THE DONNA ANITA.

Auckland Star, Volume LV, Issue 307, 27 December 1924, Page 17

THE DONNA ANITA.

LONG PASSAGE TO NELSON*. The little 500-ton barque Donna Anita, which in the sixties brought out many people to the South Island, will principally be remembered for an exceptionally lnng trip she made in ISG7 to Nelson, where she arrived on August 27 after a passage of 211 days. Apparently she was not a particularly seaworthy craft. In command of a Captain Brown, she struck bad weather right in the Channel at the beginning of the trip, an" had to put into Plymouth for repairs, leaking badly. When the ship got to the Equator Cnptnin Brown died, and bis wife and child, who had been travelling with him, wore put on a passing ship and returned to England. As the chief oflicer, who took command when the master died, could not get on with the crew or the passengers either, the ship was headed for Rio de Janeiro, where she remained for over a month. While sho was in that port a portion of the cargo had to be sold to defray expenses. With a new captain in command the Donna Anita once more took to the high seas, but bad luck dogged her still, and soon after leaving port she sprung her foremast. There were nineteen passengers on board, and by the time Nelson waa reached, 211 days after leaving the Old Country, they were all heartily sick and tired of the ocean. The barque's first appearance in New Zealand was at Port Chalmers, where she arrived on March 20, ISO 2. having left the Old Country on November 2(5, lSiil—a passage of l'2O days. On July 14. 18tl3. she arrived at Lyttefton after a passage of 105 days; and she was there again in ISO.), arriving on January 7. In addition to her long and memorable passage to Nelson in lS(i7, the Donna Anita was also there in 18GI>, arriving on February 19, after a passage of IU7 days. THE DUNFILLAN. The D-.infillnn was a vessel of 853 tons which paid two visits to Tort Chalmers. She. arrived there on June 13, IS7O. from niasgow, which port she left on March 9 —a passage of 9(i days. Captain Gamble, who was in command, reported that on three consecutive days the ship logged .'S2~> miles a day. She crossed the Equator "-7 days out from port, but she then met with light winds and calms, and it was not until the fiftyninth day out that she passed the Cape of Good "Hope. There were ISO passengers. On January 13, 1874, she again arrived at l'ort Chalmers, this time in charge of Captain Kerr. Gravescnd was left on October 20, 1873, the voyage thus taking HI days. On this occasion she had ltil passengers, and came consigned to the N.Z. Shipping Co. The Duniillan was afterwards purchased by the N.Z. Shipping Co., and named the Mataura, under which name further reference will be found at page 208. THE SYDENHAM. "Although the passage was a rather lengthy one, time was not allowed to drag, as com s, games, etc., were indulged in, an., a newspaper was published on board, this being greatly appreciated." So read the report of the arrival of the barque Sydenham, 10G3 tons, Captain Millar, at Auckland, on March 22, ISSI, with a number of immigrants. Although the method oE bringing out our immigrants has changed tremendously since 1881, human nature has not changed, and the hundreds of immigrants who are coming out in 1921 still amuse themselves very much as the people of 43 years ago. The Sydenham made one other passage to New Zealand, visiting Lyttelton, where she arrived on January 30, IHS2, after a passage of 93 days from the Old Country, Captain Millar being still in command. SCOTTISH LASSIE. The fine iron barque Scottish Lassie, R.">2 tons, chartered by the New Zealand Shipping Co., arrived in Auckland on August 10, ISSO, fl4 days from the Start, or !Mi from the Docks. She brought 33 passengers. The passage was remarkable for the fine weather experienced. Up to the time she crossed the Line, 28 days out from port, not a sail had been furled. It was not until the end of June that the ship experienced her first gale, her best day's work then being logged, iuuiM/y, 257 miles. The meridian of the Capo was crossed on July 10, and land near Cape Maria Van Diemen sighted on August 17. The Scottish Lassie was commanded by Captain Le Couteur. THE SALISBURY. Under charter to the New Zealand Shipping Co., the ship Salisbury, 1094 tons, arrived in Auckland on February 27, lS7(i, 07 days from London. She liroiight about .100 immigrants and a general cargo valued at Gravesend was left on November 21, 1575, the Line was crossed on December 20, Cape of Good Hope was passed on January 30, IS7(>, and the longitude of Tasmania was crossed on February 10. Captain Ci. Case was in command. END OF THE SERIES. THE AUBERTLAND SHIPS. j ARTICLES BY AN OLD SAILOR. The. present article concludes the series under this heading. It will be observed that nnne of the. ships that hronsrht out people for the Albcrtland Settlement in the early "sixties has been mentioned. All the chips, concerned, such as the Matilda Wattcnliach, the Ifanovor, the William Miles, Tyburnin, the Gertrude, Annie Wilson, ami others, will be dealt with in a series of articles giving the history of Albcrtland. The series will start early next year. In the interim it is intended to publish a short series of articles by Mr. S,. I'hilpott, of Auckland, who spent many years in sailing ships, and has recorded some of tin; reminiscences of his seafaring clays. This series will begin next IN BOOK FORMI PUBLICATION OF " WHITE [ WINGS." I . j ILLUSTRATED BOOK OF NEARLY 400 PACKS. As intimated last week, I have now* in preparation the various articles that have appeared in thU series for publication in honk form. The l.onk will be called "White Win;:-;- Kil'y Venrs ut Sail in Urn New Zi-abur.' Trade, 15.'.0 to i inno," and willM.p :< i ■niimc of *°'" a 370 ~a2 c s. It will mniiiin a large nu»ber of illu.-tmtiun- ~i the ships *>»» with! n,:,ny ~ M -m tr&fgZ ! llit( ; in ~„„,, bmp »o ««■« f;"; r0 [ ~,-- --or" some of the famous '■"'". Vin»s"