but evidently fearful of 'wild natives' left before the party reached Charlotte Waters, the 'last outpost of civilisation' (vol. 1, pp. 5-6).

Mr Giles, with his very slender means, partly given by the South Australian Government as a reward of past services, and partly obtained for him by Baron Von Mueller from private friends,

3

See M to D. Mackinnon, 7 January 1873, and B75.13.03. Place names given to commemorate donors are indicated by an * in Giles (1889).

has managed to bring for his new expedition twenty-four horses together.]