To the Pacific and Arctic with Beechey

The Journal of Lieutenant George Peard of HMS Blossom, 1825–1828

Barry M. Gough, Barry M. Gough

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2017
• ISBN:
  9781317010029
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Historia
• Subtopic: Historia del mundo

The importance of the Northwest Passage in the history of European and especially British expansion is well known. In the 40-year interlude of peace between Waterloo and the Crimean War, Britain could direct, with ease, a small portion of her fleet to polar discovery, and, by doing so, keep her Russian rival at bay, provide some employment and training for her officers, and contribute to the ends of science. Peard's journal of the voyage of Captain William Beechey, RN, and HMS Blossom to the Pacific and Arctic in 1825-8 is a lucid account of one of the most comprehensive British naval voyages to the Pacific since the days of Cook, Vancouver and Broughton. The Blossom made her way via Cape Horn to the Pacific, called at various places within the Pacific rim, and searched in vain for the expeditions of Captain William Edward Parry and John Franklin expected at the Bering Strait. George Peard, the first lieutenant of the Blossom, gives detailed descriptions of the places visited and the inhabitants, among them Pitcairn Island and the Gambier, Tahitian and Hawaiian groups. No less valuable are his accounts of Kamchatka, California, the Northwestern extremity of North America, and various parts of South America. Peard had an inquisitive, scientific mind, and he wrote a clear discursive narrative which shows that British exploration in the early Pax Britannica bore many fruits - scientific, commercial and strategic. It also showed that the Northwest passage had again eluded the British, in spite of the careful planning of the Admiralty, the Colonial office and the Hudson's Bay Company and the painstaking execution of orders by such naval officers as Parry, Franklin, Beechey and Peard himself Two of the plates are now printed at the end of the book.

The Journal

On Thursday the 19^th of May 1825, His Majesty's Sloop Blossom (having been fitted out by orders of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to meet Captains Parry & Franklin at Behrings straits should these officers be fortunate enough to effect the objects of their Voyage) sailed from Spithead for Rio Janeiro. As it was not intended she should reach Behrings straits before August 1826, their Lordships with that desire to enlarge the boundaries of science which so much distinguishes them, determined that the intermediate months which must necessarily intervene between the time of the Blossom's arrival in the Pacific & that period, should be spent in making accurate surveys of some of the Islands in the South Seas, and accordingly the ship was provided with hatchets, beads and many other articles for traffic with the different Natives. She was also furnished with extra stores, for all of which see list No. 1 in the Appendix,¹ peculiarly) adapted for the Service she was going on. The supply of Instruments was very liberal and an Assistant Surveyor as also a naturalist appointed to the expedition. The ship's sides were doubled for the purpose of effectually resisting the pressure of the Ice should it be found necessary for her to proceed amongst it, and the Ship's Company had received six months wages in Advance & two suits of clothing gratis from Government.

On the 31^st we made the Island of Madeira and at Santa Cruz we found H.M.S. Wellesley on her passage out with Sir C. Stuart as British Ambassador to the Brasils. The Island of Teneriffe is entirely Volcanic. Our short stay would not admit of our visiting the Peak. Sailed with a fine ENE breeze which carried us into 8° W Lat. on the 15^th. Calms & light Variable winds mostly from the SSE ensued, until in Lat. 2° N, we got the SE trade, and on the 24^th, crossed the Equator, in 30° W longitude, when Neptune paid his customary visit. 26^th. Saw Island of Fernando Norhona bearing NW. 10^th. July made Cape Frio & arrived at Rio the 11^th.

On the 1^st June, Anchored in the roads of Santa Cruz, Teneriffe, in 22 fathoms the Eastern most bearing N 20° E, & the Mole head N. 75° W and having completed our water, sailed from thence on Sunday the 5^th, & arrived at Rio Janerio Monday July the 11^th where we found his Majestys' Ships Spartiate and Blanche.¹ So much has already been written in praise of the harbour of Rio Janerio and its beautiful & Romantic scenery, that any remarks of mine on this subject would be superfluous. The temperature of the air in the shade during the five Weeks the Blossom remained there never exceeded 75° Fahrenheit. Oranges, Limes, Bananas & bad Pine Apples were the only fruit we could procure. Every man on board had 3 Oranges served out to him daily, until in consequence of a representation from the surgeon, half of this allowance was stopped & reserved for sea store. The Ships sides and waterways were caulked, she was pointed outside & her rigging underwent a thorough refit at Rio Janeiro.

On Monday 15^th August we sailed from Rio, & at near Midnight on the 16^th being then 120 miles south of the harbour, it blowing hard from the Eastward, with heavy squalls of thunder, lightning and rain, we had an opportunity of observing a phenomenon which goes by the Name of St. Elmo's lights.² Immediately after a vivid flash of lightning, these balls of fire were seen at the Weather Fore & Main topsail yard Arms, & also at the three Top Gallant Mast heads and remained visible at least a quarter of an hour, when they gradually disappeared the lower most ones first.

