PART IV.—THE NEW ZEALAND TRADE._The Colonial Clippers

The age of dear tradition has gone by

And steam has killed romance upon the sea,

The newer age requires the newer men,

And dying hard in corners of the world,

The old hands pass forgotten to their graves.

The old Colonial clipper is no more,

Denied the wool freights homeward, she must seek

For nitre on the South Pacific slope.

She need not go to China ports for tea,

She need not haunt the Hooghly for the jute,

Nor beat the Gulf of Martaban for rice,

Her time has come and she must pass away;

Yet still she holds the passage of the Horn,

And when the waterway of Panama

Makes islands of the two Americas,

She’ll hold the bleak old headland for her own,

And round its pitch she’ll fade away and die.—

JOHN ANDERSON, in _Nautical Magazine_.

The “Mayflowers” of New Zealand.

The _Mayflower_ is a name which every school-child in the United States

is taught to reverence. In this part of _Colonial Clippers_ I shall

deal with the _Mayflowers_ of New Zealand—the beautiful sailing ships

which brought the settlers from the Old Country to the wonderful New

Country.

The memory of these ships and their swift passages round the Cape and

through the roaring forties is still green in the hearts of many a

man and woman who travelled out to an unknown land with a stout heart

and nothing much else, and is now a prosperous and happy member of a

great nation. Only lately there was a reunion of all those who had

travelled out in one of these ships, that the anniversary of their

great adventure might be suitably kept. The name of this ship has

already been mentioned in these pages. _The Chariot of Fame_; a name of

comfort and good omen it must have been to those who heard the whistle

and scream of the mighty westerlies in her rigging on many a dark and

sobbing night when the heart of the exile is low and the spirit of the

brave pioneer begins to quiver.

Truly running down the easting in a little 1000-ton clipper with a hard

driving skipper and big fisted, stony-hearted mates was a fine bracer

for the emigrant, who had perhaps never seen salt water up to the date

of sailing and who was bound to a country which could only be wooed and

won by a clear brain, stout heart and strong arm.

At first the ships in the New Zealand trade were not even 1000 tons in

burthen, being mainly little 400 and 500-ton ships and barques, which

mostly flew the flag of Shaw, Savill & Co.

The “Edwin Fox.”

Of such was the _Edwin Fox_, a country-built Indiaman from Calcutta,

built as far back as 1853, with teak decks, quarter galleries, coir

running gear and all the quaint characteristics of the East. The hull

of this “old timer” is still to be seen, being now used as a landing

stage for the freezing works at Picton.

“Wild Duck.”

Another favourite passenger ship in the early days was the _Wild Duck_,

commanded by Captain Bishop. She was a main skysail yarder with

Cunningham’s patent reef single topsails. Though rather short for her

beam she had fine ends and made very regular passages.

Shaw, Savill & Co.

The well-known firm of Shaw, Savill & Co. started sending ships to

New Zealand about 65 years ago, making 15 sailings a year. At first

the outward passage took four or five months, and it was not until

the sixties that there was any marked improvement in the time between

England and New Zealand, but by the end of the sixties Shaw, Savill

had several fast little iron ships, the best known of which were the

_Crusader_, _Helen Denny_ and _Margaret Galbraith_.

The following is a rather incomplete list of their earlier ships:—

1853 _Edwin Fox_ wood barque 836 tons.

1856 _Chile_ iron barque 768 „

1858 _Dover Castle_ wood barque 1003 „

1858 _Adamant_ iron barque 815 „

1859 _Bebington_ iron barque 924 „

1862 _Bulwark_ wood ship 1332 „

1863 _Chaudiere_ wood barque 470 „

„ _Euterpe_ iron ship 1197 „

„ _Himalaya_ iron barque 1008 „

„ _Trevelyan_ iron ship 1042 „

1864 _Golden Sea_ wood ship 1418 „

„ _Soukar_ iron ship 1304 „

„ _Saint Leonards_ iron ship 1054 „

„ _Glenlora_ iron barque 764 „

1865 _Anazi_ composite barque 468 „

„ _Crusader_ iron ship 1059 „

1866 _Helen Denny_ iron barque 728 „

1867 _Forfarshire_ composite ship 1238 „

1868 _Margaret Galbraith_ iron ship 841 „

1869 _Elizabeth Graham_ composite barque 598 „

„ _Hudson_ iron barque 705 „

„ _Langstone_ iron ship 746 „

1869 _Pleiades_ iron ship 997 „

„ _Schiehallion_ iron barque 602 „

„ _Zealandia_ iron ship 1116 „

„ _Halcione_ iron ship 843 „

1870 _Merope_ iron ship 1054 „

Space forbids more than a few odd notes on the best known of these

ships.

The “Crusader.”

The _Crusader_ was a very handsome little ship, as is well shown in

her photograph, and she was considered by many to be the fastest ship

in Shaw, Savill’s fleet. She was built by Connell, of Glasgow, and

launched in March, 1865, her registered measurements being:—Net tonnage

1058; gross tonnage 1058; length 210.7 ft.; breadth 35.1 ft., depth

21.4 ft.

In 1877, when commanded by Captain Renaut, she ran from Lyttelton,

N.Z., to the Lizard in 69 days, and on her next outward passage in 1878

she went from London to Port Chalmers in 65 days, a performance which

has never been beaten. She was eventually sold to the Norwegians for

£2950 and was still washing about the seas, rigged as a barque, at the

outbreak of the Great War.

“Helen Denny” and “Margaret Galbraith.”

The little _Helen Denny_ was the last of the fleet to remain under

the British flag. She once ran from the longitude of the Cape to New

Zealand in 23 days, a really remarkable feat for a small iron barque.

She was built by the great Robert Duncan, of Port Glasgow, and was

eventually sold by Shaw, Savill, to Christie, of Lyttelton, N.Z., who

resold her to Captain F. Holm, of Wellington, N.Z.; she ran regularly

in the inter-colonial trade until the end of 1913, being latterly

commanded and owned by Captain S. Holm, a son of Captain F. Holm. She

was finally converted into a coal hulk.

_Margaret Galbraith_ was another little Duncan beauty, and for many

years a regular passenger ship to Otago. It is surprising to think of

these little ships carrying passengers right up to the eighties. Their

measurements were:—

_Helen Denny_, 728 tons; 187.5 feet length; 31.2 feet beam; 19.1 feet

depth.

_Margaret Galbraith_, 841 tons; 198.5 feet length; 32.2 feet beam;

19.9 feet depth.

The _Margaret Galbraith_ was sold to the Manica Trading Co., of London.

She left Colonia on 26th March, 1905, for Buenos Ayres with a cargo of

grain and crew of 13 all told; and whilst in charge of a pilot grounded

on Farollon reef, and as she was badly holed her captain abandoned her.

End of Some of Shaw, Savill’s Earlier Ships.

_Zealandia_ was a Connell built ship. After being sold to the Swedes,

she was resold to the Russians, and her name changed to _Kaleva_. She

was stranded in March, 1911, but refloated and again sold to Charles

Brister & Son, of Halifax, Nova Scotia.

_Pleiades_ was built by McMillan, of Dumbarton. As late as 1893 she

made a good run from New Zealand to the Lizard. She was wrecked at

Akiteo, when bound round in ballast from Napier to Dunedin to load wool

home.

The _Halcione_ was specially built for the New Zealand trade with ⅞

iron plates backed with 3 feet of cement, her saloon was insulated with

charcoal, and she had 200 tons of cement stiffening. She was built by

Steele, of Greenock, and was lost in 1895 in Fitzroy Bay near Pincarrow

Heads, outside Wellington.

The _Euterpe_ was sold to the Chileans, and for some years was to be

seen in the South Pacific rigged as a barque. Then the Alaska Packers

bought her and renamed her _Star of India_. I believe she is still

afloat.

The _Himalaya_ was also sold to the Alaska Packers Co., and renamed

_Star of Peru_.

The _Soukar_ was sold to the Spaniards and registered at Barcelona

under the name of _Humberto_. She has been broken up.

The _Glenlora_ went to the Scandinavians and was still afloat at the

outbreak of the Great War. The _Hudson_ is also a Scandinavian barque

at the present time.

The _Merope_ was burnt whilst homeward bound, being off the Plate at

the time. Another well-known early Shaw, Savill emigrant ship to be

burnt at sea was the _Caribou_, of 1160 tons; she was a wood ship

and her cargo of coal caught fire in the year 1869. The Shaw, Savill

ships were rather unlucky with fires and collisions, their worst

disaster being, of course, the loss of the _Cospatrick_, Dunbar’s old

frigate-built ship, which they bought in 1873 for £10,000. The tragedy

happened on her second voyage under Shaw, Savill’s house-flag.

The Loss of the “Cospatrick.”

The _Cospatrick_ sailed from London for Auckland on the 11th September,

1874, with general cargo, 429 passengers and a crew of 44 men under

Captain Elmslie.

Tuesday, 17th November, found the ship to the south’ard of the Cape,

the wind being very light from the nor’west. And here is the tragedy

as it was given by Henry Macdonald, the second mate, one of the three

survivors. He stated that after keeping the first watch, he had not

been long below when he was aroused by the cry of “Fire!” Without

stopping to dress, he rushed on deck and found that dense clouds of

smoke were pouring up from the fore peak, a fire having broken out in

the bosun’s locker, which was full of oakum, rope, varnish and paint.

The first thing to do was to get the ship’s head before the wind, at

the same time the fire engine was rigged, and soon the fore part of the

ship was being deluged with water. But somehow or other the ship was

allowed to come head to wind, which drove the smoke aft in suffocating

clouds. From this moment all discipline seems to have been lost; flames

began to burst forth in the ’tween decks and out through every scuttle

and air vent, and they were soon roaring up the tarred shrouds, so that

within an hour and a half of the discovery of the fire the flames had

got such a hold that the ship was doomed.

The emigrants now took panic, and, shouting and screaming, made a

rush for the boats. The starboard quarter boat was lowered down, but

immediately she touched the water such a crowd of demented emigrants

swarmed down the ship’s side into her that she was capsized. Whilst the

longboat was being swung out of her chocks, her bow caught fire, and in

the end only the port and starboard lifeboats got safely away from the

ship’s side, the one with 42 and the other with 39 people.

[Illustration: “CRUSADER.”]

[Illustration: “COSPATRICK.”

_Photo by De Maus._]

The two boats stayed by the ship until the afternoon of the 19th, when

she sank beneath the waves, a blackened, charred and smoking hull. One

can scarcely imagine the horror of the scene during this weary waiting

for the end of the ship. The people in the boats watched the main and

mizen mast fall, and heard shrieks from the crowded after part of the

ship, as many luckless wretches were crushed in their fall. Then

the stern with its old Blackwall quarter galleries was blown out by

the flames and smoke. Lastly the captain was seen to throw his wife

overboard and spring after her himself.

