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SAILING THE 'MATOAKA'
In the leap year of 1868 Transit begins, dividing Ireland to Island and so Beginning with no end in sight A year of the shortest day and This longest night—a listless night Chill, when the sand from home Shores have blown clean away I look overboard and wish I was No piece of lagan trailing One globe-side to the other Borne along by a buoyant bridge The line of my heart taught The line of my mind tracing Paths of leaving, ending With one last jump To shore and who knows Will this become another Home, to serve as home? — A. Flowers |
Sailing the Matoaka in 1868
610 x 610 Mixed Media - Paint, dress patterns, graphite, charcoal, metallic foil The Matoaka (also known as Mataoka) was a 1092-ton wooden New Brunswick full-rigged ship built in 1853 for Willis, Gunn, & Co. Between 1859 and 1869 she made eight voyages to New Zealand. Her fastest run from Bristol to Lyttelton, New Zealand was 82 days in 1862. On 13 May 1869 she left Lyttelton for London under Captain Alfred Stevens with 45 passengers and 32 crew but was never seen again. |