The 1864 voyage from London to Auckland and the passengers who settled in Bombay
MARCH
The Voyage of the Bombay from London to Auckland
March 1865
1st of March 1865
WP: Latitude 42° 37′ South, Longitude 157° 32′ East. Sailed 180 miles. Day broke in with a beautiful breeze, ship going at the rate of 10 knots per hour, but died away in the afternoon. We got our chests out of the hold today for the last time for the voyage, as we are rapidly approaching our new home.
TE: 214 miles. Beautiful warm morning, good breeze. All Stun sails set. Got the boxes up, for to get out what they want to go ashore in. Beautiful afternoon.
2nd of March 1865
WP: Latitude 40° 55′ South, Longitude 161° 22′ East. Sailed 193 miles. Morning came in most lovely to look at. Not one single cloud can be discerned in the heavens. Nothing above us but a clear and tranquil sky and all around us is the deep blue waters of the South Pacific Ocean.
TE: 192 miles. Beautiful warm morning all Stun sails set. Captain gave nuts to the children. The women are very busy washing and trimming their bonnets. Beautiful night.
3rd of March 1865
WP: Latitude 39° 20′ South, Longitude 162° 28′ East. Sailed 108 miles. Weather very calm and mild.
TE: 108 miles. Beautiful warm morning, head wind. Tacking about all day.
4th of March 1865
WP: Latitude 40° 8′ South, Longitude 164° 6′ East. Sailed 90 miles. Weather still continuing to get finer, but wind right ahead of us.
TE: 90 miles. Beautiful warm morning, head wind. tacking about.
5th of March 1865
WP: Latitude 39° 37′ South, Longitude 164° 31′ East. Sailed 37 miles. Weather and wind same as yesterday, we are sailing in a direct course for Sydney, Australia, distant about 700 miles.
TE: 37 miles. Warm morning, head wind. Called the role over on the Top deck. Head wind, tacking about. I have to go on watch from 8 to 12 tonight. Beautiful moon.
6th of March 1865
WP: Latitude 39° 36′ South, Longitude 166° 43′ East. Sailed 101 miles. Weather still very fine, but still ahead wind to contend with.
TE: 101 miles. Warm morning and beautiful afternoon. I have been brought up before the doctor for being seen on the Top deck during the time of watch, but let off with a reprimand. Beautiful evening, head wind, tacking about.
7th of March 1865
WP: Latitude 38° 39′ South, Longitude 166° 37′ East. Sailed 73 miles. Morning broke in one of the loveliest we have ever had yet, but wind still contrary.
TE: 73 miles. Beautiful warm morning, almost becalmed, very smooth sea. We have some lovely sunsets which does one good to watch. Killed a sheep.
8th of March 1865 Hurricane
WP: Latitude 36° 34′ South, Longitude 166° 8′ East. Sailed 128 miles. Morning broke in quite the reverse of yesterday with a very dirty showery morning wind blowing strong and right ahead of us. At 4PM wind increasing very much, at 6PM seems to blow a perfect gale with a heavy sea on, at 9PM blew a Hurricane and driving onto a head sea with a heavy press of canvas on away went the jib-boom bowsprit figurehead cutwater and everything from the bows. About three minutes we heard another and then a second dreadful crash, and what was our amazement when we saw the foretop mast fall overboard taking with it the main royal mast. every effort being made, soon cut away the wreck and all went overboard. The Captain gave orders for every sail furled and leave nothing but the bare mast. About 11PM the storm seemed to increase in violence so all being ordered below we passed a night melancholy.
