The EUPHROSYNE was one of Robert Duncan's famous full-riggers, being built for C.S.Caird in 1885. She was a steel ship and registered 1,905 tons gross and 1,799 tons net. She was the favorite ship of Captain David Thomson. He first joined her as a sail maker when his father,Captain James Thomson, commanded her. The EUPHROSYNE's measurements were: length, 270 feet 6 inches; breadth, 40 feet; depth, 23 feet 4 inches.

There is also some information available on her spar and rigging plans. The length of her mainmast to the truck was 180 feet; fore and main yards were 90 feet long; lower topsail yards, 78 feet; lower topgallant yards, 68 feet; upper topgallant yards, 60 feet; royal yards, 52 feet; and main sky sail yard, 45 feet.

On her maiden voyage under Captain James Thomson she left the Clyde with coal for San Francisco, and after beating about trying to get out of the North Channel for 24 hours, turned and ran before a N.W. gale and was only 16 days to the Equator. San Francisco was reached in 123 days, and the run home to Queenstown made in 120 days. After discharging at Liverpool, salt was loaded for Calcutta in January 1887. The ship was 19 days to the Line and 84 to the Hooghly.

Here linseed was loaded for Amsterdam; but the ship had not enough ballast and proved to be so crank that the sky sail and three royal yards had to be sent down except for the run to St. Helena from the Cape. Amsterdam was reached in 107 days. In December 1887, with David Thomson now promoted to second mate, the EUPHROSYNE with a cargo of railroad iron, fish plates, fencing wire, etc., made the run out to Melbourne in 75 days. Captain James Thomson unloaded his cargo with his own crew, having a big fight with the local union. Then, with 800 tons of ballast, he ran up to Newcastle, N.S.W., in three days. Here coal was loaded for San Francisco, the run across the Pacific being made in 63 days. The usual grain cargo was loaded at San Francisco, which she discharged at Queenstown.

On her forth voyage the EUPHROSYNE left Middlesbrough in July, 1889, with iron rails and a gasometer for Melbourne and made the run out in 96 days; she crossed the Pacific in 60 days with Newcastle coal, and came home to Limerick in 130 days with a San Francisco grain cargo.

Her fifth voyage found her leaving Barry Dock with coal for Montevideo in September 1890. A hurricane was encountered during this passageand

she lost a whole suit of sails. After discharging at Montevideo, ballast was taken aboard for the run around the Horn to Portland, Oregon, which took 84 days. She then ran home to Havre, a long passage for the EUPHROSYNE of 133 days.

Her sixth voyage left Barry Dock on October 1, 1892, with coke for Port Pirie. She reached Port Pirie 79 days out. She then crossed the Pacific from Newcastle, N.S.W., to San Francisco in the splendid time of 48 days. Her she lay up for four months before loading cargo for London. As a result, she was so foul the she would not sail and was 143 days coming home.

Several more voyages were made under Captain James Thomson, then, in October 1895; Captain David Thomson took over. He left Barry with a full cargo and the second day out made a fine run of 300 miles. The Equator was crossed 24 days out. She sailed through the Strait of Le Maire and was off the pitch of the Horn 55 days out. He picked up the strong S.S.W. breeze, covering 580 miles in two days. The Equator was again crossed 89 days out near the Galapagos with the ship heading straight for the Gulf of California. The EUPHROSYNE arrived at Santa Rosalia only 123 days out where most ship would have taken much longer.

She took a long time to unload her cargo (she had to discharge her load into small boats, which could only take two tons apiece). As a result, she was 75 days in harbor but even worse, she again became foul with marine growth. She took 50 days to reach Taltal. Here she loaded a full cargo of nitrate but could only manage 6 knots in a fresh trade wind. Fortunately, when abreast of Valparaiso, the EUPHROSYNE made 480 miles in only two days due to a strong norther. She rolled heavily and lost much of her accumulated growth in the heavy rolling resulting in her sailing better. She arrived in Queenstown 88 days out. Captain Thomson was ordered to Antwerp. He took on four days provisions and made the run in four days.

The EUPHROSYNE, in 1898, made a run to Los Angeles with anthracite coal. Leaving Swansea in March 5"', she made a fine run of 114 days to Port Los Angeles. At the time, Port Los Angeles was a bad place to lie, with a wharf about a mile long built out into the sea, and there was a big undertow, causing the ship to roll a great deal. It took 10 days to unload the cargo. From there she went up to the Columbia River in 21 days to load wheat. She was then II 7 days to Queenstown.

In 1901 EUPHROS@ had the best passage from Liverpool to Adelaide - 73 days - of the entire year. Captain Thomson then took Newcastle coal across to Portland, Oregon, in 60 days. She stayed in Portland for seven months, then went back to Melbourne in 70 days, again loaded coal and reached San Francisco in August 1903, 59 days out. Grain shipments were now very difficult to get. The EUPHROSYNE lay at the wharf at Port Crockett for two years. In September 1905, she sailed in ballast for Portland. She was so foul that Captain Thomson insisted on having her cleaned and painted. She finally made her run home to Queenstown in 115 days, fighting,strong head winds all the way.

This last voyage was a disaster. The ship was away four and a half years and lost 4,500 pounds in the process. Her owners put her up for sale. She was granted a reprieve, however, and again sailed for New York. She loaded a general cargo and sailed for Sydney, being 104 days out. Half the cargo was discharged at Sydney, the rest at Melbourne. Here she loaded wheat for Queenstown and sailed in June 1907. This was to be her last voyage under the British flag. She took I 10 days to reach Queenstown due to very bad weather (she lost three topsails off New Zealand, and again off the Horn). After discharging her cargo at Queenstown, she was sold to the Norwegians. Just four years later, on October 6' , 1911, when bound from Hull to Santos, the old ship was run into by the steamer DALLINGTON on a clear moonlight night, between Dungeness and the Sovereign Lightship. A great hole was torn in EUPHROSYNE's starboard bow and her boats only just had time to get clear away with all hands before she sank.