Bound for South Australia 1836Shipwrecks

Week 9

"The Bay of Biscay" drawn by C. Stanfield, engraved by S. Brandard. Steel engraving published by A. Fullarton & Co., about 1855

Overview Between February and July 1836 nine ships left Britain bound for the newly created province of South Australia. On-board the ships were passengers who over many long months braved the perils of the ocean, including some of the most treacherous seas in the world to begin a new life on the other side of the world.

This resource uses the stories from these nine ships as recorded by the passengers and crew in their personal journals.

Contents

• Introduction• Journal entries• Inquiry Questions• Relevant images • Glossary of terms

IntroductionThe United Nations estimates that there are more than 3 million shipwrecks in the world. The reasons ships become wrecked are varied, including poor weather, low visibility, navigation errors, underwater obstacles, mechanical problems, ship maintenance issues, poor design, improperly stored cargo, warfare, piracy, mutiny, sabotage and fire. Imagine the emotions onboard a vessel before it is ‘committed to the sea’.

This week the John Pirie discovers the remains of a shipwreck. We read how Captain Martin salvages a spar from the wreckage but leaves the rest behind because there is no room left on his decks. This week we take a closer look at this vivid reminder of the dangers and risks involved in journeys at sea.

John Pirie journal writer, on board the John Pirie wrote:

The Wind contd all Night from N,E, but at Day-lightit lower’d into a gentle Air, which kept shifting aboutfrom North to West, all Day _______ At 6, P,M, wecame in sight of part of a Wreck, consisting of alower Mast, and Yard , a top Mast and Yard, ___ witha few Spar’s, ___ round Top, ___ and the remnant ofSails, Rigging, &c, all of which had no doubt,been carried away from some unfortunate Vessel, inthe awful Gales of the 27th, 28th,, Ult, We took onlyOne Spar, as our Decks, are already too lumberd,for stowing any more, __ but they will be a good prize, toa Ship, that can make room for them __________

Journal entries Thursday 21 April 1836

Inquiry Questions • On April 27th the John Pirie encounters the remains of a shipwreck. How

do you think the passengers and crew would have reacted to this sight?

• What is a spar and why would Captain Martin salvage it?

• What do you think might have caused this shipwreck in 1836?

I

Images

Representation of the ship John Pirie by the artist John Ford. South Australian Maritime Museum collection

Glossary of Terms Lumberd• ‘Lumbered’ is an informal term mainly used in Britain to refer to someone being burdened with

a thing, or things, unwanted. In shipping terminology, ‘much lumbered’ or ‘lumbered with’ were sometimes used to describe the state of decks that had become cluttered with cargo and other objects during storms.

Ult• Ult is short for Ultimo which means ‘of last month’.Yard• Yards are horizontal poles that are suspended from the masts to support and spread the square

sails. They are basically set square to the ship’s centre line but the angle can be adjusted to suit the direction of the wind.

Return to Journal Entries