EARLY SHIPPING DAYS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17180, 25 October 1923, Page 10

EARLY SHIPPING DAYS.

; VOYAGES FROM THE OLD COUNTRY. TA’ THE EM!f.' ANT SHIPS. The romance and some of tho hardships of the early shipoingdays of Hew Zealand are recalled in the series of articles now beingpublished in the “Star” relating to the early shipping - days. Xa&y people are interested in the subject, as there are still many old identities with us, while thousands of citizens of the Dominion are descended from the old stock which braved the voyagres in the sailors of the ’fifties, ’sixties and ’seventies. The article printed to-day consists of extracts from the early files. THE ME ROPE. (Continued.) (From the “ Lyttelton Times,” October 29. 1870.) Tho splendid now dipper composite ship Metope, built expressly for tho New Zealand trade and commanded by Captain H Rose • late of the Zealandia), arrived off the heads at-10 a.m. on Thursday, after a passage of 90 days- -S8 from land to land. Owing to tho strong southerly gale she tacked off the land and ultimately anchored about two miles off Godley Heads at 3 p.m. The s.s.. Moa having been chartered to convey the health and immigration officers to the vessel she left tho wharf at 3.30 p.m. yesterday, and after a smart run down the harbour arrived alongside the ship. The usual j questions having been asked and satis- I factor ily answered the vessel was declared free, and the officials proceeded op board, whore 1 hey found everything to be in first-class order. The ship os a model justifies all that has been said in her favour, and surpasses any vessel that has yet visited our harbour. .Her lines are excellent, and she is fitted with the latest improvements that skill can suggest. Her saloon is very commodious and tastefully fitted up. The lower masts, bowsprit, lower yards, and lower topsail yards are all made of steel and she is fitted fore and aft with wire j rigging .and from the fact of her hav- j ing standing sky-sail yards, she looks j unusually taunt. The tween decks are lofty, light and unusually < lean. The means for ventilation are very good and admirably adapted for immigrant service. The galley arrangements are excellent, and the supply of fresh wafjcr during the voyage has been abundant. Tho ovens have acted well, all the immigrants having been supplied with fresh bread during the passage. The j immigrants brought out are of a superior class, and they speak in the highest terms of the treatment they j have received from the captain and of- { liters of the ship. Dr E. Husband is i surgeon, and the admirable state of tlte j ’tween decks, fore and aft, speaks well for his supervision. With the excep- j tion of a few ordinary cases there has j been no sickness during the voyage. 1 An accident occurred to a. little boy j a few weeks since, who fell down and ■ broke his thigh. The following is Captain Rose's re- j port:—Wednesday. July 27, embarked emigrants, and left the docks at 1.30 a.m. on Thursday; adjusted compass at Greenwhitlio and proceeded down to Gravesend. On Friday at 4 p.m. mustered anil inspected ship, crew and passengers before the emigration surveyors and proceeded to sea, and at 7.45 anchored near the Mouse Light for tide ; got under weigh at 2 a.m. on Saturray, and-had a fine run dowu Channel.. On September 18 passed the meridian of.the Cape og Good Hope. From September 28 to October 10 bail strong westerly winds until the 21st. when we had a heavy gale from the N.£.. with heavy cross seas. On the 24th sighted the Snares N.E. anil E., about 8 miles distant. On the 26th. at 4 a.m. made Banks Peninsula, X.W. by X.. anil 8 a.m. was off Akaroa Heads; sighted Godley Head lighthouse at 9 p.m. on Wednesday, and a strong gale with thick rain having set in we had to keep the vessel away.” The wind having changed, the vessel got under weigh yesterday and came up to her anchorage off the town. The immigrants were landed the same afternoon. ARRIVAL OF THE GLENMARK. (From the “ Lyttelton Times,” December 14, 1870. Arrived.—December 13, Glenmark, ship, 953 tons, Wrankmore. R.N.R.. from London. Passengers : Cabin.— Captain and Mrs Bullock. Mr A. Bullock, Misses Bullock (2), Mr unci Airs E. S. Bell. Masters 801 l (2). Second Cabin.—Mrs Heap, Mrs Chalmers, Miss Heap, Master Heap, Mrs Deschaffelles; twenty in steerage. The ship Glenmark. Lieutenant Wrankmore, R.X.R., commander, from London, came to an anchorage yesterday at 2 p.m. She left" Gravesend on August 26 last, and landed the Channel pilot off Plymouth on the 29th : passed the island of Madeira on September 15 and crossed the equator on October 7; crossed the meridian of Greenwich on October 29. anil passed j the Cape of Good Hope on November j ■1 . sighted Cape Lee win on November i 27 and the Snares on December 7: .sighted Banks Peninsula at 5 p.m. on Monday, and was towed up to an anchorage off Rhodes Bar by the s.s. Plm.be yesterday afternoon. Tho Glenmark had .to contend with j light foul winds throughout the voyage. I She experienced a very heavy gaie off ! •.ho Island of Tristan D’Acunha on ' October 28 and 27. When off the j Snares she also had a reverse gale with j a heavy sea. We regret to have to re- j cord the death of the doctor of the ; vessel, Dr M’Shane, late of Auckland, who expired from paralysis of the brain | oil October 10. Testimonials were pro- ; sented to the captain and steward by tho cabin passengers.