Document information

Physical location:

MS 9504 Royal Society of Victoria Exploration Committee records, box 2077/5, La Trobe Australian Manuscripts Collection, State Library of Victoria, Melbourne. 60.07.12

Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to John Macadam, 1860-07-12. 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/1860-9/1860/60-07-12-final.odt>, accessed June 13, 2026

1
MS written in another hand and signed by M.
Melbourne botanic & zoolog. Garden,
12 July 1860.
Sir
I have the honor of returning to you the schedule of estimates prepared for the outfit of the Victorian exploring expedition and submitted for my opinion, and I beg in accordance with the wishes of the Exploration Committee to submit the following suggestions.
It might be advisable to substitute a quantity of Salt pork for Bacon, the former having proved on previous journeys the more wholesome of the two.
2
Friedrich Krichauff, in an interview published in the South Australian register, 12 October 1896, recalled going with M to the Bugle Ranges, SA not long after their arrival in Australia: 'I was very much surprised to see Mr. von Mueller with something on his back, and could not make out what it was. We were going to stay with Mr. Schedlich, the present Postmaster of North Adelaide, who had taken a piece of land from Sir Samuel Davenport in the Bugle Ranges. When we arrived there we found a friend of Mr. Schedlich's sitting before the chimney making damper. He was not a little astonished to see Mueller and myself enter. He rose, and said "Good gracious, what shall I feed you on? Schedlich is not at home, having gone to Macclesfield to get some tea, and I have no more flour, or indeed anything else." Mueller turned round and said, "I've got a piece of bacon;" and that's what he had been carrying all the way on his back.'
The bones of either might be removed for the sake of saving transport weight.
I cannot recommend to provide butter for any great length of time, unless it should be absolutely needed for the Indian Camel drivers.
Perhaps a small flock of sheep might be purchased on the Darling and driven to the Depot on Coopers Creek.
On the quantities of the provisions, as enumerated in the schedule, I cannot offer any opinion; since I am neither acquainted with the number of the party nor the scale of rations adopted.
A less purified kind of sugar is more readily packed and injures less the pack bags than lump sugar; a very small quantity of molasses contained in cruder kind of sugar seemed often rather advantageous.
For the sake of variety of food a few Ctw
3
Hundredweight. The correct abbreviation is Cwt.
of sago might be substituted for some of the rice.
If bisquits were to be provided, it would be preferable to have meat-bisquits purposely made. The best compostion for this purpose would be equal parts of flour and of the preserved boneless meat and bouillon, such as in 6 lb canisters is supplied to the Royal Navy; the dough formed of this mixture is by baking reduced to 1/4 of its weight. Thus 3 lb of these bisquits would be equal to 4 lb of boiled beef and flour collectively, whilst pork and bacon in packbags during hot weather will very largely loose of their weight by melting of the fat and will also become rancid. The meat bisquits offer moreover a ready food to the travelling party in wet weather, or under other circumstances, when baking cannot readily be carried out.
I would further recommend to provide for the exploring party a few Ctw. of dried apples raisins currants or other fruit, which will prove particularly wholesome to any of the party hereafter affected with scorbut.
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scurvy.
For the same purpose a small quantity of dried potatoes might be secured.
For limejuice citric acid and a few ounces essential oil of lemon might be advantageously substituted, it being a point of importance to avoid the transport of fluids in hard vessels on pack animals, the pressure of large hard substances (irrespective of the danger of breakage) causing so easily sores to the animals of burden.
The horses shoes should exactly fit to each particular horse and be numbered accordingly.
The strongest canvass for the repair of packbags, which greatly suffer by travelling through scrubs, should be available in sufficient quantity.
It is much to be doubted, whether the employment of wheeled vehicles is advantageous, particularly as stores can be brought pr. steamer up the Murray and Darling river.
A boat is easier constructed, if even ever required, than conveyed into a distant part of the interior by land.
It seems no socks are provided, they are most essential as often for the sake of relieving the saddle horses much foot marching is necessary.
A waterproof coat is required for each man, also some oilcloath for certain packages.
