3. The Porpoise
Earlier known as the Hermaphrodite Brig, the Porpoise gained popularity with the sheer brilliance with which her two masts used two different sails. Later, she was refitted with square sails on both the masts. Though this was initially used as a pirate hunter, she was later assigned to an exploration mission in 1838.
This was the ship that discovered the Antarctica, and circumnavigated the planet, but gained notoriety after it failed to aid a damaged French Ship. Though this raged a controversy, but it did not stop the Porpoise from going on another exploratory mission in 1853.
It went around, discovered a lot in the south Pacific, resupplied in China, and departed in September 1854. And then she just vanished! There was no contact ever made after that.
Though some people contemplate that the ship may’ve been destroyed in bad weather, but there are no proofs for it either.
