Name/Title
Title on Binding: Log Book Star of India, Volume 4, 22 May 1890 - 17 May 1892 Title on Official Log: Log Book of the Ship Euterpe, dated May 21, 1890Entry/Object ID
A0245.1.05Scope and Content
One volume of the Euterpe vessel log prepared by Captain Thomas Bowling (380 pages), includes handwritten entries on a daily basis. Entries begin on May 22, 1890 and end on May 17, 1892. The log includes a list of the officers and crew onboard the Euterpe and identifies them by rank and occupation. In addition, the log includes a number of useful maritime references including lists of signal stations, semaphore locations and life boat stations; Board of Trade Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea: Rules Concerning Lights, Rules Concerning Signals and Steering and Sailing Rules; Diagrams to Illustrate the Use of the Lights Carried by Vessels at Sea; Instructions for the Guidance of Masters and Seaman when using the Mortar and Rocket Lines for Saving Life from Shipwreck; article by Joseph H. Hodgson: To Rescue Drowning Persons (Journal of the Life-Boat Institute); Treatment of the Apparent Drowned (Royal National Life-Boat Institute, London, May 1878); On the Management of Open Rowing-Boats in a Surf (compiled from information obtained by the Royal National Life-Boat Institute) and an advertisement for Captain Ward's Cork Life Belt for Ship's Crews.
Log Entry Summary: On May 22, 1890, Euterpe is taken in tow by the tugboat Atlas to Brunshausen on the Elbe River. May 23 through 28, 1890 the crew is loading cargo and preparing the vessel for the upcoming sea voyage.
May 29, 1890, Euterpe is taken in tow by the tugboats Centaur and Maynet … [illegible] and attempts to leave Hamburg but is forced to anchor off Cuxshaven lighthouse due to severe weather. On June 4, 1890, Euterpe is taken in tow by the tugboat Centaur and leaves Hamburg, Germany with a crew of 27 including officers and seamen bound for Melbourne, Australia.
On June 9, 1890 the crew sights South Foreland lighthouse as the Euterpe moves south through the English Channel. On August 6 and 7, 1890, Euterpe encounters fierce squalls, hail and high seas approximately 1000 miles west of South Africa. On August 13, 1890, Euterpe is hit by fierce squalls and heavy seas off the coast of South Africa, a large wave strikes and crushes an aft starboard lifeboat. On September 27, 1890, Euterpe encounters fierce squalls, rain and high seas with large quantities of water washing onto the deck and flooding deck houses about 1500 miles off the southwest coast of Australia in the Indian Ocean.
On September 11, 1890 the crew sights Cape Wickham and Cape Otway lighthouses as the Euterpe enters Bass Straits off the southern coast of Australian not far from Melbourne, Australia. September 12 through 15, 1890, Euterpe passes through the Melbourne Heads, enters Port Phillip Bay, proceeds to Hobson Bay and anchors off Williamstown, Australia. On September 16, 1890, Euterpe is taken in tow by the tugboats Rescue and Falcon up the Yarro River and docks in Melbourne.
September 17 through October 5, 1890 the crew and stevedores unload cargo. During this period several able-bodied seaman desert and one able-bodied seaman, Oscar Alander … [illegible] breaks a customs seal on the forward hatch and tampers with cargo. The local police arrest Oscar Alander, find him guilty and the seaman receives a three-month prison sentence for the offense.
October 6 through 28, 1890 the crew continues to unload cargo and loads wood, ballast, fresh water and supplies and prepares the vessel for the upcoming sea voyage.
On October 29, 1890, Euterpe is taken in tow by the tugboat Rescue and moves down the Yarro River to an anchorage off Williamstown, Australia. On October 30, 1890 the crew makes final preparations for the sea voyage. On October 31, 1890, Euterpe is taken in tow by the tugboat Rescue and proceeds through the harbor to an anchorage off Queenscliff, Australia.
On November 1, 1890, Euterpe leaves Port Phillip Bay in Melbourne, Australia bound for Napier, New Zealand. On November 8, 1890 the crew sights Farewell Spit near the northern end of the south island of New Zealand. On November 9 and 10, 1890 the crew sights numerous landmarks (Cape Palliser, Pencarrow Head and Brothers Island) as the Euterpe passes through the Cooks Straits between the North and South Islands of New Zealand in route to Napier, New Zealand. On November 11, 1890, Euterpe arrives in Napier, New Zealand and anchors at Ahuriri Bluff.
