The Wrecking of the Fifeshire...
From White Wings Vol 2
The Fifeshire was an unlucky boat from the start. Heading for Nelson and during the voyage, fever broke out and seventeen passengers died, their bodies being buried at sea. Until the scourge began to abate the passengers were in a most melancholy state as they did not know where it was going to end.
When navigating Cook Straits the ship nearly came to grief. The pilot took her between Stephens Island and the mainland, and the wind failing at a critical moment, it looked as though she would go ashore, but Captain Arnold sent away a boat with a keddge which dropped in the nick of time, and the ship hauled off into safety.
After disembarking and discharging cargo the ship cleared for China.
On the morning of February 27th 1842, in charge of a pilot she got under way. The wind was very light so that she did not reach the entrance until the tide had been ebbing some time. She had however nearly passed through the narow entrance when the wind failed and the tide carried her onto Arrow Reef, named after the brig of the expeditionary fleet. Strenuous efforts were made to get her off but it was useless. She lay right accross the reef being nearly dry fore and aft at dead low water. Her hull could not stand the strain and her back was badly broken. She was condemned and sold for breaking up.
Mt Poynter, afterwardsa magistrate, was the purchaser, and he is said to have done very well out of the venture.
