It was on the way to Newcastle that the ship encountered a storm, as detailed in a letter sent in December 1892.
“On the 1st of December, about 01:00 in the morning, the ship was struck by a heavy squall. We had just got turned in at 00:00 till 04:00, when, at 01:00, orders were shouted out to clew the royals up, let go the topgallant and topsail halyards and clew the lower topgallant sails up.
“All hands had then to turn out to shorten sail. The royals were blown into ribbons before they could take them in, and all the ropes were carried away belonging to it. I went to the main royal to help make it fast when it hit me and skinned my nose.”
In a letter sent four months later, Kick reveals he had been injured in the incident, and was “laid up for three weeks”, during which he was “bandaged up and was white as a sheet”.
In 1895, Kick was transferred from the Thistlebank to the Castlebank and the last letter his family received from him was while he was on board that ship, dated September 19th 1896, just days before it set sail from Newcastle, New South Wales, to Tocopilla in Chile.
“I will write again if I get the chance before we go. If not I will wish you all goodbye hoping you will enjoy your Hull Fair and that you will remember me to all I know.”
Shortly afterwards, the Castlebank left on its fateful voyage, never to be seen again.
Kick was only 20 years old.