The Navy Takes a Hand.

On the 31st, the ship then being off the coast of South America about the latitude of Pernambuco, she fell in with H.M.S. Stromboli, the captain of which decided that there was no necessity for abandoning the voyage to New Zealand, but he recommended that the ship be headed for Rio de Janeiro in order that a proper examination might be made, and also that a second pump might be obtained.

Eventually, after further trouble, on April 10 land was sighted. Three days later the leaky old craft was safely anchored at the discharging ground in Rio, and at that time she was making an inch of water an hour. Again the Navy came to the rescue. The captain of H.M.s. Megaera, that happened to be lying in the harbour, ordered an examination of the Monarch's hull, the trouble was located in the forefoot and before it could be rectified the ship had to be lightened in order that some of the copper might be stripped off and some recaulking done.

While the ship was in Rio there was much trouble with the crew, and at one time a guard from the Megaera was ordered aboard. It was not until the end of April that the ship was once more nosing her way to New Zealand, but her troubles were not all over yet.

The cargo seemed to have an irresistible attraction for the crew, and on May 30 we find the skipper mustering the whole crew, announcing that one of the bulk-heads had been broken open, and threatening that if it were tampered with after the carpenter had made all safe he would prosecute the whole lot of them when the ship reached Auckland.