Who was a man disembarking at Sydney Port from the “ Justine’s board in April, 1839? The Captain of  “ Justine” definitely thought much more about his cargo of potatoes and barley than about his passenger (late of the Polish Army). The words” late of the Polish Army” were apparently the result of a general assumption of the time that every Polish emigrant who arrived in France, England or Australia was a veteran of the Polish-Russian War of 1830-1831.

Who was this man for whom a first impression of Sydney was very positive as he recorded in his MS Journal ?:

“ I found, however, on that night, in the streets of Sydney, a decency and a quiet which I have never witnessed in any other of the ports of the United Kingdom…The feeling of perfect security, and the delicious freshness of the air, mingled with nothing that could break the charm of a solitary walk! Since my arrival in Sydney ( April,1839 ) I cannot cease asking myself, am I really in the capitol of that “ Botany Bay” which has been represented as” the most demoralised colony known in the history of nations.”

Why this man visited Australia?

In chapter III of his “ Physical Description” he explained why he landed in Australia.

“ The main object of my visit in New South Wales was to examine its mineralogy”.

Who was this man invited to a dinner party given by the Governor Sir George Gipps at Government House than he met Lady Franklin of Hobart? He passed the test and Gipps introduced him to his Deputy ( Charles La Trobe ) to undertake the exploration of the interior of Australia. The name of this man – Count Paul Edmund Strzelecki.

So, who was Count Paul Edmund Strzelecki those days in Sydney? The elite of the Sydney’s Society knew from Lady Franklin ‘s note:

This Polish patriot- emigrant was widely travelled, experienced, well educated and intelligent, and… Count Strzelecki was very charming man as well.”

The first geological expedition of Strzelecki ended back in Sydney around November 28, 1839. It had lasted three-and-a half months. “ The Sydney Gazette “ of November 7, 1839 noted:

“ We are informed that Count Strzelecki, a foreign nobleman, an enthusiast in the sciences of mineralogy and geology, has for same time back travelling the country to the westward, in the direction of Wellington Valley, engaged in the examination of the mineralogy of the Colony. He satisfactorily accomplished the task, to visit the Australian Alps.”

As a result of his journey “ The Official Year Book of the Commonwealth of Australia” No.1 ( 1908 ) credited Strzelecki as being the  first discover of Silver and the veins of Gold seen in the rocks near Bathurst. A version of the event ( gold’s discovery ) was given by Strzelecki in 1856: ” In 1839 I mentioned the existence of Gold field in the Bathurst District to Sir George Gipps, the than Governor-General of New South Wales, who requested me to keep the matter secret for fear of the serious consequences which, considering the condition and population of the Colony, were to be apprehended. Of course I complied with this request.”

For us most important facts are linked with the second expedition of Strzelecki, to explore the Australian Alps. Just before departure from Sydney in the end of December,1839 he sent a last letter of 1839 to “ My dear Donaldson” ( he introduced Strzelecki to the elite Sydney’s Australian Club ):

I am off for the Snowy Mountains this very moment. From thence to Port Phillip and Launceston – Hobart Town – Sydney again. How long this peregrination will take, God knows.”

At the meeting of the Royal Geographical Society on May 22,1865 at Burlington House was a speech delivered to the public address. The subject of this speech was “ The Eastern Australia:

” … Shortly after establishment of the new Colony now called Victoria, my distinguished friend, Count Strzelecki was occupied during five years, and entirely at his own cost, in exploring nearly the whole of the hilly region of Eastern Australia, from the high mountain, which he named Mount Kosciuszko… He had discover gold, but was bound to secrecy by Governor Sir G.Gipps”…

It is interesting that none of Strzelecki’s biographers gave the correct date of his departure from Sydney. It was Sunday, December 22, 1839, an early morning. A reporter of the “ Australian Chronicle” observed in the early morning the tall building of the Sydney Australian Club. He wrote:

“ Count Streleski, the Naturalist left the Australian Club on Sunday morning Goulburn taking with him a covered cart, two horses and a servant. It is his intention to explore the country south of Yass to Port Phillip. He will explore the interior of Van Diemen’s Land. He expects to return from Hobart Town to Sydney in about four months. The Count will be accompanied part of the way by Mr. James Macarthur.”

This note was reprinted in the Melbourne “ Port Phillip Gazette” of Wednesday, January 8,1840.

