Victoria, 1830
Type: 2nd Tender to the Survey Vessel Sulphur ;
Notes:

Built in 1830 for an African survey, under the superintendence of Captain Belcher.

1833 departed from Gibraltar to England, under the command of Lt. Monypenny, the current First Lieut. of the Sulphur, having misunderstood his orders.

N.B. Whilst it is sometimes apparent that the Victoria was in the water, there are occasions, presumably on long passages, when she was taken out of the water and put on board the Sulphur, however, it is not always clear when she was taken out, so I've probably made notes for her when she was a "passenger" on the Sulphur....but I would think that when the Sulphur was surveying along the west coast of America that the Victoria would be in the water. But see vol. of "Voyage of HMS Sulphur round the World," to get a better idea....available for free in Googlebooks.

20 Feb 1838, departed Realejo, to examine the Gulf of Papagayo, with the Sulphur.

3 Mar 1838, Mr Speck to make a survey of the bay of Salinas, and to rejoin the Sulphur at Culebra.

14 Mar 1838, arrived at the island of Cardon, but the Starling had arrived and departed again.

20 Mar 1838, Starling returned to the island of Cardon with a few letters. 27 Mar 1838, departed Culebra, for Cocos Island and Callao.

3 Apr 1838, arrived at the island of Cocos.

3 Jun 1838, arrived Callao, after a passage of 74 days, where the Imogene and Harrier, along with the French vessels Andromede, 60, and brig Alacrit�, and the US vessel North Carolina, 80, and corvette Lexington, who were all watching the motions of the belligerents, Peru and Chile, the Sulphur, Starling and Victoria undergoing a refit, and examined the possibly strategic Boqueron Passage.

8 Aug 1838, completed refit and were ready for sea. Departed Callao, having refitted as far as local resources will permit to inspect the coast to the south as far as Lachira Bay.

25 Aug 1838, returned to Callao, and Lima had fallen into the hands of the Chileans.

Circa 29 Aug 1838, departed Callao for Hormigas ; Payta (2-4 Sep) ; Isle of Puna (6 Sep) ; and Guayaquil, where the refit was continued and stores from the Cleopatra embarked.

Circa 5 Oct 1838, departed for Panama, via Taboga.

17 Oct 1838, arrived Panama, and from thence to Taboga to complete water and back again.

1 Nov 1838, departed Panama for Realejo.

14 Nov 1838, arrived Realejo.

17 Nov 1838, departed Realejo for Conchagua, where they arrived on the 19th inst.

30 Nov 1838, returned to Realejo. Commenced the survey of the region around Realejo.

1 Jan 1839, whilst reefing the sails on board the Sulphur the Victoria was seen to let fly her sheets in a squall, following which the pinnace could no longer be seen. The Victoria later returned with bad news, reporting that the pinnace had capsized in a squall, leading to Mr. Speck, mate and assistant surveyor, and J. Grant, a seaman, being drowned, seamen Lamphier and White managing to swim ashore. The Starling, recovered the survivors and boat.

8 Jan 1839, departed Realejo with the Sulphur for the Gulf of Nicoya, whilst the Starling was sent to look for a rock reported by an American vessel, which did not exist at the position given.

14 Jan 1839, anchored off islands of San Lucas, opposite Punta Arenas, aka Gulf of Nicoya.

17 Jan 1839, departed Punta Arenas for Panama, hoping to receive mail and perhaps news of instructions to return home? Surveyed the River Santiago and some of its tributaries, included in an area looked at in March 1837.

4 Mar 1839, departed for Baija Honda, where they had been 2 years previously, and from thence went on to Quibo and got aground, probably on a sandbank at the mouth of a small river, but came off easily with assistance from the Starling. There being nothing exceptional to look at departed for Taboga.

14 Mar 1839, arrived at Taboga, and moved on to Panama the following day, but receive no instructions to return to England. It being the rainy season colds and influenza went around the squadron, along with which many suffered from prickly heat, and have my sympathy.

