Apr 1832

Edward as senior officer on the north coast of Brazil is publicly thanked by the British merchants as Pernambuco for his active protection during a massacre:

In April, 1832, being then senior officer on the north coast of Brazil, he was publicly thanked by the British merchants at Pernambuco, " for the active protection he afforded to them and their property during the revolt and massacre," which had recently occurred in that city.

Source: GENTLEMAN'S MAGAZINE, By SYLVANUS URBAN, Gent. VOLUME XXIV. NEW SERIES. MDCCCXLV. to DECEMBER inclusive.

23 Apr 1832 

Edward Blanckley sent a dispatch from Pernambuco saying the British residents had behaved admirably during the insurrection (right).

1833

eBay sale record of a letter from Paris to Capt. Edward Blanckley at Raleigh House, Plymouth:

Interesting Pre stamp letter from Paris with an account posted to Capt Edward Blanckley, Raleigh House, Union Road, Plymouth, England, charged "2/5"d, "10"c with LONDON Foreign Office datestamp to reverse. 

www.worthpoint.com

This record shows Edward and Harriet had taken the Raleigh House, Plymouth address prior to Pylades’s tour

1833

 Edward attended a slatingly reviewed theatrical production of Antony and Cleopatra in Buenos Aires

Source: British Packet and Argentine News, 1833, page 3

24 May 1833

Midshipman Hammond transfers to Pylades from Beagle, where he had been friends with Charles Darwin, as he wished to leave to Navy.  Charles Darwin writes the following journal entry:

The Beagle returned from M. Video. — MrHammond is discharged into the Pylades & ultimately intends leaving the service.

Source: Charles Darwin’s diaries

8 Jun 1833

Edward Blanckley on Pylades is in Montevideo (left)

11 Jul 1833

Edward Blanckley on Pylades is at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil bound for Pacific (left).  

A letter published in The Morning Post on 9th September 1833 (right) states that Pylades arrived in Rio from the River Plate on 7th July, and was due to sail around Cape Horn in a few days.

15 - 25 Sep 1833

Pylades explores the Island of Chiloé and Edward writes a detailed report which is published in The Journal of the Royal Geographical Society the following year.  Excerpts from this report are (with link to full report below):

It will perhaps be proper, however, to mention here, that money is not current in the island, but that necessaries are obtained by barter ; the principal articles of which are indigo, tea, salt, and a mild sort of Cayenne pepper. Indigo is the chief object, as it is used for dyeing their cloths for making the South American cloaks, called ponchos, which are merely squares of cloth with a slit in the middle to admit the head, and thus allow the cloak to rest on the shoulders. They are made to perfection, and sent to all parts of the continent, from the island of Lemuy ; they are generally manufactured from wool, and almost every cottage has its loom. The sheep am bred and kept solely for the sake of their coats, and nothing could induce the inhabitants to part with these animals or their lambs. It is needless to add that they never eat them. 

The harbours and coast in general abound with all sorts of fish, and among others the finest oysters and other shell-fish. These constitute, indeed, the chief food of the lower orders, and are taken in a manner which I shall here mention, as it is a proof of their great abundance. At low-water mark the natives dig out a narrow trench in the sand with a circular basin at its extremity on the land side. This they stake neatly all round with twigs laid close together, and as soon as the sea reaches its height and is about to recede, stakes are driven in the sand at the only part left open of the circle, which when left dry ie found full of line fish. I witnessed this operation about a mile from the town on the beach, and it produced as much fish as three men could carry away in baskets, the whole the produce of one tide. Tobacco is in great request, but as it is a monopoly of government, its price is too high for all classes to purchase, consequently on our arrival a few leaves of this plant were invaluable. Money when offered was rejected, from its value not being known ; but for a pound of tobacco I actually purchased twelve fowls, three bags of potatoes, four dozen eggs, and half a boat load of oysters. Candles also were in great request. I had by me a private letter of credit; and as there were several respectable shopkeepers at St. Carlos, among whom wee an Englishman, I was anxious to get a bill cashed upon Valparaiso for about 400 dollars, to enable me to purchase a few refreshments for the ship's company. which their good conduct during the severe cold and tempestuous weather we had previously experienced merited ; but although the governor gave orders that all the dollars in the town should be collected for me, at a great loss mid under his responsibility, we could not muster above 220. I therefore allowed each man to take up a pound of tobacco ; and in a few hours every one was eating his poultry, vegetables, and the finest fruit; and as scurvy was, I feared, beginning to allow itself, I had reason to rejoice at seeing our men enjoying themselves with all the dainties they could desire. 

