Document information

Physical location:

MS 13071 Royal Society of Victoria Exploration Committee rercords, box 2076/2, La Trobe Australian Manuscript Collection, State Library of Victoria, Melbourne. 60.01.29

Preferred Citation:

Robert Bowman to Ferdinand von Mueller, 1860-01-29. 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//letters/1860-9/1860/60-01-29-final.odt>, accessed June 13, 2026

Mamsburry
1
Malmsbury, Vic.
29 January 1860
Dr Mueller Esqr
Dear Sir
I take the liberty of writing to you concerning this expedition
2
The expedition of which Robert O'Hara Burke was appointed leader on 30 June and which became known as the Burke & Wills Exploring Expedition, 1860-1.
that that is about to start from Melbourne please to let me know who the person is that is to be [the] leader and when it is to start as I would like to gow with them and will doe all that lyes in my power als[o] there is a young man along with me whom I know for a length of time his temper is good and he Knows the bush well and he would wish to gow also his name is Jason Hassard
Dear Sir I hoop your health is much improved since I last saw you when you write Please direct your letter to R. Bowman Mamsburry Post Office to be Kept untill called for I am Sir yours ever truley
Robert Bowman
PS
Dear Sir
you acted as a friend to me when I last saw you but I am sorry to say that I am non able at this present time to refund to you the five pounds which you very kindly gave to me I will send it to you with many thanks as soon as possible.
R Bowman
3
MS annotation by M: ' Memo from one of Mr Gregorys best men. | Ferd Mueller'. Bowman would have been known to M from the North Australian Exploring Expedition, and he also accompanied Gregory on his later Leichhardt search expedition (see Gregory (1858) and Gregory (1858a)). Neither Bowman nor Hassard was appointed by Burke to the expedition party. See M et al. to the Royal Society of Victoria, December 1860 (in this edition as 60-12-00).