The Heroine - We regret to state that the schooner Heroine, Captain Mackenzie, to whom the public have been so often indebted for his nautical surveys, and also for the gratuitous conveyance of Dr. Leichhardt and party from Port Essington, has been totally lost in Torres Straits.

The Heroine left Sydney on the 8th April for Port Essington. and Singapore, having on board as passengers - Mr. Percy Earl, Rev. A. Confalioniere, Mr. James Pagan, Miss Potts, Mr. Hogan, and Mr. M. Stubbs. The Enchantress, which arrived at Copang prior to the sailing of the Thomas Lord, reported that the Heroine had run on a sunken reef in Torres Straits during the night, and went down so suddenly that there was not sufficient time to lower the boats. Luckily the Enchantress was in company, and having missed the light from the other vessel, hove to until morning, when they rescued the survivors who had reached some of the sand banks. Eight persons met with a watery grave, Mr. Earl, Miss Potts, and two other passengers, supposed to be the Rev. A. Confalioniere and Mr. Hogan ; but of this there is no certainty, as Captain Seagrove did not receive a very authenticated report. Four of the crew were also drowned. and Captain Mackenzie, with the others of the passengers and crew, had a very narrow escape from sharing the same fate. The Enchantress conveyed the whole of the survivors to Singapore, from which port we may shortly expect to hear the full particulars of the unfortunate event. Mr. Earl intended to prosecute his researches as a naturalist on the northern coast of New South Wales, and Messrs. Confalioniere and Hogan intended to establish a Roman Catholic Mission to the natives in the neighbourhood of Port Essington. Captain Seagrove has brought a direct message from a French merchant at Copang, who has sent word to his friends that Mr. R. Stubbs was safe, and had gone on to Singapore in the Enchantress. SG 8 Aug 1846 ; p 226

The following extract from the Java Courant contains a more detailed account of the unfortunate wreck of the Heroine than has yet been published in Sydney :-

On the 4th of last April I was the melancholy witness of a shocking shipwreck which occurred while passing through Torres Straits in my vessel, the Enchantress, in company with the barque Sapphire, Captain Miller, and the schooner Heroine, Captain Mackenzie, both of which vessels sailed with me from Sydney on the 9th of April, we agreed to sail through the inner passage. We made Breaksea Spit on the 21st, with light easterly wind and fine weather, and made a good run up to the 24th, close to the Gloucester Islands. At about one o'clock A.M., the Heroine struck on a low coral reef, which was covered at high water. At the moment I was not more than two cables length distant from her. I gave immediate orders to put the helm down, and we steered to the northward, which manoeuvre was followed by the Sapphire. About ten minutes afterwards I saw a twinkling light run up from the unfortunate vessel, and then she instantly disappeared. I then hailed the Sapphire, and communicated to Captain Miller the course of the Heroine when I last saw her ; we both agreed to follow her in that course, but we could see nothing of her. Under these circumstances we lay to until daylight, during which time we had drifted considerably to leeward in consequence of a strong current from the north-east. I was at this time very near the end of another reef of rocks. I immediately hoisted a light to warn the barque of the danger, but it was too late, for that vessel had already struck on a reef. A few minutes later when day broke I discovered the situation of the Sapphire, and could also see from my masthead the mainmast of the Heroine, which was visible about three feet above water. I then discovered on the other side a small boat, which the Heroine had taken in tow at Sydney, and which was destined for Port Essington, full of people, beating among the rocks, with a white cloth hoisted as a signal of distress. I instantly lowered a boat with two men and four oars, which I sent to their assistance ; however, finding that they could not come to us. I put my vessel about and steered towards them. At about eight o'clock a m. we had these unfortunate people on board, consisting of two Europeans (Mr. Stubbs and Mr. Confeloniarie, a Roman Catholic Priest), six Malay women, five inhabitants of Port Essington, North Australia, and thirteen Malays ; in all twenty-six persons, who had saved themselves in a boat besides three dogs, one goat, and ten sheep.

Unfortunately eight persons were drowned, viz. :- two Roman Catholic Priests, Mr. and Mrs. Earl, a little European girl, one Chinese, and two Malays. During the time that we were busy with the boat, Captain Mackenzie was taken on board the Sapphire. He had swum towards the barque, and reached her in a very exhausted state, having been six hours in the water. For more than an hour he had clasped his little daughter in his arms, keeping her above water by the assistance of a small piece of wood; finding however at last that the child was dead he was obliged to I resign it to the waves. Captain Mackenzie was, during the time the barque Sapphire was on the reef, picked up and brought on board by that vessel's boat. He had been observed from the barque, and when picked up a large shark was near him. On the 3rd May we took on board from one of the islands of Sir Edward Bone's group, Mr. Kay, mate of the Heroine, and 12 Malays, who had been left there to fish for bêche-de-mer so that in all we had the happiness of saving 40 persons. On the 13th, I ran into Port Essington ; on the 1st June made Timor Koepang and on the 12th Balie, in which last place we left Captain Mackenzie and Mr. Stubbs.

The unlucky Heroine was well supplied with boats, having three, all in excellent repair ; but the shock was so sudden and so unexpected that there was no time for getting them afloat. According to the declarations of the persons who are saved, the vessel sank six or seven minutes after she struck. These unfortunates were unable to save a single article, they could merely take with them what they happened to have on their backs. If they had not happened to have had the above mentioned boat in tow, then, in all probability, every soul on board would have perished. (Signed Richard Essenhigh, Commander of the schooner Enchantress. Batavia, 16th June, 1846.

Source: The Shipping Gazette & Sydney General Trade List, 1846 Page 322.

The schooner Munford, hence 25th May, arrived at Mauritius, on the 20th July. Captain Thompson called at Booby Island, and obtained there the following information, which was found deposited at the place destined for the accounts of such accidents : " Booby Island, 8th April 1846. The schooner Enchantress left Port Jackson in company with the schooner Heroine and barque Sapphire ; south-south-east. Passed Booby Island May 6th, 1846 ; the Sapphire had on board all the crew and Captain of Heroine, with the exception of eight, who were drowned on the Cumberland Reefs, the island, bearing south by west. She sunk immediately. Passengers drowned: Mr. and Mrs. Earl, Mr. Hogan, Mr. Pagon, Miss E. M'Kenzie, and three of the crew, Malaymen. All the rest were saved by a longboat of the Enchantress, with the exception of Captain M'Kenzie, who was six hours swimming, and was picked up by the Sapphire, The Enchantress left some stores on Booby Island. Lloyds and Stratheden passed 3rd June, will touch at Copang for water ; Lloyds lost one horse, and Stratheden two." SG 17 Oct 1846

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