November 12 through November 21, 1890 the crew perform a number of projects aboard the vessel such as removing sails, splicing lines, repairing rigging, painting, discharging ballast and loading a cargo of wool. On November 22, 1890, Euterpe moves to an inner anchorage.
November 23 1890 through January 2, 1891 the crew is stacking dunuage, performing general duties onboard the vessel and helping the stevedores load and stow bales of wool from various vessels including S.S. Ahuriri, S.S. Le Napier, S.S. Result and the Lighters (barges) Why Not, Maid of the Mill and Fairy. Two able-bodied seamen William Mc Ivoy ... [illegible] and James Riley desert the Euterpe and 2nd Mate, W. Duncan falls and requires a visit to the hospital and stays ashore. Three able-bodied seamen join the crew and a new 2nd Mate, J. Brander arrive onboard the Euterpe.
On January 3, 1891, Euterpe leaves Napier, New Zealand and passes Cape Kidnappers in the early morning bound for London, England.
On February 2 and 3, 1891, Euterpe is hit by moderate to heavy squalls with winds reaching hurricane force as the vessel rounds Cape Horn off the coast of South America. On February 13, 1891, Euterpe encounters severe squalls and high seas approximately 2000 miles off the coast of Argentina.
Throughout the voyage the crew is cleaning the ship, chipping iron and painting woodwork, masts and yards, repairing sails, overhauling and tarring the rigging, securing ratlines to shrouds, scrubbing and polishing all brass and performing general sailing duties. On April 24, 1891, Captain Bowling orders Chief Officer H. Willis Jones to his cabin for refusing to obey his orders given through the second officer. The following day Chief Officer Jones is back on duty.
On April 30, 1891 the crew sights Start Point lighthouse near southern Devon, England in the late evening. On May 1, 1891 the crew sights St. Catherine's and Beachy Head lighthouses as the Euterpe is taken in tow by the tugboat Conquer of London near Dungeness off the coast of Kent, England. On May 2, 1891, Euterpe arrives at Gravesend for customs inspection and proceeds up the Thames Rivers to East India Dock, London, England.
At this point, there is a gap of several months in the vessel log from May 2, 1891 to March 21, 1892. The log entries resume on March 21, 1892 and the Euterpe is in the South Atlantic Ocean approximately 500 miles off the coast of South America near Salvador da Bahia, Brazil, latitude 16.50 south and longitude 29.44 west. The log fails to document when the Euterpe leaves London, England (according to vessel log A0245.1.06 the Euterpe leaves London, England on July 1, 1891 bound for Wellington, New Zealand).
As the log entries resume on March 21, 1892, Euterpe is in route from Wellington, New Zealand to London, England.
March 21 through May 2, 1892 the carpenter is repairing the deck and the crew is scraping and painting the yards, spars, rails, moldings, deck lockers, bulwarks and iron works, holy stoning and oiling the decks, cleaning and varnishing bright work, overhauling various blocks and performing general sailing duties. On May 3, 1892, Euterpe encounters severe gales and squalls and high seas approximately 750 miles off the coast of Vannes, France. The waves wash over the deck, smash down the engine room door, fill the galley and deck houses with water and flood the cargo hold.
On May 14, 1892 the crew sights Lizard lighthouse in Cornwall, England. On May 15 and 16, 1892 the crew sights Eddystone, St. Catherine's and Beachy Head lighthouses as the Euterpe sails along the southern coast of England.
On May 16, 1892, Euterpe is taken in tow by the tugboat Iona … [illegible]. On May 17, 1892, Euterpe arrives at Gravesend and moors at a buoy and then continues up the Thames River in tow by the tugboat Iona and arrives at the East India Dock, London, England.
The volume has several blank, unused pages at the end of the document.Collection
Euterpe - Star of India Logbook CollectionLexicon
Nomenclature 4.0
Nomenclature Secondary Object Term
Log, Ship'sNomenclature Primary Object Term
LogNomenclature Sub-Class
Other DocumentsNomenclature Class
Documentary ObjectsNomenclature Category
Category 08: Communication ObjectsArchive Details
Date(s) of Creation
1890 - 1892
