Ferdinand von Mueller

1

Letter not found. For the text given here, see Sydney morning herald, 31 January 1896, p. 5 (reprinted in the Barrier miner (Broken Hill, NSW), 7 February 1896, p. 2). For the dating of the letter, see H. Crummer to M, 27 January 1896. The article is headed 'The fate of Leichhardt. Proposed search party. Suggestion by Baron von Mueller', and the extract is introduced as follows: 'The question of attempting to solve the mystery surrounding the fate of the explorer Leichhardt and his party, who were lost in the interior of Australia 48 years ago, has again been raised by Baron von Mueller, of Melbourne. The project has not assumed any definite form, and has not got beyond a suggestion that a new expedition should be sent to the north-west of Australia to search for the remains of Leichhardt's party. Noticing a paragraph to this effect in a recent number of the Scottish Geographical Magazine [Scottish geographical magazine, 1895, p. 598], the hon. treasurer of the Sydney Royal Geographical Society wrote to Baron von Mueller [see H. Crummer to M, 27 December 1895] congratulating him on his proposal, and referring to the belief held by a number of people that the explorers were overwhelmed by flood-waters in a tract of desert country on the eastern side of the overland telegraph line, between the line and the head of the Hay River. A few days ago Baron von Mueller replied to this communication.'

[In his answer he referred to his previous efforts towards unravelling the mystery surrounding the fate of Leichhardt and his party. There was, he agreed, a possibility of Leichhardt and his companions having been buried in the debris of an overwhelming flood in the eastern half of the continent. Had such been the case, after the recess of the water many of the articles belonging to so large an expedition would become accessible to the aboriginals of the locality in which the disaster occurred. The aboriginals would keep these articles for a long time, and would preserve the traditions of the disaster still longer. In his opinion, however, the probability was greater that the missing party gradually succumbed, some from fatigue, some perhaps from illness or accident, while a few of the strongest pushed on after most of the horses had been consumed for food, in the endeavour to make a short cut through the great and as yet untraversed north-west sand desert and by a last desperate effort reach the south-western settlement. Their retreat seemed to have been cut off by want of water. Various incidents supported this view, and some almost corroborated it. Mr. McPhee, of Johannah Spring,

2

Joanna Spring, WA.

heard from an aboriginal tribe that part that a party of four men on horses had come from the north-east towards the centre of the Great North West Desert, the people of whom have some communications with the Johannah natives in rainy seasons. The natives said that the poor travellers headed for some rocks and were evidently looking for water, which indeed existed, but they evidently failed to find it, because the natives found the dead bodies of the men and horses the next day. There was a remote possibility that this was a party of prospectors, but the event seemed to have occurred before the period in which gold miners were attracted to Western Australia. Moreover, Mr. McPhee heard of an axe which was in the possession of the tribe through a long series of years, and Mr. Bradshaw, of the Victoria Miner,

3

Presumably Joseph Bradshaw. Compositor's error for Victoria River, NT?

learnt particulars about this axe from an intelligent native youth who was born in the north-west desert. Then Mr. Augustus Gregory identified the remains of a roof shelter at Eldey's Creek,

4

Elsey Creek, NT.

with the ruins of one of the same kind of building on the Alice River.

5

Qld.

In concluding his letter Baron von Mueller asks whether, in all Australia, there is not some bright spirit that will emulate the example of Sir Thomas Elder and Mr. Horn, in assisting to send a party to penetrate to the central desert tribe which has not yet been seen by any white man, and endeavour to find the last resting place of Leichhardt and his comrades.]

6

The article concludes: 'It is understood that Baron von Mueller has schemes prepared for carrying out this project. However, for lack of funds, the proposal does not appear to have any very immediate prospect of being carried out. The despatch of an expedition to search for traces of Leichhardt has been a constant aim of Baron von Mueller, and it has been through his influence that many of the expeditions into Central Australia in recent years were despatched. It is roughly estimated that an expedition of the kind suggested would cost from £1500 to £2000.'