The best known, as well as the fastest, of all Walker’s barques was the beautiful little _Berean_. She was built by Pile, of Sunderland, on similar lines to the tea clippers _Maitland_ and _Undine_, and was launched in August, 1869. She was a 19-year A1 ship, and so fine was the shipwright’s workmanship that when she was 18 years old and due for remetalling, Mr. Spencer, Lloyd’s senior surveyor, who was superintending the work, asked Captain Wyrill when she was last caulked, to which he got the reply:—-“On the stocks before launching.” Mr. Spencer could hardly believe this surprising statement; he had the seams of the topsides put to the severest test, but was obliged to admit that they could not be improved, his opinion being shared by the master caulker. And the _Berean_ continued to the end of her career without being recaulked; even after years of carrying heavy ice cargoes when owned by Norwegians, it was not deemed necessary to touch her seams. [Illustration: Captain JOHN WYRILL, of “Berean.”] [Illustration: “BEREAN.” _From a painting in possession of the late Captain John Wyrill._ ] Her registered measurements were:— Net tonnage 526 tons. Gross tonnage 542 „ Under deck 506 „ Length 160.5 feet. Breadth 30.2 „ Depth 17.2 „ She had a raised quarterdeck 43 feet long. This was laid with New Zealand Kauri pine planking, 4 inches wide, extending the full length without a butt, and what is more without a knot. All the deck fittings, houses, fiferails, skylights and topgallant bulwarks were of selected teak, the bulwarks being panelled with fretwork designs. The boats also were of polished teak; in fact, the only bit of painted wood about the decks was the longboat chocks. Even the bunk boards and lining of the foc’s’le were of teak. The _Berean_ carried skysails for many years, and the following are her spar measurements:—