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BATHURST Survey brig Purchased at Port Jackson in July 1821.
Broken up in 1858.

  • 1821 Lieut. Phillip Parker KING.
    After the survey schooner MERMAID was condemned, a brig of 170 tons was purchased and, at the suggestion of Governor Macquarie, named BATHURST. This gave more comfort to the crew, carried more boats, including a long boat big enough to save the crew, and had a larger complement of 33 officers men and boys. A midshipman, Mr Perceval BASKERVILLE, was appointed to BATHURST and Mr Andrew MONTGOMERY replaced Mr HUNTER as surgeon. They were joined by a volunteer native named Bundell.
  • BATHURST sailed from Port Jackson on 27 May 1821 to circumnavigate Australia. Three days after later a girl of about 14 years old was found in the hold which had been locked since the 26th. She was so filthy after being seasick the whole time she she had been confined that the boatswain, whom she had concealed herself to follow, could scarcely recognise her. As it was inconvenient to return and the man agreed to share his rations she was allowed to remain. She soon repented of her imprudence.
    While they were anchoring at Caincross Island on 30 June Mr John ROE, a master's mate who had been in MERMAID, fell 50 feet from the masthead to the deck and fell 50 feet. The same evening the cable parted in a heavy squall but fortunately BATHURST drifted clear of the DICK and SAN ANTONIO merchant ships in company.
    The chain-cabled anchor was then dropped but this parted and to get off a lee shore Capt. KING was forced to slip the remainder of the chain more than 100 fathoms.
    On all his voyages in MERMAID and BATHURST, Capt. KING seemed fated to lose anchors.
    They passed through the Torres Straits on 1 July and on the 27th. they watered in the Prince Regent's River.
    On 7 August Mr MONTGOMERY was stabbed in the back by a native and by the 20th. a quarter of the people were ill with bilious of feverish attacks although the surgeon's wound had healed and Mr ROE was back on duty. Their dry provisions had suffered from rats and cockroaches.
    On 26 August Capt. KING set course for Mauritius and BATHURST was re-fitted at Port Louis. She returned to King George the Third's Sound on 23 December 1821 and remained there until 6 January.
    Between 14 to 29 January the whole of the west coast between Rottnest Island (off Perth) and North West Cape, with the exception of Shark's Bay, was examined.
    On 8 February Capt. KING intended to anchor in an area described by DAMPIER as having clear sand under 29 fathoms. Instead he found a coral bottom and BATHURST had a narrow escape when, in a flat calm, the tide swept her towards a ledge of rocks. Luckily the current took her past but they then found themselves being taken to a narrow strait separating two small islands with an isolated rock in the middle. The boats were unable to pull the head round and it seemed that the brig would be smashed against the rock broadside on at about eight or nine knots but at the last minute a small breeze enabled them to miss it by not more than six yards.
    BATHURST returned to Port Jackson on 25 April 1822 and sailed for England on 25 September. She arrived in Plymouth on 23 April 1823.
  • Capt. KING surveyed the southern coast of South America in ADVENTURE during 1827.
    John ROE joined TAMAR as a lieutenant in February 1824.
  • BATHURST was employed by the Coastal Blockade Service at Sheerness and, from 1832, by the Coast Guard.


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