Bark Sleipner, Gott. Thomsen

In 1862 a Merchant by the name of Gottlieb Thomsen, partnered with others, wanted to export fat herring, stockfish and mackerel to the US. They equipped the brigantine Sleipner (71 Norwegian Commercial lasts) and sent it mastered by Capt. Hans Waage, for Chicago. The consul in Quebec reported: "The ship proceeded from here without landing passengers or cargo, as one of the first European ships to sail up through the canals to the big lakes in the West. The ship took on a load of corn in Chicago, bought by the account of the Captain, and sailed straight back to Bergen. They have plans on starting a regular route between Bergen and Quebec. If this will succeed I can not say"

The arrival of the Sleipner on the 2nd of August caused quite a sensation. She departed on September 6th fully loaded with different types of merchandise to see how they would keep on the voyage. There was a load of corn, flour, pork, sugar - salted ham, butter, ashes and refined crude oil. It also brought the first petroleum lamps to Bergen. The trip was very profitable, and the owners extended the ship by 30 feet and re-rigged it as a bark [!] (actually explained as a "barkskib") with a new tonnage of 119½ Norwegian Commercial lasts. There was also a between deck fitted, for "ordinary" passengers, and cabins for 24 first class passengers. It was also fitted with for taking as many as 350 iron barrels of water.

On the return voyage from Chicago they avoided having to "reload" on the trip up to Chicago due to ship's low draught. Some of the cargo had to be loaded onto barges and be reloaded onto the ship when they reached Montreal.

In 1864 she departed Bergen on March 9th, and arrived at Quebec on June 24th. Master was Capt. Waage. It is said that she carried 144 passengers, herring, mackerel and iron. It is also said that she proceeded from Quebec to Chicago, but we have not been able to confirm that from primary sources.

In 1865 the Sleipner, (300 tons) mastered by Capt. Hans T. Waage, was cleared to sail from Bergen on Apr. 29, and departed on May 3rd. She arrived at Quebec on June 25th. She was carrying 173 passengers, they were all landed in Quebec on 27th. In 1865 she was only carrying passengers due to the new emigration act. It was considered unacceptable by the authorities that steerage passengers should be traveling next to a cargo of fish, as the smell would be too strong. The passenger list (List Number: 25, Immigration office 27 June 1865) was signed by I, O.E. Dreutzer, Consul of the United States of America: "I, O.E. Dreutzer, Consul of the United States of America, at Bergen, do hereby certify that the foregoing passenger list has been exhibited to me by Captain Hans Vaage (Waage), master of the ship Sleipner of Bergen in ballast bound for the United States of America. That it contains all the names and age of all the passengers and makes in full number 113 of full age, 51 children between one and fourteen and 9 under one year. Given under my hand at the Consulate of the United States of America at Bergen this 3rd day of May 1865 O.E. Dreutzer US Consul"