When the ship hauled into the Salthouse Dock, the quays were crowded with people. Between her fore and main masts a huge strip of canvas was suspended with the following painted on it in huge black letters:—The Fastest Ship in the World.
On this passage she again beat the Australia by more than a week, many bets having been made in Melbourne as to which ship would arrive first. After such a voyage Marco Polo was at once considered to be the wonder of the age and people flocked from all parts of England to see her.
Her officers declared that she made 17 knots an hour for hours together; and Doctor North, the chief Government surgeon on board, who had been in the ship Statesman when she made her celebrated passage of 76 days from Plymouth to Australia, declared that the Marco Polo was by a long way the fastest vessel he had ever sailed in and vastly superior to the Statesman.
The Marco Polo brought home £100,000 in gold dust, and her officers related that on her arrival out she was surrounded by boats, the occupants of which threw small nuggets amongst her passengers. She also brought home a nugget of 340 ounces, purchased by the Government of Victoria as a present for the Queen.
“Marco Polo’s” Second Voyage to Australia.
After such a record voyage, I find the following notice advertising her second departure for Australia.
BLACK BALL LINE OF AUSTRALIAN PACKETS.
For passengers, parcels and specie, having bullion safes, will be despatched early in February for Melbourne.
THE CELEBRATED CLIPPER SHIP “MARCO POLO.”
1625 tons register; 2500 tons burthen; has proved herself the fastest ship in the world, having just made the voyage to Melbourne and back, including detention there, in 5 months and 21 days, beating every other vessel, steamers included.
As a passenger ship she stands unrivalled and her commander’s ability and kindness to his passengers are well known.
As she goes out in ballast and is expected to make a very rapid passage, she offers a most favourable opportunity to shippers of specie—