I have retyped the excerpts from the book “Tall ships of the Piscataqua”. It should be considered one of the best sources for information on the ship Orient and gives the reader an excellent insight into its final days in the New Orleans area as a coal barge. The account gives us finite detail of the final hours (Sept 18 1885) of the barge and the tragic loss of its five crew in a devastating storm.

The reference to another incident in 1856, in Havre France, talks about the ship running aground due to the “stupidity” (quote unquote) of the French Pilot. Hill was the Captain and managed to get the ship towed back to England for repairs.

I will make up a legend that will refer to accounts such as this one (and all the other entries).

I am going to try to get to the Vancouver Public Library this week to relook at several books and try to find several of the books in my reference list that might have a picture of the ship and, hopefully in the near future, a picture of Hill.

Hugh Parkinson to Dana Parkinson

Tags: 1856, 1885, captain, coal, england, france, havre, hill, new orleans, orient, parkinson, piscataqua, research, ship, tall ships