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White Wings Vol I. Fifty Years Of Sail In The New Zealand Trade, 1850 TO 1900

The Dauntless

The Dauntless.

Rescues Crew of Fiery Star.

The 700-ton ship Dauntless made only one voyage to New Zealand, during which Captain Moore had a trying experience, and died in Auckland shortly after the ship's arrival. the Dauntless left Kingston on December 31, 1864, and arrived in Auckland after a tedious passage of 135 days.

the Dauntless experienced light winds, varied by heavy gales, throughout the voyage. The sailors on several occasions threatened to mutiny, as they were dissatisfied with the provisions and the miserable accommodation provided. They also considered the vessel was unsafe, and demanded to be landed at the nearest port. The crew succeeded in getting several of the passengers to support them, and when off the Cape of Good Hope threatened to take the life of Captain Moore. He then broke into a case of rifles consigned to the Colonial Secretary, and he, with the officers, went about with arms. Three men were eventually put in irons, and handed over to the police on arrival at Auckland. Considering the unsatisfactory state of the accommodation for the steerage passengers, and the inferior food supplied, it is no wonder that twenty deaths occurred before the vessel reached her destination. There were also seventeen births and two marriages during the voyage.

Death of Captain Moore.

When the Dauntless arrived at Auckland Captain Moore was very ill, and was taken ashore to the residence of Captain Williams, of H.M. Customs, who resided on Smale's Point. near St. Patrick's Church. Captain Moore never recovered, and died in the arms of Miss J. Lapham, who had attended him. Miss Lapham subsequently married Mr. Symonds, and is still living in the same old house. She came to New Zealand in the ship British Queen in March, 1859. This ship made a long voyage of 157 days to Auckland. Mr. Chas. Judd, who established a large foundary at the Thames in the sixties, came out in the British Queen.

Burning of the Fiery Star.

There seems to have been something ill-omened about the name of the Fiery Star. When the Dauntless arrived in Auckland from London she had on board the chief officer and seventeen men of the ship Fiery Star, which had met with a terrible disaster. the Fiery Star had left Brisbane for England early in April, 1865, and when twelve days out caught fire. The captain and some of the crew, together with the passengers (80 souls in all) took to the ship's boats, and as they were never heard of again, it was presumed they were lost. The chief officer and seventeen of the crew stuck to the burning ship, and for twenty-two days kept the fire down. It was then that the Dauntless hove in sight, and as it was seen that the task of entirely subduing the fire was quite impossible, the offer of Captain Moore to take the men off was accepted. A few hours later the Fiery Star was seen to go down.

the Fiery Star was a Black Ball liner, and formerly the clipper ship Comet.

The barque Dauntless must not be confused with the 1050-ton ship which visited Dunedin in command of Captain Cowan. This vessel also made a long voyage of 131 days, arriving at Port Chalmers on November 24. 1863.