September 17.—Lat. 41° 15′ S., long. 84° 19′ E. Dist. 326. Strong gale and high sea. 7.30 a.m., wind shifted from N.W. to W.S.W. Bar., 30.20°.
Sept. 18.—Lat. 40° 40′ S., long. 90° 00′ E. Dist. 259. Moderate gale W.S.W. to light W. wind, 8 knots. Bar., 30.10°.
September 19.—Lat. 41° 00′ S., long. 95° 01′ E. Dist. 228. Moderate to light W. wind, skysails set. Bar., 29.60°.
September 20.—Lat. 40° 30′ S., long. 100° 44′ E. Dist. 260. Moderate N.W. gale, thick weather, rain.
September 21.—Lat. 40° 04′ S., long. 106° 05′ E. Dist. 248. Moderate gale and high seas.
September 22.—Lat. 39° 28′ S., long. 111° 05′ E. Dist. 230. Moderate S. wind, squally with rain falling to light airs.
On this passage Harbinger was 81 days from the Lizard to Port Phillip Heads; she had very light winds to the line, which she only crossed 31 days from the Lizard. It was, perhaps, a pity that she was not fitted with stunsails and given a chance to go, as there is no doubt that under such conditions she could have given the fastest ships in the trade a very good race.
In 1885 she took her departure from the Start with the little Berean, and beat that little marvel out to the Colonies by six days, being 79 days from the Start to the Quarantine Station, Port Phillip. Harbinger’s best run on this occasion was 310 miles.
In the year 1890 Harbinger was bought, along with the Hesperus, for Devitt & Moore’s cadet-training scheme. She carried a full complement of cadets until 1897, when her boys were turned over to the Macquarie and she was sold to the Russians for £4800, and she was still in the Register in 1905.