But the tragedy was far from finished with the sinking of the ship.

Owing to the panic and confusion the 81 survivors in the boats had

only their night clothes and were without food or water, mast or sail,

and the starboard lifeboat of which the second mate took command had

only one oar. The rest of the horrible story is best told in Henry

Macdonald’s own words, and the following is his statement, given at the

inquiry afterwards:—

The two boats kept company the 20th and 21st, when it commenced to

blow, and we got separated during the night. I whistled and shouted,

but when daylight came we could see nothing of the other boat.

Thirst began to tell severely on all of us. A man named Bentley fell

overboard while steering the boat and was drowned. Three men became

mad that day and died. We then threw the bodies overboard. On the

23rd, the wind was blowing hard and a high sea running. We were

continually bailing the water out. We rigged a sea anchor and rode

to it; but it was only made fast to the end of the boat’s painter,

and we lost it. Four men died, and we were so hungry and thirsty that

we drank the blood and ate the livers of two of them. We lost our

only oar then. On the 24th, there was a strong gale, and we rigged

another sea anchor, making it fast with anything we could get. There

were six more deaths that day. She shipped water till she was nearly

full. On the 25th there was a light breeze and it was awful hot. We

were reduced that day to eight, and three of them out of their minds.

We all felt very bad that day. Early on the morning of the 26th, not

being daylight, a boat passed close to us running. We hailed but got

no answer. She was not more than 50 yards off. She was a foreigner.

I think she must have heard us. One more died that day. We kept on

sucking the blood of those who died. The 27th was squally all round,

but we never caught a drop of water, although we tried to do it. Two

more died that day. We threw one overboard, but were too weak to lift

the other.

There were then five left—two able seamen, one ordinary, myself and

one passenger. The passenger was out of his mind. All had drunk sea

water. We were all dozing, when the madman bit my foot, and I woke

up. We then saw a ship bearing down upon us. She proved to be the

_British Sceptre_, from Calcutta to Dundee. We were taken on board

and treated very kindly. I got very bad on board of her. I was very

nigh at death’s door. We were not recovered when we got to St. Helena.

So ends the second mate’s statement. The passenger and ordinary seaman

both died a day or two after they were rescued, thus, out of 473 souls

on the _Cospatrick_, only three men were saved, the second mate and the

two able seamen.

The Loss of the “Avalanche.”

The _Avalanche_ was another Shaw, Savill ship which took down all

but three of its company. She was outward bound to Wellington with

60 passengers, under Captain Williams, in September, 1877. At 8.45

p.m. when off Portland, she was on the port tack, the wind blowing

strong from the S.W., when a red light was sighted on the starboard

bow. The officer of the watch gave the order “hard up” and “brail

in the spanker,” but the other ship, which was evidently running up

Channel, came straight on, and as the _Avalanche_ fell off struck her

right amidships on the port side. Three of the crew of the _Avalanche_

managed to clamber aboard the other ship, which was the _Forest

of Windsor_, Nova Scotia, and these three, the third mate named

Sherrington and two A.B.’s, were the only ones saved. The _Forest_ also

sank, but managed to launch four boats in safety. These were picked up

by fishermen the following morning and landed at Portland.

[Illustration: “WILD DEER.”

_Photo by De Maus, Port Chalmers._]

[Illustration: “WILD DEER.”

_Lent by Captain T. S. Angus._]

Patrick Henderson’s Albion Shipping Company.

The chief rival of the Shaw, Savill before the advent of the New

Zealand Shipping Company was Patrick Henderson, who owned the Albion

Shipping Company. But in the early days he was also in the China

and Rangoon trades. His first ships in the New Zealand emigrant trade

were fine, comfortable wooden vessels without any special turn of

speed, such as the _Agnes Muir_, _Pladda_, _Lady Douglass_, _Jane

Henderson_, _Vicksburgh_ and _Helenslee_. But he had some very fast

wood and composite clippers, which during the sixties were mostly in

the Shanghai trade, and later took their turn at carrying emigrants to

New Zealand.

The “Wild Deer.”

The fastest of these China ships was the _Wild Deer_. She was launched

from Connell’s yard in December, 1863, being his thirteenth ship; and

was composite built with iron topsides, teak planking to turn of bilge

and elm bottom. She had a beautiful figure-head of the goddess “Diana,”

and was altogether a fine example of an out and out tea clipper.

Her measurements taken from Lloyd’s Register were as follows:—

Tonnage net 1016 tons.

Tonnage under deck 955 „

Length 211 feet.

Breadth 33.2 „

Depth 20.7 „

Her poop was 42 feet long, and her foc’s’le-head 31 feet. She came out

in 1863 with Cunningham’s patent single topsails, but owing to her

dismasting was one of the earliest ships to send aloft double topsail

yards.

The following are the original spar measurements of her mainmast:—

Mainmast—deck to truck 130.6 feet.

Lower mast—deck to cap 64 „

Doubling 13.6 „

Topmast 46 „

Doubling 8 „

Topgallant mast 25 „

Royal mast 17 „

Mainyard 75 „

Topsail yard 61 „

Topgallant yard 46 „

Royal yard 34 „

_Wild Deer_ was taken from the stocks by Captain George Cobb, a

well-known racing skipper in the China tea trade who had previously

commanded the _Robin Hood_. Her complement consisted of 3 mates, 3

apprentices, carpenter, sailmaker and bosun, 16 A.B.’s and 3 ordinary

seamen, it being intended to ship 4 more A.B.’s in China in the event

of her getting into the race home with the cracks.

On her maiden passage she lost her foremast in the North Atlantic,

owing to the want of angle irons, as _Titania_ did a few years later,

and this lost _Wild Deer_ her chance of loading the first teas of the

season. She had to put into Lisbon to refit, and came out of the Tagus

with a very mixed sail plan; on the foremast she had an old-fashioned

single topsail with three rows of reef points, on the main double

topsails and on the mizen her original Cunningham’s patent single

topsail.

Her first two tea passages from Shanghai were good average runs, but

nothing remarkable, her best work being 72 days from Anjer in 1865.

In 1866 she left London on 16th April and arrived at Shanghai on 29th

July, 104 days out. Again she did not succeed in getting away with the

first ships, but leaving Shanghai on 10th September she made Portland

on Christmas Day. A fine S.S.W. breeze was blowing and _Wild Deer_ was

romping along under all plain sail and starboard fore topmast stunsail,

when the American schooner yacht, _Henrietta_, the winner of the first

ocean yacht race, hauled out from the land and, closing on the clipper,

hoisted her colours and asked her name. The late Gordon Bennett, her

owner, was on board the yacht, and evidently wished to try her paces

against the tea ship, as the _Henrietta_ held on in company with _Wild

Deer_ for an hour or two, then bore away for the Needles.

On this passage whilst crossing the Indian Ocean in the S.E. trades,

_Wild Deer_ made three consecutive 24-hour runs of 312, 312 and 327

miles.

On the outward passage in 1867, Captain Cobb had to be landed ill at

Anjer and died shortly afterwards. His place was taken by a Hollander

skipper. The Dutchman took _Wild Deer_ on to Shanghai and loaded tea,

then leaving Shanghai in August he took the Eastern Passage, but when

he had cleared Dampier Straits took it into his head to alter his

course for Anjer. This absolutely spoilt _Wild Deer’s_ chance of a

quick passage, as she had to thread her way up the Java Sea through a

succession of light airs and calms, and actually took 84 days to Anjer.

This was a great pity for she made a splendid run home from the Straits

of Sunda, arriving in the Thames in January, only 68 days from Anjer,

but 152 from Shanghai.

In 1868 her wings were cut, 3 feet being taken off her lower masts.

She was then handed over to a Captain Smith; unfortunately Smith was

a regular old woman, but she was fortunate in getting Duncan as mate.

This man had served in _Ariel_ and _Titania_ as chief officer, and was

one of the best mates in the China trade, being specially noted for his

skilful handling of sails in bad weather.

_Wild Deer_ got away from London at the end of March, and left

Shanghai with a tea cargo towards the end of July, a week behind one

of Skinner’s beautiful little ships, the _Douglas Castle_. In spite of

Duncan’s remonstrances, Captain Smith, who was frightened of the Caspar

Straits, determined to go east about; but the _Wild Deer_ had so good a

start south through the Formosa Channel that old Smith plucked up his

courage and held on for Gaspar.

The very first day after he had changed his mind, _Wild Deer_ ran into

the S.W. monsoon and had to be braced sharp up. The following morning

about daybreak a ship crossed her bows on the other tack. This proved

to be the _Douglas Castle_, and the two ships were in company all the

way to Gaspar, except whilst passing Tamberlan Islands, which _Wild

Deer_ went east of, and the _Douglas_ west.

The ships were evidently very well matched in light winds, but the

_Wild Deer_ was handicapped by the want of courage in her skipper. The

night before the Straits were made it was clear moonlight, the sea dead

smooth and there was a nice little breeze blowing; both ships were

close-hauled on the port tack, with _Wild Deer_ about a quarter of a

mile to windward, neither ship gaining an inch.

Then at the change of the watch at midnight, old Smith backed his

mainyard, clewed up his light sails and waited for morning, but young

Captain McRitchie of the _Douglas Castle_, a far smarter man and the

real sort of skipper for a tea clipper, held on, with the result

that when the _Wild Deer_ filled away again at daylight the _Douglas

Castle_ had a lead of several miles. Soon after sun up another ship

was observed getting under weigh close to Billiton, where she had

evidently anchored for the night; this proved to be the _Peter Denny_

from Foochow—another of Patrick Henderson’s ships. All three ships now

had a fine trial of strength in the beat through Gaspar Straits. In

this windward work the _Peter Denny_ showed up best, being by far the

quickest ship at going about, but she was commanded by a very smart

sailorman, Captain George Adams, who had everything arranged for quick

working, whilst old Smith was specially slow at getting the _Wild

Deer_ round—he was generally late with his commands and always hauled

his mainsail up, though Captain Cobb always used to work his mainsail

in tacking.

At 10 a.m. the _Douglas Castle_ kept away for the Macclesfield Channel,

and about noon _Wild Deer_ made for Clements Channel, whilst the _Peter

Denny_ held on for the Stolze; this would save her tacking again once

she was clear of the Straits, as the S.E. monsoon was blowing steadily

in the Java Sea. Thus the ships were parted for a time. That night was

another clear moonlight night with a nice little breeze. During the

first watch the Brothers were sighted on the _Wild Deer_, and Duncan

reported them to Captain Smith, who was lying asleep on the skylight.

