We stop the press to announce the melancholy intelligence of the loss by fire of the ship India, Captain Hugh Campbell, with emigrants, from Greenock to this port, on the 20th July last. The India sailed on the 4th June last with 198 souls on board, crew included, and was totally destroyed by fire on the 20th July, under the following circumstances : the third mate and one of the boys were … drawing off spirits, when the candle they used accidentally fell on some spilled rum, which immediately caught fire, and the flames spread with such rapidity that all efforts at extinguishing the tremendous blaze were unavailing, and the ship soon became one mass of flame.
Another ship, a French whaler, was fortunately in sight, about nine miles to windward, but nearly an hour elapsed ere those on board of her became aware of the state of the India. On observing her condition, she immediately bore down, and on nearing, lowered all her boats, and used every exertion to rescue the unfortunate sufferers. The India‘s boats were also got out, but on the first boat making the attempt to take some of the people off the burning ship, a tremendous rush was made to get into her — she was immediately overloaded and capsized, and in that the greatest loss of life occurred … he steered for Rio de Janeiro, the easiest made harbour, where he discharged them in safety ; on board the barque Grindley of Liverpool, the ship employed to carry them all to this port,
To satisfy those who expected friends out in the India, the names of the drowned are subjoined, though all the survivors are decidedly of opinion that not one of them had relations in Australia:— Rev. William McKay, Robert Burns, John Hut, William Nott, Frederick Mitchell, John Stewart, William Stewart, James Lowe, Samuel Cameron, John Coke, Duncan Grant, William Clelland, Andrew Tait,, John Stewart, Andrew Dingwall, Robert McGregor, Robert Patterson, and Charles Clements, boatswain of the ship, the only one of the crew lost.
Source: Port Phillip Patriot and Melbourne Advertiser (Vic.: 1839 – 1845), Monday 18 October 1841, page 2