Curdie Daniel (2 results)

2 July 1851. Uncommon. Dr. Daniel Curdie (1810-1884), Scottish doctor who emigrated to Australia (1839) and became a distinguished botanist. In 1845 he. followed Curdie's River down to the sea, and the estuary was called Curdie's Inlet after him. He left for Europe on "Black Thursday" (7th February, 1851), and in Scotland, continuing his studies of sea-weeds, he was so fortunate as to discover a new one. He returned to Melbourne, with a wife, in 1854.

Manuscript in ink on section cut from printed British Association for the Advancement of Science form, 60 x 182 mm, with original full signature of 'Daniel Curdie MD', who also gives 'Port Phillip, New Holland' as his 'usual residence'; in good condition. The following biography of Curdie was published in the Camperdown Chronicle (Vic.), 27 January 1934: 'Dr.DanielCurdiewas one of theearliest settlers in Western Victoria. He took up "Tandarooke," as apastoral licensee under the NewSouth Wales Government, in October,1840, five years after the foundingof Melbourne, and about 11 yearsprior to the separation of the PortPhillip district from New SouthWales and its erection into an indpendent colony on the 1st July, 1851.The Port Phillip district in 1840was scantily populated, containingonly three towns, viz., Melbourne,Geelong, Portland. Overhaulingstock from Sydney began a fewyears previously, as well as the importation of sheep from Tasmania.Born at Slidderie, Isle of Arran,Scotland, on the 9th of January,1810, Dr.Curdiewas the sixth sonof Donald McKirdy and Mary Mackinnon, of Clackbog, Arran .Sacrificing his worldly prospects,DanielCurdiegave up the idea ofentering on a clerical career, andhis uncle advanced £500 towards hismedical course .After deciding in favour of medicine,DanielCurdiewent from Glasgow to Edinburgh University, then,as now, celebrated for its medicalschool, taking his final degrees in1838. Among his classmates wasDavid Livingstone, subsequentlyfamous as an explorer and missionary, and Archibald Campbell Tait,afterwards Archbishop of Canterbury.Dr.Curdieresolved to try his fortune in Australia, and, accompaniedby his sister Mary's son, his nephew,DanielMackinnon (afterwardsof "Marida Yallock," Terang), whohad also studied theology at GlasgowUniversity, he sailed in the ship"Caledonia" on 7th February, 1839,arriving at Sydney on 29th September, 1839.The government was offering landon liberal terms to intending settlers, and the recent opening up ofthe Port Phillip district was attracting much attention, Sir Thomas Mitchell, who explored the district in1836, named it Australia Felix, andalready pastoralists, looking for newcountry, had started overland withcattle to breed stock on the fertileplains reported on by explorers.After inspecting portions of NewSouth Wales and deciding that squatting would pay better than the medical profession there, Dr.Curdieandhis nephew started overland withcattle to Port Phillip?distant between 600 and 700 miles. On reaching Melbourne, they camped theirstock on the site of what is now theBotanical Gardens.The best land around Port Philliphad already been allotted, but a largearea of fine territory was known tolie beyond Geelong, Pushing on-wards, on the 8th October, 1840, Dr.Curdiefixed his homestead (callingit "Tandarooke") on the river risingfrom Lake Purrumbete, which nowbears his name, 12 miles south ofthe present flourishing town of Camperdown."Tandarooke" was so called aftera limestone hill on the run, signifying in the native language a placewhere the underground fungusknown as "native bread," was andstill is to be found, specimens beingunearthed as recently as 1898, whenrabbit burrows were dug out there.For about 11 years, Dr.Curdiecombined squatting with the practiceof his profession, which entailedlong journeys through the bush onhorseback. He used to tell howwhen rider and horse were fairlytired out, five dingoes followed himfor miles through the forest close atheel, till, on reaching signs of habitation, they slunk away?his only experience of their being aggressivebut had any mishap occurred to horseor rider they would have been immediately attacked.Dr.Curdiewas most humane in allhis dealings with the blacks, havinga high opinion of there native honesty. He often told how the stationstores stood out in the open on tarpaulin-covered drays surrounded bynatives, yet nothing was pilfered?not even an ounce of sugar,which was their greatest temptation ofwhite man's food. His fearlessnessinspired such respect and awe amongthe tribes that, unlike most earlysettlers, he never needed to carryfirearms on his many long rides; andsuch a hold did he acquire on themthat they always regarded "Tanda- rooke" as a place of safety duringtheir tribal quarrels which were frequent and sanguinary. On one occasion, almost an entire tribe nearthe coast was destroyed by a stronger one from the Otway ranges, andthe few who escaped were cared forby Dr.Curdie,who was regarded farand near as their natural protector.The place where the bodies of theslain were thrown by the victors inhasty burial over a high cliff liesbetween Cape Otway and MoonlightHead ?the highest promontory onthe coast between Cape Otway andthe Gellibrand River. It was namedafter a pioneer Tasmanian settler,J. Gellibrand, who lost his life whenexploring near the coast, his remains being afterwards identified bythe gold stopping in his teeth.In 1845, Dr. Curdle followed Curdie's River down to the sea ?then adangerous and difficult undertaking.The estuary is calledCurdie'sInlet,and on it is situate the village ofPeterborough, called after the present Dr. Peter Reid of Richmond,Victoria, when a boy.The early settlers had many drawbacks to encounter and at least onefinancial crisis to overcome. Noneliving now can well realise the privations and hardships of those eally days, when the discovery of goldrendered labour unobtainable andlater when pleuro and scab nullifiedthe toil of the years.Dr.Curdiestarted on a prolongedvisit to Europe, sailing from Melbourne in the ship "Constance'" on7th February, 1851 a date memorable as "Black Thursday." Speakingof that appalling time of fire anddestruction, he used to tell how hundreds of birds ?driven out to sea bythe great smoke and heat ? settled onthe rigging of the ship and werefreely handled, while many fell deadon deck.Dr.Curdietravelled over England,Scotland, Wales, Ireland, Greece,and Italy, visiting Rome and ascending Vesuvius, where he narrowly esc.