TE: 128 miles. Wet rough day. Vessel pitching very much, they got up the cable this afternoon, wind increased this afternoon. Ship pitching and tossing. Reefed Top sails and furled Crogit and Main sail, wind increased to a gale. 08:30 Fore Top mast and gallant mast carried away, broke off short at the lower cap. Carrying with it the Top Gallant and Royal Yards and sails both. The Topsail Yards and sails, Flying Jib and Gibbon broke the Bowsprit close off to the knigh heads, carrying with it all Head sails and the Fore sail was shattered to ribbons and large pieces torn out of it. All hands cutting away the rigging with all the hatchets they could get hold of. Out of the lower decks sounded the pumps and found very little water in her. The gale increased to hurricane. The lifts of the Fore Yard was carried away and the Fore Yard hung over the lee side of the ship where it was lashed to the rigging. No sleep for anyone all night. The fragments of the torn sails were blowing and flapping, making a loud cracking noise during the night. The Main Royal Mast carried away and hung aloft in the rigging. All our remaining sails were furled, except the upper and lower Top sails. The upper Main Top sail was reefed and the Lower Top sail split into ribbons during the night, and during that time they got the fragments of the broken Jib Boom and Bowsprit on board again
Kate Emma Carter (Sawyer). As quoted in the book The Green Hills by William G.M Heerdegen. ” I remember well how my mother had told me of the fearful storm, when the passengers were battened down for days, and when the main mast was pounding against the side of the vessel. They expected every minute that the ship would stove in.
George Wootten. As quoted in the book The Green Hills by William G.M Heerdegen. ” All the passengers were ordered to go remain below decks. However when the hatches were opened I mischievously ran up on deck and was immediately confronted with a tangled mass of rigging, spars and sheets. The crew were running about trying in vain to carry out the orders shouted out by Captain Sellars and the mates. I also thought that many of the sailors refused to carry out the Captains orders. Things were too dangerous for them to go aloft. Had they gone and shortened sail as soon as they were told, they might never have lost the main mast. It cracked because it was carrying too much canvas, owing to this, many of the crew deserted when they reached Auckland.
John Donovan. As quoted in the book The Green Hills by William G.M Heerdegen. ” I was on deck during part of the storm, and was standing with my back to the main mast chewing a piece of biscuit. Without any warning, I felt the mast leap out of place, crack in mid-air and then fall limply back again. This was then followed by the crashing of the mast and rigging as it thundered across the deck into the sea. had it fallen in the other direction, I would have most certainly have been killed.
CS: The wind began to freshen from the N.E, with small rain, and by 6PM the wind had freshened considerably, when we shortened sail to double reefs, and stowed main course, cross-jacks and spanker; at 8:20PM the ship was struck with a violent squall from the S.E, which carried away the bowspit close to the knights heads, with fore topmast, fore topsail-yards, top gallant and royal ditto, and all sails, main top-gallant, and royal masts and upper top-sail yards sprung and all sails attached, also mizen royal-mast and and yard. Foresail and mizen also blew to pieces. After some amount of labour and difficulty, got all the wreck cut away from the ship, fearing that some of the heavy spars might with all the mass of ironwork attached to them, chafe a hole in the vessel. By midnight got clear of all the wreck of any consequence. Blowing very hard, and high short cross and confused sea running, making ship roll heavily.
9th of March 1865
WP: Morning came in with the most fearful storm I ever witnessed. The sea foaming and boiling like some enormous caldron and the ship labouring in her disabled state. Most part of the passengers were in very helpless condition especially the females, a great many which was in a fainting state. At 10AM away goes the maintop gallant mast coming down and going through the topsail and holding it there in defiance of three or four attempts to clear it away. At 3PM when the storm seemed raging in its fury away went the main mast with a dreadful crash taking with it the mizen top mast and part of the ship bulwarks. Terror was now impressed on every face and nothing to look to but a speedy death. Many a one went to their knees that afternoon and prayed to their god for protection while others were going about in a state of frenzy, while both sailors and passengers exerted themselves all that lay in their power to clear away the wreck and at last was effected and left the ship Bombay now a dismal looking wreck.
