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U61/6653, unit 749, VPRS 1189/P inward registered correspondence, VA 475 Chief Secretary's Department, Public Record Office, Victoria. 61.08.15Preferred Citation:
Ferdinand von Mueller to Richard Heales, 1861-08-15. 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/1860-9/1861/61-08-15-final.odt>, accessed June 13, 2026
Melbourne bot. & zool. Garden,
15 Aug. 1861
Sir
I have the honor to inform you, that I have been instructed by the Committee of the
zoological Garden at a meeting held yesterday to bring under your Honors notice, that
two of the Dromedaries, placed under the Committees supervision by your order,
have been shipped to Adelaide for the purpose of strengthening the means at the Command
of the South Australian Expedition sent out to relieve, if possible, Mr Burke's party.
1
On 19 August 1861, the Under Secretary, J. Moore, minuted the file: 'Would Dr Mueller
have the goodness to state so far as he is aware the present distribution of the camels'.
M minuted a reply on 28 August: 'The number of Dromedaries introduced by Mr Landells
for the Government consisted of 24. One was born since their introduction. An additional
young Animal was brought by Mr Landells on his private account and this was subsequently
purchased by the Council of the Acclimatisation Society. The Exploration Committee
purchased other 7 Dromedaries at Cremorne. — Of these 33 animals 27 were taken on
in the Victorian Expedition. Of the present location of these, partly on the Darling,
partly in the interior, partly in South Australia, it is not possible to give with
accuracy account. — Of the six Camels, remaining in Melbourne after the Departure
of the Exploring Expedition under Mr Bourke, two were recently sent to South Australia,
leaving four under the control of the zoological Committee at the Royal Park.'
2
The expedition under John McKinlay, sent by the SA Government to search for traces
of the Burke and Wills Exploring Expedition, 1860-61.
I have the honor to be,
Sir,
your most obedient and humble servant.
Ferd. Mueller.
Hon. Secr. to the zool. Committee
The honorable the Chief Secretary.
&c&c&c