CENTENARY OF PIONEERS’ SAILING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26625, 22 November 1947, Page 8

CENTENARY OF PIONEERS’ SAILING

Voyage of the John Wickliffe For the Daily Times by H. O. B. “The John Wickliffe, Captain Daly, of Greenock, sailed to-day from 1 London docks for Port Chalmers, in the colony of Otago, under the charge of the New Zealand Company and may be expected to arrive about the same time as the Philip Laing. Captain Cargill goes out in her. He is a descendant of Donald Cargill, well known to readers .of the Scotch Worthies. This gentleman is deeply imbued with the same spirit that actuated his ancestor. We believe that the ship also carries with her a printing press—that important engine of civilisation.”

This news item appeared in the Greenock Advertiser of November 22, 1847, and, though certain authorities claim that the sailing date was actually November 24, the earlier date is substantiated by the diary of a passenger, the Rev. T. D. Nicholson. If the date given by Mr Nicholson is correct, to-day is the 100th anniversary of the departure of one of two ships which brought the earliest' settlers to Otago. The issue of the following day of thg the Greenock Advertiser adds the following information:— “ On Saturday, November 20, a very interesting service was held on board the fine ship Philip Laing, 550 tons register, Captain Ellis, the vessel about to proceed with immigrants to the new colony of Otago. The ship has been chartered by the Court of the Directors of the New Zealand Company to sail from Greenock with these passengers who have been each selected with great caution after careful scrutiny and the production of the most satisfactory testimonials as to character and blameless life. ... An able and experienced surgeon, Dr Ramsay, has been appointed . . . the very valuable services of the Rev. Thomas Burns, formerly of Monkten, late of Portobello, have been secured . . . the schoolmaster, a gentleman in every way qualified for his work, Mr Blackie. . . . About 250 proceed in the Philip Laing. “A large party assembled on board on Saturday at mid-day for the purpose of offering up prayers for the success of the voyage, their safe arrival at their destination, and for their; comfort, prosperity and happiness in the land of their adoption.. We most cordially join in the wishes expressed for the welfare of the settlers,

and for the success of the novel and interesting experiment now being made.”

During the voyage of the John Wickliffe the Rev. Mr Nicholson recorded daily in diary form the progress of the vessel. He states that, with his wife and family, he went on board the ship in London docks, from which the John Wickliffe sailed at 2 p.m. on Monday, November 22, 1847. Apparently she sailed only “as far as the Nore, and anchored for the night.” Then the diary reads:— November 24, 1 p.m.—Sailed from Gravesend. Bad weather caused a delay, and on December I.—Sailed from the Downs A storm in the Channel commenced on the evening of December 4 and was responsible for a further delay. December 14.—Sailed from Portsmouth in company with H.M.S. Belerephon, 78 guns. December 17— Storm off Scilly Islands. December 21.—Off Cape Finisterre—signalled the Aberoia, of North Shields, a screw schooner- crossed Bay of Biscay without a gale. December 24.—Sighted Porto Santo and Madeira. December 31.—Sighted St. Antonio. January 5 to 12. —Becalmed. January 13. —Spoke the Alpha, of Swansea, outward bound. January 15.—Crossed the line at 7 a.m. January 18.—A Portuguese slave brig crossed our bow bound for the Brazil coast. January 19. —School commenced on board. January 22, 26, and 27.—Becalmed. January 25 to 27.—Sailed in company with a Dutch barque, De Minerva-

Mittelbiyg. On the 26th and 27th visits were exchanged with the people on the Dutch ship. January 28.—Boarded the Woolbridge, of London, sailing from Callao to London. February 2.—Passed Tristan de Cunha. February 13.—Longitude of Cape Horn. February 18 and 19. —Saw icebergs. February 25.—Sighted Kirguelen’s Land in evening. February 26 and 28.—Becalmed off Kirguelen's Land. March 19.—Passed the Snares. March 21.—Becalmed off Cape Saunders. “Cape Saunders only six miles away, yet could not pass it for lack of vyind.” A note on the side of the page says: “Near the land, but no signal to bid us welcome. No boat on the waters. No smoking chimneys. No signs of man. Land forsaken.” March 22.—At anchor near entrance of Otago Harbour. March 23—Landed at Port Chalmers. Mr Nicholson was a Presbyterian minister whose destination was Nelson As his ship was the first to arrive, he became actually the first Presbyterian to conduct services in Otago. He was a young man of 31, and had a wife and three children, whose ages ranged from two to under five. A fourth was born in Port Chalmers, three weeks after the ship berthed. He left Otago on May 18, after having preached regularly on ship board at Port Chalmers and occasionally in Dunedin. His son, John ' Wickliffe McWhir Daly Nicholson, was baptised by the Rev. T. Burns on board the ship, this being the first such service conducted by Otago’s first Presbyterian minister.