Smith, however, had none of the alertness of a crack China trader and

went off into a heavy sleep again, then during the middle watch he woke

up like a bear with a sore head and asked the big Highland second mate

if he had seen the Brothers yet. Of course the second mate said he had

not seen them, as they had been passed whilst his watch was below. At

this old Smith got in a panic; the mainyard was backed, the courses

hauled up and the royal yards lowered down. On coming on deck at 4 a.m.

Duncan found to his amazement that the ship was hove to, and to his

disgust that one of the others had passed her during the night whilst

she lay with her head under her wing. On finding out the reason from

the second mate, he roused out the “Old Man” and reminded him that he

had reported the Brothers during the first watch. And you may be sure

that it was “jump and go” for the crew until the _Wild Deer_ was off

again.

The wind fell light as the ship approached Sunda Straits, and as _Wild

Deer_ crawled towards Anjer the other two ships were sighted ahead,

almost becalmed.

_Wild Deer_ managed to avoid the calm patch by going to the norrard of

Thwarttheway Island and Krakatoa, and thus stole a march on her rivals;

however, they finally came out of the Straits, neck and neck. Just

before dark the S.E. trade came away. _Wild Deer_ was still leading,

but the _Douglas Castle_ was so close astern that each crew could hear

the other singing out as they trimmed sail for the run across the

trades.

The next morning found _Wild Deer_ still in the lead with the other

two ships one on each quarter, and the following day the three ships

separated until they were off the Cape. Then, on a day of baffling and

squally winds the _Wild Deer_ and _Douglas Castle_ passed each other

on opposite tacks, the _Douglas_ signalling that she had spoken the

_Denny_ that morning.

The _Wild Deer_ found a head wind in the mouth of the Channel, but

eventually after two days’ beating a fine slashing breeze came out

of the south-west. At Dungeness the pilot had no news of the other

two ships; but just as the _Wild Deer_ was making fast to her buoy at

Gravesend the _Douglas Castle_ came up, and, as she passed, hailed to

say that the _Peter Denny_ was close astern.

Unfortunately for _Wild Deer_ she remained under the command of Captain

Smith for several more voyages, during which she was not allowed to

show her paces and usually arrived home in such a condition that

Captain Sellers, the ship’s-husband (a good old name for the present

day shore superintendent) used to declare that she was a disgrace to

the Albion fleet.

However, on Captain Smith’s death Captain Cowan had her for two

voyages, carrying emigrants to New Zealand; on Cowan leaving her to

take the _Wellington_ from the stocks, Captain Kilgour, who had been

mate in her, was given command, and in 1881-2 she came home from Otago

in 82 days, arriving on 30th January.

Then Captain Kerr had her; this man had been carpenter of the _Peter

Denny_ years before, and mate of the _Christian McCausland_, one of

Henderson’s first iron ships. He was a very steady man, but no sailor.

On 12th January, 1883, when outward bound with emigrants, he piled the

poor old _Wild Deer_ up on North Rock, Cloghy, County Down, and she

became a total loss.

Duncan’s Method of Taking in Sail.

It may be of interest, perhaps, to describe the method used by Duncan,

the crack racing mate of _Ariel_, _Titania_, and _Wild Deer_, when

taking in sail. For a topgallant sail he sent as many men as were

available to the lee buntline and leachline; one hand, generally an

apprentice, stood by the clewline, and another attended to the weather

brace. Duncan himself would ease away a few feet of the halliards,

then sing out:—“Let go your lee sheet!” Away would fly the sheet,

followed by Duncan letting go the halliards; the hands on the buntline

and leachline hauling away for all they were worth, the yard would run

down and round itself in so that the boy on the weather brace only had

to take in the slack. With smart hands on bunt and leachlines, the

lee side of the sail would be spilt and up on the yard before it was

well down and the apprentice on the clewline had only to get in the

slack and make it fast. The lee side of the sail being well up, there

was no trouble with the weather side. A hand in the top was almost

unnecessary as the lee sheet needed no lighting up—it did that itself

quick enough. The success of this method, of course, depended on the

smartness of the hands on the bunt and leachline, but there were not

many indifferent sailormen in a tea clipper’s foc’s’le.

In taking in a course Duncan used to man the lee bunt and leachlines

well, with two hands only on the clew garnet; on the sheet being eased

away bunt and leachlines were hauled smartly in, the sail was at once

spilt and hauled up to the yard without a flap, the slack of the clew

garnet being rounded up; then there was no trouble with the weather

side.

This is also the method advocated by Captain Basil Hall in his

_Fragments of Voyages_. Everything depended, of course, on having the

necessary beef on the bunt and leachlines.

“Peter Denny.”

The _Peter Denny_ was built by Duthie, of Aberdeen, of teak and

greenheart with iron knees in the ’tween decks, and measured 998 tons.

She was not a very fast ship, her best run in the westerlies being 285

miles, but she was a very handy-easy working ship and, still better, a

very comfortable happy ship. She was also well run and beautifully kept

under Captain Adams.

The Albion Shipping Company, 1869 Ships.

In 1869 Duncan, of Glasgow, built the two fine little composite ships,

_James Nicol Fleming_ (afterwards renamed the _Napier_) and the

_Otago_, for Patrick Henderson. They were sister ships of 993 tons

were of wood with pure copper sheathing.

The _Otago_, by the way, must not be confused with a little iron barque

of 346 tons, which was owned in Adelaide and at one time commanded by

Joseph Conrad.

Patrick Henderson’s _Otago_ was eventually sold to the Portuguese and

renamed _Ermilla_. She was torpedoed and sunk by the Germans early in

the war.

It was in 1869 that Patrick Henderson made his first venture in iron

ships, Scott, of Greenock, building him the two sister ships _Jessie

Readman_ and _Christian McCausland_, of 962 tons register. These were

fine handy little ships, good for 11 knots on a taut bowline, and

equally good off the wind. They made very good outward passages with

their ’tween decks full of emigrants, and loaded wool home. In those

early days all the New Zealand wool was pressed on board before being

stowed; this was generally done by a temporary crew of beachcombers, as

it was the regular thing for a crew to run on arrival in the Colonies,

however comfortable the ship was. The crew picked up for the run home

was usually a fine one, of real sailormen, who had tired of the land

after a short spell of working ashore.

The “Christian McCausland” Loses her Wheel.

In 1873, on the run to the Horn, when homeward bound loaded deep

with wool and tallow (it was just before the days of Plimsoll) the

_Christian McCausland_ had her wheel washed away, and the incident, as

showing what a beautiful steering ship she was, is worth recording.

Being very deep, she was making a wet passage of it running before

the high westerly seas, and taking a good deal of heavy water aboard,

especially in the waist. About eight days after leaving port she was

running before a fresh gale on the starboard quarter, under reefed

foresail, reefed upper topsails, and fore topmast staysail, the only

sail set on the mizen being the lower topsail.

Soon after the change of the watch at 4 a.m., two heavy seas broke over

the poop in quick succession, and washed away the wheel, which with the

helmsman clinging to it was only brought up by the rail at the break of

the poop.

The mate, whose watch it was, ran forward, singing out for all hands,

and as he went, let go the topsail halliards. The ship, however, made

no attempt to broach to, and ran along as steadily as if someone was at

the helm.

As soon as possible the relieving tackles were rigged, and it was found

that with five men on each tackle the ship could be steered without any

difficulty. So the topsails were hoisted again and away she went.

The gear connecting the wheel to the rudder head was the usual right

and left handed screws, which were luckily undamaged. These no doubt

acted as a brake on the spindle and had a good deal to do with stopping

the ship from coming up in the wind when the wheel went. The wheel and

helmsman were found at the break of the poop, the man unhurt, but the

wheel with every spoke broken through close to the nave as if cut by a

saw.

During the morning watch the weather moderated and the carpenter was

able to unship the nave of the wheel, and it was found that one of

the main winch handles fitted the spindle as if made for it. This was

put on the spindle, and the ship was actually steered by turning the

winch handle, the helmsman facing the ship’s side and looking over his

shoulder at the compass. Later on, the captain improved this curious

method of steering, by lashing a small handspike to the vertical arm

of the winch handle, which gave the helmsman much more command and

also allowed him to stand upright. And in three days the carpenter

fitted the rim of the wheel and nave with a new set of stout elm

spokes, and made such a good job of it that it was not found necessary

to replace them on arrival in London. The rest of the passage was

uneventful, the Horn was rounded in fine weather, and the _Christian

McCausland_ finally brought up at Gravesend close astern of the Russian

royal yacht, which had just brought over the Czar Alexander on a visit

to England.

[Illustration: “CHRISTIAN McCAUSLAND.”

_Photo by De Maus, Port Chalmers._]

[Illustration: “PIAKO.”]

After having four ships on the stocks in 1869, Patrick Henderson

remained content with his fleet until 1874. His ships were always

painted black with gold stripe and gingerbread work, whilst Shaw,

Savill’s were painted green. When the two firms amalgamated in 1882,

all their ships came out with painted ports and lead colour under the

ports.

The Origin of the Albion House-flag.

The Albion house-flag, a French flag with a small Union Jack in the

centre, is supposed to have originated during the Crimean War. It is

said that one of their early vessels carried both French and British

troops at the same time, and for this reason flew a Union Jack and a

French tricolour side by side on separate flagstaffs on the stern—this

being later improved upon by the well-known Henderson house-flag.

The New Zealand Shipping Company.

During the early years of the Colony Shaw, Savill and P. Henderson had

practically all the carrying trade in their hands. Occasionally an

outsider took a load of emigrants out to New Zealand, such as the White

Star liner _Chariot of Fame_, but the big Liverpool emigrant ships were

really too big for the small volume of trade at that time. However,

as both emigration to and trade with New Zealand increased, it was

felt that the service of ships could well be improved, and at last in

1873, with this object in view, a number of merchants and run holders

in the Colony decided to go in for shipowning and managing, and formed

themselves into a company under the style of the New Zealand Shipping

Company.

Full of enthusiasm, push and go, the promoters of the N.Z.S. Co. were

determined from the first to have a line worthy to class with the

Blackwall frigates of Green & Wigram. They had, of course, a great

deal to learn, and mistakes were made but never repeated; and so great

was their energy that in the first three years of their existence

they chartered and despatched no less than 150 ships, carrying 28,675

passengers to the Colony. And before the company was ten years old

it owned 16 up-to-date iron clippers, most of which had been built

specially for them.

From the start the N.Z.S. Co. proceeded on generous lines, their ships

being always well found, well manned and most liberally kept up. Their

officers, also, considered themselves the aristocrats of the trade

and rather looked down on the more economical Shaw, Savill and Albion

clippers, whom they nicknamed the “Starvation Stars,” in allusion to

the stars in their house-flag, which by the way is the proper New

Zealand flag which Queen Victoria presented to the Maoris.

The ships built for the N.Z.S. Co. were none of them specially fast;

they aimed chiefly at safety and comfort for their passengers.

