08/06/1876 - 01/09/1876

Ship Summary

Vessel

Masters

Journey

Origin

Depart Date

Wednesday, June 7, 1876

Destination

Arrive Date

Thursday, August 31, 1876

Journey Notes

The Hydaspes has made a very fine passage, and she arrived on Friday about midday with such a multitude of people on board as has seldom if ever been seen before here. She hove in sight from the edge of a fogbank, and no notice of her passing Cape Borda being to hand she was at first supposed to be the Forfarshire, but as soon as her bulk was scrutinized it became evident that she was the two-thousand ton ship. She is a spar-decked vessel of 263 feet long, 39ft. 4 in. beam, and 25 feet depth of hold. This depth is increased to 32 ft. 4in. to the coamings of the spar deck. She was originally built for a steamer, and as such served some time in the Indian transport service, until the demand for sailing vessels induced her owners to dismantle her of the engines and transform her into a full-rigged sailing ship. As such she has immense space available for the transport of people, and in the present case it has been well made use of. The master is not a stranger to the Port, for very many years back when in charge of the Vicar of Bray he made many friends here by his genial disposition, and has now returned to our port in a much larger ship. Of the voyage out there is not much of a startling character to relate, save and except the loss of one of her hands at sea. Captain Babot reports leaving London on June 8 and proceeding to Plymouth, where he took on board 665 souls. He sailed on the 18th, and when about three miles from the Eddystone discharged the pilot. Light variables from south to west marked the start of the voyage. By the 24th June the vessel had reached 43° N., 13° W., when a fine norther set in and gradually carried the vessel into the N.E. trades; but finally the wind became light, and entirely failed in 11°N., 27°W. During five days of trades the Hydaspes was in company with the ship Melbourne, for Melbourne, which arrived at her destination on Thursday. The S.E. trades were fallen in with three degrees before reaching the Line in 22°W., and the Equator was crossed on July 17 in 27°W. On that day she fell in with another Melbourne ship - the Loch Maree. The meridian of the Cape was passed in 43°S., and the easting run over between 41° and 43°. There was a brisk wind, alternating between north-west and south-west, but never a good west wind to enable the ship to make a spin. On the 27th August she was on the meridian of Cape Leuwin in 39°S., and from that time the winds were light and westerly until sighting Cape Borda Light on the night of Thursday. She was the glare, and that verified a good landfall. so she scampered past without giving the telegraph an opportunity of notifying her arrival. As soon as she was sighted from the stations the officers started in the steam-launch Eva, and the pilot having taken charge, anchored the vessel in a good position until the tides permit her being taken into harbour. In appearance the Hydaspes is very large, with a fine bold side. Such a ship is seldom weather-worn, for it must be very bad weather indeed when a drop of water comes on the spar-deck. As soon as there is sufficient water and steam power available she will be towed into harbour. Register 2/9/1876 With 668 government assisted migrants.

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