The Lancashire Witch.

the Lancashire Witch was one of the many vessels built at Quebec. She was a full-rigged ship of 1574 tons, and was eleven years off the stocks when she commenced trading to New Zealand. She was owned by Firnie and Co., of Liverpool, and in 1863 was chartered by the Shaw, Savill Co.

the Lancashire Witch made her first passage to Lyttelton in 1863, and the 420 immigrants who embarked at London experienced a very trying and anxious time. Shortly after her departure scarlet fever broke out, and before reaching Lyttelton three adults and 23 children died and were buried at sea. Captain West, who was in command, called at the Cape for fresh provisions. Owing to the disease on board neither saloon nor steerage passengers were permitted to land. Notwithstanding the diversion to Capetown the ship made the passage to Timaru in 93 days, where some of the passengers were landed. She then proceeded to Lyttelton, and on arrival was immediately placed in quarantine. When the ship was admitted to pratique the passengers again suffered, as no proper arrangements had been made by the authorities for their reception. A small party were landed at Camp Bay, and found the place deserted and no provisions provided, consequently the remainder of the immigrants refused to go ashore. The fifteen men who landed found their way to Rhodes Bay, and later reached Lyttelton in a famished condition. The delay in land-page 208ing the passengers naturally caused great dissatisfaction. There were no less than nine births during the voyage.

On the next voyage to Lyttelton, in 1867, the Lancashire Witch brought out 31 saloon, 12 second saloon, and 100 steerage passengers. She sailed from London on April 9, and owing to a series of heavy gales was detained in the Channel for sixteen days, clearing the land on April 23. When the passage was well advanced the ship encountered another terrific gale. This was on July 23. Heavy seas broke on board and carried away a large portion of the bulwarks, flooded the deck, and caused other damage. The first and second officers were thrown down and had a narrow escape of being drowned.

the Lancashire Witch arrived at Auckland on June 2, 1865, from London, with the largest number of passengers that had ever arrived at Auckland in one vessel, viz., 490. She left Start Point on February 13, and crossed the Equator on March 6, 22 days out, in longitude 28.30 west. The meridian of Greenwich was reached on April 24, 64 days out, thus taking 42 days to run from the Equator to that point. The reason of this long passage was that no southern trades were met with, and after reaching latitude 20 degrees she had a series of south-east gales. The easting was run down between 45 and 46 degrees. Tasmania was sighted on May 21, and the North Cape on June 1. A volunteer brigade was organised during the voyage, and the members were regularly drilled by Sergeant-Major Roberts. Dr. Wills, father of the famous Australian explorer, came out as surgeon of the ship, and the passengers presented him with a testimonial in acknowledgment of his services. Twelve children died during the voyage, and there were five births. All the passengers were selected and sent out by Captain Daldy, of Auckland.

The records of the Lancashire Witch were:—