TE: 7AM. Main Top Gallant mast and Missen Royal and Top Gallant mast carried away and hung over the side. Still blowing a complete hurricane and heavy showers of rain. 1 PM, Main mast, Main Top Mast and Missen Top mast went over the side. All hands cutting away the wreck with hatchets, saws and knives. Ship rolling about and creaking and making a fearful dismal noise. A general scream among the female passengers took place at this time. The hurricane still kept blowing with fearful rapidity, in the afternoon one of the quarter boats was washed away and the Missen Topmast with the Topsail Yard was got on the poop. The broken fragments of the Bowsprit was thrown overboard with a hawser attached to it to keep the ship head to windward. The only sticks that was left standing was the Fore Lowermast and the Fore Yard, the Missen Lowermast and the Crogit Yard. The sails being blown to ribbons, two pieces of tarpaulin was lashed in the Missen rigging to assist in bringing her head to windward. The passengers and crew had very little sleep during the night. The ship lay in the trough of the sea, rolling fearfully. Every person we met looked bewildered and each asked the other if there was any hope left. Prayer meeting were being held on the lower deck at 8 o’clock and again at 12 in the evening. The sun was seen setting and the moon was rising, leaving us hop that we should soon have fine weather, the wind broke off a little in the night.
CS: Commences some sort of weather, very anxious, and passengers much put out. as the day passed on so the gale increased until it was blowing with hurricane violence, with terrific gusts of wind, and blending drift of saltwater spray. The only set sail being the upper topsail, and the lowered down on top of lower one, which had already blown clean away. The ship gave a sudden lurch in a terrific gust, when the mainmast went by the board, taking away mizen topmast all attached thereto, and springing the mizenmast, which for some time we despaired of saving, but succeeded at last; cross tack blew from the gaskets, and spanker from mast; cut away all gear as quickly as possible for the safety and benefit of all concerned, and at 4PM, the starboard quarter boat, although extra lashed, blew clear away from the after davit, and had to be cut away to prevent further damage. Wind still continuing to blow as hard as ever, and ship rolling fearfully, a complete wreck; still keeping remarkably tight. 8PM, still blowing hard from South and veering quickly round, and by 10PM had reached S.S.W. Weather brightening up, and barometer rising, which had never been lower then 29° 23‘. Still blowing hard, but gusts not so severe. Midnight moderating fast Barometer at 29° 50′. Sky brightening up. Ship laying-to with tarpaulin in mizen rigging; all hands employed in clearing away the wreck.
10th of March 1865 Adrift in the Tasman Sea
WP: Latitude 34° 25′ South, Longitude 167° 16′ East. Sailed 60 miles. Morning broke in by God’s mercy a little better but the sea still running mountains high and ship rolling most dreadfully. Every heavy roll the ship gave the passengers seemed still terrified. The sailors assisted by the passengers were busy clearing away the wreck to try and get some jury masts erected.
TE: Drifted 60 miles in two days. 3.30AM got up a sail on the Missen Lower Mast Stay. which was shortly afterwards torn to ribbons by the wind. After which the wind came gradually to abate and the sea got calmer, and when daylight broke over us, it brought with it a fine, sunshiny day with a light fair wind. Before noon was occupied in getting the Foreyard across in its place and in getting the remaining part of the rigging clear, ready to get a new Foresail. The ship was still laying in the trough of the sea, rolling about, but all hands had changed to cheerful smiling faces. 3PM set up a new Foresail and made sail with a nice breeze. The remainder of the afternoon was spent in clearing the wreck around the Foremast. Sunset came in with threatening weather, after which we had showers of rain with gusts of wind at intervals, which kept the ship rolling about, almost as bad as last night. Got a rolling tackle on the Mizzen Lower Mast to stay the mast. which had sprung in the gales. Two prayer meetings were held, one in the morning and one at night. A Mizzen Staysail was got up and set, with a light breeze, the weather getting finer.
CS: At 6AM found fore-trees gone, secured the yards with difficulty; ship rolling heavy, and straining a good deal, but neither shipping nor leaking any water of consequence. Noon, moderate and cloudy. 4PM, got foresail bent and set. 10PM, bent mizen topsail and set it to steady ship, and head to wind and sea as much as possible, also a portion of the bowsprit fast, by a warp from forward, to assist with doing same. Midnight ship rolling heavily, and sea striking heavily under the counter at times; the wind now falling light at S.W.