6 Apr 1839,arrived at Cocos Island, and departed a day or so later for the Clipperton Rock, 1360 miles distant, where the rock is accompanied by a coral island and lagoon, with no trees, about 3 miles long, so not quite what a mariner might expect from the name.

19 May 1839, in lat. 13� 45' N. ; 124� 30' W. the Starling detached to search for a group of islands reported to lie between 16� and 17� N., and 136� to 138� W., whilst the Sulphur took a course to intercept former routes.

29 May 1839, sighted Maui, and the following day Oahu., and arrived Honolulu.

10 Jun 1839, departed Honolulu, for Atooi, arriving on the 13th. 16 Jun 1839, departed Atooi.

24 Jun 1839, in long. 164� W., lat. 37� N.

5 Jul 1839, observed land and the following day stopped at Point Grenville.

16 Jul 1839, made Mount Edgecumbe.

19 Jul 1839, departed for the mouth of the Columbia where the Starling was waiting for them, and escorted them into the river.

31 Jul 1839, departed via the Tongue Point Channel, grounding occasionally, and discovered that the night time tides in the Columbia River were higher at night than in the day time.

5 Aug 1839, passed round the southern side of Puget's Island, en route for Oak Point.

9 Aug 1839, arrived at Fort Vancouver, like many of the places in this region at that time, outposts of the Hudson's Bay Company, before the so-called American "squatters," arrived on the scene. Once the Starling was repaired dropped downstream.

14 Sep 1839, departed Baker's Bay, and departed for Bodega, the port for Ross, where the Starling was left to survey, whilst the Sulphur eventually departed for San Francisco, but having arrived had to wait for the fog to lift before approaching the Bay, where provisions were embarked and confirmatory observations taken, before departing for Monterey.

5 Oct 1839, arrived at Monterey, but had parted from the Starling and so departed the following day for Santa Barbara, where the Starling was cruising and found her there on the 9th and anchored in the bay for the night, but there being nothing to detain them they moved on to San Pedro.

11 Oct 1839, arrived San Pedro in the evening, and anchored amongst several American vessels, who deal in hides and tallow, and having completed an inspection dispatched the Starling with a cutter to look at the island and anchorage of Santa Catalina.

13 Oct 1839, dropped down to San Juan.

17 Oct 1839, arrived at San Diego.

22 Oct 1839, departed San Diego.

24 Oct 1839, anchored off Port San Quentin ; examined the flora and fauna, along with the marine life and suitability, or otherwise, as an anchorage and port etc., along with availability of water and supplies, as with most places visited, along with comments on what was found, and maybe how it compared with earlier visits, by the captain, and by others.

28 Oct 1839, called at St. Bartolomew (aka Turtle Bay), and the bay of Magdalena, where the Starling was sent to check out the Island of Cerros and the surrounding area, rejoining at Magdalena.

31 Oct 1839, arrived at the Gulf of Magdalena, where the Victoria was taken out and fitted for sea service, under the command of a Mr. Richards, Midshipman, and used in the examination of the Gulf.

18 Nov 1839, departed the Gulf of Magdalena for Cape San Lucas, where they arrived on the 20th inst., where the squadron provisioned with wood, water, bullocks, and fresh provisions, whilst the bay was surveyed etc., before departing for San Blas.

24 Nov 1839, arrived San Blas, where the mail was collected and it was learned that a transport was waiting at Mazatlan with stores and provisions, and departed accordingly. Instructions were also received, allowing the ship to return home by the westerly route, via Tahiti. 12 months stores were embarked, which filled the lower-deck, to the beams, which meant that the crew had to sleep on the main deck.

4 Dec 1839, departed Mazatlan, but, before leaving, sold the Victoria for �100 to Mr. Forbes as there was no room on board the Sulphur to store the vessel, with provisions for 12 months on board.