Australian
Scottish
Heritage
Scottish
Heritage
These stories are readers contributions sent to me.They have kindly allowed me to share them with you.
The Port Phillip Gazette 20th Oct 1841
The Loss of The India
Captain Hugh Campbell,with the imigrants,from Greenock to this
port on the 20th July last,furnished by Mr Kissock,a passenger by
the "Alema".
The India sailed on the 4th June last,with 198 souls onboard,crew
included,and was totally destroyed on the 20th July,in 16 south
latitude and 33 west longtitude under the following circumstances;the third mate and one of the boys below
about one o'clock,pm.Drawing off spirits,when the candle they used accidently fell on some spilled rum,
which immediately caught fire,and the flames spread with such rapidity that all efforts at extinguishing
the tremendous blaze were unavailing,and the ship soon became one mass of flame.Another ship,a
French whaler,was fortunately in sight,about nine miles to windward,but nearly an hour lapsed before
those on board became aware of the state of the "India".
On observing her condition she immediately bore down,and on neaing lowered all her boats,and used
every exertion to rescue the unfortunate sufferers.
The "India's" boats were also got out,but on the first boat making the attempt to get some of the
people off the burning ship,a tremendous rush was made to get into her and she was immediately
overloaded and capsized,and in that the greatest loss of life occured.The mate of the "India" was
in the boat at the time,and with great difficulty succeeded in getting into the other boat,which he
took command of,and succeeded in taking all the remainder off the wreck and reshipped them into the French boats,which conveyed them to the ship,not one of them daring to approach any part of the wreck
after seeing the fate of the "India's" boat,which their ignorance of the language may partly account for.
The mate's exertions seems to have been very great,as all the survivors speak most enthusiastically
of his gallant conduct.The scene as described by them must have been truely awful,the flames spread
with such rapidity that no one saved a single article except such clothes as were on their backs and ere
they could be rescued from their perilous situation the flames had driven them from the deck to the
bowsprit,from which they dropped into the sea,as they could be picked up by the boat;indeed many
had their clothes burned off and were conveyed literally in a state of nudity to the French ship,where
they were recieved by the French captain who was assisted by the captain of the "India" (he having
gone onboard earlier where his presence was required,he being the only one who understood the French
language) in "clothing the naked" with such dresses as the ship afforded,and they were treated with the
greatest kindness while on board that ship
On receiving the host of unfortunates on board,he streered from the Rio de Janerio,the easiest
made harbour,where he discharged them in safety;several of the females having for their only
dress flannel shirts supplied them by the French sailors.
The liberality of the British residents and shipmasters in Rio de Janerio is worthy of the highest
commendation.The merchants presented the French captain with a gold chronometer,and the
shipmasters with an elegant gold snuff box,with appropriate inscriptions on both,and who
also collected by subscription upwards of 1000 pounds to assist in refitting those who had lost
their all in the "India".
It would be unjust to pass over in silence the magnificent donation of the Officers and crew of the
American frigate "Potamac",and a schooner of war,who subscribed $550 towards the fund.Shortly
after the emigrants were landed,a small island in the Bay of Rio de Janerio was engaged by the British Consul for their use,where they appeared to be comfortably lodged.
The girls are of a decidedly superior class,were all well dressed and wore white chip hats,which
gave them a particularly interesting appearance.Ten of the men were on the island when the writer
visited,they being mostly employed on board the barque "Grindley" of Liverpool,the ship employed
to carry them all to this port where they may be expected to arrive at the end of this month,as it was
expected the "Grindley" would be ready for sea in about three weeks after the "Alemena" left Rio de
Janerio (5th August),which vessel conveys the intelligence of the melancholy disaster.
To satisfy those who expected friends out of the "India" ,the names of the drowned are subjoined,though
all of the survivors are decidedly of the opinion that none of them had relations in Australia.
Robert Patterson,Robert McGregor,Andrew Dingwall,John Stewart,Andrew Tait,William McLelland,
Duncan Grant,John Coke,Samual Cameron,James Low,William Stewart,John Stewart,Frederick
Mitchell,William Scott,John Steel,Robert Burns,the Rev William McKay,Charles Clements(boatswain).
The Rev.McKay,it is stated,had 300 sovereigns about his person at the time of quitting the ship.All the
crew except Clements was saved.
Port Phillip Gazette 23rd October 1841
Shipping intelligence.
Arrived
October 22nd -The Grindley,barque,from Rio de Janerio,with the emigrants burned out of the "India".
This article was submitted by Cherrill Johnson
