HMS Pandora

Naval Database

| Previous Page | Next Page | Index

Pandora, 1833
Type: Surveying vessel, late Packet brig ; Armament 3
Launched : 14 Jul 1833 ; Disposal date or year : 1862
BM: 319 tons
Notes:

Jun 1833 is reported to have been fitted with Earle's fire-engine pump, which was trialled on board the Druid.

Portsmouth 19 Oct 1833 At Spithead : sails on trials.

1 Jan 1834 Employed as a Packet.

Falmouth 21 Jun 1834 departed for Mexico.

Portsmouth 21 Mar 1835 reported to have arrived Bahia from Falmouth 14 Jan.

Portsmouth 28 Mar 1835 is reported to have arrived at Rio de Janeiro 7 Jan., from Plymouth.

Portsmouth 16 Apr 1836 touched here today, from Sheerness, en route for Falmouth.

24 Apr 1841 arrived Falmouth from Belize (2 Feb) ; Vera Cruz (4 Mar) ; Tampico (13) ; Havannah (23).

Circa 31 Dec 1841 arrived Falmouth having departed Barbadoes (1 Nov), St Thomas's (27 Oct).

1 Jan 1842 arrived Plymouth from Falmouth to refit to be paid off.

14 Jan 1842 paid off at Plymouth.

6 Aug 1842 having recently been replaced by a Royal Mail Steamer and paid off the Admiralty has asked the authorities at Plymouth Dockyard how long it would take to refit and prepare the vessel for commission, with a view to the vessel being used to convey the West India Station mails.

26 Jun 1845 accompanied by the Pandora departed Plymouth Sound. Much of the following, with far more detail, appears in the Narrative_of_the_Voyage_of_H_M_S_Herald, by the botanist Berthold Seemann, available in Googlebooks.

4 Jul 1845 off Cape Finisterre.

11 Jul 1845 off Porto Santo, and thus N.E. of Madeira, and later in the day the Desertas.

13 Jul 1845 the peak of Teneriffe sighted, and anchored at Santa Cruz about noon, and departed at daylight on the 15th and the following day fell in with a fishing boat short of food and water, and replenished their stocks.

21 Jul, 1845 sighted the peak of San Antonio, in the Cape Verde Islands.

7 Aug 1845 carried out temperature and depth tests, running out nearly 3,000 fathoms of line from the pinnace.

9 Aug 1845 the island of Fernandez Noronha was in sight.

18 Aug 1845 arrived off the Brazilian coast between Cape Frio and Ilha Grande, and anchored in Rio de Janeiro harbour on the 19th, with the Grecian, Crescent, Seagull, Penguin, and Spy ; US vessels Raritan, and Bainbridge ; and Brazilian frigate Isabella.

28 Aug 1845 towed out of the harbour by the ships' boats and those of the foreign ships in harbour, in order to be prepared for any problems on the bar, such as the wind dying.

19 Sep 1845 off Berkeley Sound, at the Falkland Isles, and anchored in the well protected Stanley Harbour, off Port Standly, the Governor having recently moved from Port Louis, aka Anson.

30 Sep 1845 briefly experienced a few fine days before weighing anchor and heading for the Cape Horn and Valparaiso, losing sight of the Pandora on 3 Oct, until catching up with her at our destination.

15 Oct 1845 within 30 miles of Diego Ramirez, sighted an iceberg, the temperature dropping below zero, and much of the deck ropes etc. being coated in ice. Then experienced all manners of bad weather, causing damage to the vessel and a man to be lost overboard.

3 Nov 1845 had rounded the Cape and found some better weather where the American whaling ships were seen to be boiling their blubber down.

9 Nov 1845 off the coast of Chile, and enjoying some fine weather, and arrived the following day at Concepcion, a few days later departing for Valparaiso, usually taking about 36 hours, unless delayed by light breezes and calms, particularly near Valparaiso.

4 Dec 1845 departed Valparaiso, stopping briefly at La Ligua, to confirm the position of Papudo Bay and departed on the 7th for Callao.

13 Dec 1845 took soundings and water temperatures, and not long afterwards arrived at Callao, the seaport for Lima.

22 Dec 1845 the steam sloop Cormorant arrived at Callao from Panama and Payta with the mail and news up to the middle of October. The difference made by steam vessels in this respect, considering that only 5-6 years earlier it could take many more months for mail to arrive on the Pacific coast.

