DAYS OF SAIL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23135, 6 September 1938, Page 13

DAYS OF SAIL

REMARKABLE RECORD' LATE CAPTAIN HARVEY SAILOR IN CUTTY SARK SOUTH SEA BLACKBIRDING To have sailed in the Cutty Sark in one of her most famous "tea races," to have been a "blackbirder" in the South Seas and to have known the notorious "Bully" Hayes were among the experiences of Captain George Harvey, formerly of Whangaparaoa, whose death has occurred in Auckland at the age of 95. Captain Harvey was one of the last of the old commanders > who lived through the golden age of sail in the last century. He not only knew, life at sea in all kinds of sailing craft, but also served in steam, and navigated a, little screw vessel of only 37 tons register from England to New Zealand more than half a century ago. His career held more variety than this, for he spent the last years of his active life as a farmer on the coast neas Auckland.

A Notorious Voyage Born in Staffordshire in March", 1813, Captain Harvey went to at an early age with hardly any schooling. When only 14 he shipped as a boy. in the Aiui AVilson, bound from Liverpool to Wellington with 222 emigrants. The voyage was notorious on account of overcrowding, bad food and shortage of water and medical supplies. Several of the passengers wcye landed at Wellington in a deplorable condition, and one died soon after. The<jury at the inquest strongly censured the ship's charterers, the emigration officer at Liverpool, and the captain.

Captain Harvey left the vessel in New Zealand and was employed as bo? and later as seaman in vessels on tho coast and in the "blaekbirding" trade in the Western Pacific. This consisted in recruiting native labour, particularly in the New Hebrides, and conveyirjg it to other islands where plantations had been established. Many adventurers were engaged in the traffic, whicluhaa [ formed the subject of numbers of ialesj both true and fictional. The Great Tea Race

After some years he shipped back t<j England and there obtained his mate's ticket. Times were bad for seamen, and lie signed on as an A.15. in the Hallowe'en, bound for China. This ship was owned by Captain John Willis, owner of the Cutty Sark, to which he transferred in China waters. By good fortune the homeward voyage was the famous "tea race" of 1870 between Cutty Sark and Thermopylae, the winner of which has not been decided* notwithstanding years of controversy. In the South Indian Ocean Cuttj Sark lost her rudder, and Captain George Moodie spent 14 days in fail weather making and fitting a jury* rudder worked by chains from the sidej of the poop. This fulfilled its purposi for the rest of the voyage, including a furious south-westerly gale in th< English Channel. Cutty Sark made the trip in 122 days, to Thermopylae's 110. Captain Harvey had a vivid recob lection of it, and some of his reminis' cences were used by Mr. Basil 'Lubbock in his book "The Log of the Clit'tt Sark."

Attacked by Natives Leaving the celebrated clipper, Cap* tain Harvey made several voyages across the Atlantic, commanded a tramp in the Bilbao iron trade, and eventually took a contract to bring a small coastal steamer to New Zealand. He supplied crew, coal and stores, and accomplished the voyage safely, making a substantial profit. In New Zealand he returned to "black-birding" as mate of the brigantine Rio Loge. At Guadalcanal in the New Hebrides, on one occasion, the vessel was attacked, of the native crew being shot. Later she was lost with all hands between Kaipara and Lvttelton.

Years as a Farmer Captain Harvey was well acquainted with "Bully" Hayes, who at one time wanted to engage him as mate in his schooner Black Diamond. However, he declined, having no wish to be associated with such an adventurer. He had married in Scotland and, with the approval of his wife, who was living in New Zealand, he purchased over 400 acres of land at Arkle's Bay from an uncle. Mr. Joseph Heniiey. He and his family farmed the property until Mrs. Harvey's death in 1924. when it was subdivided and sold, with the exception of the homestead. Captain Harvey enjoyed very good health almost to the end of his life. He is survived by four sons and four daughters, all of whom reside in the Auckland Province. There are 34 grandchildren and 12 great-grand-children.