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UMGENI ARRIVAL NATAL AUGUST 14 1867

This barque of 365 tons under Capt J STUART sailed from London on 15 July 1867, and was one of Rennie and Co's 'Aberdeen Direct' clippers which were frequent visitors at Natal. Others included L'Imperatrice Eugenie, Prince Alfred, Natal Star and Quathlamba. All were under 500 tons, and built with forward-raking bows and aft-raking masts. The term 'clipper' indicated a very speedy vessel and these were typical examples, with beautiful lines.

Among the passengers were Captain TOLLNER, his wife Jessie (daughter of *John Milne), and child (plus nurse). During the Crimean War Captain Tollner served with the Royal Horse Artillery at the Battle of Sebastopol. He had studied at the Royal Military Academy at Woolwich. During 1863/4 he was stationed at Fort Napier. Tollner also served during the Anglo-Zulu War. After the death of his first wife he married Mary Agnes (daughter of *Alexander Gifford). [*See 1849 'Dreadnought' and 1851 'John Line' shipping arrivals.]

Capt and Mrs FITZGERALD may indicate a second military gentleman on board. A well-known Natal name on the list is A E RUNCIMAN.

On this voyage, the Umgeni nearly lost one crew member overboard in a gale. The 46 passengers all expressed their thanks via the press to the vigilant Captain STUART.

PASSENGER LIST

Cabin:
Capt and Mrs Tollner, 1 child (or 3 children) and Nurse
Capt and Mrs Fitzgerald
Dr & Mrs Duff
Miss Stone
Miss Temple
Miss Tyrrell
Dr Greene
Messrs
Armstrong
Runciman
Thomas
Wallace
Trafford

2nd Class:
Mr and Mrs Thorsen

Steerage:
Mr and Mrs Muirhead
4 Masters Muirhead
Mr and Mrs Robson (and 3 children)
Miss Robson
Miss Townsend
Miss Flack
Miss Ash
Messrs
B Percival
G Percival
McDonald
Dawson (or Davison)
Willis
Wells
Williams
Cook (?Cooke)
Smart
Don
O'Leary
Bowden
Masters Button (? Butler)
Ackerman
Truin

The Umgeni left Natal on December 1 1867 bound for London with the following passengers:

Mr and Mrs Leacock, child and servant
Messrs Blakey
Brooks
Crozier
Mr and Mrs Pirie and child