The Numa was a versatile sailing vessel launched in Sunderland in 1811, with a notable career spanning several decades. She was initially registered in Lloyd's Register in 1811 and appeared in the Register of Shipping in 1812, with Hawkins serving as her master and Goodson as her owner. Her early trade was primarily between London and Greenland, indicating her role as a whaler. This is corroborated by her participation in the South Seas Fishery under Captain House, sailing on October 22, 1819, and returning on May 11, 1821, with a cargo of 600 casks of whale oil and baleen fins. Numa's service also included transporting passengers and goods to New South Wales. Under Captain Wade, she arrived at Sydney on July 5, 1828, after departing London on January 8 and stopping at the Cape of Good Hope. Her cargo included general merchandise, 18 sheep, and two blood horses, highlighting her role in colonial supply and migration efforts. In 1829, under the same captain, she was en route from Java to England when she was detained at Simon's Town on suspicion of carrying five slaves, reflecting the complex and often contentious maritime activities of the period. Perhaps most historically significant was her role as a convict transport. On January 29, 1834, under Captain John Barker, Numa departed from Portsmouth bound for Sydney via Saint Helena and the Cape of Good Hope. She successfully transported 140 female convicts, with two fatalities en route, arriving in Sydney on June 13, 1834. Throughout her career, Numa served as a whaler, merchant vessel, and convict ship, illustrating her adaptability and the multifaceted nature of maritime activity in the early 19th century. She continued trading between Sunderland and Quebec in her later years and was last listed in 1854, marking over four decades of service. Her varied career reflects the maritime history of the period, encompassing whaling, colonial transport, and convict transportation.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.