Tour of Duty in the Pacific Northwest
E.A. Porcher and H.M.S. Sparrowhawk 1865-1868
Porcher's journal reveals a man who strived to do his duty by the lights of the British Empire. That duty took Porcher to Esquimalt, Royal Navy headquarters for the Pacific, by way of a seven-month transit from England around South America, to Hawaii, and finally to British Columbia. Fortunately, the dutiful navy officer was also an enthusiastic tourist; we have not only his words to recount what he saw, but also a remarkable array of sensitive and skillfully rendered watercolors. His paintings captured people and places, totems and tombs, scenes and ships. The posting of his sail/steam vessel Sparrowhawk in Esquimalt was full of adventures for captain and crew typical of the time and place; she carried mail to San Francisco, bore the governor north for the ceremonial transfer of Alaska from Russia to the U.S., rescued crews of wrecked vessels, and went on the alert to thwart a Fenian threat. Dwight Smith has provided the thoughtful editing and annotation necessary to permit present-day readers to appreciate Porcher's efforts, bringing this book beyond the purely scholarly and into the realm of general interest.
"The book is of special value to any reader interested in the Royal Navy, imperial history, or artistic aspects of life and the natural world in the mid-Victorian period. . . . The journal provides a rare and comprehensive firsthand account of a ship and its crew with details of the Royal Navy's role in imperial functions as well as the crew's, particularly the officers', role in the social and political life of distant colonies. Perhaps the book's most fascinating feature is the series of illustrations drawn by Porcher himself. Blessed with a keen and observant eye, extensive scientific knowledge, and a talent for drawing and illustration . . . he made extensive drawings of the natural features of the region, the native peoples, and European settlements." (Pacific Northwest Quarterly)
Illustrations
Preface
Introduction
Chapter One The Atlantic Transit
9 March-3 July 1865
Chapter Two The Pacific Transit
4 July-28 October 1865
Chapter Three Routine and a Northern Tour
6 November 1865- 30 May 1866
Chapter Four Fenians, San Francisco, and Winter Activities
9 June 1866-6 January 1867
Chapter Five On Duty and Off Duty Potpourri
9 January-6 June 1867
Chapter Six A Northern Cruise and an Inland Journey
7 June-17 August 1867
Chapter Seven Activities of Circumstances and Official Responsibilities
14 September 1867-18 May 1868
Chapter Eight Three Final Cruises
28 May-1 August 1868
Chapter Nine Return to England
1 August- 14 October 1868
Bibliography
Index
