Page:History of Australia, Rusden 1897.djvu/614

---

country described by Messrs. Hume and Hovell, and that they could never have been there, as their accounts are not appHcable to a single point either of it or to the anchorage*** Wright wrote (27th March 1827) that the country was scrubby, and that his own and HoveU's researches had failed to reveal the fine pasture land seen in 1824. Hovell had been '* occupied twelve days in looking at the country north between Western Port, the mountains, and Port Phillip, but never got to the latter." Wright resigned his charge to his successor, Lieut. Burehell, and Hovell prosecuted his researches, wdiich were duly reported to the Colonial Office. He thought he had found Hume's termiuus on the Bay near ^*a very extensive freshwater roarKli, twelve to fifteen miles long, separated from Port Phillip by a narrow ridge or bank of sand not more than from two to three liundred yards wide." This was the Carrinn Swamp, which bounded Tuckey's explorations in 1803 under Collins ; but though Hovell, in one of his reports (27th March), alluded to Tuckey's narrative, he failed to observe that Tuckey's land journey from CoOins' Camp was perforce con lined to the eastern shore of Port Phillip, while the journey of Hume was entirely on the west. Having, as he thought, ** near the head of the Bay, ascertained the spot which terminated the journey of Mi Hume and himself^ — he returned, uuconscious of the fact that between liim and any part of the country traversed by Huuie ran the everflowing Yarra-Yarra river, aud that the waters of Port Phillip lay between him and the place haj thought he had reached. It must seem Btrs.nge to those who know the country that he could stand on the ridge of sand which he described, near the Carrum Swamp, without recognizing on the opposite western side of Port Phillip the Station Peak of Flmders, close to which he passed with Hume, aud w^hich Hume learned was called Willamanata by the natives* Darling thought Hovell* s services of little value. It appeared ** that Western Port does not possess the necessaryl requisites for a settlement/* and *' should your Lordship^ cousider that the object of taking formal possession has been answered," the persons sent to establish the settle- ment might perhapa )e ^WY?k*^vv* Lord Godericb