Ludwig Leichhardt

Friedrich Wilhelm Ludwig Leichhardt (October 23, 1813 - 1848?) was a Prussian explorer and naturalist of Sorb descent. He was born in Trebatsch, Prussia (now Brandenburg, Germany).

Searches for Leichhardt

Four years after Leichhardt's disappearance, the Government of New South Wales sent out a search expedition under Hovendon Heley. The expedition found nothing but a single campsite with a tree marked "L" over "XVA". In 1858, another search expedition was sent out, this time under Augustus Gregory. This expedition found only a couple of trees marked "L". In 1865, Duncan McIntyre was shown a tree marked "L" on the Flinders River near the Gulf of Carpentaria. This mark was almost certainly made by William Landsborough; or if it was made by Leichhardt then it would have been during his 1844 journey to Port Essington. However, McIntyre reported to Melbourne that he had found traces of Leichhardt, and was subsequently appointed leader of a search expedition. This expedition was a complete failure, not even reaching the search area. In 1869, the Government of Western Australia heard rumours of a place where the remains of horses and men killed by Aborigines could be seen. A search expedition was sent out under John Forrest, but nothing was found, and it was decided that the story might refer to the bones of horses left for dead at Poison Rock during Robert Austin's expedition of 1854.

Related Topics:
Government of New South Wales - Hovendon Heley - 1858 - Augustus Gregory - 1865 - Duncan McIntyre - Flinders River - Gulf of Carpentaria - William Landsborough - 1844 - Port Essington - Melbourne - 1869 - Government of Western Australia - Aborigines - John Forrest - Horses - Poison Rock - Robert Austin - Expedition of 1854

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The mystery of Leichhardt's fate remained in the minds of explorers for many years: during David Carnegie's 1896 expedition through the Gibson and Great Sandy Deserts, he encountered some Aborigines who had amongst their possessions an iron tent peg, the lid of a tin matchbox, and part of the ironwork of a saddle. Carnegie speculated that these were originally from Leichhardt's expedition.

Related Topics:
David Carnegie - 1896 - Gibson - Great Sandy - Aborigines

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