All these ships were built of iron, the finest and fastest of the fleet

being the beautiful little _Turakina_, which originally belonged to

George Smith of the well-known City Line, being then called the _City_

_of Perth_, I shall deal with her in more detail presently.

LIST OF THE NEW ZEALAND SHIPPING COMPANY’S SAILING FLEET.

+-----+--------------------+----+------+-------+-----+-------------+

+-----+--------------------+----+------+-------+-----+-------------+

|1855 |_Pareora_ | 879| 203·3| 32·8 | 20·9|At |

|1863 |_Waitara_ | 833| 182·4| 31·4 | 20·9|Reid, |

| „ |_Rangitiki_ |1188| 210·0| 35·0 | 22·7|Samuelson, |

|1868 |_Turakina_ |1189| 232·5| 35·4 | 22·2|Connell, |

| „ |_Waimea_ | 848| 194·3| 31·7 | 19·0|Goddefrog, |

| „ |_Mataura_ | 853| 199·4| 33·3 | 20·3|Aitken, |

|1873 |_Rakaia_ |1022| 210·2| 34·0 | 19·2|Blumer, |

|1874 |_Waikato_ |1021| 210·5| 34·1 | 19·2|Blumer, |

| „ |_Waimate_ |1124| 219·7| 35·1 | 20·7|Blumer, |

| „ |_Waitangi_ |1128| 222·0| 35·1 | 20·8|Blumer, |

|1875 |_Hurunui_ |1012| 204·1| 34·2 | 20·0|Palmers Co.,|

| „ |_Orari_ |1011| 204·1| 34·2 | 20·0|Palmers Co.,|

| „ |_Otaki_ |1014| 204·1| 34·2 | 20·0|Palmers Co.,|

| „ |_Waipa_ |1017| 204·1| 34·2 | 20·0|Palmers Co.,|

| „ |_Wairoa_ |1015| 204·1| 32·2 | 20·0|Palmers Co.,|

|1876 |_Opawa_ |1076| 215·2| 34·0 | 20·4|Stephen, |

| „ |_Piako_ |1075| 215·3| 34·0 | 20·5|Stephen, |

|1877 |_Wanganui_ |1077| 215·3| 34·0 | 20·4|Stephen, |

+-----+--------------------+----+------+-------+-----+-------------+

The _Pareora_ was broken up in 1889.

The _Waitara_ came to her end by colliding with the _Hurunui_ in the

English Channel on 22nd June, 1883.

The _Rangitiki_ was sold to the Norwegians and renamed _Dalston_. She

was resold in 1909 for £1500 and went to New Caledonia as a hulk.

The _Waimea_ was sold to the Norwegians and wrecked on the South

African Coast in 1902.

The _Mataura_ brought the first cargo of frozen meat from New Zealand,

arriving on 26th September, 1882, being fitted with Haslam’s patent dry

air refrigerator. She was then rigged as a barque. She was eventually

sold to the Norwegians and renamed _Alida_. On 24th August, 1900, she

was dismasted in the Pacific and abandoned.

The _Raikaia_ also went to the Norwegians and was renamed _Marie_. She

was again sold, to Boston shipowners, for 4850 dollars, and is once

more sailing the seas under her old name.

The _Waikato_ was sold to the Germans and her name changed to _J. C.

Pfluger_. They sold her in 1900 to Californian owners, who sailed her

out of Frisco rigged as a barquentine. She is now a hulk disguised

under the name of _Coronado_.

The _Waimate_, from noon on 26th November to noon 27th November, in

1881, covered 354 miles in the 23½-hour day running the easting down

in lat. 47° S. In the p.m. the sea was smooth and the wind gradually

freshening, Captain Mosey who was making his first voyage in the ship,

hung on to his main royal until the first watch, the wind being on the

port quarter. By daybreak the wind was dead aft with bright sunshine

and a clear sky, but with a very big sea running.

Her best week’s run was from the 27th November to 3rd December, being

1807 miles.

_Waimate_ was a skysail yarder, and with the wind abaft the beam could

be made to travel, but she was nothing extraordinary with the yards on

the backstays.

She was once in company with Shaw, Savill’s _Marlborough_ off the

Snares. With the wind free she had the best of it, but as soon as they

hauled up to stand along the New Zealand Coast the _Marlborough_ passed

her without any trouble.

Two years later _Waimate_, with Captain Mosey still in command,

ran from Lyttelton to the Scillies in 71 days. She was sold by the

N.Z.S. Co. to the Russians and renamed _Valkyrian_. She went missing in

1899.

_Waitangi_ is still afloat flying Norwegian colours under the name of

_Agda_.

_Hurunui_ is also, I believe, still afloat under the Russian flag, her

name being _Hermes_.

_Orari_ was sold to the Italians in 1906 and converted into a hulk in

1909.

“Otaki’s” Record Passage Home.

_Otaki_ is famous for her wonderful run home in 1877. She left Port

Chalmers with Captain J. F. Millman in command at 4 p.m. on 11th March;

was becalmed for four days off the New Zealand Coast; was then 22 days

to the Horn; reached the Lizard 63 days out from her departure, and

docked in London 69 days out. During this passage she only had eight

hours of head winds. _Otaki_ was nothing special in the way of sailing

and never made more than 10 knots, so her passage must really be put

down to amazing good luck. She was bought by the Germans and renamed

_Dr. Siegert_, being wrecked in 1896.

_Waipa_ went to the Norwegians in her old age, and I believe she is

still afloat under the name of _Munter_.

_Wairoa_ was bought by the Russians and renamed _Winnipeg_. She went

missing in 1907 whilst bound from Pensacola to Buenos Ayres.

_Opawa_ and _Piako_ were two beautiful little ships. In 1877 _Opawa_

went from the London Docks to New Zealand and home again with wool

in 6 months 9 days. And in 1893 she made the passage New Zealand to

Liverpool in 83 days. She was still afloat in quite recent years under

the name of _Aquila_ and Norwegian colours. The sister ship _Piako_

went missing in 1900 on a passage from Melbourne to the Cape, being

then German owned.

The _Wanganui_, last ship built for the firm, was still afloat when the

war started as the Norwegian barque _Blenheim_.

“Turakina” ex-“City of Perth.”

I have left the _Turakina_ to the last, as she deserves a longer

notice, being one of the most beautiful little iron ships that ever

left the ways. She was built of extra thick plates and launched in May,

1868, for Smith’s famous City Line to Calcutta.

The following interesting account of her in her early days appeared in

the _Nautical Magazine_ in 1917:—

I sailed in this vessel when she was three years old, under Captain

Beckett, a native of Saltcoats, Firth of Clyde. Captain Beckett would

have no foreigners or negroes sail with him, either as officers or

sailors, and he was one of the most upright and good-living men I

ever sailed under, and I went to sea first in 1858. His policy was

the same for the men as for the cabin, with plenty of good food, no

allowance, sufficient without waste, and plenty of work to keep the

scurvy out of the bones, as the sailors said.

We left the Clyde at latter end of September, 1871, with a general

cargo for Calcutta. We soon got out of the St. George’s Channel, and

got all the studding sail gear rigged ready for the first favourable

wind, and that occurred in lat. 43° N., long. 14° 15′ W. We then set

topgallant, royal, topmast, and square lower stunsails, watersails,

ringtail and ringtail watersail, Jamie Green and save-alls every

place where a sail could be set; wind N.W. but gradually increasing

to a gale.

However we kept everything on her. On the second day after everything

had been set, about 11 a.m., we sighted a ship ahead of us; by 2 p.m.

we were up alongside of her. She was a New York full-rigged ship from

the Tyne for California.

The American captain asked us where we were bound from and where

bound to. The whole of his crew came and looked at us, and her master

cried to our captain that we were the prettiest sight he had ever

seen. Our ship was going fully 17 knots when we passed her, and in

three hours we had left her completely out of sight.

I have been in many ships in my time, but never one to equal her for

speed. She was built by Connell, on the Clyde, and she was certainly

that firm’s masterpiece. She was iron, and one of the most beautiful

models you could look at in the water. The _Thermopylae_ was the

largest of the China clippers. She was 948 tons, but the _City_ was

1189 tons. She was a far more powerful ship. I have been in many

cracks, but I never saw anything that could look at her in a strong

breeze, and as for running in a heavy gale she would run before the

heaviest gale that ever blew.

[Illustration: “TURAKINA” _ex_ “CITY OF PERTH.”

_Photo by De Maus, Port Chalmers._]

[Illustration: “OTAKI” becalmed.

_Lent by F. G. Layton._]

And he goes on to give the following week’s work from the N.E. trades

to Sandy Hook.

Left Calcutta, 16th January, 1872, for New York. Arrived at New York

on 5th April, 1872. Below are the position and runs in nautical miles.

29th March, 1872, position at noon, lat. 28° 01′ N., long. 30° 00′ W.

30th March, 1872, position at noon, lat. 30° 40′ N., long. 35° 56′ W.

distance 298.

31st March, 1872, position at noon, lat. 32° 14′ N., long. 41° 44′ W.

distance 300.

1st April, 1872, position at noon, lat. 33° 55′ N., long. 48° 35′ W.

distance 363.

2nd April, 1872, position at noon, lat. 35° 30′ N., long. 55° 39′ W.

distance 350.

3rd April, 1872, position at noon, lat. 36° 51′ N., long. 62° 36′ W.

distance 350.

4th April, 1872, position at noon, lat. 38° 40′ N., long. 69° 10′ W.

distance 345.

5th April, 1872, position at noon, lat. 40° 29′ N., long. 73° 58′ W.

distance 342.

Time 170 hours. Nautical miles 2348.

I do not agree with all his distances, but anyhow it is a wonderful

week’s work and probably the quickest run into New York from 28° N.,

30° W., ever made by a sailing ship.

During the seventies Messrs. George Smith & Sons generally sent one

or two of their fastest ships out to Australia for a wool cargo home;

and in 1873, 1874 and 1875 _City of Perth_ went out to Melbourne and

loaded wool home. Her outward passages ran to over 80 days, but in 1874

Captain Beckett made the fine run of 81 days to the Thames.

Owing to the exporters of wool insisting that her bottom was foul, she

was docked, with her cargo on board, in the Alfred Graving Dock the

day before she sailed. Her bottom was found to be clean, but Captain

Beckett took the opportunity to give her a coat of tallow, and leaving

on the following day, 15th November, he caught the February wool

sales without any difficulty and eased the minds of the anxious wool

exporters. It was his last passage in her, however, for in 1875 Captain

Warden took her out to Melbourne in 88 days from the Lizard, but he ran

his easting down in 38° S. and did not give her a chance. Again she

loaded wool and this time was given a coating of Peacock & Buchan’s

patent before sailing.

