ARRIVAL OF THE HALCIONE
The Hawkes Bay Herald July 7th 1874

The ship Halcione, under command of the chief officer - her captain having suddenly died on the voyage - arrived in port at a late hour on Saturday night, 105 days from London. She is the bearer of 337 immigrants. We have been obligingly furnished with the following report to her voyage:-       On the 20th March the Halcione left the East India Docks. When off Erith, while shipping the gangway ladder, it caught the water precipitating Mr Beck, the second officer, the carpenter, and one man overboard. Charles Cooper, AB, gallantly jumped overboard and swam with a buoy, to the rescue. Arthur Davies, one of the men overboard, was never seen again. The carpenter was picked up. March 24 - left Gravesend at 3pm, and brought up off the Nor, and remained there until the following morning. 25th - she proceeded into the Downs, and landed the pilot. Had light S E and W winds down the Channel. From the Lizards the ship experienced heavy N W and W winds, with very heavy sea, until in latitude 44deg 16 min, and longitude 10.25 W, on Easter Sunday, at 11pm, the wind increased to a fierce gale, with terrific squalls, the sea rising rapidly, and considerable damage was done to the sails. During the gale she shipped a tremendous sea, which swept everything from the deck, and large quantities of water went below. She was hove to until the gale abated, after which she experienced moderate N W winds, which took her into the E trades. On April 8, Thomas Tamden, one of the emigrants, died. 16th - Sighted Bonavista, one of the Cape de Verdes. 17th - Called at St Jago to try and get some fowls. 22nd - Lost the N E trades, and had variable winds and calms, with heavy rain, until the 24th, when S E trades were met. These continued until may 1, after which light S and S E winds were experienced, until the 7th, when the weather changed to heavy N and N E winds, with heavy sea. 20th - Passed the Cape, and experienced heavy winds and seas from the N W and N. 31st - Captain Wright was found, by the steward, dead in his bed. The doctor was on the spot immediately, and and (sic) pronounced life to be extinct. The cause of death was apoplexy. On June 1, the captain's body was committed to the deep. His death was much regretted by the passengers and crew. The vessel experienced heavy N E winds from the Corozets (sic), until in the latitude of Tasmania, after which she had light winds and gloomy weather. 22nd - Passed the Snares, with light S E winds and heavy swells up the coast. On Saturday, July 4, at daylight, sighted the Kidnappers and Portland Island. At 11pm was taken in tow by the Rangatira, and brought to the anchorage.

The general health of the passengers has been good throughout the whole voyage. The number of deaths was three, and births two; making the number of souls arriving here the same as when they left London, with the exception of the captain, whose sudden and lamented death lessens the number by one.

ROBERT MILL AGED 7

Robert Mill is the son of John Mill from a previous marriage. For some reason he has been missed off the original passenger list for the Halcione found at Archives New Zealand, Wellington. Records from the Hawkes Bay Herald for June 24th 1874 (Mill family with 6 children), the Napier Museum Library and the Napier Barrack Masters Book confirm that Robert was a passenger on this sailing. The Mill, including John Bush, family is listed in the Barrack Masters Book July 1874 as:

# 1220  Mill John
                       Jane
                       Robert
                       William
# 1442  Mill Elizabeth
# 1443  Mill Roseanna
# 1444  Mill Edna
# 1381  Bush John

NB Elizabeth, Roseanna & Edna were moved to Single Women and John Bush to Single Men.