Strzelecki expected to be in Sydney again “ in about four months” As we know, it took thirty-four months!

In Australia we do have a document of considerable importance. It is so-called “ James Macarthur Field Book,1840” or “ Diary of James Macarthur”. This “ Diary” is describing  the Strzelecki’s ascent of the peak. It contains a fairly accurate description of how Mount Kosciuszko was climbed and named in 1840. It does have a historical value because James Macarthur was the only witness to the ascent and the naming of the mountain and its summit by Strzelecki.

The “ Diary of Macarthur’s starts on March 9, 1840, with the following text:

“March 9,1840- I started from Messrs Hay and Chalmers station on the Hume, accompanied by Count Strzelecki and two native guides, determined to reach the highest point of the Australian Alps. We formed our first camp at afford known by the natives under the name of “ Nowang”.. On the 10^th we crossed the River and reached a small circular plain “ Gobollin”. From this point we ascended the higher ranges and in about four miles reached a small but rapid creek. Here we determined to leave our horses.

March 11- Count Strzelecki, myself and two natives started at 7,am in high spirits to accomplish our object, the weather intensely hot, we marched on with our blankets and Provisions of military staff. The Count carried in addition a heavy case of instrument for scientific observations…

The early down of the 12^th found us again on our way, and after five hours of tedious ascent was reached a small open spot.. The only water we had had during these many hours of toil was a single quart afforded by our guide Jacky… The spot we had now reached was the favourite camping ground of the natives during their annual visit to feast on the Boogan Moth…

Being on the margin of the timber we determined to leave our blankets, calculating that we could descend to this spot after accomplishing our object .Passing through first a belt of thick brush wood and secondly by belt of dead timber we reached the open summit clothed with a peculiar gigantic grass called by the natives “ Monnong” It is from 2 to 3 feet high. It was very difficult to travel through. Flying mist occasionally developed us accompanied by a keen freezing air After two hours of toilsome ascent we found ourselves still far from the highest point. After consultation we determined to send back our guides for the blankets and provisions and directed them to form a camp on the spot where we than stood Strzelecki and I than  proceeded towards the extreme summit which we reached after a very laborious climb. The air was bitterly cold.

We found the actual summit divided into six or more points. The Count by aid of his instruments quickly detected one of these as being in fact considerably higher than where we are stood… He determined to reach it. – As  the day was far advanced I thought it more prudent to return towards the point where I had ordered the natives to await our return.- Before leaving the Count told me of his intention of recording his visit to the highest point in Australia by associating the name of Kosciusko with our successful ascent. I could not but respect and feel deep sympathy with my friend when with his hat off he named the Patriot of his country…

The approaching night made me feel deeply anxious not only for my own position but that of my friend ( Strzelecki)… The night was passing on… I could hear nothing of Strzelecki but immediately despatched Jackey to look for him, and very soon after had the satisfaction of shaking my friend hand. He had experienced many falls by the way but was unhurt. He produced from his back ( rock from ) the extreme summit of the rocky height ha had gained… The Count had experienced more difficulty than he expected… He remarked the escape of Carbonic acid gas from the fissures of the Rock… On the most shaded side of the Mountain there was still an extensive patch of Snow…

On the 13^th we made a rapid descent to the camp where we had left our Horses – on the 14^th the Count was engaged completing and verifying his observations. He fixed the height he had reached as 7,800 feet.”

Andrews – Strzelecki’s biographer – pointed out that Strzelecki named not only the highest peak Mount Kosciuszko, but the whole massive with its six or seven prominent peaks. –

So, Strzelecki climbed Mount Kosciuszko 12^th of February, 1840. He approached the highest peak of Australia – alone – The ascent was first reported in the “ Post Phillip Herald” of June 2, 1840. The name Mount Kosciuszko ( spelled Koscuisko ) appeared for the first time in print in the “ Port Phillip Herald “ of June23,1840.

In the article “ Progress of Discovery “ by Henry Gisborne, states:

“ On the 15^th of February, at noon, the Count  attained the summit of the mountain amid perpetual snows. The scene described is most beautiful above, a transparent sky, and below, an uninterrupted view of 7,000 square miles. The elevation from which this view was obtained was named Mount Koscuisko… They are feelings with which all must sympathise who reverence the names of those who died for their country’s freedom”

In Strzelecki’s Journal, he wrote:

“ The particular configuration of the eminence struck me so forcibly, by the similarity it bears to a tumulus elevated in Krakow ( Cracow ) over the tomb of the patriot Kosciuszko, that, although in a foreign country on foreign ground, but amongst a free people who appreciate freedom and its votaries, I could not refrain from giving it the name of Mount Kosciuszko”.