After this she went back to the Calcutta trade until 1881, when she

left London under Captain McDonald for Canterbury, N.Z., and went on to

Timaru and loaded wheat. She completed her loading, and on 13th May,

1882, was lying at anchor in the inner anchorage close to the _Ben

Venue_, when it came on to blow with a big sea making.

8.30 a.m. on the 14th found the _Ben Venue_ with two anchors and the

_City of Perth_ with three, riding out a furious gale. But the outlook

was very bad especially for the little _Ben Venue_ which had a heavy

list to starboard, being almost on her beam ends. Four hours later one

of Ben Venue’s cables parted and she began to drag, and about 1 o’clock

stranded in Caroline Bay.

About the same time _City of Perth_ was also seen to be dragging her

anchors and soon afterwards drifted ashore to the north of _Ben Venue_,

but further seaward.

Captain McDonald tried to send a boat ashore, but she capsized and

the ship’s second mate and carpenter were both drowned and the mate

had his leg broken. Meanwhile great rescue efforts were made from the

shore, the lifeboat was launched, but she also capsized and six of her

crew were drowned, including the harbour-master of Timaru. The gale

had moderated sufficiently by the 19th to attempt towing the _City

of Perth_ off, but without success. Her partner in misfortune, the

beautiful little _Ben Venue_, had by this time become a total wreck,

and the only gear salved, including some of her spars, was sold for

£150.

After the failure to get the _City of Perth_ afloat her cargo was

got out of her, and with an empty hold she was at last towed off

successfully. She was then surveyed and sold, her hull and gear only

fetching £900. She was next towed round to Port Chalmers and docked

there on 1st July, when it was found that the rudder was carried

away, with about 20 feet of the keelson and keel, besides five bottom

plates very much damaged. It speaks well for the ship, considering the

pounding she must have undergone, that the damage was not worse. Again

she was sold privately for £500, I am not certain whether the N.Z.S. Co.

bought her on this occasion or after her arrival in London after being

patched up. If they did, they got a wonderful bargain, though they

might have had a still better, for whilst she was lying stranded she

was offered for sale by auction and only a few pounds bid for her.

After being repaired and refitted, she was sent to Invercargill to load

for London; and she left Invercargill on 13th April, 1883, in charge of

Captain McFarlane, arriving safely in the Thames on 8th July after a

good passage of 86 days.

Here she had a thorough refit, and finally left London on 24th October,

1883, under a new captain, with the name of _Turakina_ on her stern

and flying the N.Z.S. Co. house-flag. She arrived at Auckland on 19th

January, 1884, 86 days out.

During the next few years we find her in charge of a Captain Power, who

was evidently not a sail carrier, for she did nothing remarkable whilst

he had her.

In 1885, on her passage home from Otago, she survived another bad

dusting. She left Port Chalmers on 9th March, had strong S.W. gales

and heavy weather to the Horn, which was rounded at 6 a.m. on the 5th

April, 27 days out. On 11th April, when in 44° 46′ S., 40° W., she ran

into a perfect hurricane, the squalls being at their worst between

noon and 5 p.m. At 2 p.m. the lower main topsail blew away, at 2.30

the foresail was whipped out of her and at 3 the lee quarter boat was

washed away. All this time the ship was swept fore and aft by the

terrific sea running, and at 5 p.m. the weight of water on her main

deck burst the lee topgallant bulwarks. Luckily the wind then began

to veer to the S.W. and the squalls began to take off and come up at

longer intervals.

The equator was crossed on 3rd May, 28 days from the Horn. She had

light trades followed by moderate southerly winds to the Western Isles,

then light southerly and easterly winds, with thick fog to the Wight,

where she picked up her tug, arriving in the Thames on 11th June, 94

days out.

Like most of the New Zealand clippers _Turakina_ was fitted with

refrigerating machinery in the late eighties, and it was as a frozen

meat ship under Captain Hamon that she made her name as a passage maker

in the New Zealand trade.

In 1892 she left Gisborne and arrived home on 31st May, 78 days out.

In 1893 she left Timaru for Liverpool on 2nd February, but carried away

her mainyard on the first night out and had to put back to Lyttelton to

repair damages. This spoilt her passage.

In 1894 she signalled off the Lizard on 27th May, only 69 days out from

Wellington, and docked in the London River, 71 days out.

In 1895 she made the Wight on 1st July, 73 days out from Port Chalmers.

On her previous outward passage she had distinguished herself by

sailing past the company’s steamer _Ruapehu_. The following account of

this incident was given me by one of the officers of the steamship:—

On the 14th February, 1895, in lat. 46° 15′ S., long. 68° 16′ E.,

the N.Z.S. Co.’s mail steamer _Ruapehu_ was running her easting down

under whole topsails and courses, the weather dirty and a strong wind

from the norrard, force 7 Beaufort scale. At 9 a.m. a sailing ship

was reported astern, topgallant sails up. Shortly after she sheeted

home her royals. Orders were given on the _Ruapehu_ to the engineer

to drive the ship and topgallant sails were set, the patent log

showing a good 14.

At noon exactly the N.Z.S. Co.’s sailing ship _Turakina_ passed

along our lee side. She was then carrying all square sail except

mizen royal and topgallant sail (probably griping a good deal). She

was right alongside and you could distinguish the features of the

officers, and see the seas breaking over her—I have a very good

photo. She then hauled her wind and crossed our bow, at the same time

shortening sail to topsails, reef in mainsail and furled crossjack;

even then she held her own with us during a long summer evening

light, till 9.30 there she was just ahead on the port bow.

Next day at noon we had run 315 miles. At midnight the wind came aft

and she was therefore not in sight from masthead at daylight. It was

a wonderful performance and made a man feel glad to be alive to see

it.

And the _Turakina_ held her own for 14 days. She covered the 5000 miles

between the meridians of the Cape and the Leeuwin, in 16 days, her best

runs being 328, 316 and 308.

I am glad to say that the gallant little ship is still afloat under the

name of _Elida_, owned in Tordesstrand.

In 1912 she was in Rio at the same time as the Portuguese _Ferreira_

ex-_Cutty Sark_. I wonder how many of the shipping people there

realized that two of the fastest and most beautiful sailing ships ever

built were lying at anchor in their wonderful harbour.

Before leaving the _Turakina_, I must not omit to give her official

measurements from Lloyd’s Register:—

Tonnage (net) 1189 tons

Tonnage (gross) 1247 „

Tonnage (under deck) 1160 „

Length 232.5 feet

Breadth 35.4 „

Depth 22.2 „

Depth moulded 23.5 „

Freeboard amidships (summer) 4.5½ „

Raised quarterdeck 32 „

Robert Duncan’s Six Beautiful Sister Ships.

In 1874 Patrick Henderson launched out by ordering six iron passenger

clippers from Robert Duncan and two from Scott, of Greenock, and of the

big fleet of splendid iron ships built in the seventies there were few

more perfect specimens of the shipbuilders’ art than these eight ships.

The following are the measurements of the Duncan ships:—

+--------------+----------+-------+------+----+-----+------+--------+

+--------------+----------+-------+------+----+-----+------+--------+

|_Dunedin_ |March 1874| 1250 | 241 |36.1|20.9 | 70 | 35 |

|_Canterbury_ |May 1874| 1245 | 239.7|36 |20.8 | 70 | 35 |

|_Invercargill_|June 1874| 1246 | 239.7|36 |20.7 | 70 | 35 |

|_Auckland_ |July 1874| 1245 | 239.8|36 |20.7 | 70 | 35 |

|_Nelson_ |Aug. 1874| 1247 | 239.3|36 |20.7 | 70 | 35 |

|_Wellington_ |Sept. 1874| 1247 | 239.8|36 |20.7 | 70 | 35 |

+--------------+----------+-------+------+----+-----+------+--------+

[Illustration: “AKAROA.”]

[Illustration: “INVERCARGILL,” off Tairoa Heads.

_Lent by F. G. Layton._]

All these ships, with the exception of _Dunedin_, which went missing

when homeward bound with frozen meat in 1889, were sailing the seas

in the twentieth century, and until Shaw, Savill sold them in 1904-5

were still making good passages. Even after they had ceased to carry

emigrants, their outward passages were constantly under 80 days; and

the frozen mutton did not affect their homeward runs as much as one

would expect, for I find the _Nelson_ running from Wellington to the

Lizard in 1889-90 in 83 days; the _Auckland_ from Wellington to the

Lizard in 1899 in 84 days; _Invercargill_ from Timaru to the Wight in

1895, in 85 days, and _Wellington_ from Timaru to the Lizard in 1900 in

79 days.

The _Canterbury_ was credited with a run out of 64 days. She was at

her best off the wind in a strong breeze. She was still afloat at the

outbreak of the war, owned in Tordesstrand, Norway.

_Invercargill_, under Captain Bowling, had many excellent passages to

her credit. Captain Bowling was a native of Kingstown, in Ireland,

and started his sea life in the China trade. He commanded the

_Invercargill_ for 13 years, at the end of which time he had been 50

years at sea and 30 years in command of sailing ships. He was one of

Shaw, Savill’s most trusted commanders and was noted for the way in

which he handled his beautiful ship.

Not many years ago a writer to the “Nautical” described one of Captain

Bowling’s skilful bits of seamanship. He wrote as follows:—

The _Invercargill_, fully laden from London, arrived off Wellington

Heads one afternoon. A fine southerly breeze was blowing. Very

impatient to get anchored, Captain Bowling decided to sail right

in without the assistance of a tug. But just as he got well up the

entrance, the wind suddenly veered right round to the northward and

blew hard, and as his ship was well up inside Barrett’s Reef by this

time, things began to look rather serious. Notwithstanding his many

difficulties—for the slightest error or hesitation in timing the

order of the different manœuvres meant disaster—old Bowling managed

everything like clockwork, and the _Invercargill_ dropped her anchor

off Kaiwarra, just as darkness fell.

The _Invercargill’s_ last passage under the British flag in 1904

was her worst; in it she weathered out the biggest gale of Captain

Bowling’s experience. She sailed from Sydney, N.S.W., on the 27th

August, 1904, loaded with wheat, being bound to Queenstown for orders.

On the 30th September she was caught in a Cape Horn snorter, her

cargo shifted to port, her port bulwarks were carried away and for

some time she lay on her beam ends. At last by hard work the cargo

was man-handled to the windward side, she righted and continued her

passage. But once again she ran into heavy weather, this time in the

Atlantic in 45° N., 20° W., and the morning of the 8th December found

her battling with a heavy gale from N.W., the weather being clear. The

entry in the log at 4 p.m. said:—

Hard squalls and high confused sea, vessel labouring heavily and

shipping great quantities of water fore and aft.

