Ferdinand von Mueller

1

Letter not found. For the text given here, see 'The Leichhardt search expedition and Mr. Barnett', Argus, 3 December 1867, p. 7 (B67.12.02). See also Gill 1987).

Sir,—I feel it is incumbent on me briefly to reply to a letter which appeared in The Argus of this day in reference to the Leichhardt Search Committee.

2

'The Leichhardt Search Expedition and its leader Mr. William Frederick Barnett', Argus, 2 December 1867, p. 7, a letter from Thomas Dicker alleging unfair financial treatment of W. F. Barnett in relation to the Ladies' Leichhardt Search Expedition, accompanied by copies of correspondence between Barnett and the treasurer of the Ladies' Leichhardt Search Committee, E. Tierney.

The Ladies' Committee entered into an agreement with the late lamented Duncan M'Intyre for a two years' search after the missing explorer. Before a year elapsed, this gallant and experienced traveller fell suddenly a victim to fever in a tract of country not previously known to be insalubrious. The command then devolved on Mr. Sloman, a gentleman unknown to the committee, but who had been appointed by Mr. M'Intyre as second in command of his expedition, and on whom, therefore, in the event of the decease of the leader on any far inland spot, the command would have fallen necessarily. Mr. Sloman died not many days after the commencement of his journey, not from fever, but, according to the testimony of Dr. T. White, from sunstroke, not in a locality where traces of Leichhardt might have been found, but in the vicinity of Burke Town.

3

Burketown, Qld.

To all facts concerning his movements and his death publicity was given at the time, as far as is consistent with the memory of one who has passed away. To keep faith with all who generously supported the search, the Ladies' Committee decided to maintain the party in the field for the remainder of the two years' intended search, and the contract for the remainder of the time was entered into with Mr. D. Campbell, of Glengower, who, as the uncle of M'Intyre, evinced a laudable and disinterested desire to see his nephew's enterprise brought to a successful issue. On the sole responsibility and spontaneous impulse of this gentleman, Mr. Barnett was entrusted with conducting the expedition for the rest of the two years, provided such an arrangement met with the concurrence of the brother of Mr. D. M'Intyre, who kindly exercised from his Gulf station the surveillance over the expedition. Thus it is readily understood that Mr. Sloman's post might have been filled before Mr. Barnett ever arrived at Carpentaria. The expedition being conducted on a contract system—according to the original suggestion of the late Mr. M'Intyre, a process not previously adopted, and which, doubtless, would have worked well had Mr. M'Intyre lived to carry the enterprise through—the Ladies' Committee undertook no responsibilities, monetary or otherwise, towards any of the members of the party; but this they expected—that the remainder of the contract time should be devoted to real field-work by a well-organised and well-equipped party; and the ladies also hoped that the whole of the cool season of 1867 should be devoted to a strenuous search, in order to compensate for all the delays at the Gulf camps. The Ladies' Committee further had a right to expect that the whole of the Gulf rivers, and not merely some eastern waters, should be searched during that period. It caused, therefore, the deepest disappointment when the search party returned after but two months' easy travel, just at the commencement of the cool and most favourable season, and when only some of the waters of the Flinders and Leichhardt rivers had been traced. The movement of the party in an area so limited and already so well known divested the report thereon of all interest, and really I could not in fairness venture to ask the editors of our papers, who have conceded to the records of this enterprise already so much space, to publish documents devoid of any importance. So I took no steps to cause these journals to be published, thinking that they might be used perhaps for some final report. I shall now recommend that these documents be returned.

It is but equitable to assert, that the ladies have dealt with the contracting gentlemen, by whom the Leichhardt search was undertaken, in the most generous spirit. Thus, when the severe loss of more than sixty horses was sustained—a loss which arose during a season of drought, out of an incautious though very courageous movement, over which the committee had no control, a movement which proved the ruin of the expedition—at once £500 was voted of the committee's own accord to supplement the contract sum.

But, as after two years' exertions of the ladies, maintained bravely under great difficulties and discouragements, their measures are now made the subject of public controversy, and as the ladies are not without responsibility in the disbursement of all the public and private means raised for the search after Dr. Leichhardt, a detailed statement of all the expenditure (between £3,000 and £4,000) will be placed before the public, for the information of the supporters of the search.

I trust, also, that this ill-starred enterprise will not become the topic of public discussion of those uninformed on the subject, lest the reorganisation of the expedition, for which the dromedaries could well be rendered available at Carpentaria, should be entirely discouraged, a chivalrous spirit for exploration be subdued, and, above all, poor Leichhardt again be abandoned to his fate.

Melbourne, Botanic-gardens, Dec. 2.