The Sud-Australische Laitung of Wednesday, February 19th 1862, reported the death of Carl Linger, which occurred on the preceding Sunday.  Linger is es known for his share in the "Song of Australia".

We are, fortunately in possession of further information on Linger's Australian period, thanks to a recent visiting journalist, Mr Harry H. Aderholdt.  The latter traced a joint letter, written by Carl Linger and also signed by his wife Minna, from Adelaide to his mother in Germany on March 20th 1852, about 10 years before his death.  In the letter, apart from personal news, much is revealed of pioneering hardships faced.  Here follows Extracts from the Translation:        

Dear Mother,

At last, after three years, I am taking up my pen in order to give definite news of myself and family.

On leaving Berlin, I told everybody that as soon as everything was going well with me here and I found them as reputed, I would at once write.  If things went badly I would not write, and this has indeed been the case.  However, I prefer to give you an orderly account.

We left Hamburg on March 23rd and were at sea next day.  The first few days on board were the worst; you haven't settled down; you can't get used to the available space and there is much disorder.  The food and other things were strange but all this changes after you have been at sea a while,

On March 27th at 4 o'clock on the afternoon, my wife happily gave birth to a healthy girl.  The small creature was received with three hearty cheers by all the passengers and crew, whilst the ship, the Princess Luise had to be festively be-flagged.

Without untoward occurrences, we sailed past Kangaroo Island and entered Pt. Adelaide on August 7th 1849.  Ours was an exceptionally long voyage, for which the blame lay partly with the captain's carelessness and partly with the quarrel between him and the helmsman.  Other ships after us often made the journey in 90 days and even in 78-82 from England.  At the end of our journey, I must honestly say there is no real danger in a long sea journey, only the ship must be a good one, the captain at his post and you yourself must be of good cheer. Boredom is really the worst thing.  Seasickness is unimportant and many don't get it at all.  Everybody, even those who were seasick throughout, were afterwards all the stronger and healthier. 

Having arrived in Adelaide, I first tried to find work as a music teacher but no one held out any hopes for me, partly because the country is not yet advanced very far culturally, and partly because I had not yet mastered the English language. On the contrary, I was told that only land and its ownership were the soundest financial investment.  All this determined me to purchase a parcel of land, 80 acres in extent, from a gardener, who claimed to know his business perfectly and promised me the world.   The spot was quite well chosen, 18 miles [a 4 hr walk] from Adelaide and half that distance from Gawler.  The allotment lay in the Munno Para at the end of a wood, in the plain, at 1  ^1/2 ​hrs distance from the hills.  A small portion of it had trees; the rest was cleared.  The soil was very good but we had been misled as regards water, as in the two well, 65 and 38 feet deep, we found the water to be very bad indeed.  Here we started building, erected a house costing over 60 pound [400 Taler], felled trees, dug the land, ploughed, planted potatoes, manured the soil, etc.

Now I set myself to work hard; during the most intense heat of January and February.  I fenced in all my land alone, axed the trees and split the wood myself.  Such a fence was most important; it must be strong and durable in order to keep off animals, even bulls.  I acquired cows, pigs, calves, hens, etc.  Now butter and cheese were produced, eggs sold; things were beginning to show progress.  However, I had bad German neighbours who did me every possible harm.  Finally, when they interfered violently with my animals and my best cow was killed through the, I decided, whatever might happen to go to the city and try my fortune there.  

​Three days later I appeared at a public concert but, of course, with my wood cutter's hands, I could do no more than sing and accompany the violin.  However, from the way I performed people sensed the musician differing from earlier exponents.  I tuned pianos and soon adapted myself to this business, which, together with the notation of music scores, brought in money. Moreover I was asked to play dance music in English private society circles.  I accepted and earnt money.  Three weeks later I had my wife and child come to tow.  During this time I had not only supported myself and had a pair of boots soled but had already been able to pay off 21 pounds in debts.

A new life began for me in the city.  Here I have ample work, am now well off, earn more money than I ever did during my best time in Germany, am respected by all, including the eminent, am generally at ease, with the prospect that things will be even better when conditions improve somewhat, as they will do within a few months. During the 14 months that I have been living in the city, I have made headway;  I have no more debts, have bought new furniture and a magnificent instrument, have sent my wife for 2 months to the Bay at the seaside and am now again living in a beautiful house, very respectably, on North Terrace near the Governor, with the park and the River Torrens in front of me, the hills to the right and the sea to the left.  So much for myself and my circumstances.

My wife, although no longer ill, is still rathe weak.  As yet, she will not have a servant [maids are very expensive here] - it is her opinion that we should not think of comfort until we have saved rather more.  My brother-in-law, Hermann, left for the goldfields in order to try his luck.  Many thousands just now are acquiring a fine capital sum there within a short time.  He, too, might do so.  In September [Spring] I may give my pupils 3 months holiday and go there myself, where gold nuggets are to be found.  Even if he has no luck, anyone there can earn about 10 Thaler a day and the work is not so hard for the man who can and will work.  

It will be clear to you, dear Mother, that I can't return from here to disturbed Europe, for what prospects of advancement could I find there?  In any case I would first have to look for work and wages there, which I have in full measure here.  With all my efforts and straining, I was unable to earn as much as I do now.  Therefore please accept my heartfelt thanks for the help you offered me.  the offer means as much to me as if I had received it.  It would be my warmest wish to see you here and if you are able to make a decision to come, you would be received by us with open arms.

The country is a good one, offering many amenities; the climate, like Centra Italy's, is also good and especially suited to elderly people.  The heat is not insufferable and the winter consists of only 4 to 5 weeks of rainy weather.  The soil is very fertile.  We have all the European fruits in excellent quality.  Bread and meat are excellent and cheap.

Now farewell and do meanwhile soon give us news that you will come,

Your loving son and daughter

Carl and Minna Linger.