OTAGO EMERGES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26625, 22 November 1947, Page 6

OTAGO EMERGES

To New Zealand ! A 100 years ago this week the two emigrant ships left Home with the pioneers for the Scotch colony of Otago, their departure commended to Divine care in churches throughout the country. The sailing of the John Wickliffe from Gravesend on November 24, 1847, with Captain Cargill and his 96 fellow-passengers on board, was followed quickly” by mishap, almost disaster. Heavy weather raged round the British coast, and for three weeks the ship was buffeted about the English Channel. She commenced to leak, and constant pumping was necessary. On December 8, with , opened seams and cabin afloat, she dropped anchor again in Portsmouth. Repaired, she left on December 16 in boisterous weather, and escaped by only a few yards collision with a large homeward-bound barque. One wonders whether the voyagers remembered the statement in earlier publicity that the sailing would be timed to secure a summer voyage v in southern latitudes! At Greenock a much larger crowd of passeng-rs was embarking on the Philip Laing. They were noticeably young—there were only a few over 40 years of age, and many were under 30, with about half as many children as adults. On Saturday, November 20, 1847, on board the Philip Laing as she lay at harbour, gathered the 250 passengers*, and some notable visitors, among them the Rev. Dr McFarlane, Mr Gilbert Burns (younger brother of Thomas), Mr John McGlashan, secretary, and Dr Aldcorn. Prayers were offered for a successful voyage and a safe arrival, scripture was read, and Dr McFarlane addressed the emigrants on the duties that would devolve on them to secure their own happiness and the success of the settlement; then Mr McGlashan explained the provisions made for the comfort of the passengers, and a paraphrase was sung:— " O God of Bethel; by Whose hand Thy people still are fed \ . God of our fathers, be the God Of their succeeding race.” The following Saturday the Philip Laing left the Tail of the Bank about 2 o’clock in the afternoon. The r; great .enterprise had ttegun.—G. D.