Built at New York as a wooden ship in 1819.
Tonnage 286 tons, dim. 96.7 x 26. 17.7ft.
Under the name STEPHANIA she is whaling out of New Bedford in 1828.
Her owner is given as John Coggeshall, ship rigged and a tonnage of 315 tons.
Under command of Capt David Collins she sailed from New Bedford on 16 June 1828 for the whaling grounds off Brazil, returned on 7 July 1829, with on board 1.700 brls. whale-oil and 14.500 lbs. bones.
Her second voyage is again under command of David Collins, she sailed from New Bedford on 30 July 1829 for the Brazil whaling grounds, and returned home on 2 June 1830, with on board 1.900 brls. whale oil and 18.000 lbs. bone.
She sailed out under command of Capt. Elisha Dexter on 20 July 1830 for the whaling grounds off Brazil, returned 24 February 1832 with on board 100 brls. sperm-oil and 2.100 brls. whale oil.
Her next voyage is again under Dexter, she sailed out for the Pacific waters on 28 June 1832, and returned on 18 July 1835 with on board 1.500 brls. sperm-oil.
Fifth voyage is under Capt. Stephen H.Hathaway for the South Atlantic, she departed on 16 October 1835, and returned on 18 May 1837, with on board 318 brls. sperm-oil and 939 brls. whale-oil. Her owner is now given as Palmer & Coggenshall.
Sixth voyage is under Capt. Warren N.Bourne for the Indian Ocean, departed 19 July 1837, returned 24 March 1839 with on board 270 brls. sperm-oil and 1.895 brls. whale oil.
Seventh voyage again under Bourne, owner given as Richard A. Palmer, departed from New Bedford on 18 July 1839 for the Indian Ocean, returned 09 October 1841 with on board 916 brls. sperm-oil and 1.390 brls. whale oil.
Eight voyage under Capt Collins for the Indian Ocean, departed on 18 Nov. 1841 and returned March 1844 with on board 200 brls sperm-oil, 2.100 brls. whale-oil and 21.000 lbs. bone.
During 1842 she anchored in the River Derwent, Tasmania for provision and refit
Ninth voyage under command of Capt. Samuel Coggeshall, and owner given as John Coggeshall, departed from New Bedford on 03 August 1844 for the N.W. Coast, returned home on 29 June 1847, with on board 200 brls. sperm-oil, 1.650 brls. whale-oil and 11.000 lbs. bone.
Her tenth voyage is under command of Capt. W.N.Bourne and her owner given as Jona Bourne, departed from New Bedford on 15 September 1847 for the Indian Ocean, returned on 22 Oct. 1850 with on board 229 brls. sperm-oil, 1.191 brls. whale-oil and 6.800 lbs. bone.
Eleventh voyage under command of Capt. Terry for the North Pacific, departed on 27 Nov. 1850, and returned on 4 April 1854 with on board 69 brls. sperm-oil, 594 brls whale-oil and 8.300 lbs. bone, sent already home during the voyage, 993 brls. whale-oil and 13.549 lbs. bone.
Her twelfth voyage under command of Capt. Matthew Fisher for the Indian Ocean, departed on 02 August 1854, returned on 09 February 1857 with on board 438 brls. sperm-oil, 1.040 brls whale-oil and 10.300 lbs. bone.
Thirteenth voyage again under Fisher for the Indian Ocean, departed on 18 July 1857 and returned on 24 April 1860, with on board 462 brls. sperm-oil, 1.363 brls. whale-oil and 450 lbs. bone, during the voyage sent home 54 brls. sperm-oil and 9.600 lbs. bone.
Her fourteenth whaling voyage was under command of Capt. James M. Witherell for the Indian Ocean, departed on 16 August 1860, and returned home on 17 April 1864, with on board 783 brls. sperm-oil, 1.034 brls. whale-oil and 150 lbs. bone. During the voyage she sent home 25 brls. sperm-oil and 9.300 lbs. bone.
Her last voyage under American flag was under Capt. James G.Sinclair for the whaling grounds of the Pacific Ocean. She sailed from New Bedford on 22 June 1864.
During the voyage the fourth mate Albert H.Wright died on 4 July 1866. During the voyage she sent home 41 brls. sperm-oil, 720 whale-oil and 13.750 bone.
She was badly damaged in a hurricane in 1868, put into Port Jackson (Sydney), Australia in distress and was condemned April 1868. Her cargo of whale and sperm oil was unloaded and the vessel auctioned and registered as ONWARD at Sydney in June 1868.