At 7 p.m. both wind and sea increased, and a huge mountain of water

broke over the port quarter and swept the decks, the whole length of

her. The cabin skylight was burst in and the water flooded below,

breaking into the saloon and cabins, the sail locker, the lazarette and

even into the ’tween decks; the companion hatch on the poop was carried

away, and along with it went both compasses, stands and binnacles,

side lights and screens, the patent log from the taffrail; in fact,

pretty near everything on the decks except the wheel. Mr. Le Sueur,

the mate, lost no time in getting a sail over the gaping skylight and

all hands were turned to bailing out the water from below, which was

up to one’s waist in the cabin. 8 p.m. found the gale still blowing

with undiminished force, and the ship was rolling heavily as she ran

before it. By midnight the seas were mountainous and the squalls

became fiercer and more frequent. About 4 a.m. a big sea washed out

the carpenter’s quarters, and “Chips,” under the impression that the

ship was sinking by the head, made the best of his way aft. But Captain

Bowling and his officers were all below clearing up the wrecked

cabin, etc. The carpenter, thereupon, informed the man at the wheel of

his fears, with the result that the latter had an attack of nerves,

thought he was running the ship under, and allowed her to come to. As

the ship broached to, the cargo shifted for the second time and the

_Invercargill_ went over on her beam ends. The foresail, fore upper

topsail, jib, fore topmast staysail and main royal all blew adrift out

of the gaskets and were soon in tatters. The lifeboat to leeward was

lifted out of her davits and swept away. Then, whilst the ship lay

down with her lee foreyard arm dipped 6 feet into the broken water to

leeward, the seas worked havoc on the flooded main deck.

Daylight disclosed the extent of the damage; the galley was gutted, the

carpenter’s shop was bare, all his tools gone and the doors smashed in;

the contents of the bosun’s locker, paint locker, and the mate’s and

second mate’s cabins were washed clean out of them, and gone overboard.

The topgallant bulwarks to leeward were all gone, and the running gear

being dragged backwards and forwards through the swinging ports was

cut to pieces, two of these ports had been torn off their hinges; the

foc’s’le-head and poop ladders were gone and all the poop stanchions;

whilst the racks for handspikes and capstan bars were empty.

All that day and the next night the _Invercargill_ lay like a log with

her lee rail buried deep and her main deck full of water. At last,

early on 10th December, the wind dropped very light and went into the

S.W. with thick weather.

Cargo was jettisoned to bring the ship on an even keel, and at last she

was got away on her course. The next difficulty was making a landfall

without a reliable compass, as only an old compass which had not been

adjusted was available, both the steering and standard compasses having

gone overboard.

In spite of a large allowance made for his defective compass, Captain

Bowling found himself nearly ashore amongst the Scilly Isles. Again his

fine seamanship saved the vessel, and on the 18th December he brought

her safely into Queenstown, 113 days out from Sydney.

Orders were received here to proceed to Glasgow, but the crew came aft

and refused to proceed in the crippled ship; upon which she was towed

round to the Clyde and was docked in Princes Dock, Govan, on Christmas

Eve.

After she had been repaired and refitted at a cost of £1000, Shaw,

Savill sold the splendid old ship to the Norwegians, who renamed her

the _Varg_. She sailed for Christiania in 1905, with coal ballast, and

was never seen again after clearing the Tail of the Bank.

The _Auckland_, after a long and successful career with many fine

passages to her credit, was sold to S. O. Stray, of Norway, in 1904,

but soon disappeared from the Register.

The _Nelson’s_ finest sailing feat was in 1875, when she ran from Otago

Heads to the Horn in 19 days. She was still afloat in 1914 at the

outbreak of the war, sailing as a barque under the Chilean flag, and

must often have had a chance of trying her sailing powers against the

old tea clipper, _Lothair_, which was also still afloat on the West

Coast of South America.

“Wellington” and Captain Cowan.

I cannot pronounce an opinion as to which was the fastest of these

six beautiful Duncan sisters, but the _Wellington_ probably has the

best average. She was taken from the stocks by Captain D. Cowan,

of Peterhead, and under his able guidance was a most consistent

passage-maker. Captain Cowan, like Captain Bowling, of _Invercargill_,

was a magnificent seaman of the old sailing ship type, the survivors of

which grow fewer, alas, every day. He served his time in the Peterhead

whale fishery. Then about 1862 he joined Patrick Henderson’s as third

officer of the _Pladda_, a slow but comfortable old wooden packet,

which carried 400 emigrants to Port Chalmers. His next vessel was the

_Vicksburgh_. Again after one New Zealand voyage he was transferred,

this time with promotion to mate, to the _Jane Henderson_, in which he

made three voyages to Rangoon, on the last of which, about 1867, he

went in command. His second voyage as a skipper was in the _Helenslee_

with passengers to Port Chalmers. This ship was sold in New Zealand,

and Captain Cowan travelled home as a passenger. He next had _Margaret

Galbraith_ for two voyages, then the composite clipper _Wild Deer_,

which he left in order to take over the _Wellington_.

Captain Cowan had the _Wellington_ for 18 years. He told me that the

_Wellington_ was such a fast ship with the wind abaft the beam that he

never remembers her being passed under such conditions, but that she

was nothing out of the way when braced sharp up. This indeed may be

said to have been the general case with Duncan’s ships. From 1877 to

1884 _Wellington_ ran from Glasgow to Otago with first class passengers

and emigrants. Under these favourable conditions her average outward

passage was about 80 days, her four best being 73, 75, 76 and 78 days.

Soon after the amalgamation with Shaw, Savill, _Wellington_ had

freezing machinery put on board, and henceforth came home with 18,000

carcases a trip. The _Wellington_ had her freezing machinery on board

for four voyages, after which the mutton was sent on board frozen.

“Wellington” Collides with an Iceberg.

Early in the nineties she nearly finished her career by colliding

with an iceberg to the eastward of the Falkland Islands. Her bows

were stove in, two men being killed in the foc’s’le by the deck being

driven down on top of them, broken down by a mass of ice falling

aboard. The bowsprit and jibboom were, of course, carried away, and

also the fore topmast; only the collision bulkhead saved the ship from

sinking. Captain Cowan shored up his bulkhead and squared away for Rio

de Janeiro. He was a month getting there and repairs were hardly under

weigh before the Civil War broke out, and all work was stopped for six

months.

Meanwhile in order to keep the mutton frozen, the engine had to be kept

going at full speed night and day; owing to the heat not even a rest

for an hour to overhaul it could be thought of, and it says a good deal

for Captain Cowan and his engineer that they managed to keep the engine

running without a breakdown for so many months.

Orders came out from home that the mutton was to be sold; whereupon

Captain Cowan rashly sold some of it to the rebels—the Government at

once issued a warrant for his arrest—and he had to be smuggled aboard

the New Zealand Shipping Co.’s steamer _Norangi_, the mate being left

in charge. After this very trying experience Captain Cowan, feeling

that he needed a rest, retired from the sea.

[Illustration: “TIMARU.”

_Photo by De Maus, Port Chalmers._]

[Illustration: “WELLINGTON.”

At Picton, Queen Charlotte Sound.

_Lent by F. G. Layton._]

In 1904 the _Wellington_ was sold to S. O. Stray, of Norway, for

£3150. In December, 1906, she was abandoned on her beam ends and

foundered when bound from a Gulf port to Rosario.

“Oamaru” and “Timaru.”

Not content with Duncan’s six beautiful ships, Patrick Henderson

ordered two from Scott, of Greenock, in 1874. These were the _Oamaru_

and _Timaru_, which measured 1306 tons, 239.1 feet length, 36.1 feet

beam, 21 feet depth.

The _Oamaru_ was launched in October and the _Timaru_ in December.

These fine little ships were well worthy of ranking with Duncan’s

beauties.

The _Timaru_ especially, under Captain Taylor, made some fine passages,

when she was carrying emigrants.

In March, 1879, she reported off the Scillies, only 68 days out from

New Zealand. On the following outward passage, she went out to Port

Chalmers in 78 days. Whilst running her easting down she averaged 270

miles a day for 17 days. She had 499 souls on board this passage.

Captain Taylor was rather fond of sending bottles adrift, a common

practice in the old days, and he was lucky enough to have two picked up

in five years. One which he threw over in 12° N. in the Atlantic was

picked up in the Gulf of Guinea, and the other, thrown over just east

of the Cape meridian, was washed up on the beach in Western Australia.

These little New Zealand emigrant clippers, like the larger and earlier

Australian clippers, constantly carried very rich cargoes of bullion.

On one occasion the _Timaru_ had £57,000 in bar gold on board.

_Oamaru_ was finally sold to Norway and renamed _Fox_. She was broken

up in 1912.

_Timaru_ was sold in South Africa as a cold storage ship during the

Boer War, and is now, I believe, a freezing hulk at Durban.

“Marlborough,” “Hermione” and “Pleione.”

In 1876 three very fine little ships were built for Shaw, Savill; these

were:—

_Marlborough_, 1124 tons, 228 feet length, 36 feet beam, 21 feet

depth, launched in June from Duncan’s yard.

_Pleione_, 1092 tons, 209.7 feet, length, 34.6 feet beam, 20.3 feet

depth, launched in September by Stephen, of Glasgow.

_Hermione_, 1120 tons, 219.4 feet length, 35 feet beam, 21 feet

depth, launched in October by Hall, of Aberdeen.

The longest of the three was also the fastest, as is the general rule

where beam and depth are about the same.

_Marlborough_ was certainly a very fast ship and in 1880, under Captain

Anderson, ran from Lyttelton to the Lizard in 71 days.

In 1889 she sailed from New Zealand homeward bound with frozen mutton

about six weeks behind the _Dunedin_, and a great stir was raised in

New Zealand when neither ship reached her destination. No trace of them

was ever found, though the _Wellington_ which sailed in between the two

arrived safely.

_Pleione_, like so many ships in the New Zealand trade was eventually

sold to the Scandinavians, whilst _Hermione_ was bought by the Italians

and renamed _Mantova_. She was broken up at Genoa in 1913.

“Taranaki,” “Lyttelton,” and “Westland.”

These three were the last sailing ships built for the Shaw, Savill

& Albion Companies. _Taranaki_ was James Galbraith’s last ship and

_Westland_ Patrick Henderson’s.

[Illustration: “WESTLAND.”]

[Illustration: “TARANAKI.”

_Lent by Captain T. S. Angus._]

All three were built by Duncan and were very fast ships, and

continued making fine passages right into the twentieth century. They

were over 100 tons smaller than Duncan’s 1874 ships, their measurements

being:—

_Taranaki_, 1126 tons, 228.2 feet length, 35.2 feet beam, 20.9 feet

depth.

_Lyttelton_, 1111 tons, 223.8 feet length, 35.0 feet beam, 21.0 feet

depth.

