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The Hastings.

The Hastings, which made three voyages to Wellington, was a smarter vessel than many others sent out to the colonies in the 'fifties. She was a ship of 596 tons, and in the first two voyages was in command of Captain Carew. On her first voyage she left London on the 4th June, 1856, with 51 passengers. Boisterous weather resulted in considerable damage being done to the ship. Captain Carew put into the Cape for repairs and for water. She arrived at Wellington on the 14th October, after a lengthy passage of 132 days.

On the second voyage the Hastings was more fortunate in the weather, and made a smart passage of 78 days to the New Zealand coast. The vessel sailed from London on the 18th November, 1857, and anchored at Wellington on the 16th February, 1858. On this occasion she brought a large number of passengers for Wellington and Lyttelton, arriving at the latter port on March 20th.

A new captain took charge in 1859. He was a young man who had previously visited New Zealand as chief officer of the Joseph Fletcher, and was married a few days before the ship sailed from London on June 10th. Once more she was detained in the Channel for 14 days, and when off the Cape of Good Hope she encountered a sever gale, during which the captain was washed overboard and drowned, the ship then doing ten knots. She arrived at Wellington on the 20th October, 1859, landing 40 passengers.