Kirkcudbright's Prince of Denmark : and her voyages in the South Seas

This is the story of the unusually long and interesting career of a small Scottish schooner spent primarily in the southern hemisphere. From the construction of the vessel to the careers of those who sailed in her, the story is full of rogues, heroes, the famous and infamous, as well as ordinary people calmly going about their daily business in tempestuous and difficult times. Visionary colonists, whalers, sealers, Maoris, botanists, butchers, missionaries, cannibals, convicts, aristocrats, explorers and more are linked in this narrative and thereby exemplify the courage, skill and vision of people who experience hardship, danger and adversity in their quest for riches in colonial lands. "This is the story of the unusually long and interesting career of a small Scottish schooner spent primarily in the southern hemisphere. From the quest to trace her history and construction to the careers of those who owned and sailed in her during her 74-year life, the story is full of vividly-portrayed rogues and heroes - the famous and infamous - as well as ordinary people calmly going about their daily business in tempestuous and difficult times, when grave risks were stoically and courageously accepted as a matter of course. Visionary colonists, whalers, sealers, Maoris, botanists, missionaries, cannibals, convicts, aristocrats, explorers and seamen of many nationalities are linked in this narrative and biographical sketches of key figures are brought to life with detailed information transcribed from logs, crew and passenger lists. As well as a dramatic rescue by the ship's captain and crew, the schooner's log covers numerous voyages including whaling to New Zealand and trade with Samoa. Built in Kirkcudbright, Scotland in 1789 she was wrecked in the Chesterfield Islands, Pacific Ocean in 1863. Her incredible rebirth only four months later as the schooner, Hamlet's Ghost is verified by painstaking and meticulous research into records and logs of the vessels concerned. The voyages of the Prince of Denmark and of Hamlet's Ghost exemplify the courage, skill and vision of men and women who experienced hardship, danger and adversity in their quest for riches in colonial lands."--Publisher's description Machine Generated Contents Note: 1.an Old Caledonian Beginning -- 2.following In The Wake -- 3.a Colonial Venture -- 4.merchants, Mystery, Missionaries And Maoris -- 5.a Curious And Rich Old Fellow -- 6.the Ship's Logs -- 7.the Whale Trade -- 8.below Decks -- 9.the Isles Of The Navigators -- 10.kelly's Boom Years -- 11.the End Of Shore Whaling -- 12.a Troubled Voyage -- 13.planks, Palings And Petty Crime -- 14.a Chinese Banquet -- 15.from Sea Slugs To Sperm Whales -- 16.a New Caledonian Ending -- 17.a Ghostly Rising. Content: An Old Caledonian Beginning Following in the WakeA Colonial Venture Merchants, Mystery, Missionaries and MaorisA Curious and Rich Old FellowThe Ship's LogsThe Whale Trade Below DecksThe Isles of the NavigatorsKelly's Boom YearsThe End of Shore WhalingA Troubled VoyagePlanks, Palings and Petty CrimeA Chinese BanquetFrom Sea-slugs to Sperm WhalesA New Caledonian EndingA Ghostly RisingEpilogueSourcesGlossaryAppendicesIndex A fascinating insight into the early colonial trade with Australia and New Zealand. Features the early 19th century whale trade and the vessel’s involvement. Numerous reports and newspaper extracts bring the 19th century to life.