Spirit of the Dawn (ship) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids History |
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|---|---|
 United Kingdom |
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| Owner | J. Bell and Son |
| Port of registry | Liverpool |
| Builder | T. R. Oswald and Co. |
| Launched | 1869 |
| Fate | Wrecked on 4 September 1893 |
| General characteristics | |
| Tonnage | 692 tons |
| Sail plan | Barque |
The Spirit of the Dawn was a large British sailing ship. It was a 692-ton iron barque, which is a type of ship with at least three masts. This ship was built in 1869 in Sunderland, England. It belonged to J. Bell and Son, a company from Liverpool. Sadly, the Spirit of the Dawn was wrecked near the Antipodes Islands on 4 September 1893.
Shipwreck and Amazing Rescue
On 4 September 1893, the Spirit of the Dawn was on a long journey. It was sailing from Yangon, Burma, to Talcahuano, Chile. The ship was carrying a cargo of rice and was led by Captain R. T. Millington.
While sailing in the Southern Ocean, the ship ran into thick fog. It hit some hidden rocks and began to sink. This happened about half a mile from the Antipodes Islands. Eleven crew members managed to get into lifeboats and reach the shore safely. However, five other crew members, including Captain Millington, sadly drowned.
The survivors were stuck on the main island of the archipelago. They lived there for 88 days, which is almost three months! They were finally rescued on 30 November by a ship called the NZGSS Hinemoa. This rescue ship was commanded by Captain Fairchild.
During their time on the island, the castaways faced many challenges. They could not light a fire even once. They survived by eating raw eggs, birds, and roots they found. There was a special castaway depot (a hidden supply of food and tools) on the island, but the survivors never found it.
When they were rescued, the crew members were in a very "desperate state." One crew member, Felix Hewbert, needed hospital care for severe frostbite on his right foot. He lost two toes and part of the other toes on that foot. An investigation was held in Wellington on 11 December. The court decided that there was no clear reason why the ship ended up in that dangerous spot. They also said that everyone on board had done their best to save lives.
Crew Members of the Ship
Here is a list of the crew members who were on the Spirit of the Dawn:
- Robert T. Millington, captain – drowned
- R. H. Horner, chief officer
- J. Morrissey, second officer
- Harry Davies, third officer
- E. M. Bergthiem, apprentice
- W. Clementson, apprentice
- Cetti, steward – drowned
- J. Petersen, carpenter – drowned
- John J. Peers, able seaman
- Thomas E. Ballard, able seaman
- Bernhard V. Anderson, able seaman
- C. D. Mason, able seaman
- Frank McLaughlin, able seaman
- Felix Hewbert, able seaman
- Frank Vautier, able seaman – drowned
- Peter Dawson, cook – drowned