On the 9^th September in Latitude 51° . . 3' S & Longitude. 57°. . 40' W sounded in 75 fathoms fine Sand. At 3 PM on the following day we saw the land about Berkeley Sound¹ in the Falkland Islands bearing SW 9 or 10 leagues. On the 18^th at about 8 in the Morning we described Cape Horn N 65° W, 8 or 9 leagues, & found that the current had set us to the Northward no less than 52 Miles in the last 24 hours. The same night we passed inside of the Islands of Diego Ramirez, and the next day at Noon, a remarkable headland, named by Captain Cook York Minster bore N 53 E. 15 miles, the soundings taken at the same time were 82 fathoms. Coral & gravel.

Before we made Cape Horn in consequence of the S Westerly & Westerly winds, we were obliged to stand into 58° S, & for two days had strong gales & a heavy sea, & once with the wind SSW, the thermometer fell to 27 Air & 37 Water but nothing could be finer than the weather after this. From what we read of this dreaded Cape, who would expect light airs, & calms off the Island of Terra del Fuego in the month of September?

We put into Conception bay tor wood & water on the 9^th October, & found there HMShips Cambridge, Briton, Blonde, & Tartar.² We anchored about a mile off Talcahuano, a miserable village on the SW shore of the Bay, in 5½ fathoms and moored ship with the Best bower North & small Bower South. Fort S^t. Philip N 77° W, Talcahuano head S 8° E, the western end of the Island of Quiriquma North. The bay of Conception is a Magnificent one, extending 9 Miles from side to side and as many deep, protected towards the North by the Island Quiriquina. We had been given to understand that Coals and Wood were to be procured for little or nothing at this place, and it seems more than probable that with a little trouble & skill the Coal pits adjoining Talcahuano might be worked with considerable success, as what coal has already been dug out lay not far from the surface, under calcareous sandy soil and a strata of bituminous Shale 13 Inches deep which it joins & runs into.¹ However as there appeared a great mixture of rubbish and the other ships gave a bad report of the quality of the coals, the idea of getting a supply from hence was abandonned and we sent for them to Penco, the village deep in the bay & situate on the ruins of Old Conception. Here we found them of better quality but they cost us 8 dollars (32/-) per. ton, (which is more than double the price of Newcastle coals in London), over and above the trouble of digging them.

Captain Basil Hall who visited this place only a few years since, mentions in his Narrative,² that the coal was brought down to his boat & sold him for 12/ per. ton. The reason of this great difference of price is obvious. Property since then has become more secure, the value of the coals increased with the demand for them. Moreover some English Adventurers are said to be in treaty for the Coal pits.

At this time of the year we could expect no fruit, but the blossom on the trees promised a plentiful supply of Apples, pears, peaches, & cherries. Good potatoes were to be had for 12/ the Fanega (150 lbs.), & as well as beans are generally cultivated. Tolerable sheep were purchased at 8/- each & a lamb for 2/-. We paid 4/ for a turkey & goose, & 2/ a couple for fowls -/8 per. dozen for eggs, & 3 per. lb. for butter, & beef 3½ per. lb. Our linen was miserably washed at Talcahuano, and some of the gentlemen complained of receiving live stock back with it in lieu of silk handkerchiefs which the washer women had chosen to purloin. So much for their cleanliness & honesty.

There are very large muscles here, which the inhabitants continue to take, a short distance from the shore by means of long poles with slits in the ends of them. Wild fowl abound & in great variety.

It is a pleasant ride of ten miles from Talcahuano, through for the most part a plain studded with ever greens & Apple trees to the City of Conception, a place that has suffered perhaps more than any other in S. America from the ravages of war.

City of Conception

It had been built with the utmost regularity in quadras or squares of 150 yds. the side, and from the remains of a bit of the gateways, must have boasted some magnificence, but it was burned by the royalists a few years back, and the greater part still remains in ruins. The population is averaged at 6500 souls. This province is governed by an Intendente appointed by the Supreme Director of Chili. 20 leagues from Conception there is a large lake where the Spaniards used to get some excellent pearls, but owing to the late commotions, this fishery has been discontinued.

Gold & silver mines have been worked although not to any considerable extent within 14 leagues of the city, & grains of gold occasionally found on the Caracol hill at the foot of which it is built & in the adjacent country.

Mines

The exports from hence consist in Wine, Corn, barley, Aquardiento, cheese & timber & they import Indigo & cotton & British Manufactures.

Exports

At Conception we had an opportunity of seeing some of the Araucanian Indians, who had arrived under the command of the Cacique Vinancia, one of their most powerful chiefs, to pay their respects to the Intendente. This is a warlike nation inhabiting a large tract of Mountainous country to the South of the River Bio. Aranco their Capitol is 50 leagues distance from Conception, & opposite the Island of Santa Maria.

Indians

The Araucanians never having been subdued have from time to time given a great deal of trouble to such of the Spanish governors of Chili as have not sought their friendship.¹ They now embrace the patriot cause. Mr. Smith² a master's mate of the Blossom took a sketch of Vinanica & his wife Petrona, the latter not consenting to have her likeness taken until she had received a real or two by way of dounceur.

These Indians are clothed with a Poncho, & much after the fashion of the Chilians, and most of them have bands round the head with their long black hair sticking out of the top. The chiefs are distinguished by feathers on the head.

drews

Their weapons consist of a lance formed of a light shaft of bamboo 23 ft. long, with a flat pointed iron head sharpened at both edges rudely fastened to it by thongs...