29 June 1933

First Oversea Ship At Victor

The first ship to sail direct from Cardiff (Wales) to Victor Harbour was the Vidfarna, a Norwegian barque, which arrived on April 26, 1867. Captain John Falkingberg was proud of his feat. The only land sighted during the voyage was the tip of a mountain on the Canary Islands. Yet when South Australia was reached the ship was sailing as straight as an arrow for Victor Harbour.

Some time ago the statement was published that the Sylvia was the first ship to make this voyage. But the Vidfarna, bringing a cargo of tramway rails and fifty pairs of carriage irons for the hores-drawn tramway between Victor and Strathalbyn, arrived a week before the green painted Sylvia.

The latter ship, carrying similar cargo, set out three weeks before the Norwegian barque, but was delayed at the Cape of Good Hope, where she put in to mend a broken foremast.

The Vidfarna, on which my grandfather (Mr. Anders Helberg [1847-1936]) sailed, also broke a foremast. The mate one day came running down the rigging shouting, "Down with all sails quick!" The sailors leaped into the rigging to obey.

The foremast, it was found, had a long crack about a half an inch wide which started from a knot in the wood. The knot was a fault, for no mast should have one in it. But instead of putting back to the Cape, Captain Falkingberg lashed a spare spar to the mast, and, with the capstan to give leverage, made so good a job of it that it withstood the stiffest of the 'Roaring Forties.'

Early one morning my grandfather, who was at the helm, saw land, much resembling a cloud, rise slowly from the horizon. "Land ho!" he cried. An excited lot of men crowded up to get a glimpse. By the time the coast was reached the day was too far advanced for the ship to enter the harbor. The night was spent in tacking about outside.

Next morning, when the 'Blue Peter' was flown, a pilot came to take the ship in. The trip had taken 105 days to complete. After the cargo was discharged the Vidfarna took in wheat for Port Adelaide. My grandfather and several others of the crew, however, stayed at Victor Harbour, and became pioneers of the Lake Alexandria district. — J. Broomhead, Buckleboo, W.C.

Lightning's Queer Prank

On Christmas night, 1875, a particularly severe thunderstorm was experienced at Kapunda. During the storm a flash of lightning entered through the window at the front of a house occupied by Mr. T. Williams, and, passing across the room into an adjoining bedroom, struck a table mirror with such violence that it was almost hurled through an open window.

A child was asleep in a cradle alongside the mirror, and there were people in the front room by which the lightning entered, but fortunately no injuries resulted. Strangely the mirror was not broken nor even marked. But the window by which the streak had entered was shattered.

On examination the broken glass was found to have been partially melted. It presented the appearance of having been subjected to intense heat.

Another remarkable occurrence was the case of a man who was walking home during a thunderstorm. A flash of lightning was so close to him that for a time he was too dazzled to proceed on his way. On eventually reaching home he was astounded to discover that several small holes had been burned in his coat pocket, and a number of silver coins had disappeared. — 'Ubique,' Adelaide.

Battle Of The Waterhole.

In 1886 a dividing fence was being erected between the Island Creek section of Wirraminna, and The Pines stations, nor'-west of Port Augusta.

Things went well until the line reached what was afterwards known as 'the disputed waterhole.' This was named in the following circumstances.

A large waterhole in a creek, which lasted at least a year after a heavy rain was on the boundary of the properties, and was claimed by the managements of the respective stations as their exclusive right. As fast as the Wirraminna men enclosed the hole on their side a gang from The Pines shifted the fence to the other side. This went on for several days, and eventually things began to look ugly.

The manager of Wirraminna (Mr. W. M. Green) stood fully 6 ft. 4 in. in his socks, and possessed no mean reputation as an amateur pugilist. The owner of The Pines (Mr. 'Cockey' Giles) was not more than 9 st. in weight. However, the leader of the latter's gang was a noted character of the period, Bill (Bullocky) Ryan. He was about equal in height and weight to the man from Wirraminna, and also reputed to be a fist fighter.

All hands were paid a pound a day while the fun lasted, and about the fifth day, just as The Pines men for the ninth time had finished pulling down the fence on the Wirraminna side, Mr. Green hove in sight with his usual four-in-hand team.

Mr. Giles scenting trouble from his formidable rival, exclaimed to his gang, "Stand around me chaps, and I will give you another pound each." Shortly afterwards the dispute was ended by the arrival of a Government surveyor, who found that the boundary ran through the centre of the waterhole, giving half to each station.

Some considerable time after this incident (but in no way connected with it) the two big men, Green and Ryan, fought a 17-round draw, outside Gibsons Camp Hotel, situated on the same track, but some 50 miles nearer Port Augusta.— 'Mick D.,' Broken Hill.

Story Of An Outlaw

Some forty years ago there were wild horses on the plains and the Murray Flats. They were gradually caught, but still a few remained, and they were very troublesome. There was among them a very mischievous colt, which became a nuisance to the farmers and squatters.

Finally some men made up their minds to capture him. In a large run there was a dam, and at eventide he would come there to drink. The hunters put a trough near the dam, and filled it with water.

After some days the wild horse used to come to the trough to drink. They left him alone for a month or so, and then emptied the trough, substituting a large cask. Finding the trough empty, the horse learnt to drink out of the cask. When he got used to that, they made their plans.

One night they left the cask half empty. They had cunningly fixed a rope around it and fastened it to a tree. They hid themselves behind a large tree, and watched the horse come up very cautiously. It was a hot, sultry night. The outlaw finding the water in the cask low down, put in his head, and while he was drinking the men pulled the rope, which tightened around the horse's neck. He was in a net. That horse gave an exhibition of plunging, the like of which no one present had ever before seen. But they gave the rope a twist or two around the tree, and eventually got within reach of the brute.

They tried to tame him, but he proved untameable. After trying for months, and only striking trouble for their pains, they let him go. He was so full of courage that not one man was in favor of destroying him. He was very cautious after that. It was noticed that he always made it his business to drink from the dam, and never from any utensil placed near it. — 'E.H.,' Brooker, W.C.

First Oversea Ship At Victor (1933, June 29). Chronicle (Adelaide, SA : 1895 - 1954), p. 16. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-aarticle90887315