11th of March 1865 Rescue of the Bombay
WP: Latitude 34° 25′ South, Longitude 167° 16′ East. Sailed 50 miles. Morning came in very fine with little wind and now commenced the busy time… All that could work was at work rigging the jury foretop mast and main mast. At 8PM a sail was discerned on the distant horizon. The Captain gave orders to hoist the Ensign on the stump of the mizen mast. the sail bore down on upon us and proved to be the Barque, Constance, of Auckland, bound from Sydney to Auckland, she took us in tow.
TE: 50 miles. Broke in with a fine morning and clear weather. The ship rolling about, there being no sail on her to keep her steady. Some hands were at work at the stump of the mainmast, getting it ready to hoist a jury mast, and other hands were getting a spare spar forward to make a bowsprit of, when at about 8 o’clock, a cry of a sail in sight was raised, and all eyes was turned towards the starboard quarter, for we had not seen one since the 16th of January. A signal of distress was quickly put up on the top of the mizzen mast and about 2 hours after, she bore down across our stern and we hailed her with a speaking trumpet. Asking her where she was bound to, the Captain answered “Auckland”. We spoke again “This is the Bombay from London, bound to Auckland with emigrants. We want assistance.” “What assistance can we give you?” was the reply. “Can you take us in tow?” we then asked. “Yes” was the reply and soon after a hawser was got up, a boat was lowered with three passengers and two seaman and the Chief Mate, for the coil of rope and hawsers was taken to the ship, which proved to be the Constance of Auckland. Shortly afterwards the boat was hoisted up and we were in tow of a pretty little Barque. During the afternoon we got the crogit yard clear and a spare boom out over the head of the ship for a bowsprit. Carpenters were cutting another spar for a fore topmast and at 5 o’clock we had a crogit sail set, a bowsprit out and shears rigged over the stump of the mainmast, ready to hoist a jury mast up with in the morning. The day remained very fine, with the sun shining on us, and sunset brought in with it a fine and clear evening and moonlight night, with very little breeze.
CS: Light winds and showery. at daylight commenced clearing away and sending down stump of foretopmast. Carpenter getting a jury mast ready, and other spars for mainmast, with assistance of from several tradesman among the passengers. At 7.30 ship hove in sight, signalled her, when she immediately bore away from us. She proved to be the Barque Constance of Auckland, and also bound for that port. Asked her to report us at Auckland, but she kindly offered to take us in tow until relief was had or the ship put into condition to proceed on our voyage, to which I readily and thankfully accepted, fearing that in the disable state of the Bombay, and the number of souls on board, that if caught in another gale on the West coast of New Zealand, we could do nothing for ourselves. At 10Am she took us in tow, wind continuing light from S.W. Noon fore course, crossjack, and mizen staysail set; busily employed getting our jury-masts and gear ready; at 8PM light winds and fine weather; middnight calm and cloudy.
12th of March 1865
WP: Latitude 34° 23′ South, Longitude 168° 16′ East. Sailed 49 miles. Still very hard at work, rigging the Bombay, still in tow of the Barque.
TE: 49 miles. A fine sunny day, during the forenoon, we got up a main jury mast and a small spar for a top mast and at 12 o’clock, we had a top gallant yard across and a top gallant sail set for a mainsail. The afternoon was occupied in rigging the fore topmast and getting a fore topmast staysail up and a royal yard across the mainmast, and sunset brought with it a fine clear moonlight night and a nice steady breeze and in addition to our other sails, we had a fore topmast staysail and a royal sail set for a main topsail and a boats jib for a mizzen topmast staysail. A prayer meeting was held in the evening at which many thanks were offered for our deliverance and we had a beautiful sermon from the last verse of the 3rd chapter of Saint John.
CS: Calm and cloudy, with occasional light flaws of wind, until 5AM, then got a light breeze from about W.N.W; at 9AM got up jury mainmast. Noon continued light airs, and by 6PM got up jury foretopmast and out bowsprit, and had the following canvas set:- Main topgallant sail and royal on mainmast, crossjack and mizen staysails, forecourse and jib. By midnight a fine westerly breeze, going along at the rate of seven notes, and fine clear weather; Constance doing very well.
