When the SS ‘INDIA’ arrived on 7th April from Mauritius and departed on 13th April bound for Melbourne, nobody knew that she had a dark secret.
Built in Scotland, of 347 tons and 170 feet (52m) long, with the name ‘Ferret’, she was chartered for a cruise, but sailed to Brazil with a false name of ‘Bantam’ then another of ‘India’.
It was not until an observant policeman in Melbourne noticed the old ‘Ferret’ name under her new one, that the culprits were arrested and given 7 years in prison.
Reverting to her old ‘Ferret’ name, she was bought by Adelaide Steamships and ironically ended up as a mail steamer between Melbourne, Albany and along the WA coast to Fremantle and further north for many years.
‘Bantam’ was wrecked in South Australia on 14th November 1920.