Rockhampton for Melbourne

sailed in very adverse weather, leaking and short of food; met RMS orient off Wilson's Prominentary on 10/1/1897 and signalled her distress, "crew starving". Despite tempestuous seas Orient sent a boat with food and had difficulty recovering crew safely, the lifeboat having to be cut adrift. Phillis sheltered in Waterloo Bay and the Tug Eagle was sent to tow ship into Melbourne;