13th of March 1865
WP: Latitude 34° 23′ South, Longitude 170° 40′ East. Sailed 120 miles. Morning broke in with a shower or two of rain, our tow rope broke at 3AM and about 6AM the Barque was laying about 2 miles ahead of us, she came up to us about 8AM and said he would keep company with us until we round the North Cape, but the breeze springing up favourable the Captain of the Barque said he would go ahead and send a steamboat. A child died this morning being the 12th, since we left.
TE: 120 miles. 3.30AM our hawser that was being used as a tow rope, call all hands and some of the passengers to shorten sail and get the tow rope on board, after which grog was given to those who helped on board. 3.35 a child died. Day break brought in with it a fine shining day with the Barque astern of us and about 9 o’clock he came alongside and, after asking the Captain some questions, he said he would make all sail for Auckland and send a steamer out to tow us in after which he sailed away with a light breeze and left us to finish our morning work, and at 12 0’clock we had a fore topsail yard and a fore lower studding sail set. Afternoon was occupied in getting a spare royal stowed away and bending more sails, and at 6 o’clock we had a fore topsail and a fore topmast studding sail set. The decks all clear of rubbish and the chin cable shackled to the anchors. 6.30 buried the child. Sunset brought with it a fine moonlight night with very light breeze and a light shower of rain.
CS: AM, fine steady breezes and showery; at 2.30AM unfortunately our tow rope broke: shortened sail and hauled it in; made sail and proceeded. Constance shortened sail and came back again at 7AM, but having the ship in near manageable condition did not require any further assistance in the shape of towage, but desired him to be kind enough to proceed to Auckland and report our condition to the agent Mr W Graham, so that in case of foul weather retarding our progress they may send us assistance of steam, but with a fair wind hope to be able to reach without any further assistance. Noon, light and fine; by 6PM had foretopsail, with topmast and lower studdingsail on her, so that with a fair breeze we will now be able to do some good. At 8PM, night fine and clear, wind about West.
14th of March 1865
WP: Latitude 34° 18′ South, Longitude 171° 31′ East. Sailed 48 miles. Morning broke in very fine and calm, we got the cable on deck and all ready for our port.
TE: 68 miles. A fine hot morning with a very light breeze. All our sails set, they got out both our anchors and catted them ready for dropping and got the chain cable ranged along the deck ready for letting go. Afternoon fine. Ship becalmed. Fixed a mizzen gaff and set spanker. The decks cleared by sunset, all the work being finished, and the night promised to be fine without a ripple on the broad water.
CS: AM, light airs and fine clear weather, barometer getting very high; got all jury gear rigged and sails set, so that now with a fine favourable wind we could soon reach Auckland.
15th of March 1865 Land-Ho!
WP: Latitude 34° 14′ South, Longitude 171° 56′ East. Sailed 33 miles. Morning broke very pleasant and fine. Nothing of any consequence occurred during the day.
TE: 33 miles. A fine hot morning with a light steady breeze. 6.30AM The long looked for cry of “Land-Ho!” was heard and soon the forcastle was thronged with a number of straining eyes for a group of little Islands called the Three Kings was in sight of our weather bow, with the wind being off our port beam. 12 o’clock, distance from the Three Kings, 6 miles. A fine afternoon with a light breeze, got up a studding sail, a fore try sail; and got a boom out and lashed it to the jury bowsprit and set a jib on it. Evening fine and clear with a light breeze.
CS: Light winds and calms, variable till noon; at 6AM made the Three Kings, bearing East by North, distant fourteen miles. Noon, they bore the centre N.E by E, distant five or six miles; light steady northerly winds and clear weather. Midnight, light winds and clear weather.