24 Dec 1845 departed Callao, with the Pandora, sighting Lobos de la Mar on 27th inst.

28 Dec 1845 arrived Silla de Payta, departing the following day for the Gulf of Guayaquil.

31 Dec 1845 arrived the Gulf of Guayaquil.

1 Jan 1846 departed for the Galapagos Islands, sighting Gardner's Island on the morning of the 6th, and Charles Island at noon, and the mist clearing on the 8th, a landing was made in Blackbeach Bay, about 4 miles from Post Office Bay.

8 Jan 1846 departed for Chatham Island, landing on a sandy beach on the 12th, and departed for James Island on the 14th, and on the 15th anchored in James Bay.

16 Jan 1846 departed the Galapagos for the mainland, taking the depth of the water and temperatures on the 21st, arriving off Cape San Francisco on the 22nd, and in the early afternoon anchored in the bay of Atacamas, off the river Sua.

24 Jan 1846 whilst returning to the ship after research ashore the ship's naturalist / botanist, Mr. T. Edmonston was accidentally shot and killed.

26 Jan 1846 departed for Esmereldas River, where they arrived the following day.

28 Jan 1846 departed to the north arriving close to the island of Gorgona and the mainland Bay of Choco, where the Pandora and Herald were employed surveying for some time, moving on the 5 Feb to Gorgona to procure wood and water.

7 Feb 1846, departed for points north, the rains following them at this time of the year, each vessel stopping 5 miles in front of the other, whilst the ships' boats took soundings and measured tides and much else.

1 Mar 1846 off the mouth of the river Buenaventura, on the coast of Nueva Granada, now Columbia.

3 Mar 1846 the Pandora and 4 of the Herald's boats ascended the river, passing the town of Buenaventura.

9 Mar 1846 the increasing rains putting an end to the survey work for the present departed north to Panama.

25 Mar 1846 after many calms arrived at Flaminco Island and received their first letters since leaving England.

16 Apr 1846 departed for the Straits of Juan de Fuca, and on the 18th the Pandora was struck by a water spout, but having covered her hatchways no damage was caused.

23 Apr 1846 Quartermaster William Murphy died from fever and a variety of complaints.

25 Apr 1846 watched a partial eclipse of the Sun.

1 May 1846 Able Seaman Frederick Brandt died. Both Murphy and Brandt were reputed to be over 50, perhaps old in seamen's terms in those days ?

12 May 1846 took measurements of the sea water at various depths, along with soundings. The Pandora reported catching Bonita, but the Herald was less fortunate.

18 May 1846 Rope Maker James Cook died. 3 Jun 1846 crossed the tropic of Cancer in 130� W., and the weather was becoming cooler.

7 Jun 1846 saw an unidentified US naval vessel in the distance.

24 Jun 1846 off Cape Flattery rocks, the first land for 70 days, and arrived within a mile of destination. Continued up the Straits of Juan de Fuca where they found the Cormorant, who had orders to tow them the next 60 to 70 miles, or until they had passed Port Victoria, and then back again, dropping anchor on the 27th inst.

27 Jun 1846 weather permitting the boats were sent out to survey the harbours and coast, finding Esquimalt, about 3 miles away, probably more suitable than Victoria in the future.

21 Jul 1846 departed for New Dungeness, and the following day headed across the straits for Quadra's and Vancouver's Island, and anchored.

29 Jul 1846 worked round to Victoria and on 1 Aug anchored to the north of Race Islands.

7 Aug 1846 having failed in a previous attempt departed for Sooke Bay, but not a suitable anchorage in a S.W. gale.

16 Aug 1846 worked round to Neagh Bay, and anchored on the 18th.

29 Aug 1846 the weather having curtailed much of the survey work in August, the survey was drawn to a close and on 2 Sep the Herald and Pandora departed for San Francisco.

14 Sep 1846 arrived Cape Mendocino.

18 Sep 1846 arrived at San Francisco, where an officer from the US corvette Portsmouth came on board and announced that America was now in possession of California, probably not unexpected, taking into account the recent problems with Oregon, and the problems at San Francisco, with no government in the region following the departure of the educated Spanish, and it had become a free for all, there being no law or order.

22 Sep 1846 departed San Francisco, for Monterey, where the Pandora went in to pick up a letter from the Admiral, and found the Americans in occupation.

27 Sep 1846 fixed the position of John Begge's Reef, and surveyed the islands of San Nicholas, San Clemente, and the Coronados Islands.

