'Mimosa', 1863

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It was around 3.30pm on Friday 18th September 1863 when (according to a report in the 'Kiama Independent & Illawarra & Shoalhaven Advertiser' newspaper – some of the details differ in other reports) 'the coastal paddle steamer ‘Mimosa’ struck an uncharted ‘detached rock’ about a mile offshore from Bunga Head, between Merimbula and Bermagui.

Captain Keft immediately stopped the engines and put the paddle steamer into reverse. However, the vessel commenced making water very freely forward. It was evident that she would sink, and Captain Keft tried to run her on shore, but the water continued to flow in so rapidly, that it was necessary to get the boats out. The life-boat was launched, and was in charge of the mate.

Captain Keft ran forward and called out if anyone was below, but receiving no answer, he concluded all were on deck, at this time the vessel was about half a mile from shore, and the captain, with the crew and remaining passengers hurried into the boats, and had just time to get clear, when the vessel settled down and sank in eight fathoms water … Nothing was saved.'

The lifeboat under the control of the mate was steered to shore near the wreck. Meanwhile, Captain Keft headed off in another boat and made landfall that evening about six miles north of the wreck near a property inhabited by Isaac and William Pollack. He was to be joined there the next day by
the passengers and crew after they walked along the coast.

Messrs. Isaac and William Pollack supplied them with food and other necessaries and behaved very kindly to all, doing everything in their power for their comfort. The passengers speak in the highest terms of their hospitality.

William Pollack then rode 70 miles to Braidwood to report the wreck of the ‘Mimosa’.

The following Monday, all the survivors were picked up by the ‘Mynora’ and were transported to Batemans Bay (the Kiama Independent reporting 'we are sorry to say, the (survivors) did not meet with that attention and kindness which they experienced on shore') where they were transferred to the ‘Kembla’ and taken to Sydney.

Two passengers – a Mr and Mrs Ivell – perished when the ‘Mimosa’ sank. A few weeks later their bodies were located by a diver who was sent down to examine the wreck, were recovered, and then were buried at sea.

The loss of the ‘Mimosa’ is something of a mystery. It occurred during the day, in calm seas, in fine weather when a light north-easterly wind was prevailing, and on a coasting track that has been constantly traversed by vessels trading to and from Sydney for more than half a century (Empire, 8.10.1863).

It seems Capt. Keft may have been closer to shore than he cared to later admit to a Marine Board enquiry, and simply ran the paddle steamer onto the rocks.

The vessels owners, The Illawarra Steam Navigation Company, tried to salvage the ‘Mimosa’. This was one of the earliest maritime salvage attempts in NSW but failed because the hole in the hull was too large and sand rapidly entered it, making recovery virtually impossible
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The Kiama Independent concludes its report by noting that The Mimosa has recently been lengthened (originally it was 140’ 6” in length but had been cut in half in 1862 and lengthened by 22’ 3” – so it was a very substantial vessel; it also had a reputation for being a fast vessel) and undergone very extensive alterations, and, being uninsured (it was valued at £11,000) the loss will be rather severely felt by the owners.

An advertisement appeared in the Sydney Morning Herald on 24th September 1863 reading:

(ADVERTISEMENT)
On board the Kembla, steamer,
22nd September, 1863
To Captain Keft
Dear Sir,— We the undersigned passengers by the ill-fated Steamer Mimosa, deem it a duty incumbent upon us before separating from you, to offer you an acknowledgment of the immense debt of gratitude which we feel we owe you for the tremendous efforts by which, under the great mercy of Almighty God, you saved our lives on the occasion of the late melancholy catastrophe.

We would also wish to express our unbounded admiration of the undaunted courage which prompted you to rush below, to the lower cabin, at the imminent peril of your life, when the ship was promptly sinking, to rescue from the terrible end then awaiting us, the two unfortunate beings who so soon thereafter were plunged into eternity.

We can never forget the wondrous self-possession envinced by you through the whole of that dreadful scene, from the moment the doomed vessel struck until all those who, by your calm and instant management, were carefully arranged in the boats and landed; nor can we ever cease to remember your kind and manly bearing, and comforting and reassuring words to us who were in such terror and excitement from the time of the fearful shock until we reached the shore.

We desire to convey through you to your crew our most grateful thanks for the almost superhuman efforts made by them to carry out your instructions from first to last; and we beg you to favour them of our high appreciation of the order and discipline observed by them, and the strong sense of duty they showed in carrying your commands to the letter, at the time when the lives of all in board were in the greatest jeopardy.

We trust it will be some satisfaction to you to hear that we have unabated confidence in you as a most careful and skillful seaman, and should have no hesitation whatever in proceeding on any passage in a vessel of which you had to command.

Deeply sympathising with you in the great personal loss you have sustained, and trusting that we may soon see you reinstated to your proper position, we would now, in taking leave of you, trust that God may bless you with health, happiness and prosperity, and that you may ever be under His almighty guidance and protecting care.

We are, dear sir,

Yours ever faithfully and gratefully,

Thomas Argent William Bogan Wallace James Merney
William Argent John Carry Thomas England
Priscilla Cousens James King John Alger
Mary Grealy George Barrett Donald Ross