Document information
Physical location:
MS 3265, National Library of Australia, Canberra. 79.07.08Preferred Citation:
Ferdinand von Mueller to Joseph Josephson, 1879-07-08. 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/79-07-08>, accessed September 11, 2025
1
MS accompanied by an envelope that appears to have nothing to do with the letter,
addressed by M: 'Mr H. Best, &c care of Mr H. Falkner, Nightingale Street,
Balaclava
.' The letter is one of two from M presented by Josephson to J. H. Ferguson in 1922,
that are now held by the National Library of Australia. Josephson was based in Cooktown,
North Qld, at the time the letter was written. The file includes English-language
renderings of the letters by Josephson.
Würden Sie so freundlich sein, hochgeehrter Herr, mir mitzutheilen, ob Sie über das
Geschick der Gebrüder Fels aus Anhalt unterrichtet sind. Diese Herren beabsichtigten
Neu-Guinea zu besuchen, u da keine Nachrichten seit langer Zeit an die Verwandten
(die Familie des Hr Dr. med. Behr) in San Francisco gelangten, so bittet man mich
Nachfrage zu halten.
Vielleicht sind selbige in Nord-Queensland geblieben. Falls diese jungen Leute verschollen
sein sollten, würden Sie vielleicht so freundlich sein, durch eine kurze Annonce Nachfrage
in Ihrer localen Zeitung zu halten, wofür ich die Unkosten den klar zurück erstatten
würde.
Mit bestem Grusse
Der Ihre
Ferd. von Mueller.
Would you be so kind, highly esteemed sir, to tell me whether you are informed of
the fate of the Fels brothers from Anhalt. These gentlemen intended to visit New Guinea
and because no information has reached the relatives (the family of Dr Behr MD) in
San Francisco for a long time, they asked me to make inquiries.
Perhaps they remained in North Queensland. In case these young people should be missing,
would you be so kind as to place a short inquiry notice in your local paper, for which
I should then clearly refund the expenses.
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An advertisement appeared in the 'Missing Friends' column of a weekly newspaper that
circulated widely throughout the colony, The Queenslander (Brisbane), 17 January 1880, p. 68, repeated on 24 January, p. 100, and 31 January, p. 132:
INFORMATION as to the wherabouts of two Germans named FELS, from Anhalt, Germany,
but heard of at Cooktown —(they intended to go to New Guinea)—will be thankfully received
by Sub-Inspector ARMIT, Normanton, or Baron Von MUELLER, Melbourne.
It is not known whether this notice is a result of the letter to Josephson, or whether
M sent a similar letter to Armit.
With best wishes
Yours
Ferd. von Mueller