Ferdinand von Mueller

1

Letter not found. For the text given here, see 'The Search for Leichhardt', Empire (Sydney), 20 June 1865, p. 5 (B65.06.07).

Sir,—

On request of the accomplished lady who presides over the Leichhardt Search Committee,

2

Eliza Bromby.

I beg to solicit space in your valued journal for the lines of appeal offered anew on behalf of Dr. Leichhardt, by her and her honoured and fair colleagues. It is indeed sad to contemplate, that the intelligent and the wealthy in the oldest Australian community should need these repeated calls for instilling sympathy for him who went from you; who was once so much adored among you; and whose remembrance should impel his former friends to join in endeavouring to disclose his fate. It would be unjust to forget that New South Wales has twice sent out its emissaries for Leichhardt's search, and that then much sympathy towards the great traveller was evinced; but, inasmuch as your former investigation of Leichhardt's fate proved unsuccessful, and even, to some extent, misleading, we feel here, in Victoria, that the personal friends of the lost explorer should not exclude themselves from supporting this new search enterprise, though it did not arise in your colony. Would it be credited elsewhere, that not even the formation of a committee for fostering the inquiry, could be accomplished in your metropolis, though such arose in many a village; and more, that in the absence of such an organisation to accumulate for the ladies' high-minded object local subsidies, even those whose names Leichhardt, for the permanent distinction of great geographical features, has engraved on the map of the great Australian Continent, would show themselves so narrow-minded or indifferent as not even to share in the work before us, by sending their contributions to the Ladies' Committee in Melbourne. Will, really, the Schools, the Volunteers, the Amateur Musicians, the Oddfellows, the Foresters, &c., of New South Wales, stand entirely aloof, when in Victoria about a thousand pounds will be collected for the enterprise, and when to Victoria less material benefit can arise from the expedition than to the adjoining colonies? I contend that this work of national philanthropy should be equitably distributed. I can only see two reasons for this startling indifference of New South Wales. Either it arises from distrust and diffidence, which—I fairly can affirm it—none of those identified with the enterprise have deserved; for it devolves great toil and responsibility on all concerned, while the feelings which impelled the promoters of Leichhardt's cause to act are purely dictated by humanity, and by a keen appreciation of our national duty towards a hero of this land. Or, is the call of the fair advocates of this enterprise treated by many with indifference, because they regard it as chimerical, visionary, or useless? Nothing can be more reproachable than to be misguided by such fallacy, and its promulgation would be culpable in the highest degree. Leichhardt may have succumbed long ago with all his companions, but we require to demonstrate his death, and for this (as we have unfortunately learnt so late as only December last) even the remotest of proof is utterly wanting! He or some of his companions may therefore still be alive, though I fully and continually admitted that the probability, but not the possibility, is against such an assumption. His existing may be under varied circumstances, which an explorer can well depicture to himself, which the generality of the public can not be expected to realise in their imagination, who, however, should bow to the opinion of those informed. To explain the many casualties which may detain a party in the interior is beyond the limits of this letter. Some have been clearly shown by Mr. Gideon Lang.

3

See G. Lang to M, 20 April 1865.

Again, we are frequently met with the assertion, that it will be well nigh or entirely impossible to detect, after seventeen years, even the remnants of the fallen party, and that hence the search would be needless, and ought not to be allowed. No ideas can be more monstrous and unfounded. With the aid of camels to penetrate waterless wastes, the finding of the remains of a large party can, with absolute certainty, be accomplished, if the needful time, circumspectness, perseverance, and organization is brought to bear on the search. We all can readily understand that ordinary explorers, never inquiring, can miss the remains of a destroyed party within the shortest distance; but how a well organized and patiently conducted search party, equipped for two years, and provided with dromedaries in one or more journeys, now, since we have so much better insight into the nature of the interior, should fail to accomplish the object of its mission, is at least perfectly beyond my comprehension. I contend, therefore, that no cause exists to withhold, on principle, the support to this ladies work of charity and truly Christian goodness, and I would warn, for the sake of their own conscience, those, who in so thoughtless a manner, pass their discouraging judgment on a question of such grave responsibility—with which to deal they are, moreover, in most instances, unfortunately wanting of insight and knowledge—that while their individual opinion ought to be respected, we cannot concede to them the liberty of impressing their erroneous notions also on others, to the injury of an enterprise which can never be abolished by apathy, but which, by reprehensible opposition, may certainly be retarded.

Melbourne, 10th June, 1865.