16th of March 1865 New Zealand
WP: Latitude 34° 14′ South, Longitude …° 12′ East. Sailed 63 miles. In the morning at about 5AM sighted the Three Kings, a barren rock rising out of the sea many hundred feet high. Although barren it had a delightful appearance not having seen any land since we sighted Trainidada. We bore up to it about 5PM and had a fair view of it.
TE: 63 miles. Fine hot morning. Ship abreast of the mainland of New Zealand. 12 o’clock North Cape 11 Miles distant. Afternoon and evening fine, with very light breeze, a few small sails were seen scudding about.
CS: AM, light winds and fine pleasant weather. Noon fine winds and weather; North Cape at South by West; distance 11 Miles, and schooner in sure of us.
17th of March 1865 New Zealand HMS Curacoa
WP: Latitude 34° 44′ South, Longitude 173° 59′ East. Sailed 48 miles. Morning came in very fine with a dead calm and not a single was on the face of the deep. About 1PM we observed a sail to leeward of us. She bore down upon us about 4PM and proved to be the Frigate Curacao of 36 guns bound for Sydney. She took us in tow and most happy we were. Every one of us it was a happy delivery.
TE: 48 miles. Fine hot morning, very light breeze, nearly a calm. Saw a great shoal of porpoises, some hundred in number. 12 o’clock abreast of Whangaroa harbour, fine. 2AM. A cry was raised that a steamer was in sight and all hands looked towards the land over the starboard beam, but a great number of the passengers would not believe it because they have been deceived so often before, but after a few hours looking and pointing, the steamer gradually became clearer to our view, At 4 o’clock she was close alongside and we found her to be an English man o’war. Soon one of her quarter boats was lowered and came alongside, when a Lieutenant and a Midshipman came on board and went into the Captain’s cabin with a book, and after some business was gone through they returned to the frigate. During the time the frigate lay very close alongside of us and we particularly noticed the clean ship and the numbers of clean sailors that stood about the fore part of the ship looking at us. After the officers had been on board a few minutes, we saw them in the same boat again returning to our ship. After they came on board and settled some business, the order was given to to get up two hawsers and the boat went away and after taking our hawsers on board, we found ourselves in tow of H. M steam frigate “Curacoa”, who was Commodore Stewart bound to Sydney, but seeing us in so pitiable state, came to our assistance and took us in tow during the evening. We heard the sounds of music and singing from the frigate, the band being played on board.
CS: At PM steamer hove in sight. H.M.S.S Curacao, Commodore Wiseman, bound to Melbourne, took us in tow between the Cavallos and Cape Brett.
18th of March 1865 Auckland!
WP: About 10AM, we were towed into Auckland Harbour, a most delightful morning it was. We anchored on the wharf and had a splendid view of the town, it had the most delightful appearance. We were all in great anxiety to be on shore, we were on board all the Saturday, Sunday and was landed on the Monday at noon and taken to the Government Barracks at Onehunga, about 7 miles from Auckland.
TE: A fine morning and a grand sight to be seen being in tow of a steamer. We were taken quite close into the land and we had the pleasure of seeing some beautiful scenery of woods and thick-set forests and birds. About 9 o’clock Auckland was clear to our view and at 10AM the pilot came on board, and one of our hawsers was being hauled in when the other broke and left us again to the mercy of our small sails, and soon some sails were loosened and we dropped anchor in Auckland harbour after a voyage of 16 weeks. Soon the Emigration Commissioner came on board and all hands were mustered but no one was allowed to go on shore. So ended the voyage of the Bombay from London with 397 emigrants on board, after having 9 deaths and 7 births, one of which was still born and another lived only 12 hours. Fine afternoon, the little Barque which came to our assistance came in two hours after us and lay close to us. I have to go on watch from 12 to 4 in the morning.
CS: Anchored at 11AM in the harbour of Auckland. The Bombay has, in spite of her disasters, came into port in a most credible manner. The ship is beautifully clean, and the arrangements for the comfort of the passengers exceedingly good. She brings 386 passengers, and has lost four by death, four births occurred.
CHAPTER 14: VICTORIA
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CHAPTER 13:DOVER
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CHAPTER 12: Boston
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