More Maritime Adventures: James Ramsay Caithness

James Ramsay Caithness was Captain William Bell's brother-in-law and was also a mariner. Not a very fortunate one as he seemed to go through a number of crises with the various ships he commanded. However, he was an interesting man and one whom we can track through news reports and other sources precisely because his ships were prone to disaster, references frequently being picked up in newspapers from much further afield. In this instance, the news concerns Caithness's schooner (also referred to as a brigantine*), the Prairie, stranded near Rocky Cape, Tasmania.

Rocky Cape, Tasmania: beautiful but dangerous

Although previously mentioned in this blog, the Prairie story bears repeating. It reveals some of the risks faced by the mariner during the days of sail. 

People's Advocate, Launceston, 15 June,1856

This vessel James Ramsay Caithness, master, sailed from the Cape of Good Hope for Melbourne on the 25th March. There were on board nine passengers and a crew of eleven. The lading consisted of wine, oats, flour, raisins and other Cape produce. During the voyage she encountered extremely stormy weather, during which the boats were staved, the bulwarks much damaged, the water-casks staved and displaced, and the head rail on one side entirely carried away. After repairing damages as efficiently as possible she proceeded on her voyage but again encountered a violent gale off Cape Ottway on the night of the 26th May when she was dismasted and in imminent danger. The weather still contrary and the dismantled state of the vessel rendered navigation perilous in the extreme. It was necessary in order to save life and property to run her on shore at Sisters' Creek - between Rocky Cape and Emu Bay - which was successfully effected on the 2nd June. She now lies on the beach where she ran on shore. The owner, captain and some of the crew, arrived here on Saturday night per the Titania.

It was reported that 'the ship was but little injured and might be got off after discharging the cargo', but this proved over-optimistic. James and some of the crew, who had had to resort to camping on the beach, were taken from the site of the wreck by the Titania and there would have been time to reflect bitterly on another lost ship and the costs thereof. The stranded cargo on the beach near Rocky Cape would be sold at public auction. The voyage had taken over three months. Meanwhile, back home at the Cape of Good Hope, Eliza Caithness was soldiering on, caring for five boys aged ten and under.






*the term brigantine now usually means a vessel with the foremast square rigged and the mainmast fore-and-aft rigged, without any square sails. Historically, this rig used to be called a schooner brig.

Caithness and the schooner Prairie in Tasmania 1856

References to local Cape mariners like James Ramsay Caithness can frequently be picked up in newspapers from much further afield. In this instance, the topic is Caithness's schooner (or brigantine), the Prairie, stranded near Rocky Cape, Tasmania.

The American built 150 ton schooner had been bound from Cape Town to Melbourne,

laden with wine, oats and raisins. She went on shore on the coast between Rocky Cape and Emu Bay. The schooner lost her foremast off Cape Otway and went on shore at high water. The master of the wrecked vessel was at Circular Head. The vessel is said to be but little injured and might be got off after discharging the cargo.  The crew were encamped on the coast.

Launceston Examiner Tasmania
 Tues 10 June 1856
..................

Loss of the Brigantine Prairie— This vessel, James

Ramsay Caithness master, sailed from the Cape of Good Hope

for Melbourne, on the 23 March last. There were on

board nine passengers and a crew of eleven. The lading

consisted of wine, oats, flour, and raisins, and other Cape produce.

During the voyage she encountered extremely stormy weather,

during which the boats were staved, the bulwarks much

damaged, the water-casks staved and displaced, and the head

rail on one side entirely carried away. After repairing damages

as efficiently as possible, she proceeded on her voyage, but

again encountered a violent gale off Cape Otway, on tbe night

of the 20th May, when she was dismasted, and in imminent

danger. The weather still continuing contrary, and the dis

mantled state of the vessel rendering navigation perilous in

the extrcme, it was necessary in order to save life and property

to run her on shore at Sisters' Creek, which was successfully

effected on the 2nd June. She now lies on the beach where she ran on shore.

The owner, captain and some of the crew, arrived here on Saturday night.

Rocky Cape, Tasmania

More on the Caithness family and this incident at:

molegenealogy.blogspot.co.za/2013/07/coastal-ships-mariners-visitors-cape.html

molegenealogy.blogspot.co.za/2013/09/mariners-caithness-and-prairie.html

A colony established and Calcutta returns home

It rapidly became clear that the location chosen for the settlement was not ideal.

One of the main difficulties was the scarcity of fresh water. A survey of the area was made and the unfavourable report soon prompted Collins and the other members of the expedition to consider abandoning the place in favour of ‘a more eligible situation’, either to Port Dalrymple on the north side of Van Diemen’s Land or to the river Derwent on the south coast of the same island where a small party from Port Jackson was already established.

The crew of the HMS Calcutta, including James Caithness, were meanwhile busily employed collecting ship-timber to be taken back to England. This is a reminder that war against Napoleon was about to erupt once more and every British ship afloat would need to be fit for action, so Calcutta’s task was of great importance and Captain Woodriff was well aware that speed was of the essence.

It was finally decided to move the infant colony to the Derwent and this was partly accomplished before the Calcutta sailed on 18 December. The name Hobart was given to the new settlement.

Mount Nelson near Hobart

HMS Calcutta took on timber at Port Jackson and sailed again on 17 March 1804, passing south of New Zealand which was sighted on 29 March. 

Sydney Cove, Port Jackson, where Calcutta loaded 600 logs destined
for England's shipyards

Calcutta doubled Cape Horn on 27 April, arriving at Rio de Janeiro 22 May, thus, as Tuckey pointed out, ‘accomplishing a voyage round the world, discharging and receiving a cargo, in eleven months’. He reports:

The remainder of the Calcutta's voyage was almost totally barren of incident, either to amuse or instruct. In the long navigation between New Zealand and Cape Horn, scarce a single incident occurred either to interest the seaman, or the naturalist.Throughout this navigation, the wind seldom deviated to the northward of N. W. or to the southward of S. W. with strong gales, which enabled us to make an average of one hundred and eighty miles a-day for twenty nine days.

At Rio de Janeiro they took on water and all on board must have echoed Tuckey’s fervently-expressed wish to ‘see the shores which custom and reason bid us hail as the happiest of our globe’: in short, they sailed for home on 1 June. The end of one chapter for James Caithness and further adventures awaited him in the next.

Panorama: Greater Hobart