She was refitted as a whaler and sailed from Sydney.
The first time I find her was in the book Whalers out of van Diemen’s Land was in 1876, when the ONWARD out of Sydney anchored off Kelly’s Point, Bruni Island, now Denne’s Point, Tasmania.
On board her was a mutiny and murder on the high seas, and the following report is taken from “The Mercury” of 19 July 1877.
I quote.
On Saturday morning the Sydney whaler ONWARD 286 tons, anchored in the River (Derwent) in consequence of the alleged insubordination among the men. The police boarded her and arrested eleven of her crew who were secured in the forecastle, the entrance to which was fastened down by chains and strong timber. On being removed the forecastle was to be found in a filthy condition.
The master, Captain George Griffith, was arrested on the charge of shooting a sailor, John Blacket, at sea.
The ONWARD sailed with a new crew on 28 August 1877 for a two-month’s cruise under Captain Chamberlain.
The trial of Captain George Griffith took place on 11 September before the Chief Justice, Sir Francis Smith.
Manuel Lawrence, Chief Officer, deposed that on 3 July, the crew was called to come on deck. The men refused, and were battened down. John Blacket was amongst the twelve men who had been guilty of insubordination. They were a ‘measly’ lot and used bad language. In the afternoon he heard a gunshot and later heard someone call out that a man had been shot. The Captain had remarked before, ‘If I fire a shot through the scuttle it might frighten them and give us peace.’ I informed the Captain that a man had been shot. He replied, ‘Good God, what have I done? If I had known that a man was there I would never have fired the gun.’ Blacket who was shot, was then brought out of the forecastle.
“The mate said that the crew was treated well by Captain Griffith and had plenty to eat, but they were a miserable grumbling lot. The Captain refused to sell tobacco to a non-smoking member of the crew named Cutts as he wished to gamble with it. Cutts then refused duty. One of the crew called out, ‘Why don’t the old b-------,’ meaning the Captain, ‘come down so that we can rip him open.’ They were requested to come on deck and wear ship and refused. Whales were sighted near the ship. The men were called to man the boats but refused.
“Rober Robinson, steward, also deposed to the mutinous conduct of the crew.
“His Honour Sir Francis in summing up pointed out that Captain Griffith was evidently unfortunate in his crew who were a troublesome mutinous set of men. He had a right to resort to a reasonable amount of force to prevent mutiny.
“Jury after considering the evidence returned after three-quarters of an hour with a verdict not guilty, which was received by all concerned with satisfaction.
The mutineers received a sentence of three months each.
Unquote.
The ONWARD was lost in the night between 14/15 September 1878 when she ran aground on North Huon Island at the northern extremity of the string of islands and reefs which stretch for about one hundred and fifty nautical miles north-west from New Caledonia.
The crew survived the wrecking but the ONWARD was lost. Capt Harris had a crew of 47 natives and 12 whites on board. When she grounded the crew clewed her sails and stayed on board till daylight. The next morning the boats were launched and Capt Harris decided to man the boats evenly with natives and whites, and that they would steer for Huon Island, but the first mate disagreed and the boats parted.
One boat with 12 men reached Connor island south east of Mackay on 10 October and were rescued by a passing vessel, and taken to the port of Mackay.
An other boat containing 10 men reached the Whitsunday Islands early November, where they landed and spent eleven days recuperating. Four natives from the South Sea Islands left the boat in search for fresh water, but not having returned after eleven days the remaining six decided to take to their boats again and were picked up shortly after the Whitsunday Passage near Hook Island by a passing vessel and taken to Maryborough.
A search for the four missing men of the boat, did not give any result, but after a few days two of the missing crew arrived in Aboriginal canoes at Bowen. The fate of the other two remains a mystery.
The GAZELLE picked up a third boat under command of Capt Harris, and the occupants eventually landed at Sydney.
The first inquiry into the vessels loss, held on 24 October could not reach a decision as the master and most of the crew were still missing.
At the second inquiry, Capt Harris was charged with incompetent navigation and his certificate was cancelled.
At the time of the ONWARD loss she was owned by Williams and Garrick, Sydney, and her hull and stores were insured for £1550.
Norfolk Island 1985 90c sg 359, scott 363.
Sources: Whalers out of Van Diemen’s Land by Harry O’May. Australian Shipwrecks Volume 3 1871-1900 by Jack Loney.
http://www4.tpgi.com.au/users/seaquel/shipwreck.html