The Pilot Boarding the Mail Steamer at the Heads.

Scarce colonial engraving of  a pilot boat rowing to a mail steamer to navigate the ship through the Heads.

Due to the enormous increase in shipping through Port Phillip Bay due to the discovery of gold, a number of ships were lost at the dangerous entrance to Port Phillip , known as The Rip. The Government was petitioned to take over the service and to supply a cruising pilot cutter to put pilots aboard ships at sea. The brigantine Boomerang was the first in 1853.

From the original edition of The Australasian Sketcher.