The wind fell light as the ship approached Sunda Straits, and as Wild Deer crawled towards Anjer the other two ships were sighted ahead, almost becalmed.
Wild Deer managed to avoid the calm patch by going to the norrard of Thwarttheway Island and Krakatoa, and thus stole a march on her rivals; however, they finally came out of the Straits, neck and neck. Just before dark the S.E. trade came away. Wild Deer was still leading, but the Douglas Castle was so close astern that each crew could hear the other singing out as they trimmed sail for the run across the trades.
The next morning found Wild Deer still in the lead with the other two ships one on each quarter, and the following day the three ships separated until they were off the Cape. Then, on a day of baffling and squally winds the Wild Deer and Douglas Castle passed each other on opposite tacks, the Douglas signalling that she had spoken the Denny that morning.
The Wild Deer found a head wind in the mouth of the Channel, but eventually after two days’ beating a fine slashing breeze came out of the south-west. At Dungeness the pilot had no news of the other two ships; but just as the Wild Deer was making fast to her buoy at Gravesend the Douglas Castle came up, and, as she passed, hailed to say that the Peter Denny was close astern.
Unfortunately for Wild Deer she remained under the command of Captain Smith for several more voyages, during which she was not allowed to show her paces and usually arrived home in such a condition that Captain Sellers, the ship’s-husband (a good old name for the present day shore superintendent) used to declare that she was a disgrace to the Albion fleet.
However, on Captain Smith’s death Captain Cowan had her for two voyages, carrying emigrants to New Zealand; on Cowan leaving her to take the Wellington from the stocks, Captain Kilgour, who had been mate in her, was given command, and in 1881-2 she came home from Otago in 82 days, arriving on 30th January.
Then Captain Kerr had her; this man had been carpenter of the Peter Denny years before, and mate of the Christian McCausland, one of Henderson’s first iron ships. He was a very steady man, but no sailor.
On 12th January, 1883, when outward bound with emigrants, he piled the poor old Wild Deer up on North Rock, Cloghy, County Down, and she became a total loss.