The Walter Hood left London on 22 January 1870 carrying in addition to its general cargo, a consignment of coloured ceramic floor tiles. Folklore has it that these were intended for Sydney's St. Mary's Cathedral, burnt down in 1865 (Sydney Morning Herald, 2 May 1870). The vessel encountered a heavy storm while turning up the eastern coast of Australia. The gale stripped the vessel of sails and carried away Wilke, a seaman off Cape Howe, who was to be the first of many casualties. On Tuesday 26 April, after many days, land was finally sighted amidst mountainous seas. However, the Walter Hood, in a crippled state, did not have enough canvas to beat out to sea.