Ferdinand von Mueller

1

Letter not found. The text given here is from 'Interesting letter from the late Baron von Mueller', South Australian register, 26 November 1896, p. 7 (B96.11.04). It is introduced as follows: 'Mr. A. T. Magarey has supplied us with the following interesting extract of a letter he received in February last from the late Baron von Mueller:—'.

On various occasions during the last ten years I have urged that the great north-western desert of Australia, yet a blank on the map, should be explored partly for geographical reasons and partly on account of the likelihood of finding traces or records among the aboriginals concerning the poor explorers now missing for nearly fifty years. I always contended that the Leichhardt party did not perish by floods in the eastern half of our continent. I believe Leichhardt must have endeavoured, instead of keeping to the sources of coast rivers, to make a short cut from Elsy's Creek

2

Elsey Creek, NT.

to South-Western Australia, ventured beyond retreat, and perished in some waterless part. This supposition was more proved when about half a dozen years ago Mr. McPhee was told by aboriginals at Joanna Spring

3

WA.

that a friendly tribe living on an oasis about ten days' walking distance further south had seen very many years ago from the distance a party of four explorers coming from the north-east and steering for some ridges, evidently hoping to find water in some rockholes; but although water was there the poor explorers did not find it, and when they—the natives—came up next day they found the poor people and their horses dead, one of the party being a blackfellow. It seems unlikely that this was a party of mining prospectors, because the sad event must have happened long before goldseekers went to North-Western Australia. Moreover, an old-fashioned axe was kept for a long time by the oasis aboriginals. Mr. McPhee spoke the language of the coast tribe as well as of the inland tribe of North-West Australia, so that he could converse with the natives. He stayed for several days with the Joanna Spring tribe, who could not have had the slightest object in inventing such a story. A native at present with Mr. Bradshaw at the Lower Victoria River

4

NT; presumably Joseph Bradshaw.

speaks still of this axe.

5

See also M to H. Crummer, 22 January 1896.