The Age of Exploration, the Age of Discovery, the Age of Colonization, the Age of Pirates and Slaves, the Age of Wooden Ships and Iron Men- these are some of the many names of that period of human history that has been well documented and written about for centuries. When Christopher Columbus set out from Portugal to find a new route to China, little did he know what he might find other than the goal of a new route for the ships that might follow. Thus, in 1492, Columbus sailed "the Ocean Blue" into history.
What followed has become a cornerstone of western culture: explorers/searchers discovered lands unknown to historians, but well known to those peoples that had lived in the 'new world' for millenium: native peoples living in splendid isolation as they had always lived. Yes, they did not enjoy many of the modern assets found in Europe and Asia, but they did enjoy many other shared attributes: civic life, cultural tradition(s), religions, agriculture, architecture and engineering skills to name a few. No, they did not have the ability to design and construct ocean going vessels other than canoes. Europeans however had already built massive ships that could sail on any ocean powered by the wind, able to carry increasing heavy loads. They also developed ships that could engage an opponent with high powered weapons: iron cannons. Of course, countries contested one another for control/domination of the 7 seas. All was not peaceful during these 'ages'.
England was wary of Spain and France; Portugal challenged Holland/Dutch; The Pope in Rome had to be reckoned with; and Germany would not be left behind. As more of the world opened up, more players entered the fray, seeking wealth and empire. Naval power was the tool that allowed one country to stay ahead, and none was as successful as the British Royal Navy. In the 1700's, all the seas were open to contest-pick one. Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, and South Pacific were coursed by various fleets and flotillas eager to acquire a dominant role among those various nations flying flags of the reigning sovereign, most often crowned with a cross. Beneath the flags were men, those sailors skilled in the art of ships and all its ramifications. It was a hard life aboard these vessels: wandering across the boundless seas, charts most often useless; leaders who hardly knew where they were going or how long it would take to get "there". And worst of all: they crews were at the mercy of the Captain whose word(s) were law.
To be continued
In 1741, a flotilla was assembled in Portsmouth, England, to go on a mission into the Pacific Ocean. The secret mission was told to Commodore George Anson, a respected naval officer. The mission: intercept a Spanish galleon known to be carrying huge amounts of treasure in the form of gold and silver after selling goods from Asia in South America. The location of the mission would most likely be in the vic. of the Phillipine Islands. The flagship would be the HMS CENTURION, a 4th ranked ship of 66 guns. Four other vessels would join the flag as support. Total men aboard amounted to 2000 souls. The route would take the ships south in the Atlantic and around its southern tip: Cape Horn, the cape all sailors feared with good reason. Terrible winds, freezing temperatures, narrow passages, contrary tides, and thick fogs waited for the crews. Among the 5 ships was the HMS WAGER, 22 guns, 222 men aboard. The duration: unknown, probably several years. Families understood the lives of those men: shipboard life was grim, especially for the sailors whose living conditions were worse than farm animals.
First stop: the Azores Islands to top off supplies and water.
Before the flotilla arrived off Patagonia, the ship's crew began to experience scurvy: that uncontrollable condition that no one understood at the time, a condition brought on humans that lacked vitamin C or ascorbic acid. Soon, crew members began the wasting: weight loss, dehydration, vision loss, teeth falling out and death. However, the Commodore, George Anson, was not to be deterred from carrying out the mission: to cross the Pacific Ocean in pursuit of a Spanish treasure galleon. On to Cape Horn with all its hazards. Because of insufficient charts and navigation aids of any type, Anson rounded the Horn overcoming many weather-related difficulties. The flotilla was dispersed and separated, losing contact with the CENTURION. The Wager was among those lost and now operated independently, a common condition at sea. The captain struggled not only with weather but with an ailing crew and diminished supplies. The hull and its condition now became a dominant factor facing all decisions: go on, or turn around to seek shelter and repair.
The captain decided to go on entrusting his ship with his own skill and the crew he commanded. They made it around and headed north to locate the flagship HMS Centurion and Commodore Geo. Anson. In that effort, they would fail and HMS WAGER would go alone into the Pacific Ocean. Plying these coastal waters without navigation aids, reliable charts and maps underscored the multiple hazards as the ship struggled northward. The south coast of Chile contains many islands, coves and bays; there is also a constant swell of the seas that buffet these same positions. The WAGER did not possess sufficient provisons or a healthy crew which was being depleted by scurvy on a daily basis. The chief boatswain, Bulkeley began to assert his leadership role as he was able to motivate the sailors accomplish many tasks necessary for survival. He also brought questions to the master regarding decisions concerning navigation and sheltering in protective waters.
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