Day 252. Flying fish and salt horse: a seafaring tale
8th April 1860:
Sunday 8th. The Vixen cruising about, took an Englishman Belonging to the Wressel Castle of the Guard Ship’s Buoy. Arrived the Wagousta of Liverpool, the Golden Eagle, Boston, the Lady Blaney of Liverpool and the …
The Vixen was a 6 gun paddle steamer of the Royal Navy, already quite old as she was built in 1848, and would be sold 2 years later. Sounds like she was enjoying herself ‘cruising about’ with nothing much to do.
The Golden Eagle, a clipper from Boston, features in a journal kept by a passenger on board during her maiden voyage from Boston to Rio de Janeiro in 1852-1853, but was wrecked on a voyage to Buenos Aires in 1864.