20 Dec 1848 Surveying vessel, Pacific.

20 Feb 1851 Commander Drury departed from Plymouth for the Cape of Good Hope and Sydney.

11 Mar 1851, the survey vessels Calliope and Fantome arrived at Madeira, where they were joined by the Pandora.

16 Mar 1851, departed Madeira for Rio de Janeiro.

Circa 4 Apr 1851, arrived at Rio Janeiro, departing on the 23rd for the Cape of Good Hope, when the squadron was towed out of harbour by the Cormorant.

11 May 1851, arrived at the Cape of Good Hope, at the same time as the then troop ship Vulcan. Whilst there the men spent many hours fishing over the side, often making a good catch.

May 1851, whilst at the Cape of Good Hope a young officer from the Orestes and another from the Pandora were drowned when their dinghy was swamped when alongside the Castor. 2 other occupants of the boat survived the accident.

2 Jun 1851 Left Cape of Good Hope.

12 Jul 1851, arrived at Van Dieman's Land.

21 Jul 1851 arrived Sydney.

23 Aug 1851 Will sail for Auckland on Tuesday next. Her first duty will be to survey the Hokianga.

1 Jan 1852 Reported by the Moa to be at Auckland.

6 Jan 1852 Went down to Waiheki last week to take water on board, returning Wednesday. It is noted that this should be the last occasion on which this exercise will have to be performed, with a new piped water supply nearing completion at Auckland.

6 Jan 1852 Sails for Hokianga, to complete the survey of the bar, and thence to Kiapara.

21 Jan 1852 Sails today from Wellington.

28 Apr 1852 arrived Auckland from Kiapara.

17 Jul 1852 Departed Auckland for Sydney with the Lt. Gov.'s wife and servant onboard.

18 Jul 1852 On leaving the coast met terrible gales and storms, which stove in 3 of the ship's boats, blew out the sails, and delayed the arrival of the vessel at Sydney.

10 Aug 1852 arrived Sydney for a refit. It is reported that the vessel has been absent for nearly 12 months on the West Coast of New Zealand, the rivers Hokianga and Kiapara, with all their branches, having been carefully surveyed.

31 Aug 1852 Departs Sydney to continue the survey of the coast of New Zealand.

12 Oct 1852 The Southern Cross of this date reports the departure of this vessel to Waiheki for water and thence to survey the East Coast of New Zealand, returning about the middle of December.

5 Feb 1853 Came up the Manukau where she is to commence a complete survey of the harbour. Since leaving the port she has been into Kawau, Monganui, and Hohora on the East Coast, as well as anchored under the North Cape, sounding the coast, and among the Three Kings, from whence she went to Ahipara, where she anchored and sounded the bay ; continuing the sounding of the West Coast towards Hokianga, when she was obliged to get on offing during a westerly gale - which was succeeded by NE winds until the 4th inst. Whilst coming up the Manukau she grounded a little below the Wahu, having no chart. She is at present anchored off Shag Point, a few miles below Onehunga.

15 Oct 1853 On Monday evening last resumed surveying operations on the East Coast, calling at Coromandel, from whence she proceeds to the Bay of Plenty, and Hick's Bay, East Cape.

25 Feb 1854 Reported to be at the Pelorus.

8 May 1854 Arrives Auckland for repairs, from Manukau, having experienced bad weather which caused much damage.

3 Jan 1855 Lying at Littleton, when the Waterwitch left and was to sail for Aukland in a few days.

25 Jun 1855 - Nautical notices of the coast of New Zealand - RoP re weather, earthquake, navigation etc - see page 207 of Shipping Gazette and Sydney General Trade List for 1855.

28 Aug 1855 Pandora, Commander Drury, came into harbour on Saturday afternoon, after a surveying cruise in the Thames - Per New Zealander.

Precise date uncertain - 26 Sep - 13 Oct 1855 , arrived Auckland on Sunday morning at 11 o'clock. Since leaving Auckland she has been on the north coast, touching Kawau and the Bay of Islands. Yesterday morning, she weighed and proceeded up the Waitemata, where she will be engaged for some short time on survey. The officers and ship's company of the Pandora have subscribed a day's pay to the Patriotic Fund - New Zealander 26 Sep - 13 Oct

1857 Coastguard watch vessel

1860 Coastguard watch vessel

1861-62 Coastguard watch vessel, since sold to Messrs Marshal, per Parliamentary estimates etc.