ARRIVAL OF THE BANK OF ENGLAND
The New
Zealander December 29th 1855
The water
was as smooth as glass and with scarcely an air stirring, the ship drifted slowly to her
anchorage which she fetched about 7 am.
The Bank of England sailed from Gravesend on 6 September and from the Downs on the following day, crossing the Equator in 31 deg W on the 31st
day. She had a very fair run to Van Diemen’s Land, passing without sighting, to the Southward of that island and from which
her passage has occupied a period of 18 days. In lat. 46 deg S, long. 105 W.
She spoke the ship Elizabeth from London to Geelong which sailed ten days previous to the
departure of the Bank of England. On Christmas Day at 2 am sighted the Three Kings, experiencing light
northerly and north-easterly winds on the coast. A very melancholy accident occurred
in 1 deg N, lat. 30 deg W long. The ship was then going about 7 knots through the
water when William HAWKINS, a miner, and a native of Falmouth, unhappily fell overboard. The ship was immediately hove all
aback and, as the poor fellow was swimming light and strong, there was every prospect of
saving him. All at once he gave a piercing shriek and disappeared having been taken,
as is supposed, by a shark. Hawkins had a wife and child on board; the child died
about a month since. The Bank of England brings 76 passengers, among whom we
have to welcome the return of our old townsman Mr J I MONTEFIORE. She has a general
cargo of merchandise. The next ship of Messrs Willis’ line will be the Ashmore.