Ferdinand von Mueller

1

MS has Strickland's printed letterhead.

Sydney

14th Nov. 1887

My dear Baron

I was glad to receive your kind letter of the 12th

2

Letter not found.

and I do assure you that it is with painful and deep regret that I write in reply to explain to you the utter impossibility of my accepting your invitation so warmly given to join you all in giving welcome to Cuthbertson

3

William Robert Cuthbertson. At a meeting of the Royal Geographical Society of Australasia, Victorian Branch, held on 25 November 1887, Cuthbertson read an account of his explorations in New Guinea from July to October 1887, published as Cuthbertson (1887a) follwed by his journal, Cuthbertson (1887b).

— I do hope you may have a good gathering and that it may prove full of instruction and valuable information —

I must be content with reading hereafter all about it, and with your very admirable and zealous Secretary I feel confident that all will be carefully and accurately reported —

I knew not what to tell you of ourselves here — I fear we are a doomed lot.

4

For a partial explanation of this comment, see Gilbert (2001), pp. 114ff for accounts of the concerns of J. H. Maiden.

And now my dear Baron wishing all success to you and to the Society pray believe me to be always