_Westland_, 1116 tons, 222.8 feet length, 35.1 feet beam, 21 feet

depth.

Of the three, _Westland_ was the fastest; in fact, many people

considered her to be the fastest of the Shaw, Savill & Albion fleet.

One of her best performances was a run of 72 days from Bluff Harbour to

the Lizard, where she reported on 31st March, 1895.

_Taranaki_ was sold to the Italians, when Shaw, Savill parted with

their sailers, and, owned in Genoa, was still afloat when the Great War

burst on Europe. The _Lyttelton_ struck on an uncharted rock outside

Timaru, when leaving homeward bound. _Westland_ went to the Norwegians,

she put into Moss, leaking, and was condemned there.

“Lutterworth” and “Lady Jocelyn.”

Besides the ships specially built for them, Shaw, Savill occasionally

bought a ship; of these probably the best known were the _Lutterworth_

and _Lady Jocelyn_.

The _Lutterworth_ was a fast little iron barque of 883 tons, built by

Denton, of Hartlepool, in 1868. Shaw, Savill & Co. sold her eventually

to Turnbull & Co., of Lyttelton, N.Z. Whilst on a passage from Timaru

to Kaipara in ballast, she was dismasted and abandoned in Cook Straits.

She was, however, picked up as a derelict and towed into Wellington,

where she was converted into a coal hulk.

The _Lady Jocelyn_ was one of those early auxiliary steamers, which

always seem to have had long and adventurous careers. She was

originally the _Brazil_, owned by the General Screw Steamship Company,

and was built as far back as 1852 by Mare, of London, her measurements

being—2138 tons; 254 feet length, 39 feet beam, 24.9 feet depth. Of

iron construction, she had a spar deck above her two decks, and no

expense was spared in her construction.

As an auxiliary steamer, like most of her kind, she proved to be

a money-eater, and when after a few years the company went into

liquidation she was bought by Shaw, Savill and put into their emigrant

trade as a sailing ship. Then as passengers began to desert the clipper

for steam, freezing machinery was put aboard her. Finally Shaw, Savill

laid her up in the West India Docks, and used her as a frozen meat

store ship, for which owing to her size and the freezing machinery

aboard she was well adapted.

Years passed and still she remained the most familiar object in the

West India Dock, right up to the present date, during which time she

has served a variety of purposes, such as store ship for the Shipping

Federation and a home for strike breakers.

Outsiders in the New Zealand Trade.

Though the New Zealand trade was held pretty tightly in the hands

of Shaw, Savill, the Albion Shipping Company and the New Zealand

Shipping Company, many a distinguished ship paid an occasional visit to

Maoriland, notably the beautiful tea clipper _Sir Lancelot_ in 1879;

the majestic Blackwall frigate _The Tweed_ in 1874, when she went out

to Otago in 78 days; _The Tweed’s_ great rival _Thomas Stephens_,

which took passengers to Otago in 1879; _Miltiades_, which in 1889-90

came home from Lyttelton in 78 days and the following season came home

from Wellington in 82 days; and _Thessalus_, which in 1900 ran from

Lyttelton to the Lizards in 87 days, beating the famous coolie ship

_Sheila_ by a week. _Loch Awe’s_ record passage to Auckland I have

already mentioned in these pages, also _Sam Mendel’s_ 68 days to Port

Chalmers. Some years later, in an attempt to beat this performance and

incidentally a fast little City liner, _Sam Mendel_ was dismasted and

came into port without her foremast, bowsprit and jibbooms, which had

all gone by the board.

[Illustration: “BEN VENUE.”]

[Illustration: “LADY JOCELYN.”]

The Pretty Little “Ben Venue.”

A regular trader to New Zealand in the seventies was Watson’s pretty

little _Ben Venue_, an iron main skysail-yarder of 999 tons, launched

by Barclay, Curle in 1867. Under Captain McGowan, she made the very

fine average of 77 days for her outward passages, her best homeward

being 72 days to the Lizards from Lyttelton in 1879. I have already

described her loss in May, 1882.

“Hinemoa.”

The distinction of being the only sailing ship specially built for the

New Zealand frozen meat trade belongs to the splendid steel four-mast

barque, _Hinemoa_, built by Russell, of Greenock, in 1890. She measured

2283 tons, 278.1 feet length, 41.9 feet breadth, 24.2 feet depth. Like

many of Russell’s carriers she possessed a very fair turn of speed,

especially off the wind, and has the following fine passages to her

credit.

1894 Downs to Melbourne 77 days

1901 Newcastle, N.S.W., to Frisco 60 „

1902 Frisco to Old Head of Kinsale 101 „

_Hinemoa_ was built at a time when “sail” was making a final effort

to hold its markets against the steam tramp. That effort was a truly

gallant one, and but for the fact that the windjammer possesses a

charm and fascination totally lacking in steam, and has ever been

enthroned in the hearts of all lovers of the sea, masts and yards would

not have lasted longer in the Mercantile Marine than they did in the

Royal Navy.

That there were still sailing ships used commercially in 1914 goes to

prove that the most stony-hearted, matter-of-fact business man was

ready to sacrifice his pocket for a sentiment, a sentiment indeed which

many may find hard to define, yet which has forged the links in the

chain of nations which represent the present British Empire.

To sail and the sail-trained seaman more than to any other cause

do we owe our nation’s greatness. By sail were our homesteads kept

safe from the enemy; by sail were our new coasts charted; sail took

the adventurous pioneers to the new land, and sail brought home the

products of these new lands to the Old Country and made her the Market

of the World.

This book is an attempt to preserve in written form what the fading

memory is fast forgetting—the Glorious History of the Sailing Ship.

As o’er the moon, fast fly the amber veils,

For one dear hour let’s fling the knots behind,

And hear again, thro’ cordage and thro’ sails,

The vigour of the voices of the wind.

They’re gone, the Clyde-built darlings, like a dream,

Regrets are vain, and sighs shall not avail,

Yet, mid the clatter and the rush of steam,

How strangely memory veers again to sail!

APPENDIX

APPENDIX A.

_Extracts from “Lightning Gazette,” 1855-1857._

SECOND VOYAGE.—LIVERPOOL TO MELBOURNE.

=Saturday, 6th January, 1855.=—At 8 a.m. the anchor was weighed and

the _Lightning_ with two steamers ahead proceeded down the Mersey.

The morning was cold with a small drizzling rain, the wind being

contrary. The steam tender, on leaving with passengers for the shore,

came in contact with our main brace and carried away her funnel. The

start was anything but a cheerful one; nevertheless, with the aid of

two powerful tugs, we progressed at the rate of 7 to 8 knots and at 6

p.m. passed the Skerries Lighthouse.

=Sunday, 7th January.=—During the night we were nearly run into by a

large American clipper, the _Dreadnought_, of New York; she being on

the port tack, it was her duty to give way, but true to her name or

with the independence of her nation, she held her course disdaining

to turn aside; our captain with praiseworthy prudence put his ship

about and thus avoided a collision.

=Monday, 8th January.=—Lat. 52° 14′ N., long. 6° 12′ W. Wind S.W. The

night being very dark, we came in contact with a ship on the opposite

tack. We saw and hailed, but the stranger evidently did not keep a

good look-out and came straight upon us, striking our ship on the

starboard bow. All was hubbub and confusion in a moment. The ships

were speedily parted and fortunately without doing any damage to us

worth mentioning. The stranger did not escape so well, having her

jibboom carried away and her bowsprit sprung, as appeared to us in

the dark.

=12th January.=—Lat. 46° 55′ N., long. 10° 41′ W. Wind S.E. Distance

269 miles. About 8 p.m. an alarm of fire was given and great

excitement prevailed throughout the ship. This danger was caused by

a drunken woman in the second cabin, who set fire to her bonnet; it

was soon extinguished and the woman put in irons and confined in the

“black hole” for the night as a warning.

=13th January.=—Lat. 42° 58′ N., long. 14° 24′ W. Wind S.E.

Distance 286 miles. It is a week to-day since we left Liverpool and

considering that we had two days of contrary winds, two days of calms

we have made a very favourable run from the land.

=15th January.=—Lat. 39° 42′ N., long. 19° 25′ W. Wind S.S.E.

Distance 202 miles. Ship going 13 knots close-hauled; in the morning

we passed a ship outward bound with topgallant sails in, while we

were carrying three royals and main skysail.

_20th January._—Lat. 30° 37′ N., long. 19° 24′ W. Wind variable.

Distance 130 miles. At 10 a.m. we sighted a steamer on weather bow,

homeward bound. In a moment the tables were covered with writing

desks. At 11 o’clock we neared her and found she was the General

Screw Co.’s Steamship _Calcutta_ from Australia bound to Southampton,

69 days out from Melbourne. We sent a boat to her with a bag of

letters.

=21st January.=—Lat. 29° 51′ N., long. 19° 56′ W. Wind S.S.W. At 5

p.m. passed a large ship of war with two tiers of guns supposed to

be H.M.S. _Monarch_, bound for the Pacific with Admiral Bruce, to

replace the unfortunate Admiral Price, who shot himself before the

attack on Petropaulovski.

=24th January.=—Lat. 24° 24′ N., long. 19° 37′ W. Took the N.E.

trades, very light.

=26th January.=—Lat. 22° 07′ N., long. 20° 45′ W. Wind N.E., ship

running 7 knots with smooth sea. A swing was put up on the poop

to-day for the amusement of the ladies.

=31st January.=—Lat. 8° 48′ N., long 22° 7′ W. Wind N.N.E. Distance

130 miles. At 8 p.m. the ship was thrown into instant confusion by

the cry of “man overboard.” The ship was quickly rounded to, the two

quarter boats lowered away and after 10 minutes of intense anxiety a

hearty cheer announced that they had found him. The man, who was a

second intermediate passenger, could not swim but was kept up by a

life-buoy.

=1st February.=—Lat. 5° 45′ N., long. 21° 50′ W. Wind N.E. Distance

180 miles. Ship running 12 knots before a fresh gale with light sails

in. At noon the ship was again thrown into a state of alarm by the

cry of “man overboard.” A sailor named John Benson, a Swede, had

fallen from the jibboom. Lifebuoys were thrown to him and the two

boats quickly lowered, but the wind blew strong, the sea ran high

with rain and mist so that it was impossible to see any distance and

after pulling for nearly an hour they returned with the sad report

that they could see nothing of him.

=3rd February.=—Crossed the equator at 10 p.m. in 23° 9′ W., 28 days

out from Liverpool and 23 from Land’s End. Took the S.E. trade and

lost the favourable north wind this morning.

=9th February.=—Lat. 18° 15′ S., long. 34° 46′ W. Wind S.E. Distance

308 miles. This is the best day’s work since we left; indeed it is

the only chance our noble ship has had of displaying her sailing

qualities.

