New Zealand Settler Ships - Shooting Star (1 December 1859)

Shooting Star, ship, 1160 tons, Captain Edward James Allen, sailed from Liverpool 11th August, arrived 30th November [1 December 1859]. The third ship of the "White Star" line to arrive at Auckland. She came into port in a crippled condition—mainmast fished and main topgallant mast down—after a passage of 111 days. She brought 173 passengers. Two deaths and two births occurred during the voyage. Source: White Wings.

The ship was towed to sea on 11 August and the Tuscat Light having been reached on 13th, her tow was cast off and the passage commenced against a head wind. Got very light NE trade and crossed the equator on 20 September. Experienced a long detention in the variables and had a very poor SE trade; sighted Gough’s Island on 11 October and on 12th, it then blowing a hard gale from the SSW, the mainmast was discovered to be badly sprung under the head of the rigging; the royal and top gallant gear were at once sent down and the mast secured by three spars which were lashed abaft and on either side, as well as by stout preventer back-stays which were set up well aft. Passed the meridian of the Cape of Good Hope on 14th and on 20th fell in and exchanged colours with the Greyhound, a ship chartered by the White Star Co and which had sailed from Liverpool for Melbourne; the Greyhound apparently had her bows stove in and was heading to the eastward; it was then blowing hard and the Shooting Star was labouring greatly. On 27th it then blowing a very heavy gale at NW, carried away the foreyard. Ran down her easting, experiencing moderate weather. On 19 November passed to the southward but in sight of Tasmania making the Three Kings at midnight of 28th and sighed the steamer Airedale about 8 a.m. on 29th. There were two births and two deaths (both adults) during the passage. One was a passenger of consumption, the other was that of a seaman who dropped dead whilst at the wheel from disease of the heart. Otherwise the ship was remarkably healthy; she was under the medical superintendence of Dr JONES who visited Auckland in a like capacity in the Cresswell about four years since. The casualties which the ship encountered sufficiently explain the cause of her protracted passage. She comes into port in clean and creditable condition and from the glowing character of the testimonials presented to Capt ALLEN and his officers, it is clear that ship and captain have maintained the high reputation which they have hitherto enjoyed in the Australian passenger trade. Like the bulk of the immigrants that have been arriving during the past 12 months, the passengers by the Shooting Star are of a similar stalwart class and orderly and respectable bearing. According to the Official List they number 173 souls all told, being equal by computation to 151 statute adults. Of these 105 are English, 39 Scotch and 29 Irish, among whom there are reported to be 88 farmers, 14 spinsters, 4 joiners, 1 carpenter, 1 engineer, 1 gardener, 1 governess, 1 labourer, with their wives and families. Source: New Zealander (3 December 1859, p. 3).

Sources

1. New Zealander (3 December 1859, p. 3): https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZ18591203.2.4
2. New Zealander (3 December 1859, p. 3): https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZ18591203.2.5
3. New Zealander (3 December 1859, p. 3): https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZ18591203.2.12
4. White Wings (1928) by Henry Brett (p. 202) https://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-Bre02Whit-t1-body-d3-...