The story behind Richard Phegan's ship the Minnie Lowe is full of intrigue - mutiny, murder and the native labor trade.
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The Minnie Lowe was the third vessel built by Richard Phegan at Cape Hawke.
The two masted ketch was christened Minnie Lowe by his wife Emma on December 1, 1876.
The 120-tonne vessel was built of hardwood with blue gum decking and kauri pine decks.
She was equipped to take passengers and at launch was described as "admirably adapted for the South Sea Island trade."
She was registered in Sydney in 1877 and shortly afterwards was sold to John Temperley from the Manning River.
For 14 months she traded regularly along the NSW coast until she was sold to John Short of Sydney in April 1878.
Short advertised her for cargo transport and charter, and within a few months, she was signed up for her first voyage - to New Guinea.
THE FIRST VOYAGE TO NEW GUINEA
In the late 1870s, gold was on everyone's mind, and following the end of the rush to the goldfields at the Palmer River, prospectors were looking for opportunities further afield.
Red cedar was the 'gold' of the forest and New Guinea was considered to be the next territory to be exploited for its riches.
The charter of the Minnie Lowe by gold and timber prospectors from Cooktown was a great opportunity for John Short.
As reports have been, and are still circulated that I shared the same fate as the others of our party, who were murdered by the natives of the South East Coast of New Guinea, I beg to state I have returned from New Guinea.
- James Arthur
Only a month after her departure from Sydney to Port Moresby, two of the passengers were attacked by the captain.
After the Minnie Lowe left Port Moresby, the passengers worked in conjunction with the mate, Frederick Sheriff, and conspired to take over the ship.
As the captain was drunk, he was easily captured; he was tied up and Sheriff took command.
After dropping the prospectors at Stacey Island, the vessel returned directly to Sydney.
The matter of the mutiny was considered on January 7, 1879 at the Water Police Court.
After a short deliberation, the magistrate pronounced the prisoners guilty of mutiny, but the circumstances were such that he ordered the prisoners to be detained until the rising of the court.
This being the last case of the day they were immediately set at liberty.
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One might think that the mutiny was the end of this story but there is more.
The three prospectors left on Stacey Island had arranged for the London Missionary Society ship, the ss Ellengowan, to tow their barge west to Cloudy Bay.
The captain of the Ellengowan warned them of recent attempted murders at Cloudy Bay but they continued regardless.
It was later reported that all were killed by the treacherous natives.
But, miraculously, later that year, this ad was placed in the Sydney Morning Herald in May 1879:
"PUBLIC NOTICE: As reports have been, and are still circulated that I shared the same fate as the others of our party, who were murdered by the natives of the South East Coast of New Guinea, I beg to state I have returned from New Guinea." JAMES ARTHUR, Elizabeth-street (late of the Minnie Lowe party).
AN EXTENDED VOYAGE TO NEW GUINEA
Short had seen other opportunities in the Pacific and obtained a licence for the Minnie Lowe to participate in the Pacific Island Labor Trade for the 12-month period from February 1, 1879 to January 31, 1880.
The number of labourers licensed to be carried was 30.
The Minnie Lowe regularly operated in the Solomon Islands, New Britain, New Ireland, and the Line Islands.
She departed Sydney for the South Pacific Islands on January 24, 1879 under the command of Captain McDougall.
It would appear that she was actively involved in the Island Labor Trade but none of the accounts of the journeys undertaken mention the nature of the cargo.
She returned to Sydney briefly in April and finally returned to Sydney at the end of August 1879.
DEMISE OF THE MINNIE LOWE
The Minnie Lowe continued to trade for 12 months along the NSW North Coast until late 1880 when, on September 23, she departed on a routine voyage to the Bellinger River.
A few days later a huge gale hit the North Coast.
Nothing was heard of the three schooners, Minnie Lowe, Naomi and Lucy Ravel and all were presumed to have foundered in the gale.
The six crew of the Minnie Lowe were presumed drowned.
For more shipping history from the Manning and Great Lakes, click here.
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