She did not stay very long in the Adelaide trade, but from the early eighties was a favourite passenger ship to Melbourne, her commander being Captain Daniel R. Bolt, a very experienced passenger ship commander, who had previously had the Darling Downs, Royal Dane, and Holmsdale. Under him without any undue hurry, she was generally between 80 and 85 days going out, and in the nineties coming home.
Below will be found a typical abstract of her log when running the easting down, taken from her outward passage in 1884:—
August 31.—Lat. 38° 00′ S., long. 1° 52′ W. Dist. 242. Moderate steady S.W. wind, rain squalls. Two sail in company.
September 1.—Lat. 38° 57′ S., long. 2° 47′ E. Dist. 226. Strong, unsteady, squally S.W. to west wind, high sea, royals set.
September 2.—Lat. 39° 07′ S., long. 7° 42′ E. Dist. 230. Variable south wind, squally, heavy rollers from S.W.
September 3.—Lat. 39° 40′ S., long. 12° 49′ E. Dist. 241. Westerly wind, fresh and squally, under topgallant sails, heavy rollers.
September 4.—Lat. 40° 06′ S., long. 19° 05′ E. Dist. 288. Strong gale and high sea.
September 5.—Lat. 40° 24′ S., long. 24° 50′ E. Dist. 267. Moderate W. gale, high sea.
September 6.—Lat. 40° 49′ S., long. 30° 44′ E. Dist. 267. Gale moderating and falling to light S.S.E. wind.