…The soil is rich, though more mattered ; it consists of dark mould and fine loam upon chalk: fruit-trees flourish astonishingly ; and I never saw finer peas, beans, cabbages, or cauliflowers. The principal beverage is cider made from good apples, and when bottled and kept a short time, it is so strong, that a stranger must be careful how he indulges in it. It is like champagne, but stronger, and of a very fattening quality. I was informed that the healthy appearance of the natives was attributed both to the climate and the cider. Spirits are not known to the lower orders, and seldom can be purchased. Wine is never seen, and the government has placed so high a duty on it that it cannot be purchased, by which means the morals of the people are preserved. They are in general shrewd, clever, and most courteous to strangers. 

…The inhabitants are very cheerful, and appear the happiest race I ever beheld. Their amusements, high and low, consist in dancing to a guitar, always accompanied by the voice ; and, with chicha and cider from apples, they will dance for ever.   The females, almost without exception, sing well ; their figures also are good, and, accustomed to dance from their infancy, they would not discredit the best European ball-room.  All are passionately attached to music ; and it was pleasing to hear some of Rossini's best operas sung to pianos, of which there were several in St. Carlos, and well performed, both vocally and instrumentally. 

We experienced the greatest possible attention from all classes, and each seemed to vie with the other in marking the friendly feeling they bore towarda us and our nation. The Governor's politeness and attention I can never cease to remember ; as also the politeness of the chief secretary, Sr. Ferulas, who is a very intelligent person, speaking various languages. - He was formerly secretary to the present King of Sweden, but was obliged to fly his country from political causes. He is, in fact, considered the governor of the island, as the actual governor is a native of St. Carlos, and was never absent from the island. We parted with all our good friends with much regret. 

The Journal of the Royal Geographical Society ..., Volume 4 Google e-book

26 - 28 Sep 1833

Pylades is at sea off the coast of Chile

29 Sep - 15 Oct

 At anchor in Valparaiso Bay

Source: Edward Blanckley journal as Commander of HMS Pylades, National Museum of the Royal Navy, reference: NRA 44344

15 Oct 1833

Pylades left Valparaiso for Lima, Peru via Arica, a port on the present day Chilean border with Peru (right).

16 Oct 1833

Pylades is at sea off the coast of Chile

22 - 25 Oct

Cobija (Bolivia)

Bolivia at this time had a coastal region and Peru extended further south (see 1860 map left).  These regions were lost to Chile after Bolivia and Peru lost to Chile in the War of the Pacific 1879 - ’83

26 - 28 Oct

 At sea 

Coast of Peru

29 Oct 6 Nov

 Arica (Peru)

Source: Edward Blanckley journal as Commander of HMS Pylades, National Museum of the Royal Navy, reference: NRA 44344

C. Nov 1833

Edward personally excavated the remains of two mummified children in Peru, which he later donated to the Devon and Cornwall Natural History Society.

Annals of natural history; or, Magazine of zoology, botany and geology, Volume 10, Taylor & Francis, 1842Google e-book and here

Of the exact locality whence they were procured I am at present unable to furnish information ; but on presenting them, Capt. Blanckley stated to me in converation, that he exhumed them himself from an elevated tract of land in the mountainous district of Peru, but at a considerable distance from the lake Titicaca. He also informed me that such remains were very abundant there, that they were found very near the surface, the light sandy soil having been removed by the wind, so as to expose many of them (a circumstance which led to their discovery), and that each was observed to have an upright posture in the soil, and to have under it a piece of matting. Each mummy (for so, in order to avoid a confusion of terms, I will continue to call them) presented the appearance of a rudely shaped oval bundle, secured by numerous lashings of a coarse rope, made of a kind of flag or mill, passed two or three times round the neck, and then in a variety of directions over the trunk, and knotted together et each intersection so as to form a network with broad interspaces ; every part but the head being thus firmly compressed.

7 Nov

 At sea 

Coast of Peru

8 Nov - 15 Dec

Islay (Peru) at anchor

Source: Edward Blanckley journal as Commander of HMS Pylades, National Museum of the Royal Navy, reference: NRA 44344

7 Dec 1833

Charles Darwin on Beagle at Montevideo (on the Atlantic coast) writes:

7th [Dec 1833, Monte Video …] Mr Kent from the Pylades has joined us as surgeon.

Source: Charles Darwin’s diaries

Pylades was, as we know, anchored at Islay on the Pacific coast and had not been in the vicinity of Beagle for six months or more.  It is unclear where Mr Kent had been for this period.

It was then customary for ships’ surgeons to double up as naturalist observers and Beagle’s surgeon, MacCormick took so much umbrage at Darwin supplanting his role that he quit.  According to the online transcription of Charles Darwin’s diary: 

In his own memoirs published in 1884, McCormick wrote: Having found myself in a false position on board a small and very uncomfortable vessel, and very much disappointed in my expectations of carrying out my natural history pursuits, every obstacle having been placed in the way of my getting on shore and making collections, I got permission from the admiral in command of the station here to be superseded and allowed a passage home in H.M.S. Tyne.

