Hermes was built in Quebec in 1811. She traded widely before she made two voyages as a whaler to the British Southern Whale Fishery. She was wrecked in 1822 during the second voyage.
History | |
---|---|
United Kingdom | |
Name | Hermes |
Builder | Montreal[1] |
Launched | 1811 |
Fate | Wrecked 1822 |
General characteristics | |
Tons burthen | 258[2][1] (bm) |
Propulsion | Sails |
Armament | 18 × 12&9-pounder guns[2] |
The wreck was found at Pearl and Hermes atoll in the 21st century, an atoll for which the ship is also a namesake along with another ship.
A letter dated 16 May 1812 reported that Hermes had been re-registered at London.[3] She entered Lloyd's Register (LR) in 1813 with Harvey, master, Haslop, owner, and trade London–Smyrna.[2]
LR for 1816 showed Hermes with W.Moore, master, changing to J.Streffen, Haslop, owner, changing to Douglas & Co., and trade London–West Indies.[4]
On 30 November 1818 Hermes, Bond, master, put into Lerwick, leaky. She had been sailing from Archangel to London. She had had to throw part of her cargo overboard.[5]
LR for 1819 showed Hermes with Bond, master, changing to Taylor, owner Douglas, changing to Gales, and trade London–Havana, changing to London–South Seas.[6]
1st whaling voyage (1819–1820): Captain J. Taylor sailed from London 6 April 1819. Hermes returned on 5 September 1820.[7]
In 1820 Captain Taylor sailed from London bound for the Sandwich Islands, for Hermes's 2nd whaling voyage.[7]
Hermes was lost on 26 April 1822 in the South Seas. Her crew were rescued.[8] She was wrecked on a coral reef in the NW of the Hawaiian Islands. Hermes was in company with the whaler Pearl, which also was wrecked at the same time. Pearl was wrecked first; Hermes wrecked when she came to Pearl's assistance. The 57 men from both crews were able to land on one of the atoll's small islands.[9] They were able to salvage provisions that enabled them to survive for some months. They also salvaged timbers that they used to build a 30-ton (bm) schooner that they named Deliverance. Fortuitously Thames sailed by and rescued most of the survivors before Deliverance had been completed.[a] Still, James Robinson, carpenter on Hermes who had led the construction, and eleven other survivors chose to sail Deliverance to Honolulu.[12][9] There Robinson and another of the crewmen formed the James Robinson & Co boat repair company.[13]
LL reported on 18 April 1823 that both Hermes and Pearl had been wrecked and that their crews had been saved.[14]
Pearl and Hermes gave their name to the Pearl and Hermes Atoll.[15]
As late as 1870s the keel stem and stern could be seen on the bottom.[16]
Postscript: The wreck of what may have been Hermes or Pearl was discovered 20 September 2004 at the atoll.[12]