The first description of the high country, and the recording of the naming the Mountain was written by Strzelecki on June 26, 1840 and forwarded to Governor Gipps. Gipps despatched it on September 28,1840 to Lord  John Russel and the report was published in the British Parliamentary Papers on August 28,1841. A very similar text appeared in the Sydney Herald  of August 19,1841, stating for a third time: “ I could not refrain from giving it the name of Mount Kosciusco.”

Who was Thaddeus ( Tadeusz ) Kosciuszko?

Kosciuszko died in 1817. At this time Strzelecki was a young man just 20 years old. For him as well as for all Poles, Kosciuszko was a legendary Hero of his country, Poland, the symbol of patriotism, heroism and the freedom.. Kosciuszko was a Polish nobleman as well as Paul Edmund Strzelecki. He was born in 1746. As a young man he was a member of the Cadet Corps I Warsaw- Poland. Kosciuszko was studying in the School of Engineering and Artillery in France. In 1774, he crossed the Atlantic on voyage to America. For six years he served with distinction in Washington’s Army, finally gaining the commission of brigadier general and the Order of Cincinnati.

Today there are monuments to him in Washington, West Point, Chicago, at the site of the battle of Saratoga, and other places around of United States.

In Poland,1787 – he was appointed major general. Kosciuszko was in charge of the Polish Army when the Russians invaded the Ukraine in 1792. Kosciuszko returned to Poland in 1794 to lead the last stand of the Polish nation against Russia and Prussia ( Kosciuszko’s Uprising ).

An American historian described this war as “ a brief war, brilliant in its successes, glorious in its bravery and devotion, tragic in its end”.

Kosciuszko was defeated, wounded in a battle with Russians and taken prisoner. Two years later he was freed by  Tsar and deported to England. In London the Wig Club presented him with a sword of honour. The Gentlemen’s Magazine declared him “ the hero of freedom”.

Kosciuszko again visited America in 1798 and received a hero’s welcome from President Adams.

Thomas Jefferson – the third President of the United States said of him: “ He is as pure a son of Liberation as I have ever known.”

Dr Joseph Wytrwal, an American scholar, observes:

“ Among the first to speak on behalf of the slaves was Brigadier General Thaddeus Kosciuszko, an American Revolutionary War Hero… General Kosciuszko regarded slavery as a darkest blot on the escutcheon of a free America Sixty three years before the Civil War, Kosciuszko initiated procedures to abolish slavery in the United States. In 1826 the legacy ( from the sale of Kosciuszko’s estates in Ohio ) went to found a school for coloured pupils at New Jersey, the first educational institute for Negroes to be opened in the United States, and which bore Kosciuszko’s name”.

When Strzelecki did stay in the United States, he had learnt about the previously quoted document of legacy. The “ Pedestrian Count” understood and venerated Kosciuszko, not only as his father’s superior military commander, and as a polish patriot and freedom fighter, but as a man who presented the highest moral values of  his time. That’s why Strzelecki named the highest peak of Australia “ Mount Kosciuszko.

Finally,  Strzelecki’s letter to his romantic love – Adyna – from  Launceston, on August 1, 1840:

“ The highest peak of Australian Alps – it towers over the entire continent – which before my coming had not been surmounted by anyone… I have reserved and consecrated as a reminder for future generations upon this continent, of a name dear and hallowed to every Pole, to every human, to every friend  of freedom and honour – Kosciuszko.”

EPILOGUE

Strzelecki’s hero died in exile on Swiss soil, on October 15,1817. His embalmed body was brought to Cracow, when he was buried in the royal tombs on June 23, 1818.

Count Paul Edmund Strzelecki died in his sleep, between three and four in the morning, on October 6, 1873. He was buried in London, at the Kensal Green Cemetery.

“ In Place of Biographies” is composed and edited on a base of the prominent book  “ Sir Paul Edmund de Strzelecki” - by Lech Paszkowski, first published in 1997 by Australian Scholarly Publishing.

Lech Paszkowski is living in Melbourne.

Prepared by Stefan Mrowinski