ARRIVAL OF THE SWORDFISH
The New
Zealander July 28th 1858
The clipper
barque Swordfish, in honourable maintenance of her early reputation as one of the
fastest ships out of the port of Liverpool, arrived in harbour on Sunday shortly
after noon and after the smartest
passage that has been made since, some three years back, the Rock City entered
our waters. The arrival of this vessel took us all by surprise, for though the day
was bright and clear, there was no very lengthened premonitory signal to notify her
approach. She left the St Katherine’s Docks on 17 April, sailed from the Down
on 21st, took her final departure from the Start on 24th, from
whence she has been 91 days in completing her passage. On the 13th day
she was abreast of Madeira and on the
33rd day she crossed the equator. On 17 June she fetched the meridian of
the Cape of Good Hope and ran down her
easting which was a capital one, her greatest days work being 275 knots with a daily
average of 220 knots. On 4, 5 & 6 June very heavy hailstorms were encountered.
She spoke no vessels, nor did she sight any land from the time of leaving the Start
until she made the Three Kings on Wednesday last at 5 a.m. Since that time the weather proved very fine with light winds.
Off the North Cape on Wednesday
evening, passed a large brig. She is a very fine ship of her class, with superior
accommodations, ample space in-board and comes into harbour in a state of the most
creditable cleanliness. She brings in addition to some ordnance stores and a general
cargo of merchandise a fine thoroughbred entire horse from the stud of Lord Hawked, named
“Towton”, the property of Mr NEWTON a passenger [?]. There is also a
splendid yearling bull named ‘Havelock’. Both animals are in excellent order and condition.