14 knots upon a bowline with the yards braced sharp up is certainly

wonderful work and scarcely to be believed if it were not

satisfactorily proved by the observation of the sun at noon, from

which it appears we have sailed 308 miles in last 24 hours with a

current against us, which is always supposed on this coast to run

about a knot an hour with the wind, making an average of 13 knots an

hour, and while going at this extraordinary rate she is as dry as

possible, seldom shipping a spoonful of water. During the greater

part of yesterday the carpenter was employed on a stage below the

fore chains, where he worked as easily as if it had been calm.

=14th February.=—Lat. 31° 47′ S., long. 34° 54′ W. Wind N.E. Distance

93 miles. Began to run down our easting on a composite circle.

=19th February.=—Lat. 41° 41′ S., long. 18° 45′ W. Wind N.W. Distance

310 miles. Ship running 13 and occasionally 15 knots.

=20th February.=—Lat. 41° 5′ S., long. 16° 34′ W. Distance 155

miles. At midnight the wind suddenly flew round from N.E. to S.W.

and blew a heavy gale. The change was so sudden that we were obliged

to run before the wind for six hours to get the sails in, which was

not done without some danger. After taking a reef in the fore and

mizen topsails we hauled up again to E.S.E. The ship went very easy

under the reduced sail and as dry as possible, though there was a

heavy cross sea running. 10 a.m., more moderate, set mainsail and

topgallant sails. Noon going 15 knots with royals set, yards slightly

checked, going by the wind.

=21st February.=—Lat. 42° 34′ S., long. 9° 10′ W. Wind South.

Distance 342 miles. Ship going 15 and occasionally 16 knots with

main skysail and fore topmast studding sail set, the yards slightly

checked.

=27th February.=—Lat. 46° 22′ S., long. 26° 15′ E. Wind west.

Distance 390 miles. All night it blew a fresh gale with heavy squalls

and occasional showers of hail and snow, the sea running high, ship

running 16 and occasionally 18 knots. During six hours in the morning

the ship logged 18 knots with royals, main skysail and topgallant

studding sails set, the wind blowing a fresh gale from the westward.

=28th February.=—Lat. 47° 24′ S., long. 33° 32′ E. Wind N.E. Distance

308 miles. At 2 o’clock it blew a hard gale with heavy showers

of rain and hail. Obliged to keep the ship before the wind while

shortening sail. By 7 p.m. sail was taken in and ship laid to under

trysail and topmast staysail, to prevent her running too far south

for fear of coming in contact with ice.

=7th March.=—Lat. 50° S., long. 68° 44′ E. Wind S.W. Distance 280

miles. 10 a.m., sighted Kerguelen or Desolation Island, passing

between Fortune Island and Round Island, small rocks about 20 miles

off the mainland. 2 o’clock, abreast Cape St. George.

=8th March.=—Lat. 49° 51′ S., long. 76° 24′ E. Wind N.W. Distance 296

miles. Ship running with stunsails both sides, high sea.

=9th March.=—Lat. 49° 50′ S., long. 83° 47′ E. Wind N.W. Distance 284

miles.

=10th March.=—Lat. 49° 28′ S., long. 89° 29′ E. Wind N.W. Distance

221 miles.

=11th March.=—Lat. 49° 11′ S., long. 94° 44′ E. Wind N.N.E. Distance

325 miles. Midnight, fresh gale. Ship going 17 knots with single

reefed topsails, foresail, trysail and fore topmast staysail, wind

abeam.

=12th March.=—Lat. 49° 11′ S., long. 106° 38′ E. Wind north. Distance

366 miles. Thick weather and small rain.

=13th March.=—Lat. 48° 27′ S., long. 114° 16′ E. Wind N.E. Distance

318 miles.

=19th March.=—Lat. 40° 25′ S., long. 143° 23′ E. Wind E.S.E. Distance

308 miles. 4 p.m., rounded King’s Island. 8 p.m., sighted Cape Otway

light bearing W. 18 miles. Stood off the land till midnight.

=20th March.=—During the night strong gale from East. 1 p.m., pilot

came aboard. 1.30 p.m., entered Port Phillip Heads.

Passage of 73 days—Liverpool to Melbourne.

Passage of 67 days—Land to land.

The _Lightning_ beat the _Red Jacket_, _Ralph Waller_, _Eagle_, and

_George Waller_, which sailed either previous to her or on the same

date.

SECOND VOYAGE—MELBOURNE TO LIVERPOOL, 1855.

=11th April.=—Early this morning the anchor was weighed and we were

taken in tow by two steam tugs. Two guns were fired as a signal

of departure, weather delightful but wind light and right ahead.

When near the Heads spoke _Frederick_, of Liverpool, 95 days out.

In passing she saluted us with two guns, her passengers and crew

cheering, a courtesy which we returned. Calm for two days, ship only

11 miles off Port Phillip Heads.

=13th April.=—Passed through Bass Straits, _Gipsy Bride_ and other

vessels in company.

=17th April.=—Lat. 46° 12′ S., long. 156° 28′ E. _Lightning_ sweeping

along at 17 and sometimes 18 knots.

=18th April.=—Lat. 49° 5′ S., long, 162° 50′ E. Wind S.W. Distance

314 miles. Sailing 16 knots an hour, wind steady with heavy cross

sea. All starboard stunsails set.

=21st April.=—Lat. 54° 21′ S., long. 175° 45′ W. Wind S.S.W. Distance

327 miles.

=24th April.=—Lat. 58° S., long. 158° 35′ W. Wind N.N.E. Distance

285 miles. Sailing 14 knots close-hauled. P.M., heavy head gale,

royals, skysails, jib and spanker in, ship pitching heavily.

=26th April.=—Lat. 58° 7′ S., long. 150° 49′ W. Calm. Distance 79

miles. During night heavy snow squalls.

=1st May.=—Lat. 58° 53′ S., long. 112° 25′ W. Wind E.N.E. Sailing 8

knots an hour by the wind. Sighted an iceberg 100 ft. high, 8 miles

distant.

=5th May.=—Lat. 54° 48′ S., long. 100° 44′ W. Wind E.N.E. to E.S.E.,

strong gale. Took in foresail and single reefed the topsails. (This

was the only occasion during the passage on which the topsails were

reefed.)

=8th May.=—Lat. 55° 56′ S., long. 85° 48′ W. Wind north. Distance 294

miles. Skysails and staysails in and slab-reefed courses.

=10th May.=—Lat. 58° 12′ S., long. 69° 49′ W. Wind N.N.W. Distance

316 miles. 10 p.m., Cape Horn north 100 miles.

=17th May.=—Lat. 44° 37′ S., long. 64° 31′ W. Going at the rate of

12 to 14 knots and wind right aft which caused the ship to roll very

much. About 3 p.m. a heavy shower of snow was hailed with delight

by the passengers. Our captain transferred his command from the

Black Ball to the White Ball Line and first commenced snow-balling.

Fierce and fast grew the conflict, the ship helping many a valiant

snow-baller to a seat on her slippery decks. At 4 we saw an American

clipper standing eastward under close-reefed topsails.

=1st June.=—Crossed the equator at midnight in 30° W. Visit of

Neptune in the evening. Neptune made his appearance accompanied by

his wife Amphitrite. Their Majesties were received with the usual

honours, all the company standing up and the band playing “Rule

Britannia.” Neptune was dressed in the uniform of a Line regiment,

sea-green turned up with cerulean blue. His wife’s hair plaited in

the most tasteful manner nearly touched her feet, swabbing the decks

as she walked along. Neptune put the usual questions to our gallant

commander and having received satisfactory replies, his Majesty,

leaning upon his three-pronged toaster, made a circuit of the deck,

while the fair Amphitrite in passing made a most condescending bow

to the Queen of Beauty, who was supported on the arm of Aesculapius,

and at this piece of condescension dropped her large blue eyes and

looked confused. The salt of the briny element seemed to have excited

the thirst of Amphitrite and her attendants, which the Chief Justice

endeavoured to quench by draughts from the cup that cheers but

inebriates. Neptune having taken the pledge when he visited certain

other parts of his dominions would not put the hideous beverage to

his lips. The Gods and Goddesses then delighted the company by their

vocal melodies and finally descended to their chariot, which went off

with fire and smoke.

=4th June.=—Lat. 6° 30′ N., long. 30° 11′ W. Took the N.E. trades.

=28th June.=—Four passengers and a number of letters landed off

Kinsale.

=29th June.=—11 a.m., taken in tow by steam tug _Dreadnought_.

Anchored in Liverpool at 11 p.m. 79 days out. Since passing the Horn

it had been a light weather passage, the moonsail only being lowered

on two occasions and the lower deck ports only shut once.

THIRD VOYAGE.

The _Lightning’s_ third voyage was an unfortunate one. On her arrival

home in June, 1855, Messrs. James Baines & Co., whether at Captain

Enright’s suggestion or not, I do not know, had her hollow bow filled

in with deadwood, an action which caused her designer to refer to

them as the “wood-butchers of Liverpool,” though in the light of

modern knowledge in ship designing they were undoubtedly right, as

hollow lines for sailing ships have long been proved a mistake.

Unfortunately, however, the blocking in of the bows was not strongly

enough done, and one day when she was close-hauled on the starboard

tack in the South Atlantic, this false bow, as it was called, was

washed away, leaving its frame and ribs bare. This, though in no way

affecting the seaworthiness of the _Lightning_, spoilt her sailing,

and what promised to be an excellent passage ran to 81 days.

In Australia the bow was repaired, but the accident frightened

would-be passengers, as the Government surveyors in Melbourne refused

to give her a certificate and she also lost a lot of freight.

LIVERPOOL TO MELBOURNE, 1855.

=Wednesday, 5th September.=—About 3 o’clock this afternoon, amid the

booming of cannon, the sad and solemn strains of the band and the

cheers of the passengers, our gallant ship was taken in tow by the

tug _Rattler_. The commencement of our voyage is marked with a fair

wind, so that the captain is determined to proceed without the aid

of a tug. Accordingly at 7.30 the pilot left us and we bade him a

cheering farewell. In the evening several songs were sung for “Each

sail was set, and each heart was gay.”

=Thursday, 6th September.=—At 2 a.m. we passed Holyhead, going from 7

to 7½ knots, and Bardsey at 9. At 3 p.m. we were abreast of Tuskar.

The ship is gliding along under an astonishing cloud of canvas, with

stunsails alow and aloft. In the evening the band played several

tunes; many of the passengers ventured on a polka and other dances

with spirit.

=Friday, 7th September.=—The light breeze of past two days died

away at 4 this morning, leaving us becalmed. Happily the weather

is delightful with clear sky and brilliant sun. The sea has the

appearance of an immense sheet of glass. All parties are on deck so

that the promenades are inconveniently crowded.