Although a fine large iron ship of over 1,000 tons, the Himalaya made only average passages, but on one occasion she ran from the Lizard to the Snares in 78 days. She made twenty-four voyages to the colony, and brought out many thousand passengers. She was built

Himalaya At Wellington.

in 1863, and about 1865 was purchased by the Shaw, Savill Co. In 1896 she was sold to the Alaska Packers Co. and renamed the Star of Peru. In 1880 her rig was changed from a ship to a barque.

the Himalaya made her first voyage to New Zealand in 1866. Leaving London on November 2, 1865, she had a favourable run out to the Snares, which were sighted on January 27, and Lyttelton reached six days later after a passage of 91 days, under Captain Cow. She was not so fortunate on the next voyage, which was full of incident. She left London on November 1, 1866, but was detained in the Channel for ten days, and had to put back for shelter on two occasions. She did not pass the Lizard until the 19th November, 18 days after leaving the docks. She had a good run to the Cape of Good Hope, which was passed on the 8th January, fifty days from her final departure. Eight days later the ship observed a fearfulpage 140 barrier of ice as far as the eye could reach from E.N.E. to South, and for a time the ship was packed with bergs. This was in lat. 48 deg. 44 min. S., long. 117 deg. 26 E. Captain Cow steered the ship north under easy sail, passing through very large quantities of ice during the night and following day. All on board who had made the south-eastern passage declared they had never before seen such immense quantities of ice.

Owing to a heavy gale with tremendous seas encountered when nearing the New Zealand coast, Captain Cow was obliged to run the ship southward, and on the 7th February the Snares rocks bore E.N.E. 35 miles distant. Notwithstanding, the Himalaya passed the Snares 78 days out from the Lizard light and anchored at Lyttelton on the 11th, 101 days from the docks.

When the Himalaya was at Wellington in 1877, and had practically discharged her cargo, a fire broke out on board. The fire occasioned a notable lawsuit, in which the late Thomas H. Mabin, notary public, was interested.

Again, on August 20, 1886, fire was discovered on board in latitude 33deg. south, longitude 25deg west, which was supposed to have occurred through the spontaneous combustion of coal in the lower hold. In the early years many vessels came out to New Zealand carrying Scottish coal as ballast.

the Himalaya had another eventful voyage in 1878. She made the passage in 93 days land to land and 112 port to port. Captain Williams reported twelve days were lost in the Channel and seven days on the New Zealand coast. The first of the bad weather was met with on March 19. A gale came on which lasted with fearful violence until March 25. During this time some very heavy seas found their way on board, carrying away two boats, the best part of the topgallant rail, the stern-posts, and some of the deck posts, stove in the front of the poop, and flooded the saloon frequently. Fortunately there was no loss of life, though some of the sailors had a very narrow escape, as one sea, being nearly as high as the crossjack yard, broke aboard, carrying the two men from the wheel and washing the chief officer forward. One of the men sustained severe injuries, and the chief officer's hand was severely injured. While running down her easting the ship encountered a succession of gales of such violence that it was impossible to carry sail on her for days at a time. Fortunately she sustained no damage to her hull.

When the Himalaya arrived at Wellington in 1890 Captain Hill stated he had been outside of Wellington Heads for ten days waiting for a favourable wind.

Stormy Passage to Auckland.

On the 25th September, 1891, the Himalaya, under the command of Captain Hill arrived at Auckland after a stormy and trying passage of 126 days. The ship sailed from London on the 20th May, and had a fair run for the next ten days, when she struck a severe adverse gale which continued for 48 hours, and on June 2nd and 3rd she fell in with another violent gale, which did considerable damage. But worse was to follow, as on August 5th the ship was hove to for 48 hours during a terrific three days gale, with heavy seas breaking over the ship. On the 24th of the same month still another heavy gale, with mountainous seas, was encountered, which continued for 24 hours. Bad weather still followed the ship, and three days later, on August 27th, all on board had an anxious time. Captain Hill was compelled to heave the ship to for three days, during the most severe gale ever encountered by him. Tremendous seas broke on board, and carried away the bulwarks and everything movable on deck. Heavy seas broke over the poop, and rushed down the cabin, doing great damage.

Miles of Ice.

the Himalaya had another eventful voyage in 1894-5. She left Liverpool in command of Captain Hill on the 9th November, 1894, and experienced a succession of heavy S.W. gales until passing the Canary Islands, when she met the N.E. trades. She rounded the Cape on January 18th, passing several icebergs. Fresh westerly winds then favoured the ship until January 24, when the ship was off the Crozets. Captain Hill stated on arrival that from the Cape, to the Crozets was a most trying time, as icebergs were in sight for a distance of two thousand miles. the Himalaya made the first landfall off Cape Farewell on February 15th, but was detained in the Straits, and did not reach Wellington until ten days later. After discharging her cargo the ship sailed for. Dunedin to load on March 13th, and when off Banks Peninsula the following day a southerly came up, which increased to a severe gale, during which the ship was hove to again for 16 hours under her topsails.

Here follows the record passages to New Zealand ports:—

A small barque named Himalaya, a vessel of 477 tons, arrived at New Plymouth, and then proceeded to Nelson, arriving there on January 10, 1844. Captain Burns was in command.