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On my arrival in this country, 11th April 1838, the Derwent Company (lately Port Phillip Association) possessed stock on the Indented Head and at Geelong. The land about Point Henry was only used for landing stock. Messrs. Cowie and Stead had a station on Bell Post Hill, but shortly afterwards moved to their present runs. Messrs. Manifold had a run at Batesford, on the Dog Rocks, and they removed in April 1839, to their present runs. Mr. G. Russell (Clyde Company) had his home-station on the Moorabool, now a portion of Dr. Learmonth's purchased ground, but very shortly afterwards he moved up to his present head station, on the Leigh. [144] Messrs. Sutherland had a station on a creek running into the Moorabool, on the north side - the station Mr. William Sharpe now occupies. The Messrs. Bates were on the Duck Ponds; Mr. Jas. Simpson on the Werribee, now Mr. Chirnside's station.' The Derwent Company's stations extended as high as this one - the Native Creek, Murghebolac Flat, and Deep Gully stations being all on the road, besides a station on the Barrabool Hills, on what is now Mr. Fisher's purchased land. Dr. Thomson occupied his present house, and held the adjacent country towards the coast with stock. The Messrs. Learmonth had a station on my first arrival, which is now a portion of this one, on the south side of the Barwon, but they left it about May 1838, for Buninyong. At this time there were no stations further out in the plains. In May 1838, Major Mercer, Mr. Fisher, and myself went out and came on the Wardy Yalloak at or about the Frenchman's Inn, and, following the creeks up, discovered the run now held by Mr. J. G. McMillan, with those now held by Mr. Aitcheson, Mr. C. G. Ferrers, and Mr. A. F. Cunningham, as also the cattle runs now belonging to the latter, and returning home by the Leigh immediately sent out stock, and took up in June 1838 the last-named four runs, and not long afterwards took up the first.
In March 1839 we again started with a dray from Mr. McMillan's present station, went across to Timboon, which we then held temporarily with two flocks of sheep for Messrs. Manifold, who had penetrated through the Stony Rises, and discovered their present run. From Timboon we went on to Taylor's River, where Mr. F. Taylor, in charge of sheep belonging to Messrs. McKillop and Smith, had been about a fortnight. This station is now held by Mr. N. Black. From thence we went on to Mt. Shadwell, under which the Derwent Company had two flocks. This station is now held by Mr. Burke (recently purchased from Captain Webster). Leaving this (the last station) we went by Mount Rouse, Mount Napier, across to Mount Sturgeon, thence following the edge of the plains, crossed the Fiery Creek, Hopkins, &c., and, by Mount Emu and Emu Hill, back to Mr. McMillan's station, from whence we started. [145]
The station on Murghebolac Flat, afterwards held by the Derwent Company, was originally taken up by the Messrs. Yuille, but before my arrival they had moved, in consequence, I believe, of one of their number having been killed by the natives. The station (now Mr. P. Sharpe's) on the Native Creek, on the old road to the Leigh, was originally taken up by Mr. J. G. Ware. Mr. W. Harding occupied, on account of Mr. Highett, the station (now Mr. A. Hopkin's) on the Muddy Lake and adjoining this, and on their afterwards separating formed the Mount Hesse stations (his present ones) on his own account, but the dates of these I am unable to give. Captain Pollock occupied the station, in 1838, (now purchased land) at Pollock's Ford, on the Barwon - this is the spot where Messrs. Gellibrand and Hesse were last seen - and transferred it to Mr. J. Allan, who, in 1842-3, I fancy, acquired the station now held by Messrs. Russell, Simson, and Russell, from Mr. C. P. Tilley, who originally settled it. Mr. A. must have sold to Mr. James Austin, who sold (1851) to Messrs. B., S., and R. Mr. Prentice originally took up the station held now by Mr. A. F. Cunningham - Warrambine - lately Mr. John Thomson's. This run was allotted to my father on the division of the Derwent Company in June 1842, as also the Mount Mercer cattle station now belonging to Mr. A. F. Cunningham.
As regards the natives of the colony, my intercourse with them was little, chiefly in the neighbourhood of Geelong. When out on the expedition by Mount Rouse and Mount Sturgeon we were, under the latter hill, very nearly attacked by a band. The aborigines about Geelong were, after the first year, always quiet. They killed two of the Port Phillip Association's (or Derwent Company's) men on Indented Head in 1836. The Buninyong natives were occasionally troublesome, both in their own country and even down as far as this. [146]
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