Oriana
The Oriana, a barque, made a significant voyage in 1883 transporting Cornish miners to Australia's Wallaroo Mines. This privately organized venture brought 408 passengers, predominantly Cornishmen, to supplement the mining labor force.
The 1883 Voyage to Australia
The Oriana commenced her journey from Plymouth on May 18, 1883, clearing the Lizard the following day. On May 30, she encountered the ship Loch Long, which was traveling from Glasgow to Melbourne. The vessel's daily progress varied between 80 and 198 nautical miles as she made her way south.
On June 18, the barque crossed the equator at 28° 7' W during a period of favorable weather through the trade winds. While at 21° 8' S latitude and 36° 14' W longitude, she encountered the Norwegian ship Summarlie, which was 51 days into its journey from Frederickstadt to Melbourne.
The voyage continued with the Oriana sighting Tristan d'Acunha on July 5, after which she achieved runs exceeding 220 miles per day. She crossed the prime meridian on July 8 at 40° 11' S, reaching the Cape meridian on July 11. The vessel then maintained an eastward course along the 41st and 42nd parallels.
A significant incident occurred on July 28 when, during heavy weather, poor steering led to the vessel shipping a heavy sea that washed away some of the main-deckhouses. The remainder of the voyage proceeded without notable events until sighting Cape Borda on August 9. The Oriana anchored the following day to await a tug, and by August 11, she was within half a mile of the Romsdal at her destination.
Technical Details
- Vessel Type: Barque
- Passenger Capacity: At least 408 (as demonstrated in 1883 voyage)