a Trip to Port Phillip. 75 



point of Geelong harbour, which we called Geewar, and as 

 there was good feed for the horses, we determined on staying 

 here for the night. 



Feb. 4. — We started from Geewar about six o'clock, and 

 shortly afterwards entered the section No. 16, which we found 

 to contain a tract of most excellent land, fit for agricultural or 

 pastoral purposes. After travelling about fourteen miles we 

 came to some more native wells, on the margin of the bay 

 and close to the line which divides 16 from 17. We stayed at 

 this place and dined, and then proceeded across the Bellerine 

 Hills to the settlement of Indented Head. The Bellerine 

 Hills contain about twenty thousand acres of land of the finest 

 description. They consist of hill and dale, and although we 

 did not see any water in the valleys, I am satisfied water 

 could be easily obtained. The land is thinly timbered, the 

 soil appeared very rich and fit for any purpose; the kangaroo 

 grass was up to my middle, and with a thick bottom. It is as 

 fine a tract of land as any I have yet passed over. 



We reached the settlement about four o'clock, and I 

 learned to my extreme mortification that some of the natives 

 had that morning, and the others the day previously, quitted 

 the settlement, in consequence of the threats made use of by 

 the man at the station that he would shoot the natives. I 

 found that the natives had a few nights previously stolen 

 about a sack of potatoes out of the garden. They had pulled 

 up the roots and taken the potatoes, and then planted the 

 roots in the earth again, thinking they should not be dis- 

 covered, and to prevent a repetition of this conduct, the 

 threats had been made use of without the slightest intention 

 of carrying them into execution. I find that although there 

 are abundance of fish at Indented Head, yet that there are 

 no means of catching them, and that the natives have no idea 

 of making small boats or catamarans. 



Feb. 5. — We started very early this morning under the 

 expectation that we should see the natives, and in order that 

 they should not be frightened, I directed Buckley to advance, 

 and we would follow him at the distance of a quarter of a 

 mile. Buckley made towards a native well, and after he had 

 ridden about eight miles we heard a cooey, and when we ar- 

 rived at the spot I witnessed one of the most pleasing and 

 affecting sights. There were three men, five women, and 

 about twelve children. Buckley had dismounted, and they 

 were all clinging round him, and tears of joy and delight run- 

 ning down their cheeks. It was truly an affecting sight, and 



