In 1891 _Loch Torridon_ at last returned to the Australian trade, arriving in Sydney from Glasgow 94 days out. Then after lying in Sydney for five months, she loaded her first wool cargo. Amongst the magnificent fleet of 77 sailing ships, which were screwing wool into their holds for the London market, _Loch Torridon_ was considered an outsider, a dark horse with her name all to make; and she thus had to wait for the last sales, and did not get away until the 27th March, 1892. Nevertheless the _Loch Torridon_ made the best passage of the season and had the honour of beating all the cracks. The following is Captain Pattman’s account of his passage:— My passage home was the smartest of the wool season, 1891-2, either from Melbourne or Sydney, being 81 days to the Lizard and 83 to dock. After I left Sydney, I got down as far as Jervis Bay and there met an S.S.E. gale, which was in force for 36 hours. I went away for the north of New Zealand, which I passed on the 14th day out. I fell in with the _Liverpool_ there. I was in 150° W. on 29th April, before I got a wind without any easting in it. Nothing but N.E.E. and S.E. winds prevailed up to that time. On 14th May I rounded the Horn, 40 days out, I was nearly grey-headed at that time. On 21st May I fell in with the _Strathdon_. We were both dodging icebergs, the _Strathdon_ had been in amongst them since 18th May, but I only had 12 hours of it, which was quite enough. I left her astern in a short time. On 3rd June I was in 0° 27′ S. lat., 60 days from Sydney, 20 from the Horn. On 24th June I signalled at the Lizards, 21 days from the equator. I think it is a record passage from the Horn. I can hardly believe my good fortune, for I threw up the sponge when I got to the Horn, 40 days out, and made sure that the passage would run into three figures. _Loch Torridon_ passed everything we saw, in fact she never sailed better with me. I saw in the evening papers that the _Hesperus_ was reported in 14° N. on 1st June. I was in 0° 27′ S. on 3rd June. The _Hesperus_ docked yesterday. She was the only one I thought had a chance with me, and I am of opinion that if I had gone south of New Zealand I should have done much better. It would have been hard lines if I could not have rounded the Snares in 14 days and been in a better position for winds as well, but I am content. I have shown that an outsider, as they looked upon the _Loch Torridon_, can show the road to their regular traders. =Ice to the South’ard.= It will be noticed from Captain Pattman’s letter on his run home in 1892 that _Strathdon_ and _Loch Torridon_ encountered ice to the south’ard. And they were not the only ships to do so. In the years 1892 and 1893 a tremendous drift of field ice and huge bergs, many of them over 1000 feet in height, blocked the way of ships in the Southern Ocean, as the following reports will show:—