 On this fateful voyage, the "Syria" left Calcutta on 13 March 1884 carrying 497 passengers.Its journey was uneventful except that the route, through the Indian Ocean and travelling south of Australia to utilise the prevailing winds, took only 58 days which was two weeks less than expected.Five of the six lifeboats were destroyed by the heavy seas and on the sixth, four crew members went to look for assistance.