Journey
Origin
Depart Date
Sunday, July 16, 1865
Destination
Arrive Date
Monday, October 16, 1865
Journey Notes
With 381 Souls; Government Assisted Migrants. The Adamant is certainly a most astonishing vessel, for the regularity of her passages has become almost proverbial, and Tuesday morning's daybreak showed her to have anchored within a cable's length off the Semaphore jetty. Seventy-eight days out as usual; and this time with a new commander, for Captain Lodwick has taken charge of a new ship and gone to India, leaving the Adamant to a relative (Captain Consterdine), who appears at any rate to have also inherited a share of good fortune in favourable winds. On leaving the British Channel strong N.W. gales were the order of the day, and on August 4 passed Madeira. On August 27 crossed the Line in 17° W., and rounded the Cape on September 19. The southing from the Line to the Cape was accomplished with celerity, seeing that a fine fair wind prevailed, and along the southern parallel similar weather predominated, in which the vessel carried all plain sail, making an average of 205 miles per day; indeed occasionally the speed was as high as 245 miles in 24 hours. She looked weather-beaten on arrival, and the entire voyage passed without incident of import till after making Cape Borda, when a fatal casualty threw the passengers into a fever of consternation and crippled the vessel by losing maintopgallant and mizentopmasts. It appears that on making the land the people crowded along the lee rail to watch the appearance of Kangaroo Island as the vessel bounded along at her top speed under a heavy press of canvas. One of the women, name Mary Rosemorgan, was sitting in a position near the maintopgallants staysailsheet, which belays in the waist, when it gave a flap and threw her over the side. The alarm instantly became general; but Mr.Ramsay, the chief officer, pitched a lifebuoy, and the order was at once passed to put the helm down, bringing the ship to the wind with everything flat aback. The maintopgallantmast was at once carried away, taking with it the head of the mizentopmast. In the mean time a smart crew, headed by the chief officer, rushed to the lee quarter-boat, which, being furnished with the patent lowering gear, was let go by the run, precipitating her into a most violent seaway, in which they pulled, as near as possible, towards the spot where the woman was lost. The crippled condition of the ship for a time disabled her from proceeding to the rescue; but as soon as possible the wreck was cleared away, and she wore round to seek the boat, which was not descried by the anxious look-out till three and a half hours had passed. The praiseworthy attempt at the poor woman's rescue had failed, and on nearing the ship it was seen that to pick up the boat was a matter of danger, from the terrific sea on. After much difficulty, however, this object was accomplished, but only by hooking-on stern first, and running her up with a rush. The painful accident and concurrent circumstances caused such intense feeling that an amount of confusion continued till the vessel reached the anchorage, and when standing inshore towards the Red Light the leadsman furnished incorrect soundings, so that the vessel was much closer to the beach than was anticipated, and anchored in a position where she grounded at low water, being within hail of the jetty end, or quite close to the pilot cutters' moorings. It was rather strange she was not seen and boarded by the pilot before, for there were two of their boats cruising in the anchorage. As soon as the position of the barque became known the Eleanor steamed down from the Port to tow her into harbour, and a signal was made at the stations to shorten in cable, but being aground that was impracticable till the tide rose. Register 18/10/1865.
Your Stories