Ferdinand von Mueller

12/10/81.

Erlaube mir, lieber Krichauff, die Bitte, den dort jetzt Weilenden Hr General-Consul Dr Krauel darauf aufmerksam zu machen, dass die von Skuthorpe erlangten Journale Leichhardt's u Classen's nicht als dessen Eigenthum betrachtet werden können, da er einfach der Finder derselben ist. Alle Ehre dem Finder; jede gerecht Belohnung ihm; aber da Leichhardt u Classen zahlreiche Verwandte in sehr dürftigen Umständen haben, sollte doch auch deren Gerechtsame gewahrt werden.

Die 3 Reisen Leichhardts waren Privat -Expeditionen u obgleich der unglückliche Gelehrte nach seiner ersten glorreichen Reise eine Belohnung von £800 erhielt von der Regierung in Sydney, so wurde diese Summe, (welche ihm dann Privat gehörte) schon in der 2tn Reise wieder aufgeopfert, u die 3tn unglückliche Expedition wurde nur durch Privat-Freunde Leichhardts unterstützt ausnahmsweise von 20 Ochsen, welche Gouverneur Fitzroy ihm schenkte. Also sind alle Habseligkeiten und Reliquien, welche aus diesem letzten Unternehmen Leichhardts hervorgingen, Eigenthum seiner Erben, und diese sollten bei Gelegenheit der Belohnung Skuthorpes nicht übersehen werden. Ich vermuthe, dass die Journale ganz nahe den jetzigen westlichsten Stationen Ostaustraliens erlangt wurden, dass die Eingebornen solche für kleine Tauschsachen hergaben, und dass daher die Aufgabe des Heimbringens dieser Reliquine eine verhältnissmässig leichte gewesen ist. Ich habe es vorgezogen, an Dich zu schreiben, da ich als Regierungsbeamter nicht in eine etwa öffentliche Correspondenz mithinein gezogen werden möchte. Sir Henry Parkes hat sich schon sehr grossmüthig für Frau Schmalfuss, die Schwester Leichhardts gezeigt, indem er für diese alte hülfsbedürftige Frau £500 vom Parlament in Sydney erlangte, u so wird auch wohl bei dieser Gelegenheit das Recht der Verwandten L's u C's nicht übersehen werden, zumal da Skuthorpe (wie Hume offenbar wollte) das Gefundene geldlich erpressend ausbeuten will!

Mich soll wundern, was die deutsche Zeitung dort über die Veröffentlichung der Briefe Leichhardts an seine Angehörige geschrieben vor der letzten Reise sagen wird, da ich absichtlich — nach meinem unsäglichen Wirken für Leichhardt seit 1849 — darin übergangen bin.

Da Leichhardt wahrscheinlich innerhalb des Territoriums von Südaustralien gefallen ist, sollte eure Colonie es als Ehrensache betrachten, den wirklichen Todesplatz Leichhardts auffinden zu lassen, um etwaige andere Reste der Expedition zu sichern und die noch in der Wüste bleichenden Gebeine der Ungekommenen zu begraben! Da Mr Giles dafür jetzt nicht frei ist, so wäre es "a graceful compliment" to Mr Tietkens, der selbverständlich leer ausgeht, ihn mit der Nachsuchung zu betreuen, zumal da durch Südaustralische Beamte auf die Hume Aussagen die grössten Zweifel geworfen wurden, was jetzt zu mancherlei Verwirklungen leiten kann, u jedenfalls dazu beitrug nicht zeitige Hülfe zu Classen zu schicken.

Ich habe Sir Henry Parkes in einem Privatbrief gedankt für das was er eben für Leichhardt's Schwester gethan, da ich mit ihm in Verbindung kam durch die Sydney Ausgabe meiner "Select plants", hast Du das Buch? u nahm ich diese Gelegenheit wahr, ihn auf die Ansprü ch e der Erben Leichhardts u Classen's aufmerksam zu machen; doch sollte dies auch von officieller Seite geschehen.

Ich suche gern Hr Dr Kreaul bei seiner Rückreise nach Sydney, werde es aber in meiner Zurückgezogenheit schwerlich erfahren, wann dieser ausgezeichnete Herr hier ist, es sei denn dass er mir zur Zeit seiner Ankunft mittheilte, wann u wo ich ihn finden kann.

Darf ich Dich um Sir Th Elder's Adresse (jetzige) bitten? Wird das nach mir genannte Pferd in Melb. am Prinz von Wales Geburtstag rennen? Hat es weitere Erfolge seither im Rennen gewonnen? Ich besuche keine Rennen u wettete nie.

Bitte, sprich über die Leichhardt Angelegenheit auch mit dem vortrefflichen Vice Consul dort, Hr. v Treuer.

Ich höre, dass mein früheren Gehülfe, dort schwer erkrankt ist.

Du weisst es, was ich für Leichhardt in dem drittel Jahrhundert gethan!

Ist Prof Tate wieder wohl?

Von Euerem Forstmeister habe ich auch lange nichts mehr gehört. Er braucht mich wohl nicht mehr.

12/10/81

Permit me, dear Krichauff, the request to make the Consul General Dr Krauel

1

Richard Richard Krauel, Germany's first full-time diplomatic appointment in Australia, was Consul-General, based in Sydney, 1879-85.

now staying there aware that the journals of Leichhardt and Classen obtained by Skuthorpe cannot be considered as his property , since he is simply the finder of them.

