[?]Old Letters Found

Last Cruise Of

T He “Wanderer”

[?]N A Copy Of John

[?]Ebster's Book

• “PIM” in May, 1957, published n article by A. J. Sheat telling oj enjamin Boyd’s ill-fated expedi on to Guadalcanal in 1851, when 3 was killed by the natives.

Boyd’s ship, the “Wanderer”, f terwards headed south and was recked at Port Macquarie, on the SW coast.

“PIM” has now received the fol wing letter from Mr. N. K. Wallis, Sydney, supplying additional fo rmation of historical interest:

/Tr. Norman Warren

i WATERHOUSE unearthed in the ‘thirties two copies of that ry rare volume of John Webster: \st Cruise of the Wanderer RYS. one of them were three original :ters written by Webster (who is Master of the Wanderer ), tiwell (Sailing Master), and awford (Mate).

Webster’s letter, to a friend, des bed the attack by the natives on e Wanderer, the hand-to-hand ht on board during which Web ir himself shot two of the at 3kers; and the subsequent bom rdment and firing of the villages.

Dttiwell’s letter describes to the mts (Cohen & Co.) the wreck of 3 Wanderer at Port Macquarie d discusses the possibility of vage.

Crawford’s letter, written a little er, to Ottiwell, then in Sydney, counts any further chance of vage and requests advice as to ‘ disposal of the few items saved m the wreck. )ne of these was Wanderer’s bell. ’ many years it was in the posses n of the late Henry Perdriau. his death, Mr. Edgar Perdriau isented the bell to the Royal iney Yacht Squadron where it igs today, in the vestibule, have in my possession, part of edar table saved from Wanderer sented to me by the late Mr. bby” Mann.

Scaled the Tower is well known, Boyd’s light ise, at Twofold Bay, never wed a light—that is until 1935, ie 80 years after its erection. On t occasion the crew of my ooner Wanderer (named after 7 ds) and myself scaled the er, hoisted up a drum of par n mixed with saltpetre, iodine

copper-sulphate and magnesium.

The resultant multi-coloured flare was designed to draw attention to the rapidly disintegrating ruins of historic Boydtown which, at that time, interested citizens were attempting to move the Government to take over.

However, this move had an unexpected sequel. I was arrested for showing “an unauthorised light”, the fate with which Boyd had been threatened, 80 years earlier!

In USI I was at Honiara when HMAS Culgoa called, “showing the flag . At my suggestion the then Resident Commissioner arranged, with the Captain’s co-operation, for

Culgoa to call at Wanderer’s Bay (where Boyd was killed) and to hold a small ceremony marking the centenary of Boyd’s death. I ad dressed the ship’s company and local residents on the main features of Boyd’s life and the tragic en counter at Wanderer’s Bay, as re counted by John Webster, The three letters referred to above I have presented to the Mit chell Library. One volume of The Last Voyage I am sending to the Royal Yacht Squadron at Cowes.

Boyd was a member of the RYS; Wanderer was registered with the Squadron and consequently wore the White Ensign.