An extract from "The Daily Southern Cross,, of Friday, 16th February 1866, describing a voyage from London to Auckland has recently been sent to this magazine, and as two of the families of passengers named are Mr. & Mrs. Walter Reid and Mr., Mary and James Ryburn, well known Kintyre names, the Editor feels sure this very matter of fact description of the voyage will not only interest present day residents of Kintyre, but make them wonder about the conditions of immigrants who arrived at their destination, not having had "a pleasant voyage," and probably not arriving 'in good condition.' Two babies were born during the voyage, and three children, 3 and 4 years and 11 months died of dysentery, and one of 2 years of debility.
The ship 'The Mary Shepherd,' Captain Crout, was described as follows She is of Sutherland, built to the order of Mr. Shepherd of London, and classed A.1. for 13 years, 7 of which have expired. She Is a sister ship of the 'Queen of the North' now on her passage to this port and was turned out of Briggs' famous North of England yard. Her build is teak, with 3 kelsons, copper bolts and oak frame throughout, of unusual strength and thickness, and supported by 5 x 5 iron girders two feet apart. Her between-decks are spacious and well ventilated with a beam of 34 feet and 170 in length. The 'Mary Shepherd" has made two previous voyages with troops, having conveyed 400 military from Dublin to India, and been taken there for troop transport service on the home trip. Her saloon accommodation is very superior. There are 12 cabins fitted with every convenience. The stern cabins are 15 ft x 11 ft and other cabins are 8 ft x 8 ft, with a spacious and airy saloon. The vessel is in excellent trim, and indicates the care bestowed on her by her commander. She arrived here (i.e. in Auckland) in a neat cleanly condition with 192 passengers, amongst them 40 immigrants from Ulster, and amongst them the Rev. R. Hall, and a special settlement party for the Bay of Islands, who spoke in the highest terms of praise respecting the vessel and her commander. She will be fitted up for the reception of troops without delay and leave in about 10 days with 400 passengers. The Mary Shepherd is of 900 tons and it would appear (although no photo or picture has been discovered) to have had at least 3 masts.
The ship left London on October 25th 1865, with 192 passengers, and on the second day she passed Gravesend, and on the following day landed the pilot at Deal and proceeded down Channel. Next day there was a heavy gale from S.S.W. accompanied by a thick drizzling rain and high sea. When off St. Alban's Head the wind suddenly shifted to W.N.W. still blowing hard, and caused the ship to plunge so heavily as to put the forecastle under water, filling the main deck and putting galley fires out. The cutwater and figurehead sustained considerable damage and the bulwarks and fore-topsail were also much injured. On the 30th Oct. the weather continuing very bad, the captain bore up and sought shelter at Spithead, where a large fleet of vessels,were lying, having put in through stress of weather. Three of the passengers were found to have suffered so much through the bad weather and were so frightened that they refused to go further in the ship, and landed at Spithead. On lst November, leaving nearly all the fleet still at anchor the ship left, and had adverse winds to the Start, which was passed on 3rd Nov., and on the 9th in Lat 34.5 N Long. 21 N. she encountered a very heavy gale from the E.N.E. with driving rain and high seas in which the longboat and spare spars shifted, but were secured without further damage. A great deal of water came on board, some of which found its way into the between-decks, and split a fore-top-mast staysail. On the 13th Nov. in Lat 28 N. Long. 20 W. she experienced a brisk S.W. gale, which gradually backed to N.W. by N, and finally into N.E. trades, which were light throughout. After passing between Cape de Verde and the mainland she lost the trades in Lat. 8 N., and caught the S.E. trades in Lat 4 IT., and crossed the Equator on Nov. 28th in Long. 27.5W., and had light trade winds S E. to Lat. 17 S. After passing Trinidad Island (off South coast of Brazil) had the usual weather to Prince Edward Island which was passed on 28th Dec. at 11 miles distant, the summit of the island being partly covered with snow. (South of S. Africa). From thence to Tasmania the passage was interrupted by about a week's easterly gales. Passed south of Kergulen's Island, maximum Lat 52 S. Had plenty of hail, very little snow and no ice. On 3rd Jan. with wind aft and moderate, and ship under easy sail, the job and flying jiboom were carried away, taking with them the fore-top-gallant mast. The job and jiboom were carried away in consequence of the ship being under water. On the 8th Jan., lost the third fore-top-mast staysail. On 22nd Jan. made the S.W. Cape of Tasmania, 82 days out from Spithead, where another easterly wind was encountered. Between Tasmania and New Zealand had N.E. winds which lasted 7 days accompanied by much thick weather. Made the Three Kings on 10th Feb., and anchored at Port Russell, Bay of Islands on the llth. Landed 40 immigrants on the 12th and left on the following day. Several parties destined for the Bay of Islands declined to land there, and came on to Auckland in the ship. The party who landed at the Bay of Islands, at the head of whom was the Rev. R, Hall, were highly gratified at the preparations made for them by order of the Government. The ship arrived at Auckland 105 days out from Spithead
On 21st Nov. in Lat. 8 N 23 W. the "Mary Shepherd" exchanged signals with the barque "Tasmania" bound north. This was the only vessel spoken to during the passage.