King’s Island—A Death Trap for Ships.

King’s Island, lying 80 miles S.S.W. of Port Phillip Heads, has been the cause of many a fine ship’s end. Nearly 50 sailing ships, from first to last, have found a grave in the King’s Island surf. A Captain Davis, who for many years carried cattle between the island, Melbourne and Tasmania in the coasting steamer Yambacoona, made a list some ten years ago of 36 ships known to have perished on the rocky shores of King’s Island. This list, which was included with other interesting data regarding tides, currents and pilotage notes of King’s Island, was used by the Hydrographic Office, Washington, U.S.A., and contains the following names:—

Neva,shipwrecked1835
Cataraque,ship„1845
City of Melbourne,ship„1853 refloated
Waterwitch,barque„1854
Bruthen,schooner„ „
Elizabeth,ketch„1855
Whistler,schooner„ „
Maypole,schooner„1856
Katherine,schooner„1861
Brahmin,schooner„1862
Favor,schooner„1864
Arrow,schooner„1865
Dart,cutter„ „
Netherby,schooner„1866
Europa,brig„1868
Omagh,barque„ „
Helen Ann,ketch„ „
Loch Leven,ship„1871
Ocean Bridge,brig„ „
Martha Lovinia,schooner„ „
Arrow,barque„1873
Cape Pigeon,cutter„1874
British Admiral,ship„ „
Blencathra,barque„1875
Dart,ketch„1876
Flying Squirrel,schooner„ „
Abrona,barquentine„1877
Mary Ann,schooner„1878
Anna,barque„ „
Peerless,ketch„ „
Kalahone,barque„1879
Loch Lomond,schooner„1891
Garfield,schooner„1897
Landisfarne,ship„1904 refloated
Earl of Linlithgow,ketch„ „
Clytie,ketch„1906
Shannon,schooner„ „

“MERMERUS” alongside.

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“MILTIADES.”

Photo by Captain Schutze, Sydney

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On many parts of King’s Island’s rocky shore these wrecks have been piled one on top of the other, one reef of rocks alone tearing the life out of no less than six vessels. No doubt the list is far from being complete; there was no light on King’s Island in the earlier days, and this no doubt was the cause of many an unknown tragedy.