2

A cattleman, J. R. Skuthorpe, claimed to have found the journals of Ludwig Leichhardt and one of his companions on his final expedition, Augustus Classen, together with other relics. M had become convinced by his claims; see, for example, M to the Editor of the Age, 20 February 1888 (in this edition as 80-02-20a). However, Skuthorpe failed to produce anything when pressed to do so. See D. Lewis (2013), pp. 262-82.

All honour to the finder; every just reward to him; but since Leichhardt and Classen have numerous relatives in very poor circumstances, their rights should also be respected.

Leichhardt's 3 journeys were private expeditions and although the unfortunate scholar received a reward of £800 from the Sydney government after his first glorious journey, this sum (which then belonged to him privately) was already sacrificed again in the 2nd journey, and the 3rd unfortunate expedition was only supported by Leichhardt's private friends, with the exception of 20 oxen that Governor Fitzroy gave him. Therefore all the belongings and relics that came out of this last venture of Leichhardt's are the property of his heirs, and these latter should not be overlooked on the occasion of Skuthorpe's reward. I assume that the journals were obtained quite near the present westernmost stations of Eastern Australia, that the natives gave them away in exchange for small things, and that therefore the task of bringing these relics home was a relatively easy one. I have preferred to write to you because, as a government official, I would not like to be drawn into any public correspondence. Sir Henry Parkes has already shown great generosity to Mrs. Schmalfuss, Leichhardt's sister, by obtaining £500 for this old woman in need of help from the Parlament in Sydney, and so the right of L's and C's relatives will probably also not be overlooked on this occasion, especially since Skuthorpe (as Hume obviously wanted)

3

Several years earlier, Andrew Hume claimed to have met Augustus Classen who, he claimed, was the last survivor of Leichhardt's expedition, and had been living with Aborigines for many years. Classen, he said, had given him papers of Leichhardt's and other items, for which Hume sought a reward. Hume's account was, however, full of discrepancies and came to be generally discredited. (See D. Lewis (2013), pp 138-154.

wants to exploit what he has found by extorting money!

I should wonder what the German newspaper there will say about the publication of Leichhardt's letters to his relatives written before his last journey, since I am intentionally — after my immense work for Leichhardt since 1849 —passed over in it.

4

Leichardt(1881). The review of the volume in Australische Zeitung (Adelaide), 25 October 1881, p. 3, is critical of Neumayer's addendum to the letters, objecting that M should not have been mentioned only in passing; the article then has extensive discusson of M's role in searching for Leichhardt. See Darragh (2018).

Since Leichhardt probably fell within the territory of South Australia,

5

i.e. in the Northern Territory, at that time adminstered by SA.

your colony should consider it a matter of honour to have Leichhardt's real place of death located in order to secure any other remnants of the expedition and to bury the bones of the unfortunates still bleaching in the desert! Since Mr Giles is not free to do this now, it would be 'a graceful compliment' to Mr Tietkens, who of course gets nothing, to entrust him with the search, especially since the greatest doubts have been cast on the Hume statements by South Australian officials,

6

Charles Todd, SA's Postmaster General, was an early sceptic.

which can now lead to many realisations and in any case contributed to not sending timely help to Classen.

I have thanked Sir Henry Parkes in a private letter for what he has just done for Leichhardt's sister,

7

M to H. Parkes, 3 October 1881.

since I came into contact with him through the Sydney edition of my "Select plants",

8

B81.01.04; the volume was dedicated 'To | the Honorable Sir Henry Parkes | K.C.M.G., M.P., | Colonial Secretary of New South Wales, | An enlightened promoter of Rural Industries, | this volume is | respectfully dedicated.' See also M to H. Fawcett, 29 March 1881.

do you have the book? and I took the opportunity to draw his attention to the claims of Leichhardt's and Classen's heirs; but this should also be done officially.

I would like to look for Dr Kreaul

9

Krauel.

on his return journey to Sydney, but in my seclusion it will difficult to ascertain when this excellent gentleman will be here, unless he informs me, at the time of his arrival, when and where I can find him.

10

Krauel arrived by sea in Melbourne from Adelaide on 16 October1881 (Argus, 17 October 1881, p. 4) ; his departure date to Sydney has not been found.

May I ask you for Sir Th Elder's address (present one)? Will the horse named after me race at Melbourne on the Prince of Wales Birthday?

11

i.e. Melbourne Cup Day. A racehorse owned by Thomas Elder had been named 'Baron von Mueller'; see M to R. Tate, 1 July 1881, and Dwyer (1996). The horse ran in th elast race of the day on Melbourne Cup Day in 1881 and won!

Has it won any other successes in racing since then? I do not attend races and never bet.

Please, talk about the Leichhardt matter also with the excellent Vice Consul there Mr. v Treuer.

I hear that my former assistant there has fallen seriously ill.

12

Ernst Heyne? Heyne moved to Adelaide in 1869 but was now terminally ill, dying later in October 1881.

You know what I did for Leichhardt in the third of the century!

Is Prof. Tate well again?

I haven't heard from your forester

13

J. Ednie Brown.

for a long time either. He probably doesn't need me any more.