16 - 30 Dec 1833

 At sea (having left Islay, Peru)

31 Dec 1833 - 1 Jan 1834

Off Juan Fernández

A Pacific archipelago including Robinson Crusoe Island (right).

2 - 3 Jan 1834

At sea

4 Jan 

Off coast Chile

Valparaiso 

5 - 13 Jan 

Valparaiso 

14 Jan 

At sea

15 -28 Jan

Coquimbo, Peru

Source: Edward Blanckley journal as Commander of HMS Pylades, National Museum of the Royal Navy, reference: NRA 44344

Jan 1834

Pylades is at Coquimbo, Peru (see map left)

In Jan. 1834, he was at Coquimbo

Source: GENTLEMAN'S MAGAZINE, By SYLVANUS URBAN, Gent. VOLUME XXIV. NEW SERIES. MDCCCXLV. to DECEMBER inclusive.

30 Jan - 13 Mar

At sea

The most southerly latitude recorded is on 23rd and 24th February, showing this was when Pylades navigated Cape Horn to reenter the Atlantic.

14 - 22 Mar

Rio de Janeiro

23 Mar 5 Apr

At sea

6 - 8 Apr

Harbour of Bahia 

North-east Brazil

Source: Edward Blanckley journal as Commander of HMS Pylades, National Museum of the Royal Navy, reference: NRA 44344

Early Apr 1834

Pylades is at Bahia, Brazil (see map above left)

In the beginning of April at Bahia, from whence he returned to England

Source: GENTLEMAN'S MAGAZINE, By SYLVANUS URBAN, Gent. VOLUME XXIV. NEW SERIES. MDCCCXLV. to DECEMBER inclusive.

Edward’s log entry states that, after anchoring in Bahia Harbour, Brazil on Pylades’s homebound course:

I was seized with a violent illness, which confined me to my bed for two months and consequently had no opportunity of making much general remarks.

Source: Edward Blanckley journal as Commander of HMS Pylades, National Museum of the Royal Navy, reference: NRA 44344

He had also carried four fowl unique to Chiloe onto Pylades which he’d been hoping to introduce to Britain.  These sadly died during his illness because he had been unable to see to their proper care:

I shall mention one curious bird. called in Chiloé canguena, which is only to be found here. I succeeded in procuring four specimens of it, with the hope of introducing them into England. They partake in appearance and formation of the duck, goose. guinea fowl, and, in plumage, of the partridge (red-legged) and pheasant. In size they are nearest the guinea fowl ; and although web-footed, they do not take the water, but are constantly dipping their feet in small pools to prevent the web of the feet from cracking. Their legs are black. and the breast is marked like the red-legged partridge. The belly is of a light brown; the back like a hen pheasant ; while the neck resembles the guinea fowl, the upper part being marked not unlike that bird. The head, with a black beak, is exactly that of a Bengal goose, but with a remarkably fine eye. When caught young, they are easily domesticated, and live with other poultry. Their flesh partakes much of the flavour of the pheasant, but not so dry. Those I procured were given me by the Governor, and were taken from his poultry-yard. I lost them one by one during a severe illness on my passage home, in consequence of not being able to attend personally, which I previously did, to see that they had water twice a day to paddle their feet in. This not having been attended to, their webs split, caused sores, and they died in a few hours. What I regretted also was, that, on my recovery, I discovered that, as they died, their skins had been committed to the deep. One I have brought home, but I fear it is not in so perfect a state as to give a just idea of the animal ; it is, however, in the hands of a skillful naturalist.

The Journal of the Royal Geographical Society ..., Volume 4 Google e-book

9 Apr - 9 May

At sea

Source: Edward Blanckley journal as Commander of HMS Pylades, National Museum of the Royal Navy, reference: NRA 44344

10 May 1834

Edward records Pylades being attacked by an illegal Spanish slaver which, mistaking the sloop for a helpless merchant vessel, was unpleasantly surprised: 

[W]e boarded a Brigantine under Spanish Colours who bore down upon us taking us for a West Indiaman or a Packet from our having our fore & mizen topsails close reefed & 2 reefs of the main sail & top gall[ant] masts on deck to ease the ship during a very heavy swell[,] not finding her provided with papers assined (sic) by the general Laws of Navigation and finding in the Master’s possession a Port Clearance of an English Brig that appeared to have sailed from Havannah (sic) with this Vessel / Clemente / & he also failing to prove to whom the vessel and cargo belonged[,] I detained him for the purpose of proving these facts in an Admiralty Court.’

Source: Edward Blanckley journal as commander of HMS Pylades, National Museum of the Royal Navy, reference: NRA 44344

11 May - 4 Jun

At sea

 5 Jun

Spithead

(Solent)

Source: Edward Blanckley journal as commander of HMS Pylades, National Museum of the Royal Navy, reference: NRA 44344