HUME AND HOVELL'S OVERLAND JOURNEY 59 



intercourse had always been of a friendly character, but during 

 this day of rest, in close proximity to the spot where Lieutenant 

 Tuckey had been attacked by them twenty years before, they 

 encountered the first hostile demonstration. James Fitzpatrick, 

 one of the men, while seeking wild-fowl at some little distance 

 from the camp, was surprised by a couple of natives, who chased 

 him up to the tent. They evidently were aware from experience 

 of the power of firearms, for on muskets being presented at them 

 they made signs of peace. Hume was able to hold some com- 

 munication with them, partly by signs, and they endeavoured 

 apparently to describe the arrival of a vessel in the bay, from 

 which white men had landed, and had been busy cutting down 

 trees, though whether this had reference to so distant a period as 

 the settlement of David Collins, or the more recent visit of some 

 sealing vessel, it was impossible to discover. The travellers would 

 have liked to make a short excursion on horseback to examine the 

 country to the westward, but they feared it would be unsafe for 

 the party to separate, as numerous bush fires were being made 

 around them, which they believed to be native signals. It was 

 decided therefore to start homeward on the next morning. They 

 took note of the native name of the bay Geelong, which at first 

 they spelled "Jillong," and of the surrounding plains or downs 

 "Iramoo," a name apparently applied to the whole of the now 

 called Werribee and Keilor Plains. 



Provisions for the return journey gave them some anxiety. They 

 had only 150 Ib. of flour, which on reduced rations might last 

 them four weeks, a very small quantity of tea and sugar, and no 

 other food but what they could kill or catch. In light marching 

 order they then set off on Saturday morning, the 18th of December, 

 and keeping almost on their old track they reached their former 

 camp at the Sunday Creek on the evening of the fourth day. 

 From here, with a vivid recollection of their troubles on the out- 

 ward journey, they bore away more to the westward and found 

 the travelling comparatively easy. They rested a couple of days 

 on the banks of the Goulburn to avail themselves of the abundant 

 supply of fish obtainable, crossed the Ovens on their old track, and 

 at noon on the 3rd of January, 1825, found themselves once more 



