Name/Title
Title on Binding: Log Book Star of India, Volume 5, 13 July 1891 - 2 March 1892 Title on Official Log: A Log Book, No dateEntry/Object ID
A0245.1.06Scope and Content
One volume of the Euterpe vessel log prepared by Captain Thomas Bowling and Captain Roland Streeter (198 pages), includes handwritten entries on a daily basis. Entries begin on July 13, 1891 and end on March 20, 1892. This vessel log is a continuation of log A0244.1.05.
Log Entry Summary: On July 13, 1891, Euterpe is taken in tow by the tugboat Victor and leaves the East India Dock, London, England and moves down the Thames River to the Powder Grounds below Gravesend. The Board of Trade officials come aboard the Euterpe to inspect the vessel magazine and give permission to load explosives, which include powder, fuses and cartridges. The Euterpe is taken in tow by the tugboat Victor and leaves London, England bound for Wellington, New Zealand. July 14 through 16, 1891 the crew sights St. Catherine's, Portland and Start lighthouses as the Euterpe moves along the southern coast of England.
On September 4 and 8, 1891, Euterpe encounters heavy gales, hard squalls and high seas as the vessel approaches Cape of Good Hope, South Africa. At times, the waves wash over the deck. Throughout the voyage the crew is overhauling blocks and braces, scraping, stripping and painting various parts of the vessel, repairing rigging, scraping and oiling decks, cleaning and varnishing brightwork and performing general sailing duties.
On October 24, 1891 the crew sights Farewell lighthouse off the northern tip of the South Island of New Zealand. As the Euterpe approaches the west entrance to Cook's Strait the crew sights Stephens Island and Brother's Island lighthouse. On October 25, 1891 the crew sights Pencarrow lighthouse and Euterpe arrives in Wellington, New Zealand. The Euterpe moors at an anchorage near Somes Island outside Wellington Harbor, New Zealand.
On October 26, 1891 the Wellington Health Officer and Harbor Master arrive onboard the Euterpe and certify the captain and crew are free of contagious disease and the ship receives clearance to enter the port. The crew begins to unload the gunpowder and explosives. On October 27, 1891, Euterpe is taken in tow by the steam tugboat Mana and moors at the wharf in Wellington Harbor.
October 29 through November 27, 1891, Euterpe moors in Wellington Harbor. During November the crew unloads cargo at the wharf and onto the S.S. Kiwi and S.S. Queen and the crew loads ballast. Able-bodied seaman A. Smith is absent without leave and deserts the ship. On November 28, 1891, Euterpe is taken in tow and with the assistance of the steam tugboat Mana performs a running moor operation (letting go anchors and heaving in cable in turn until there is the same amount of chain out on both anchors).
November 28 through December 10, 1891, the crew cleans and paints the ship, trims the ballast, transfers dunuage between decks, cleans the vessel hold and unloads cargo onto the S.S. Kiwi. On December 11, 1891, Euterpe is taken in tow by the steam tug boat Mana and moves to a mooring at the railway wharf. December 12, 1891 through January 12, 1892, the crew loads wool, flax, hides, tallow and coal, trims the ballast and continues to clean, scrap and paint the ship in preparation for the upcoming sea voyage.
On January 13, 1892, the steam tugboat Mana comes alongside the Euterpe to begin the tow to sea but the captain must delay the operation because several members of the crew are absent without leave. On January 15, 1892 most of the crew returns and Euterpe is taken in tow by the steam tugboat Mana and leaves Wellington, New Zealand bound for London, England.
On January 24 and 25, 1892, Euterpe encounters severe gales, squalls and high seas about 1,200 miles east of Christchurch, New Zealand. The vessel tumbles about violently and large volumes of water wash onto the decks. The log entries end on March 20, 1892, the Euterpe is in the South Atlantic Ocean approximately 500 miles off the coast of Brazil, latitude 18.23 south and longitude 29.80 west. The vessel log fails to document when the Euterpe arrives in London, England.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
1891 - 1892
