| Unlike the previous 1847 visits to the area to pick up specie and treasure, this trip was more involved in clandestine work with the merchants of the coast. At Mazatlan on the 9th of May the ship weighed anchor and set off on a cruise. It anchored a little north of Mazatlan three miles out from the shore at 10pm. At 2 the following morning, the barge and dinghy were sent out and they returned at 7.50 am, delivering 71 pieces of metal said to be silver. The ship then sailed to another offshore location and at 2am on the 12th of May sent out the pinnace in charge of Mr Paul the Master. The ship sailed and picked up the pinnace later in the morning. That afternoon the pinnace was again sent out with one day's provisions and it returned at 6.10 pm with 44 bags of silver which were loaded on board. 'Constance' returned to anchor at Mazatlan on the 15th. The morning of the 23rd saw the ship sending the barge and pinnace with 12 men a 'mid' and boatswain to empty a merchant barque. That afternoon 146 pieces of silver metal and one silver bar were loaded. The pinnace was again in action on the 30th of May, transhipping treasure to an English schooner 'Amelia'. They moved 30 boxes containing $ 60,000 and one box containing $ 1,295, which had been deposited for security on board 'Constance'. | |
| That evening of the 30th May the ship sailed for San Blas. Four 'mids' were placed on the main 'bites' till 4 o'clock by the captain's order, for disobedience and insolence to the naval tradition. Thomas Shipish was released from solitary. 'Constance' anchored at San Blas on Sunday, took on 7 bags of dollars on Monday, sailed on Tuesday, anchored at Mazatlan on Saturday and took on more silver and gold on Monday. On the 14th of June Mr C.P. Sainthile, masters bosun, was discharged to the English brig 'Lonison' as chief mate at the request of the master, he '..being unable to procure such an officer on this coast'. In the next ten days there were two further examples of seamen being seconded to help English vessels navigate back to England and one distressed citizen of Chile was received on board for passage to Valparaiso. | |
| On the 25th of June, after a further ten days treasure gathering, a signal was sent to merchants on shore, that the ship would leave on the morrow. Boats were sent in charge of the master with two days provisions and the following morning 37 packages of metal said to be silver were taken on board. 'Constance' sailed immediately for San Blas and arrived on the 28th of June. In the following five days more silver was accepted onto the ship; there was the usual drunkenness and punishments and the final three days saw nearly two hundred packages - said to be silver - received on board, just before 'Constance' made plain sail to Valparaiso on the 5th of July. | |
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This image, left
hand side, is of the last entry about specie as 'Constance' left for
Valparaiso.
On the right hand side a note is inserted; Disrated Mr T J Seymour Mid to naval cadet for neglect of duty for not answering the captain when he hailed the main top three successive times and then instead of answering himself allowed the casalain? of the tops to do so and for stowing himself away in the fore part of the top. ADM 53 2338 |
| On passage to Valparaiso the ship suffered light winds, made slow progress, and by the 16th of July the captain decided that the ship's company would therefore be on 4/5ths rations. They moored, hungry, at Valparaiso on the 16th of August 1849. | |