Lois
Barque: 380 tons
Captain: John Lewis
Surgeon Superintendent:
Sailed Cape Town December 10th 1872 - arrived Lyttelton January 26th 1873

On March 7th 1872 the 850 ton barque Agamemnon left London but by the time she was in the South Atlantic she was shipping significant amounts of water and the Captain was constantly drunk. Both passengers and crew petitioned the captain to put into the nearest port, but he absolutely refused. Eventually the Agamemnon put into Rio de Janeiro where the passenger complained to the Consul that they should be forwarded to New Zealand by same vessel, under a different Captain, or by a different vessel. With another Captain the Agamemnon again put to sea on August 8th, 1872, but they were forced to put into the Cape of Good Hope when they continued to take on water. Continuous pumping, and the jettisoning of a good deal of cargo, was fruitless as the vessel continued to experience a good deal of rough weather. Once the Agamemnon was condemned the passengers continued their voyage to Lyttelton, New Zealand on board the barque Lyttelton. The balance of the cargo of the Agamemnon followed by the by the barque Lois.
Denise & Peter - Denise & Peters Our Stuff

Arrival of the Lois
Diary of George Lyes
Voyage of the Agamemnon
Arrival of the Lyttelton

Copyright Denise & Peter 2007

Reference:
The Press January 27th 1873