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plaque marking the 150th anniversary of the departure of the Newlyn lugger
Mystery, has been unveiled on the port's Old Quay by Colonel Edward Bolitho
OBE, chairman of the Sailors Institute Trust.
The commemoration ceremony, marking an historic date, November 18, 1854,
when the lugger departed Newlyn, saw the unveiling of the specially commissioned
plaque which is a tribute to the "magnificent seven" local fishermen
who set off on a 12,000 mile voyage to Australia.
The Mystery was the tiniest craft ever to make such a trip and she arrived
safely at Hobson's Bay, Melbourne, in March 1855.
In 1954, Dora Lees of Heamoor, the great-great grand-daughter of the
lugger's captain, Richard Nicholls, wrote to the holder of the Mystery's
log in America, asking if it could be returned.
The log was subsequently returned to Cornwall and Dora's husband, John
Lees, contacted The Cornishman with some extracts, detailing some of the
119-day voyage.
Mr Lees explained: "All of the extracts are exactly as written by
Captain Richard Nicholls, who left with his six crew, experiencing some
horrendous conditions on the way."
Among Captain Nicholls' daily reports are the following:
 Nov
18 - "all hands on board. Slipped moorings and made sail for Australia.
11am abreast of the Wolf Rock with storm foresail jib set.
Nov 23 - "Strong gales, dirty weather, a barque in company, under
close reef topsails and reef courses.
November 25 - PM made the island of Madeira. The Mystery has made it
from Newlyn to Madeira by the end of the eighth day."
The intrepid Newlyn fishermen aboard the Mystery had only the sun and
moon, Capt Nicholls' experience, the stars, a sextant, maps and their
own skills and courage to guide them.
The Mystery was subsequently sold for £150 and became a cargo vessel
between Australia and New Zealand before being finally wrecked.
article copyright © THE CORNISHMAN
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