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The Barque Hudson.

Thirteen voyages were made to New Zealand by the 700 ton iron barque Hudson, which was built in 1869 and belonged to the Shaw, Savill Line. the Hudson made good average passages to the several ports, and in 1875 ran to Napier in 84 days and the papers stated it was the quickest passage made to that port. On this occasion she landed, besides 204 immigrants, a valuable addition to New Zealand's store of British birds, including 60 robins, 110 gold-finches and chaffinches, 44 partridges and 137 larks.

the Hudson also ran to Nelson in 89 days port to port.

There were not many events out of the ordinary connected with this craft, the most unusual being the tragic end of one of her skippers—Captain Gasson. It happened when the ship was bound to Dunedin in 1897. The captain had played a couple of games of chess one evening, and then went up on deck, and shortly afterwards the second mate was horrified to see him deliberately jump overboard. A lifebuoy was thrown, and a boat was promptly lowered but no sign was seen of the unfortunate master The ship was brought on by Mr. Broadway, the mate.

Captain Kemp, who commanded in the late eighties and early nineties, had a, most trying experience among the ice in the year 1893. The ship was sailing through it for two days and some of the bergs passed were 300 feet high.

the Hudson had a lucky escape in the year 1885. She arrived at Lyttelton on November 29 after a lengthy passage of 117 days. She made a good run to the Snares in 95 days, and then experienced head winds and thick dirty weather on the coast. On the 25th Captain Thomas saw the lights of Timaru, but not the lighthouse. He stood out to sea and tacked towards the shore. At midnight calm and fog came on, and soundings were taken continuously, but a current took the ship shorewards, and early next morning stranded on the Ninety Mile Beach, about 12 miles north of Timaru. Captain Thomas rowed ashore and engaged the tugs Titan and Lyttelton, and the Hudson was towed off without sustaining any serious damage. Some of the cargo had to be thrown overboard to lighten the barque. Master and mate had their certificates suspended for three months.

the Hudson was sold to the French, and on her last voyage came to Newpage 179 Zealand under the French flag, retaining the old name, and I believe sailed by Captain Gasson. After discharging cargo at Dunedin she sailed for Napier in ballast, and loaded wool for London. In those days there was a heavy mooring available at the ships' anchorage, but few ships used it, as the large buoy would range alongside in calm weather. The captain of the Hudson, however, moored to the buoy.

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