The number of horses seems to me not sufficient, in as much as bullocks cannot be relied on for performing as pack-animals those rapid journeys, necessary in a scantily watered country, and as the adaption of the Camels for travels in Central Australia, however likely it may appear, is yet to be proved. Thus the former must principly be regarded as furnishing beef at the depôts, whilst in reference to Camels we have yet to learn, whether they are likely to escape destruction from poisonous herbs, the presence of which in many parts of the interior being a well ascertained fact. The number of the bullocks might be decreased in proportion to the augmented number of the horses.
At least three reams of papers and a dosend of past
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paste?
boards and a few square feet of stout leather are needed for securing botanical collections.
Of saddle-straps it will be advisable to secure a large number.
I percieve no item provided for instruments and other material of the Geologist, whose researches next to those of the geographer are clearly the most important in the scientific part of the expedition, bearing immediately on the agricultural pastoral and mineral resources of the country to be explored. — Yet the geological supplies are perhaps provided from the respective public Department. There is also no estimate of the material needed for the artist.
Strong ropes for extricating horses and oxen out of bogs, for suspending fresh beef for drying, for occasional teathers &c should be provided.
A pair of scales and a spring-ballance is requisite for issueing rations, balancing loads &c; further bells to be attached to those animals inclined to stray.
Spurs seem omitted in the list. Spare saddle girths are most essential. A few lb sperm candles should be available for emergencies, in cases of nightly accidents &c.
A large quantity of the strongest canvass bags purposely made and numbered in paint, and well fitting to the saddle bags should be held in readiness for packing provisions, stores &c.
I would recommend to provide some spare nipples &c for firearms, also fishing hooks and lines and tobacco-pipes. Two large united iron letters V.E. (Victorian Expedition) might be provided for burning marks into the trees on any camp.
Seeds of culinary vegetable and other useful plants adopted to the hotter zone, including a large quantity of melon seeds for dissemination through the interior will be provided by this department.
I have the honor to be
Sir
your most obedient servant
Ferd. Mueller.
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See also M to Robert O'Hara Burke, 19 August 1860, in which M conveyed more suggestions which he deemed useful for the furtherance of Burke's enterprise.
The Hon. Secretary of the Exploration Committee
Articles required for the Equipment and provisioning of the twenty men for twelve months
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The list is written by the same person who wrote the letter.
No
Article
Remarks
Cost
Provisions
1320
lbs meats reduced to pemican Equal to 3 tons flesh
112
1800
lbs bacon
90
7100
lbs flour
76
6
6
2500
lbs Rice
33
6
8
1600
lbs Sugar Crushed Lump dry
31
13
4
300
lbs Tea
45
250
lbs Tobacco
45
16
8
200
lbs Salt
1
5
1,000
lbs Coarse flour or oatmeal and drivens
16
13
4
1000
lbs Ghee (clarified butter) do
125
500
lbs Soap
Fine biscuits
Condensed French vegetables
10
Gals Vinegar
1
Cheese
20
Gals Lime juice
Sundries
10
lbs dates
20
lbs Chocolate
mustard pepper &c
40
lbs Coffee in tins
Stationery cabinet
Ink powder —
Arms
25
Colts revolvers
navy size with cased belt
175
12
double barreled guns
bore 12 & 14 with slings
120
8
Rifles
10
500
lbs Conical balls
Shot and slugs to match guns
25
100
lbs Gunpowder
coarse grained
7
10
percussion caps
three sizes
bullet moulds
lead blue ointment &c
Water
60
large bags
each @ 50/
30
Small do
" @ 20/
25
India rubber
5
Leather Buckets
Astronomical instruments
Saddlery
20
Saddles complete
115
20
Bridles
22
10
10
Pack saddles
for horses & Bullocks
50
20
Head stalls
6
40
pairs of Hobbles
6
10
Pack saddles for camels as per pattern
66
Pads
do " " "
Saddle cloths
do " " "
30
Pack cloths
do " " "
20
Pair Stirrup irons
do " " "
4
10
8
Hides for hobbles &c (Leather)
tools & materials for repairs
Tents & cordage
12
light Tents
60
2
Stone do
10
Canvas Buckets
lbs Rope various sizes
Twine thread needles prickers & canvas and calico for repairs
Cooking Utensils
2
Sets complete and tin dishes pannicans
Knives forks spoons
Iron dipper or Ladle large size
Tools &c
1
Set of Farriers tools
complete
1
10
1
" Carpenters
do
10
6
Steel shovels
1
10
12
Axes
3
3
6
Saws 1 Cross cut
100
Sets horse shoes
finished
25
nails spikes &c
1
Small grind stone
with frame
6,000
Horse shoe nails
10
Gross Wood Matches
4
Tinder Boxes flint & steel
6
pr Tailors scissors
1
Portable Forge
Boat
2
American Waggons
Outfit
4
Flannel shirts
each man
8
10
2
Blue Serge do
" "
6
5
4
pr canvas trowsers
" "
7
10
2
" Moleskin "
" "
7
10
4
" Boots
" "
60
1
Straw Hat
" " Pentridge Cabbage tree to order
10
1
Poncho
" "
10
Linen for socks towelling &c
flannel Serge Moleskin Leather &c
Materials for repairs
40
Towels
100
yds Flannel
6
lbs Thread
12
doz Buttons Metal
100
yds Blue Serge
Bedding
Blankets
16
10
Opossum Rugs
80
5
Air Beds to hold water
6
Air Pillows
for Camels to cross water
Medicines &c
Linseed for Camels
do oil do
Milk Powder
Medical comforts
Animals
Camels
15
Horses
£40
600
4
Bullocks
120
Sundries
500
Dogs
Transport to Darling
200