Bass Straits. Similar discouragements were overborne by Hume, although near Mount Disappoiutment he had to yield so far as to consent to turn back ualess in two or three days the prospect should improve. He was rewarded. On the 13th Dec. 1824, he descried the open land to the west of Port Phillip, The scrub through which he had been catting his way with axes had disappeared. Open forest and downs were between him and the sea. He reached Corio, where Geelong now stands, and there learned the naiiies of places from the natives. The name of the bay was Geelong, On the 18th Dec, he started homewards, crossing *'Iramoo downs between the Werribee and Saltwater rivers, shortening liis homeward path in many places, and cheering the men by tellmg them when they would intersect their former tracks, and never telling them wrongly.^ On the return journey Hume saw a tribe of natives on the Hume, visited their camp, and was well received by them. Some of the names conferred by Hinne are still extant: viz, the Ovens river; the Goulburn river, and Mount Disappointment. He called a moitntain Mount | Went worth, but it has since been known as Mount Maeedon, a name given to it by Sir Thomas Mitchell for the absurd reason that it w^oiild consort well with Port Phillip, named after Governor Phillip. The Hume river was long known by that name, but when Sturt saw its junction with the ' Tbe detaUs of the Journey haVG often been publiabed, and have been the subject of eontroveray betAveeii the reapective friends of Hume and HoveU. When they were at Port- Phillip Hovell thought they were at WcHtem Port, but Hunie contended that they were tit Port Phillip. That he did not conceal hia opinion on the point la proved by the fact that when in 1828-9 (before any other observer had revisited Port Phillip) ho accompanied Captain tSturt to the Darling river, he repeated his conten- tion. Captain Sturt acconlingly wrote (and his book waa printed before any other visitor had been to Port Phillip) : '* It is uncertain whether they made Port Phillip or Western Port. Mr. Hume, M^hose practical experience will yield to that of no man, entertained a conviction that it waa to the former they descended from the neighbouring ranges ; but Mr. Hovell, I believe, supports a contrary opinion. This record ia decisive as to Hume'a ■ opinion, Theie was tnuch discussion, which elicited from survivors of the expedition a consensus of opinion that to Home only its succefls was due, and letters to that purport were published in 1872 after a pamphlet by the author of this work on the * Discovery, 8urveVt and Settlement of Port PbiUipt' had eddied attention to the subject, ani received grateful recogni- tioii from Hnnie, who was not at the time i*eraonal]y known to him.
