The _Samuel Plimsoll_ did well to the south’ard again, averaging 278 miles for 13 consecutive days, her best day’s work being 337 miles. The little _Salamis_ made her second appearance in Port Jackson. She arrived on the same day as her composite sister, _Thermopylae_. _Thermopylae_, however, had a terrible passage, the worst of her career, being actually 107 days from the Start. Held up by continual gales, she did not cross the equator until her 45th day out, 8th March, the day _Salamis_ passed the Cape Verde. She crossed the Cape meridian on 7th April, six days before _Salamis_, and passed the Otway on 5th May, only one day ahead of _Salamis_, so _Salamis_ had been closing steadily on her the whole passage. _Dharwar_ arrived with 414 emigrants, and had measles and fever on board so had to go into quarantine. The _Candida_ hailed from Liverpool, a 1200-ton iron clipper. She brought out 35 passengers and a general cargo from London. _Mermerus_ had now made 12 consecutive passages to Melbourne, averaging 78 days. Her best runs this passage were 311 and 314 miles. _Ben Cruachan_ and _Ben Voirlich_ made passages of 85 and 87 days respectively. _Ben Cruachan_ certainly must have been severely handicapped by a foul bottom, as I find this was the third voyage since she had been docked! The “Derwent.” The _Derwent_ was a very up-to-date ship, with numerous innovations. She was built to the specification of Captain Andrew, her first commander, and he overlooked her construction with an eagle eye. _Derwent_ was one of the first ships to cross steel topgallant yards, substitute rigging screws for deadeyes, to have a donkey with winch barrels, etc. [Illustration: “DERWENT,” off Gravesend.] [Illustration: “MOUNT STEWART.” _Photo by Captain Schutze, Sydney._] She sailed on her first voyage on Xmas Eve, 1884, her crew consisting of captain, 3 certificated officers, 8 midshipmen, 12 apprentices, bosun, sailmaker, carpenter, donkeyman and 12 hands in the fo’cs’le. The start was not very propitious. She sailed from Glasgow, dragged her anchors off the Tail of the Bank, and then her crew refused duty. The weather was so bad that she sought shelter at Queenstown, 11 days out from Greenock. Here advantage was taken to prosecute her insubordinate crew, who received sentences of from one to three months’ imprisonment. The _Derwent_ was never considered a fast ship, but a good sea boat and excellent cargo carrier; nevertheless she made some very good runs, notably:— Sydney to Lizard 77 days. Sydney to Penzance 74 „ In 1904 Devitt & Moore sold her to the Norwegians, and she was still afloat when the war broke out, being owned in Larvik.