Captain’s Report – "Captain Koch reports that the Ship
‘Eugenie’ left Hamburg on the 16th June;
experienced light and baffling winds to the texel; thence N.E. winds
through the English Channel; for a few days moderate S.W. winds; sighted
Maderia Island off Morocco on the 23rd day at sea; fell in with
the S.E. Trade Winds in latitude 24.51 north and 23.9 west; in 15.57 N.
and 27.32 W. signalled with the English Barque ‘Cordoua’ from London to
Table Bay 40 days out, all well; crossed the Equator when 49 days at sea, sighted on the 3rd
August the peak of Ferand-Verona, fine weather, southerly winds for eight
succeeding days; fell in with squally weather; during which we lost our
Jibboom; passed the Meridian of the Cape of Good Hope on the 9th
September; on the 11th of September, spoke to the English ship
‘Dumbee Howard’ from Liverpool to Melbourne. 79 days out, constant
westerly gales; sailed as far south as 46 degrees and ran the easting down
between the parallel of 42 degrees and 73 degrees; rounded the S.W. Cape
of Tasmania on the 113th day; had a southerly gale for 2 days;
after that light head winds, ship making little or no progress, her bottom
being so foul; sighted Cape Moreton on the 130th day 24
October; strong N.E. winds with a strong set to south ward; sighted Lady
Elliott Isle on the 135th day 29th October; spoke to
the Steamer ‘Boomerang’; made Cape Capricorn on the 29th at
P.M.; was boarded by the Pilot and came to anchor at 9.30 p.m. During the
whole of the passage the people kept in excellent health, five deaths
occurred, four of which were infants, from diarrhoea and dysentery, and
one male adult from inflammation of the lungs."
Shipping Intelligence – Arrivals
October 31 –
‘Eugenie’ Ship 500 Tons, Captain Koch, from Hamburg 16th June with
immigrants, Surgeon-Superintendent Dr. Block; Matron Mrs Wilhelmina Grau.
Classification –
Free: 94 single men, 40 single women, 37 married couples
with 44 children.
Assisted: 4 single men, 4 single women, 12 married couples
with 26 children.
Full Paying: 5 single men, 5 single women, 1 married
couple with 2 children, and 2 nominated passengers.
In all, 324 Souls. A. Feez, Agent.
Report in Rockhampton
Bulletin, 5th November 1873:
"A number of the passengers by the ship
‘Eugenie’ met last night, at the Leichhardt Hotel, for the purpose of
presenting Captain G.W. Koch, of that Vessel, with a Testimonial. Mr.
Albrecht Feez, the agent of the Ship, was spokesman and said, "Captain
Koch, it gives me great pleasure to inform you that the passengers by your
ship have desired me to present to you the accompanying Testimonial as an
Expression of goodwill and thankfulness for your kindness to them
throughout the rather long and tedious passage from the old country."
The Testimonial read as
follows: - "Rockhampton, 4th November 1873 – To Captain Koch,
Ship ‘Eugenie’ :
"Dear Sir, We, the
undersigned passengers from Hamburg to this port, cannot separate from you
without expressing our entire satisfaction for what was done by you for
our comfort and convenience during the long and tedious passage. We have
also to thank Mr. Louis Knorr, through you, for the good quality of the
provisions supplied to us and other comforts. For this you will please
accept our thanks, and that is all we poor immigrants can offer you.
Wishing you may long enjoy good health and happiness with a safe and
speedy return home, we here offer over two hundred signatures."
Captain Koch received
the Testimonial with a feeling of pleasure. He felt that he had done
nothing more than his duty, and could not but feel flattered by the
Testimonial presented to him. At the same time he might be pardoned for
expressing a hope that all the passengers by his ship would make good
citizens in the land they had adopted for their home. The state of health
in which the ship had reached Rockhampton was due more to the exertions of
the Surgeon-Superintendent, Dr. Block, than to himself, and the kindness
of the doctor to the women and children was extreme, as he had frequent
opportunities of noting. The Captain then thanked Mr. Feez for his
kindness and dibanity, and hoped that before eight months had expired, he
would again be in Keppel Bay with his ship in the same satisfactory state.
The meeting then terminated."
After landing the
passengers, the ‘Eugenie' proceeds to Java via Cape Leuwin and
there loads for Hamburg.
The ‘Eugenie’
brings 300 tons of coal as ballast, which is intended for Java, to which
port the vessel will proceed as soon as possible, and load with a full
freight of sugar and coffee for Amsterdam. There is a small quantity of
ship’s stores, fittings, and tanks on board, with a few medical comforts,
which the agent intends to bring up to Rockhampton and dispose of by
Public Auction.
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