Title: The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Otago & Southland Provincial Districts]

Author: Cyclopedia Company Limited

Publication details: The Cyclopedia Company, Limited, 1905, Christchurch

Part of: The Cyclopedia of New Zealand

License: Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 New Zealand Licence

Share:

Captain John Nicol , who was well known in the early days of the colony as the master of coastal vessels, was a Scotchman by birth, and went to sea at an early age. He sailed to China in the s.s. “Sobraon,” the first steamer to visit that part of the world. Captain Nicol brought out the s.s. “Ladybird,” the first steamer which came to the colonies, and also the brig “Gil Blas,' in which he afterwards came over to prospect the coast of New Zealand. The “Gil Blas” was chartered by the Government as a mail boat between Australia and New Zealand; and, on the opening of the first Parliament in Auckland, was employed to collect the members from the various ports of the colony. Captain Nicol died in 1877, at Caversham, Dunedin, at the age of seventy-two.