HULKS AND HISTORY

Evening Star, Issue 17968, 15 May 1922, Page 7

HULKS AND HISTORY

BELIGS i OTAGO HARBOR. STORY ifll 1 -SPANISH SLAVER. No. I. Most travellers over tlio northern /mo of railway give a curious glance to the ship’s skeleton tying in shallow water almost at tho foot of the cliffs at Deborah Bay. The glimpse is only a fleeting one, as the view of this okl relic is occluded when the train passes between the liigh cuttings above Porte Chalmers. _ Instinctively one scents a romance in this brieflyseen relic, disclosing itself in the shallow sea like tho bones of sonic traveller overtaken in the desert, and half-buried in tho drifting sand. And a romance there was in tho early history of this skeleton ship, which sailed tho sewn seas in pride more than half a. century ago. Unfortunately thoso who could spin her full story' me over tho Great Divide, and tho short narrative secured of her career refers only to her latter days and inglorious fate. Tho’Port of Otago, like other ports, is a graveyard of old sailers flung into tho limbo of oblivion by the all-conquer-ing steamboat. 'Still, a few old acumen survive hew, as elsewhere, who sailed in these ships that have “gone before,” and in the pursuit by a ‘Star’ representative of details many a “ghost” ship —surviving, some, of thorn, only in memory; others, their beauty stripped from them, reduced to some menial use that has obscured their past greatness —was recalled momentarily by 7 the story of an old sailor at Port Chalmers who followed the sea when, a ship was a thing instinct with beauty, and who has walked, round many a capstan to the old forgotten chantiesWo'vo a jolly good ship And. a jolly good, crow, Away, Rio. A jolly good mate, And a" good ’skipper, too, Away, Rio. For we're bound to Rio Grande, And away, Rio, Aye, Rio! Sing faro-you-woll, My bonnid young girl, For wo’xo bound for Rio Grande.

And here are a £ow of the yarns Jw> spun of good shim Mien now to menial harbor uses in this port, or sunken like the skeleton of the Spanish fihip at. Deborah Bay. SPANISH SHIP DON JUAN.

There is perhaps more romance and history attached to this onco fine ship Don Juan than to any other of the old hulks ait Port Clmlmors to-day. This vessel was originally named Rosalie, and was once engaged in the slave-carrying trade. She arrived in port hero on© day in 1874, in distress. She had sprang a. leak as the result of a bad buffeting in the Pacific. The ship was surveyed, and as ahe was found to bo in ti bad way was sold by auction, the late Captain Charles Clark being the purchaser. It was Captain Clark’s intention to sail tho Don. Juan to Newcastle, where there were better facilities for repair, and tho vessel was being towed out of harbor one evening by the tug Geelong, and trad reached tho JCaik, when tho master of the tug refused to go any further on account of tho heavy sea running at tho Hoads. Tho delay was fatal, tor it was discovered by the Customs authorities that tho captain of the Don Juan was putting to sea without his clearance papers. With no less of time several Customs officials iput off in a boat, and, boarding the Don Juan, placed her under arrest. The authorities further declared that she was not in any case seaworthy. Tho owner brought two surveyors down from Lyttelton to examine tho vessel, but their report was evidently very unsatisfactory, for tho Don Juan was condemned, mid her seagoing career came to an abrupt end. Captain Clark, having no further us© for her, sold her to the Union Steam Ship Company. She had splendid lofty holds, and tho now owners moored her at what was then known as the cross wharf, fitting her out as a workshop and sail loft. No buildings existed ‘at this time for effecting marine repairs, and the old ship served a useful purpose for some considerable time. Then she began to develop leaks, and the fittings and miscellaneous gear having been removed she was towed to Deborah Bay and broken up. When tho Don Juan arrived hero she proved a great attraction to tho children of Port Chalmers, to whom it became known that she had been a slave ship. She was Spanish-built, full-rigged, had very fine lines, and boro tho name of being a fast sailer. At ono period of her career she was engaged in slave-carrying between tho West Indies and America. Several irons which were used to make tho slaves fast inboard wore found m tho holds when men wore engaged in her demolition. A FAMOUS OLD BMC.

On© of the oldest shells of a once famous wooden sailing vessel afloat in Now Zealand to-day is that of the Thomas and Henry. She was a trim little brig, and first visited Otago Harbor in tho early sixties. Caiptaiu_ Christopher H. Wofdh, tho veteran British sailor residing on the fowdhore at Carey Bay, com-

mwided her for some time, and had a sincere feeling for tho old ship, which ho describes as “a speedy little craft,” The Thomas and Henry traded at time between Australia and New Zealand. She was at that period commanded by Captain. Wm. Thompson, who w«« ijunediiihs first harbor master. Tho Into Pilot Patou was then serving -us chief officer. After making several trips from Australia, to Port Chalmers and other New Zealand: ports, the Thomas and ■ Henry was chartered 'by the Provincial Government and sent to Oamaru, where she was wie-d tia a alaro ship for wool. She did not remain long in this sendee, however, for although special mooringa wore laid with, which to hold her, she frequently broke the lashings when heavy swells swept the bay’. There wan no breakwater at Oanuura in .those days to turn the force of tho swell. So she was towed back to Port Chalmers and moored off that part of tho waterfront where Uic export wharf now stands—it was then open water. In this berth she was utilised a,s a lock-up for refractory sailors. Being subsequently purchased by tho late Captain Charles Clark, tho Thomas and Henry was refitted as a brig, and resumed her former running in the Newcastle-New Zealand trade. She made many trips to the port of Otago. In 1875 she sailed her last deep-sea voyage, being that same, year condemned and dismantled. Tho old vessel, which had weathered scores of storms in tho Tasman Sea-, was purchased by Messrs John Mill and Co. and turned into a hulk, and sho is still carrying out this humble duty at Port Chalmers. The moorings used by her when she was a store ship at Oamaru consisted of several two-ten .anchors with heavy cables attached, These moorings were brought to Pert Chalmers and used as moorings for tho first floating dock. This dock - was ■ launched in 1868, and did useful service in Carey Bay'. It will bo of interest to many of tho younger generation of Otago to know that the first Presbyterian communion service at Port Chalmers was hold on board the Thomas and Henry, at tho time when sho was trading between Newcastle and New Zealand in charge of tho late Captain Wm. Thompson. Tho old brig was looked upon as the monthly clipper, and her arrival could generally he calculated to within a, day or two. She usually carried produce from. Otago and other New Zealand ports to Sydney, and brought back coal from Newcastle. (To bo continued.)