The Southern Crosses.

The Southern Cross, a small barque of 435 tons, in command of Captain Lustins, was built in 1855, and sent out to Auckland on her maiden voyage the same year, arriving from Southampton on the 20th July, 1855, after a passage of 110 days.

The following year, 1856, the barque arrived at Port Chalmers on the 26th February with 119 passengers, Captain Charlton in command.

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In 1857 the same barque sailed from Deal on May 25th, and arrived at Wellington on September 21st, the passage occupying 119 days. She landed 84 passengers, and later sailed for Dunedin, arriving there on November 14th.

In 1866 a full-rigged ship of 626 tons, eleven years old, and bearing the same name, was sent out to Wellington with 13 passengers and general cargo. She sailed from London on the 15th September, 1866, and arrived on the 16th January, 1867, under the command of Captain Mordue, the passage occupying 109 days. The voyage was uneventful.

Still another Southern Cross, Bishop Selwyn's Mission yacht, which arrived at Auckland on the 28th February, 1863, under the command of Captain Thomas Tilly, who remained in Auckland and sailed the schooner to the Islands for many years. The vessel sailed from Southampton on November 12th, 1862, and reached Auckland on February 28, after a passage of 108 days—a remarkable run for a vessel registering only 92 tons. She brought out only four passengers, viz., Mr. Powles, Mrs. Smith and two children.