THE FIRST ATTEMPT AT GOVERNMENT 161 



emphatically that they were the You Yangs, and his determination 

 to verify his statement by reaching them. There is something 

 surprising in an experienced bushman like Gellibrand persisting 

 in travelling in almost an opposite direction to the course he wished 

 to follow, and the only explanation of his disregard of the points 

 of the compass is in his mistaking the outline of the Warrion Hills 

 for the well-known landmark named by Flinders Station Peak, to 

 which at a distance they bear a strong resemblance. Finding 

 expostulation useless, Akers resolved to return alone. He alleged 

 that Gellibrand, rallying him on his faint-heartedness, offered to 

 share with him the balance of the biscuits, but he refused to take 

 any, emphatically declaring that if they persisted in their intended 

 route it was the last food they would have in this world. 



With this parting ends the known record of Gellibrand and 

 Hesse. They passed out of sight into the silence of the unknown 

 forest, and undoubtedly perished. A few days after Akers' return 

 to Pollock's Station, Mr. Thomas Armytage and Mr. G. T. Lloyd 

 being there on a visit, it was determined to undertake a search by 

 following up the track of the missing men. A well-mounted party 

 was got together, armed and provisioned, and led by Akers to the 

 spot where he had turned back. The tracks of the horses in the 

 soft sward were easily picked up, and followed without difficulty for 

 three days. Then in the dense scrub and deep gullies about the 

 head waters of the Bar won they were finally lost. They penetrated 

 the thickets, ascended the hills to create bonfires on their tops, fired 

 their guns at short intervals, and woke the silent echoes of the forest 

 with their incessant cooees. But there was no response, and they 

 met no natives from whom they could seek information. There is 

 no doubt that the alarmed aborigines were concealed observers of 

 these, to them, inexplicable proceedings. Akers having informed 

 the party of Gellibrand's persistence in respect to the Warrion Hills, 

 they crossed the plains to that range, and for a whole week searched 

 around and over it. Finally, at the end of the tenth day, they gave 

 up the search and returned to Pollock's Station. 



But the family and friends of Gellibrand in Tasmania were not 

 disposed to rest without further efforts. A strong party was organ- 

 ised, which reached Geelong on the 18th of April. It comprised the 

 VOL. i. 11 



