| At some time after December 1848
Rear
Admiral Hornby, C-in-C Pacific, would have received a letter from the
Admiralty saying, "I am to signify their (lords of the admiralty)
direction to you to order the 'Constance' to proceed to Spithead and no
longer considers her under your command". The message was dated 26th
December 1848. There was no possibility that this message could have
arrived before 'Constance' started on her final tour of duty on 2nd
January 1849. She would face a three week quarantine for an epidemic of
sickness on the ship and another tour around Mazatlan and San Blas picking
up a very large quantity of treasure. Many of the crew could not see the
end of this existence: there were more desertions, drunkenness and
disobedience and the consequent punishments. From this distance in time we
have no way of judging how typical this voyage was, compared to others of
the time. The logs, however, certainly provide evidence that many of the
crew were near the end of their endurance. |
| On the 1st December, while at Valparaiso,
Admiral Hornby shifted his flag from blue to white and 'Constance' saluted
with 13 guns. The ships caulkers and others from 'Asia' were working on
the main deck for several days. John Seaford ( AB ) was ordered to be
imprisoned for 8 days '..for coming onto the quarter deck and making use
of mutinous and abusive language to the First Lieutenant and behaving to
him in a very contemptuous manner and throwing his hammock at the tine
through the skids onto the mizzen deck'. On December 9th the log states:
"Found missing from their places on the foremast main deck, guns
supposed to be stolen: pistols, percussion 2". |
| The next day the officers held a survey of
the cabin furniture belonging to the crown. One tumbler was charged
against Robert Hay (AB), logged on 24th Jan '48, and one cracked by
accident. Five Madeira glasses were missing, four broken by Robert Hay in
the same incident - broken by neglect - one accident. The remaining losses
were accidents which lost a 12 inch dish, two baking dishes, four cups and
saucers (out of 19 which remain one is cracked), a milk pot, a 'bason', a
butter tub and stand, the covered muffin plates were down by one and two
were without covers, one napkin was accidentally destroyed and a chair was
chipped. This does not seem to have been much to concern them considering
the time and conditions. We must presume that the clumsy (AB) would have
had a significant loss whilst the cost of remaining damage would be spread
among the officers. |
| More entertaining were the events of the
14th of December. The masters log reported: "The second mate of the
British Brig 'Janet' came on board and shouted that the first mate and the
cook of the vessel were drunk and inciting the crew in the absence of the
master". 'Constance' sent an officer and a file of marines on board with
directions to secure the offending parties on board their ship, but
resisting, they were accordingly brought on board the 'Constance' and two
of them, not willing, were confined in irons. By the 25th December,
after a few more events saluting Admirals with 21 guns, the ship headed
for Calleo on the 2nd of January 1849, saluting the Governor of Valparaiso
with 17 guns on their way. |
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