The list of the crew was reported as:[1][2][3] The Compadre sailed from Calcutta for Chile on 22 January 1891, with a cargo of jute bags.
The captain decided to make for Bluff, New Zealand as this was the nearest port but when the weather worsened on 18 March, the situation became even more precarious.
The next day after a fruitless search for Peter Nelson the crew found the castaway depot at Erebus Cove.
Both parties survived for three and half months until they were both rescued by the arrival of the sealing ship Janet Ramsay on 30 June.
[5] The sequence of events was confirmed by the testimony of both Captain Jones and Bales but there was a dispute over the cause of the fire.
Both the captain and the mate stated that they thought it likely the fire was caused by the friction of the cargo moving against the ship.
The captain stated that jute goods were considered a risky cargo as oil was used in their manufacture and made them liable for combustion.
The inquiry found that the loss of the ship was caused primarily by the necessity of altering course in order to reach a port once fire was discovered and that the Compadre was run ashore to save the lives of her crew.