David McIvor - Extracts from "The Chronicle", Maryborough copied in Maryborough 6/12/1968.

Thursday, July 9^th, 1863

"On Tuesday morning we received intelligence, kindly forwarded to us by Captain Jeffreys, of the arrival of the emigrant ship "David McIvor" in the bay, with upwards of 500 souls on board – crew and passengers – all well. Several births had occurred during the voyage and only one death, that of an infant. The Harbour Master, Health Officer and Agent for the vessel, soon after receiving the news, left for the bay. A large quantity of fresh meat and vegetables has been forwarded for the use of the passengers. No further information had reached the town up to the time of publication.

Before our next issue the immigrants, we expect, will be landed, and we hope many of them employed. We have therefore today anticipated their arrival, by offering in our leading columns a few considerations and suggestions which may prove of service to them."

Chronicle supplement, Monday July 13^th 1863

"Arrival of "David McIvor" with 415 Immigrants"

We announced in our last issue that a message had been forwarded to Maryborough that the "David McIvor" had entered Hervey bay. The vessel first anchored in the Bay on Friday, 3^rd instant, and was boarded by the pilot on the following Wednesday. On Thursday morning last the "Queensland" steamer took her in tow to the usual anchorage at the White Cliff, and then received all of her passengers and their luggage, with which she arrived safely at Maryborough shortly after dark. Notwithstanding some slight confusion occasioned by the darkness, all were disembarked without incident and immediately lodged in the new immigration depot. The ship has had an unusually prosperous voyage; only one death had occurred (an infant), while the captain has landed nine young immigrants not on the ship’s list at starting. The immigrants all appear in excellent health and spirits – very hopeful of the future. The hiring has, up to the present time, been chiefly in the town, but few country orders having arrived. If the country is as brisk in its demand for labour as the town has been, in a week or two, the whole will be absorbed. The rate of wages does not appear to have been at all affected by this large supply of labour, but we would caution new arrivals against expecting top prices. Neither in agricultural or pastoral life will they be worth, for months to come, the wages of experienced hands. We believe but few are troubled with extravagant notions; the mass are thankful they are here and are willing to fall to work the first chance that offers. We shall publish a fuller report of the voyage in our Thursday issue."

Chronicle supplement, Monday July 13^th 1863.

Arrivals: July 3^rd, "David McIvor" Black Ball Line,

869 tons, Captain Manley, from Liverpool with

415 immigrants.

Thursday July 16^th, 1863. (Page 2.)

Arrival of the "David McIvor" with 414 immigrants"

"The ship "David McIvor", 869 tons, Samuel Manley, master left Liverpool on the 19^th March 1863 in tow of tug steamer. The captain reports "Had strong head winds down the channel; the third day the tug left, wind blowing so strong could not come alongside; proceeded on her voyage favorably to the line, where she encountered a few days’ variable winds’ crossed the line on the 30^th April and experienced a general run of fine weather to the coast of Australia; first sighted land at Port Stephens, New South Wales on 28^th June; had light winds along the coast; sighted Moreton bay light-house on Monday, the 2^nd July, at noon, bearing W. by S. 18 miles; on the 5^th July at noon, the land still in sight at Indian Head, running to the northward with a fair wind; at 4pm hauled in towards Hervey’s Bay to round Breaksea Spit on the entrance of the Bay; shortly after, struck slightly on a sand bank, but was immediately off without damage to the ship; at 6PM was round the Spit in Hervey’s bay, making southward; at 11PM anchored in 19 fathoms water, sandy bottom; July 6^th, at daybreak, got under way to beat to the head of the Bay – at noon calm; towards sundown a fair wind springing up, ran for the head of the Bay, sounding all the time; ran with a light breeze until midnight, when came to anchor in 4 fathoms water; finding no communication from lad with boats’ crew, pulled for the shore and landed on a sandy point; got two of the natives into the boat, and was directed by them to Captain Jeffrey’s Admiralty Survey Camp, where communication was forwarded by a native to Maryborough; put back to ship and reached next morning (Tuesday) at 10AM after being in the boat all night; Wednesday received a pilot about 8AM, and immediately got under way and anchored at sundown about five miles from Fairway Buoy in the channel; the next morning (Thursday) again under way; about 11AM the steamer "Queensland" reached us and towed us to the usual anchorage at the White Cliff; immediately began to embark the passengers and luggage in the "Queensland"; left the ship at 4PM and arrived at Maryborough at 7PM. The voyage from Liverpool to the first anchorage in Hervey’s Bay occupied 107 days.

The voyage of the "David McIvor" has been an unusually prosperous one. The only death on board was that of an infant, who was sickly at the time of starting. There were nine births. The health of the passengers was largely due to the excellent arrangements and energetic action of the surgeon superintendent. The same complaint may be lodged against fitting up between decks as made against the "Beejapore"; the partition dividing the single women’s portion was too slender to be any obstacle to the evil-disposed, and it says something for the character of the immigrants, as well as fir the vigilance of the medical officer, that order and morality have been preserved. As this is the first voyage of that gentleman in this capacity, it must be no small satisfaction to have been so thoroughly successful. We reported in our last issue that it was the intention of Captain Curphey, if practicable, to bring off the immigrants by the "Queensland" before proceeding to Rockhampton. This he was able to do, and on Thursday shortly after dark, the repeated firing of the Queensland’s" ‘big guns’ apprised the inhabitants of her approach. All Maryborough immediately flocked to the wharf to give a hearty welcome to the new arrivals. The disembarkation, as was natural from the darkness of the night, was accompanied with no little confusion and excitement; but chiefly owing to the indefatigable exertions of the Harbour Master, the Police Magistrate, and the agent of the ship, Mr. R. Travis, was effected without accident, and in a few hours the immigrants and their luggage were all safely stowed in the new depot. The new arrivals all appeared in excellent spirits, thankful after so long a journey to be so well greeted and comfortably lodged. The immigrants consist chiefly of Lancashire operatives, whose passages have been paid, and who have been selected by Mr. Jordan. There are also a few assisted immigrants, and some who came out under the new regulation, paying 8 pounds for their passages, and forfeiting their claim to the land orders. We believe there are a few passengers entitled to land orders, but not any likely to take up land for cultivation. There are one or two carpenters and bricklayers, and a few farm labourers. We should like to have seen a larger number of these classes. We want capitalists, agriculturalists, and unskilled mechanics, as well as labourers. If the due proportion of these are not observed in building up the social fabric, the result will be confusion and mischief. However, they are supposed to possess some measure of intellect and pluck as well as muscle, and it will be their own fault if in Queensland their brains and energy do not find their hands something profitable to do. The "David McIvor" had 414 passengers, not 415 as reported in our supplement; the infant that died having be reckoned in that number. They are classified thus:- Married – males, 59; females, 60; single males, 116; females, 57; under the age of 14 – males, 41; females, 50; infant males, 15; females, 16. Total 414.