The correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller: Yorick Club ¶ ¶ Melbourne, ¶ 1.X. ¶ 188 ¶ 6 ¶ My dear Baron ¶ ¶ I see by a Melbourne Paper that you have had recently some correspondence with Captain R. R. Armstrong R.N. relative to a settlement...

Document information

Physical location:

A39 Royal Geographical Society of Australasia (Vic. Branch) papers, Mitchell Library, Sydney. 86.10.01

Preferred Citation:

John Shillinglaw to Ferdinand von Mueller, 1886-10-01. 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/86-10-01>, accessed September 11, 2025

MS letterhead, crossed out: 'Royal Commission on Vegetable Products. (CROWN LANDS DEPARTMENT.)'.

Yorick Club Melbourne, 1.X.1886

My dear Baron

I see by a Melbourne Paper that you have had recently some correspondence with Captain R. R. Armstrong R.N. relative to a settlement on the Auckland Islands, with ulterior views regarding further Antarctic exploration.

See B86.09.07, a reprint of an article originally published in Sydney, B86.09.06, and also M to R. Armstrong, 27 August 1886 (in this edition as 86-08-27b).

It occurs to me that perhaps it may assist Captn. Armstrong if he were made acquainted with the remarkable Narrative of the wreck of the schooner " Grafton " on that Island in 1864

I met Captn. Musgrave the master of the schooner in New Zealand on his astonishing escape from the place after 20 months' terrible suffering. I took his Journal (which was written in Seals' blood) & edited it here & also published it in England.

Musgrave (1865). The book was also published in London in 1866.

The Times there said it was as interesting as ' Robinson Crusoe ' with the difference that it was true!

Some time since when the papers were urging Admiral Tryon to send a ship to search these Islands for some missing merchant ship I sent the Admiral a copy of " Castaway on the Auckland Isles " & he wrote me that he had read it with very great interest.

But the little book may not have fallen in Captain Armstrong's way; so I have dug out another copy (they are very scarce) and send it to you herewith for your friend

You know how much I regard it as my duty to you as my Geographical Godfather to assist you in all your [...] plans — This may in some small way help in the good cause.

The worthy Musgrave is now the Lighthouse keeper at the Otway.

Cape Otway, Vic.

I regret I have seen so little of you lately but hope to meet you on Monday evening at the meeting.

Meeting not identified.

Yours ever & always,

John J. Shillinglaw

Sir Ferdinand von Mueller FRS