the Otago and James Nicol Fleming, two sister ships, were built in 1869 by Duncan, of Glasgow, for Patrick Henderson,

the Otago, Sister Ship to the James Nicol Fleming, anchored at Gravesend.

to carry immigrants for the New Zealand Government to Dunedin. When Henderson amalgamated with the Shaw, Savill Company the Otago sailed under that firm's house, flag, and she was painted with ports along the side, a style adopted in all the Shaw, Savill Company boats. the Otago was a vessel of 993 tons, fitted up especially for the comfort of passengers. Like the James Nicol Fleming, she made consistent runs out and home, and most of the passages were below the average. Her best run out was on her second voyage, in command of Captain Stuart. She left London on June 23, 1871, and reached Port Chalmers September 9, after an exceptionally good passage of 78 days—anchorage to anchorage. During this run scarcely any westerly breezes were met with while running down her easting, the general parallel of which was latitude 44S.

In 1887 and 1888 the Otago, when bound for Lyttelton, met with exceptionally heavy weather. Captain Norman sailed the ship in 1887, and on arrival reported that on May 14, during a hurricane, the upper main topsail yard was carried away, while heavy seas came aboard, flooding the berths and lazarette, also washing everything movable on deck overboard, while the ship scudded under low canvas with oil bags on either side.

Captain Peebles.

In the following year the Otago, under Captain Falconer, on May 8, again met with boisterous weather. A violent gale sprang up suddenly, and the vessel was almost immediately thrown on her beam ends, although at the time she was under lower topsails and foresail only. Heavy seas swept the decks and rushed below, damaging all stores and doing considerable damage. Fortunately the gale soon passed, the vessel was righted, and she proceeded on the voyage.

the Otago in 1887 came out rigged as a barque in command of Captain Norman. Subsequently the ship was sold to a Portuguese firm and renamed the Ermilla. She was torpedoed and sunk during the late war.

Ship Otago's Passages.

Following is a list of the passages made to Port Chalmers and Lyttelton:—

A Smart Namesake.

Patrick Henderson's ship must not be confused with a small iron barque of 345 tons, named the Otago, and built in 1870. This little vessel made a remarkable passage from Liverpool to Port Chalmers in 1871, taking only 85 days from land to land. Captain Cameron brought the barque out. Her log proved she was a fast sailer, as on one occasion she covered 306 miles in 24 hours. She left Liverpool on April 16, taking her final departure from the land on April 22. She crossed the equator on May 22, and ran down her easting on a general parallel of 46 degrees, with thick, cold weather. She sighted Tasmania on July, 15, and shortly afterwards a terrific cyclone was battled with, commencing at north and veering west to south. The South Cape of Stewart Island was made on July 19, and Port Chalmers on July 25. On her maiden voyage she sailed from England to Adelaide, thence to Sydney, San Francisco and home again, the round trip occupying 12 months 15 days. During this time she had four cargoes.