Dimensions41.3 x 52 cm
Object numberHF.74.23.11
DescriptionFramed rectangular etching (?) in black and white with rounded corners. The main central image if of a 3-masted ship in full sail. Several other sailing vessels are in background and the coastline off to the distant right. The image is surrounded by an uneven white border with a silver metal frame. Title: "Marco Polo"
Narrative
The Marco Polo, a three-masted clipper, was built and launched in 1851 at Saint John, New Brunswick by James Smith of Smith Ship Builders. The vessel was initially designed as a cargo ship. The construction and launch were blighted by misfortune which included a storm scattering the ship's frame and a launch ending with the Marco Polo on its side stuck in the mud.
Thankfully, the vessel's rough start did not affect the maiden voyage captained by William Thomas. The cargo of timber arrived successfully in Liverpool. The Marco Polo had a short life as a cargo ship, being sold in 1852 to James Baines for the Black Ball Line and converted for passenger service between England and Australia. During this service, the ship earned the title of "Fastest Ship in the World", after successfully completing a return trip from England to Australia in less than six months.
The clipper remained in passenger service until 1867, at which point the ship was converted back to cargo use. In 1874, the Marco Polo was altered to a barque rig. By the 1880s, the hull was deteriorating so badly that it was wrapped with chains for strength. During a cargo trip in July 1883, the vessel encountered a gale in the Gulf of St. Lawrence and began to take on water. Unable to keep the ship afloat, Captain A. Bull ran the ship aground on the soft sandy beaches off Cavendish, PEI to save the crew and the cargo. The cargo was salvaged and sold, leaving the Marco Polo to its fate.
L. M. Montgomery witnessed the beaching of the ship and wrote The Wreck of the Marco Polo.
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