Narrative of a Voyage Round the World: Instructions to Captain Beechey, subsequently to Commander E. BelcherHenry Colburn, 1843 - China Captain Edward Belcher (1799-1877) served on, or was in command of, numerous surveys of the coasts of Northern and Western Africa, Ireland, Western America, China, Borneo, the Phillipines, and Formosa. In 1852, he commanded the expedition in search of Sir John Franklin. Belcher's account of his circumnavigation commences in February, 1837, in Panama, when he took command of the Royal Navy Ship Sulphur and, together with the RNS Starling, sailed northward to Central America, thence to the Sandwich Islands [Hawaii]. They then sailed back to North America, exploring the Vancouver Island area, then to San Francisco, and south down the coasts of California, and Central America, back to Panama. In 1838, Belcher headed back north, largely repeating the previous cruise, with more stops. Belcher then set sail across the Pacific, visiting Tahiti, Tonga, the New Hebrides, and today's Indonesia. He was then ordered to China, and took part in the naval operations there. Returned to England, via Singapore, Sumatra, Ceylon, Madagascar. Cape of Good Hope, St. Helena and Ascension -- ABE Books. |
Common terms and phrases
Acapulco afford American amongst anchorage anchored appeared arrived banks beach birds boats Bow Island breeze Callao canoe Cape Cape San Lucas Captain Beechey Chagres chief Chilians Chinandega chronometers coast Colima command commenced completed consul coral crew depth despatched directed distance eight examination fathoms feet fish five four frequently Gorgona Governor ground Guayaquil Gulf half heavy hundred HYDROGRAPHIC INSTRUCTIONS Icy Bay immediately Indians island Kellett Kinau king ladies land latitude Lieutenant longitude Majesty's ship Managua meridian miles missionary natives navigation night nine noon noticed Oahu observations observatory obtained officers Panama party passed port Port Mulgrave position present probably quitted rain reached Realejo residents river rock Russian San Blas sand Santa Catharina season shore side Sitka sound spot Starling stream succeeded Sulphur supplies Taboga Tepic tion town trees tribe Vancouver volcano weather whalers wind wood
Popular passages
Page 98 - The padre, who officiated in his splendid robes, was a very powerful athletic man, about forty-five years of age, and standing in his boots (which appear to be part of his costume) about six feet three inches ; quite Herculean, and very clever.
Page 305 - December, 1832, near the harbour of Waialea, Oahu. Their supply of water during the voyage had been obtained from casual showers. On being visited, four persons were found on board; three of these were severely afflicted with scurvy, two being unable to walk, and the third nearly so. The fourth was in good health, and had the sole management of the vessel.
Page 80 - ... or moderately elevated land, extended to " N. 64° E. . . . On Sunday morning [June 29th] we tacked in " 23 fathoms, within a league of the east point of the above icy bay, " which I named POINT Riou. It is low, well wooded, with a " small islet detached at a little distance to the westward of it. " Eastward from the steep cliffs that terminate this bay, and from " whence the ice descends into the sea, the coast is again composed " of a spacious margin of low land, rising,"* etc.
Page 124 - ... one immense sea, leaving only the few scattered eminences which art or nature have produced, as so many islets or spots of refuge. Upon these spots the tribes who inhabit these low lands are frequently compelled to seek shelter, principally, however, on those artificially constructed, — as all were which we examined. They consist merely of a rounded pile, raised about fifteen feet at the apex above the surrounding level ; the space from which the earth is removed forming a ditch to carry off...
Page vi - Kellett, quitted England in the following December. Captain Beechey invalided at Valparaiso, and was succeeded by acting commander Kellett, who was again superseded by the author of the present narrative, who took the command at Panama, in February, 1837, having crossed the isthmus of Darien for that purpose, and retained it till the conclusion of her protracted voyage.
Page 320 - Off this part of the coast we experienced a very extraordinary sensation, as if the ship was on fire, and after very close investigation, attributed it to a scent from the shore, it being much more sensible on deck than below; and the land breeze confirming this, it occurred to me that it might arise from naphtha on the surface.
Page 39 - ... asunder, forms the plaza of Libertad : it is law and interest only that have made it a port. At times the bay is smooth, but the substratum at the beach being of large smooth boulders of compact basalt, the instant the surf rises they are freed from their sandy covering, and a dangerous moving strong bottom left, on which the boat grounded. We were informed that it is generally violent for three or four days, at full and change, which corresponded to the time of our visits. The village contains...
Page 257 - Starling had soundings with less than 100 fathoms on the northern side of the island. Sharks, porpoises, and turtle were observed together. The former annoyed us much by biting at our patent logs, for which one was taken, and made an example of. They were very large, and literally swarmed. In all probability, they were attracted by a shoal of file (balistes) and other small fish which had been feeding off our copper since quitting the island of Cocos.
Page xxx - Large collections of natural history cannot be expected, nor any connected account of the structure or geological arrangements of the great islands which you are to coast ; nor, indeed, would minute inquiries on these subjects be at all consistent with the true objects of the survey.
Page 237 - Lake Managua. I saw the mountains beyond the lake on its eastern side, and no land higher than the intervening trees occurred. This, therefore, would be the most advantageous line for a canal, which, by entire lake navigation, might be connected with the interior of the States of San Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, and extend to the Atlantic. Thirty navigable miles for vessels drawing ten feet we can vouch for, and the natives and residents assert sixty (thirty?) more...