THE SHIP CALYPSO
Otago Witness November 13th 1875

This fine ship was signalled on the 8th inst. at the Heads Station, and soon after hove in sight under her jib and topsails. It was blowing fresh from S.W. at the time, and the tide being ebb the Geelong did not go down to her until later in the day, and as the wind still held at a fresh gale she had made no attempt to tow the ship inside up to the time our despatch left the Port. The Calypso has made the run from London to the Heads in 95 days. She has powder on board, and also a number of fine Lincoln sheep.

ARRIVAL OF THE SHIP CALYPSO
Otago Witness November 20th 1875

The detention of this fine ship at the Heads was brought to a termination on Thursday, the 10th, when the wind being fresh from the eastward, the tug towed her in. To be stuck three days at the Heads was not a pleasant termination to (in the case of a clipper like the Calypso) a protracted passage of 92 days. It is to be hoped, however that the last of such unseemly delays will soon be heard of when the new tug that is soon expected arrives. The Calypso should have been brought on the first day. The first day. The mishap to her windlass on the next was an unfortunate contretemps that further delayed her; but the windlass was only damaged not disabled, and as soon as the working chain had been shifted from the port to the starboard hause pipe the anchor might have been got easily enough. However, it was thought advisable to wait for a good slant before the attempt to tow her in was made, and hence the ship was kept out until that day. That the windlass works well enough was demonstrated on the above day, when, owing to the anchor having fouled one of the several anchors that have at different times been lost at the Heads anchorage, the attempt to break it out resulted in the chain parting at the 15 fathom shackle, and the anchor and so much chain were lost. We were pleased to welcome this bonny ship again. She is on her second voyage, and less fortunate in winds than on her first, has made rather a long passage. Indeed, the winds were poor from first to last. A long spell of light westerly weather marked the outset of the passage. The N.E. Trade was poor and scant, and the S.E. Trade very bad indeed, and after that easterly winds prevailed to the meridian, whilst the westerlies were nowhere, the wind hanging northerly, and frequently hauling N.E. This ill luck culminated, with persistent easterly winds, from the meridian of Tasmania until the Port was nearly reached. Captain Leslie continues to sail his good ship and has brought out Mrs Leslie and family. The Calypso had also numerous passages, 31 all told, and is loaded with a full general cargo, of which between 600 and 700 tons, including 150 tons of railway plant, is dead weight. her loading is on ships account, We thank Captain Leslie for the report. It states that Calypso left Gravesend on August 7th, anchored in the Downs for the night, and proceeded next day on her way down the Channel. It was tack and tack throughout, westerly winds prevailing, and hence she did not clear the land until the 12th; then taking a departure from the Start with the wind dead in her teeth, and light at that. It held with singular persistence in the eastward, veering and hauling between west and S.W. until the 18th, when she was in lat.44 long 11 W., just off Finisterre. The a change to the northward favoured her, and northerly and variable winds, light , helped her along in the right direction, until the N.E. Trade found her, on the 26th, lat. 29, long.24. The Trade blew am average wind across 19 degrees at latitude, and gave out in 10 North on September 3rd. Scarcely had it left her when she laid her yards on the port backstays to the Equatorial S.W. monsoon, and with that stretched away for the Lone; was spared the infliction of much doldrum weather, and on the 8th, she then being in 4 North was met by the S.E. Trade. The Equator was crossed on the 10th, in long. 26 W., and the Trade hanging much to the southward, she made but a poor course, and so barely weathered the Brazil coast but at the same time succeeded, by virtue of her high weatherly qualities, in clearing it without tacking. It was however, a close shave all the way in. When in lat.20 S., she lost the S.E. Trades on September 17th. Thence to the prime meridian, which was crossed on October 2nd, baffling easterly weather prevailed, the wind principally hanging between east and S.E. She was in 42 South when she crossed the meridian, and there picked up the passage winds fresh from N.W., and bowling along with every ting drawing, crossed the meridian of the Cape on the 5th Lat. 44. The winds inclined very much to the northward during her run across the Southern Ocean, veering and hauling between N.E. and N.W., seldom taking more westing than the latter point. they were fresh and squally, at times increased to strong gales, but were nothing more than the Calypso could comfortably manage, jogging along under reduced sail. She made her easting the 43rd and 45th parallels, crossed the meridian of the Leuwin on October 26th, and that of the south end of Tasmania on November 1st. Then the leading winds left her, and she was jammed upon a taut bowline with the wind at N.E. and more easterly at times during the ensuring days, and being thus set to the southward, had to tack to get a sight of Stewart's Island. She made land on the 6th inst., and the N.E. breeze still holding worked down the coast, and when off the Nuggets on Sunday night, got a slant from the southward that fetched her to the Heads next morning. On the whole, the passage was unincidental and marked by fine moderate weather . But she was once in some peril from ice. On October 7th, she then being in lat. 44 south long. 31 E., a fleet of bergs were sighted ahead, and thence until she crossed the 47th meridian of longitude the sea was more or less encumbered with ice. Hundreds of bergs were passed, some of them of large size. The fleet thus extended over 16 degrees of longitude, some 800 miles. The Calypso has been very fortunate with a number of Lincoln sheep entrusted to her keeping. 64 - 50 ewes and 14 rams - were shipped at London, and out of this number only one - a ram died. The others have arrived in first-class condition. They are consigned to Messrs Sutton Brothers, and are of the best breed going.