She Makes Amends.

the Hurunui had poor luck during the whole of the run to Algoa Bay. Her best day's run was 213 miles, and only on four days did she do over 200 miles in the 24 hours. She took no less than 76 days for the voyage to Algoa Bay, from where, after unloading, she was ordered to Otago Heads for orders which proved to be to go to Lyttelton to load. The barque arrived at Lyttelton on May 24, and sailed again on June 29 for London.

The old ship made up for it on the passage Home, however, and reached Cape Horn in 28 days, and the Equator in 48 days. The ship reported off the Lizard 84 days out, and anchored off Gravesend 87 days out. For a ship of her class 48 days to the Equator was good running, as no record runs were made during the voyage, the best from Lyttelton to the Horn being 216 miles, and from the Horn to the Line 284. Her next best was 247, the 284 being exceptional.

The next outward voyage of the Hurunui to New Zealand was from Cardiff to Port Chalmers Heads, in the ensuing year, for orders, with a cargo of coal, the passage being made in 88 days. the Hurunui's best day's run was 270 miles when running the easting down. The run home from Lyttelton to London was also a good one of 86 days to the Scillys, or 88 to Gravesend. the Hurunui was 23 days to Cape Horn, and 49 to the Equator, the best day's run being 280 miles off Cape Horn.

It used to be the custom of the shipping newspaper, "Fairplay," in those days, after the finish of the wool season, to publish the names of 12 vessels making the fastest trips from and to Australia and New Zealand. On one occasion (her last voyage under the red ensign) the Hurunui was placed third on the list from a run home, which considering the large fleets competing, was very satisfactory to the captain and owners.

the Hurunui, in 1876-7, sailed from London on September 23, but owing to an outbreak of fever and a collision with another ship was compelled to put back to Plymouth. She sailed again on November 20, and arrived on February 18, 1877, 90 days out.

In 1879 the Hurunui loaded at the Bluff and ran Home in 80 days.

Owing to an outbreak of typhoid fever during the voyage to Wellington in 1886 the Hurunui on arrival was placed in quarantine.

Captain Harry Cracroft had a trying experience in 1892. the Hurunui originally sailed from London on June 14, and arrived at Cardiff on the 22nd. She sailed the same day for Capetown, and met with a series of south-west and west gales, with very heavy seas, which continued from the 6th to the 13th August. The north-east and south-east trades proved very poor. The Equator was crossed on August 10, 39 days from Cardiff. The vessel arrived at Capetown on September 12, and was detained there undergoing repairs until October 29, thirty-two days. After sailing she met with strong south-east and north-east winds, which continued until October 29. Tasmania was sighted on November 19, and Taiaroa Heads, Otago, on December 1. There the vessel was ordered on to Napier, the passage occupying, including the delay at Capetown, 175 days.

the Hurunui and other ships built about the same time were particularly well furnished and comfortably fitted out for saloon passengers; but after about '83, when the regular steamers started running, all who were not travelling for health reasons, generally preferred steam, and the sailing ships went out of the passenger trade.

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Following are the passages made to New Zealand by the Hurunui:—

^{* † †}

the Hurunui's rig was changed to a barque in 1890.