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SENSATIONAL ESCAPADES

A STRANGE GB.UXSE. WHAT AN AUSTRALIAN STBOUSB DIB. ■ Under these headings * Sydney paper thus repeats an oft-told story:—A little steamer named the Ferret, flying the Adelaide Company's flag, and new pursuing a peaceful calling in the company's service between Adelaide and Wallaroo with passengers and cargo, has in her day had an adventurous career unequalled by any other vessel trading in Australian waters. The story of her escapades and dramatic exploits is retold in "The Nautical Magazine.’’ to band by the English mail. About 20 years ago a gentleman, with an office in London, chartered the Ferret from her owners, the Highland Bailway Company, for a six months' cruise in the Mediterranean. The steamer was overhauled for the occasion, and turned out as good as new. A bill for .£1490 was incurred for a large quantity of the best stores, wines, etc., from a prominent ship chandler, and paid for like other necessities for the voyage with those great commercial commodities—bills on London. The ship left the dock, and made Greenock with a crew of runners, coaled, and left on a trial trip, everything, however, having been put aboard first. The first half-month's char, ter had been paid in advance; and, as excellent credentials had been supplied whenever required, the thing looked all right, and the Ferret was duly mentioned: as passing through the Straits of Gibraltar ou her cruise, and wished to be reported. Once out of sight of the signalling station, the escapade began to develop sensationally. Under the magio touch of the paint brush the funnel changed ite colour, the boats (all but two) turned from blue to white, and the steamer stole back through tho straits at night with all lights outs. As she did so, some lifebelts, empty casks, the two unaltered boats, and other article# bearing her name were thrown overboard. It was presumed when these were picked up that the Ferret had foundered. The underwriters thought so, too, and paid for tk# total loss of the steamer.

A PIRATICAL CEUI&M It was writer, getting back into the At, lantic that the charters told the crew that they were something akin to a piratical cruise, and '‘most sincerely" threatened to blow out the brains of any who disclosed what they saw or heard on hoard. The steamer’s name was altered to the Benton, and after a call at St. Vincent for provisions she made Santee in new. guise. Here, after careful negotiations. the charterers secured a cargo of 3932 bags of coffee, consumed to‘various firms in Marseilles. The Benton, instead, of proceeding to Marseilles, steamed to Capetown, where the cargo wae sold for .£II,OOO. They had, though, to accept bills to the extent of £BOOO on London, and not payable until nine months after date, the remainder, £3OOO, being paid in cash. A call was next made’ at Mauritius; but, no plunder being - secured there, they “cleared for Guam.” The Beaton, however, arrived at Albany. Western Austra* lia, and steamed thence direct to Melbourne. , A DEVELOPING DRAMA. During this time the drama developed in another corner. The bills given there for provisions, coal, and charter had fully matured, and the acceptors found themselves in the air. • The birds had flown. Cables were despatched everywhere to stop the stolen steamer; but the Ferret had changed to the Benton, and before Melbourne was reached had given birth: to the India. The India wae offered for sale, but no hid was made for her. It was observed, too, that neither the captain nor his crew ever left the vessel, and that she had always steam up. The thing smelt fishy; suspicions were aroused; and, finding that the vessel’s rig and tonnage corresponded with those of the missing Ferret, she was raided by the police, and all hands were seised. The charterers and two or three mysterious, heavy, ironbound trunks had disappeared like lightning. One of the charterers was arrested •nd imprisoned; hut a lady, who had accompanied him on the voyage visited him one day, and the same night he filed his way ont of prison and escaped, but wae subsequently rearreated. The captain, who was one of the charterer*, was also captured. Although the adventurers had cunningly erased all traces of the Ferret from the ship and her bell, etc., the clcvei rogues forgot one thing, which led to their end, A seaman’s advance note, bearing the name of the Ferret, was found between the leaves of the-logbook.- In the same journal wag discovered a cipher code, which showed that the adventurers were intent upon escaping at all cost* in the event of the bubble bursting. The India, which was renamed the Ferret, was subsequently sold to the Adelaide Steamship Company, and,. as stated above, is stilt in the Australian coastal service.

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Permanent link to this item

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZTIM19050408.2.90

Bibliographic details

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXVII, Issue 5558, 8 April 1905, Page 13

Word Count
798

SENSATIONAL ESCAPADES New Zealand Times, Volume LXXVII, Issue 5558, 8 April 1905, Page 13

SENSATIONAL ESCAPADES New Zealand Times, Volume LXXVII, Issue 5558, 8 April 1905, Page 13