White Wings Vol I. Fifty Years Of Sail In The New Zealand Trade, 1850 TO 1900
Saved By A Fish
Saved By A Fish.
After the immigrants were landed and the cargo discharged the ship was docked. A hole was located in the ship's bottom, and inside was the skeleton of a fish that had got in through the hole. It is possible that when the leak took up off the Cape of Good Hope the fish's body was blocking the orifice and prevented the water from flowing in freely. A photograph of the hole and the fish skeleton was taken by Mr. de Maus, a noted photographer of ships at Port Chalmers. the Crusader was an iron ship, but she had previously been engaged in carrying copper ore, and it was thought that a lump had been left in the hull, got wet, and gradually wore or corroded a hole in one of the plates.
On the voyage out to Lyttelton in 1875-6 Captain Renaut reported that terrific weather was experienced in the Bay of Biscay, when the whole of the valuable livestock shipped were lost. At one time the ship was in imminent danger from the heavy seas breaking over her. She, however, weathered the storm, proving her seaworthy qualities. Gales continued until November 14, and then moderate winds to the Snares. On this occasion the Otaki, which left Start Point on the same day, encountered the same storm. This was an ocean race between these two ships, as both were bound for Lyttelton. the Crusader sailed three hours after the Otaki, andpage 39reached Lyttelton exactly three hours later, so the race was a dead heat between the two rival ships.
During the passage to Lyttelton in 1889 the Crusader, on July 8, was hove-to for several hours in a terrific storm, during which time she shipped a heavy sea, which smashed up two boats forward of the deck-house, carried away 80ft of the topgallant bulwarks, and did other serious damage.
the Crusader was eventually sold to the Norwegians.
Following is the record of the Crusader's voyages to New Zealand:—
To Auckland. | |||
Sailed. | Arrived. | Captain. | Days. |
---|---|---|---|
Feb. 7 | May 19, '84 | Scotland | 102 |
Mar. 1 | May 25, '85 | Scotland | 85 |
May 27 | Sep. 4, '87 | Perriam | 100 |
June 2 | Aug. 25, '88 | Perriam | 84 |
To Wellington. | |||
Feb. 17 | May 22, '82 | Davies | 94 |
Mar. 28 | June 22, '86 | Scotland | 86 |
July 4 | Oct. 6, '94 | Burton | 95 |
To Bluff. | |||
June 11 | Sep. 10, '96 | Burton | 91 |
To Lyttelton. | |||
Sailed. | Arrived. | Captain. | Days. |
Dec. 17, '70 | Mar. 13, '71 | Kerr | 86 |
Dec. 22, '71 | Mar. 31, '72 | Sutherland | 99 |
Oct. 16, '72 | Jan. 5, '73 | Sutherland | 81 |
Land to land | 74 | ||
Nov. 3 '73 | Feb. 1, '74 | Sutherland | 90 |
Sep. 25 | Dec. 30, '74 | Renaut | 96 |
Oct. 31, '75 | Feb. 8, '76 | Renaut | 99 |
Oct. 18, '76 | Jan. 13, '77 | Llewellyn | 87 |
July 21 | Oct. 12, '77 | Llewellyn | 83 |
Land to land | 74 | ||
July 12 | Oct. 11, '78 | 91 | |
Land to land | 82 | ||
June 24 | Sep. 24, '79 | Davies | 92 |
July 4 | Oct. 7, '80 | Llewellyn | 95 |
Dec. 15, '82 | Mar. 23, '83 | Davies | 98 |
May 11 | Aug. 16, '89 | Perriam | 97 |
To Port Chalmers. | |||
Apr. 2 | July 27, '81 | Davies | 95 |
Apr. 25 | July 19, '90 | Perriam | 84 |
Feb. 25 | May 29, '91 | Perriam | 87 |
July 29 | Oct. 26, '92 | Perriam | 90 |
June 30 | Sep. 22, '93 | Fullarton | 84 |
Land to land | 78 | ||
June 22 | Oct. 1, '95 | Burton | 98 |
Sep. 4 | Dec. 8, '97 | Burton | 89 |