the Bulwark was a large first-class modern ship of 1332 tons, built at New Brunswick in 1862 for the Shaw, Savill Co., and was fitted up with all the latest improvements. She made one voyage only to New Zealand. She sailed from London on February 27, 1872, carrying a general cargo, including 450 tons of railway iron, and arrived at Auckland on October 1, 1872, by which time many people having relatives and friends on board had given up all hopes of ever seeing the ship in port. She left London with eleven saloon and eighteen second class passengers, who met with an experience seldom encountered by immigrants leaving the Old Country for New Zealand. Captain Kelly was in command.

In comparing sea travel of to-day with that of half a century and more ago the thing that strikes one most forcibly is that although the disasters of to-day far exceed those of by-gone days—the loss of a Titanic or an Empress of Ireland, for instance, far outweighing the most terible tragedies that happened in the days of sailing vessels—the early immigrants to New Zealand were always nearer danger than the modern traveller. I mean that the people that come out to New Zealand to-day in their hundreds in one of the big direct boats of the New Zealand Shipping Company or the Shaw, Savill and Albion Company, in their 40 or so days, the time-table almost as regular as that of a train, can have no idea of the months of anxiety passed by the people that adventured out from the Old Land to seek their fortune at the other side of the world.

Hundreds of the old hands have stories to tell of the hardships they had to endure, and there is not one of their descendants that hasn't some memory of tales of "what grandfather and I went through." The modern generation does not realise how wireless has robbed the sea of half its terrors—as well as of most of its mystery.

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On the Bulwark's arrival in Auckland the chief officer supplied the following report:—

"We had a fair run until crossing the equator on April 2. We took the south-east trades from the Line, and on April 15 a very heavy south-east gale set in, when large quantities of water were shipped and the vessel was considerably strained. Ten days later we experienced another fierce northerly gale with a high cross-sea during which the vessel rolled her gunwales under water. On the 27th the weather moderated. On May 11th we put into Simon's Town, Cape of Good Hope for water, owing to several tanks leaking after the gales. the Bulwark was then 73 days out from London.

"We left the Cape on May 14th, with light east-north-east winds. From the 17th to 20th a strong north-north-west gale prevailed, with high seas which gradually increased in violence until the 23rd, when it veered to the west-north-west and north-north-west and commenced to blow a perfect hurricane. On the 25th in 42.28 S, a heavy sea was pooped, which washed the mate and one of the men from the wheel to the front of the poop.

"During the night the hurricane blew with terrific force, accompanied with a mountainous sea.

Broken Limbs.

"At 8.30 p.m. on the 26th a terrific sea shipped over the stern of the vessel carried everything before it, smashing the wheel to atoms, washing the two men from the wheel, one on to the main deck and breaking two of his ribs. The other man had his arm dislocated. At the time of the sea breaking on board the captain rushed to the wheel, but he was washed to the front of the poop and had both his legs severely injured.

"The second mate who was also on the poop, was washed on to the main deck, and was severely cut about the chest. The poop skylight and hurricane house were carried away, and the saloon filled with water. The binnacle, compass and time-piece were also lost. All the poop-rails were smashed. Four beats were carried from their fastenings and smashed to atoms. Hen-coops, pigs, sheep, etc., were also washed overboard. The same sea smashed in the front of the fore-cabin and the main deck-house.

"Two spars and an iron yardarm were also carried away. The port mizzen and starboard main-chains were started, and the main deck was very much damaged. Nearly all the bulwarks were carried away. Owing to the quantity of loose stuff knocking about the deck, the fastenings of the hatches were loosened and the tarpaulins carried off, large quantities of water getting below. When the wheel was carried away, the vessel was brought up to the wind, and all sails were let fly, for the safety of the ship and all on board.

Women At The Pumps.

"When the pumps were sounded, 5 feet of water was found in the hold. The pumps were manned with every seaman and passenger on board, and the women also assisted. The pumps were kept going without ceasing for twenty-four hours, during which time the hurricane still continued with unabated fury. A number of the seamen refused to work any longer, it being fully believed that the vessel would founder.

"On the 27th, a quantity of aquafortis was thrown overboard, it having caught fire. From that time till the 29th, the vessel was hove-to on the port tack under storm trysail. On that day a wheel was fixed and the vessel's head put for the Island of Mauritius. Thence until arrival, on June 18th, moderate weather prevailed. Damages were repaired and cargo landed, about 80 tons principally paper being sold. The ship after 59 day's detention sailed from Mauritius on August 16. On September 1 we were hove-to for twenty-four hours during another heavy S.W. gale. We rounded Tasmania on September 17 and experienced favourable weather until arrival in Auckland." The voyage occupied 217 days.

One of the passengers, Mr. Rye, posted a letter from Mauritius to Mr. Owen (of Owen and Fendelow, agents for the ship), which reached Auckland by a barque via Sydney some days before the Bulwark, and gave relief to Aucklanders having relatives and friends on board.