Union (ship)
Encyclopedia
The Union was a snow
constructed in England
that was wrecked in Fiji
in 1804.
Built at Barnstaple
in the United Kingdom
, the Union was registered in New York
. Travelling from Sydney
to China
the Union called at Tongatapu
in the Friendly Islands searching for sandalwood
. The master of the boat, John Pendleton, with seven other men put ashore on 1 October 1804. Unknown to the crew remaining aboard all eight men were killed by natives. The following day, a native canoe approached the ship with a white woman on board. It appeared that her role was to entice another boat load of men to come ashore but she cried out that the other men had been murdered and she leapt out of the canoe and swam to the ship. The crew rescued her and held off the natives whilst the ship raised anchor. The woman turned out to be Elizabeth Morley, the sole survivor from the wreck of the Duke of Portland
.
One account of a voyage aboard the Union was written by Walter Bates
in Kingston and the Loyalists of the"Spring Fleet" of A.D. 1783
The surviving crew sailed the ship back to Sydney, under the First Mate, Daniel Wright, arriving on 25 October 1804. The Union sailed for Fiji
on 12 November 1804. Under contract to Simeon Lord
the Union was totally wrecked on Point Corabatta, near Sandalwood Bay. The Master, Daniel Wright and the other twenty one crew were drowned or killed by natives. No exact record of the date of its wrecking was recorded.
Snow (ship)
A snow or snaw is a sailing vessel. A type of brig , snows were primarily used as merchant ships, but saw war service as well...
constructed in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
that was wrecked in Fiji
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
in 1804.
Built at Barnstaple
Barnstaple
Barnstaple is a town and civil parish in the local government district of North Devon in the county of Devon, England, UK. It lies west southwest of Bristol, north of Plymouth and northwest of the county town of Exeter. The old spelling Barnstable is now obsolete.It is the main town of the...
in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, the Union was registered in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. Travelling from Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
to China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
the Union called at Tongatapu
Tongatapu
Tongatapu is the main island of the Kingdom of Tonga and the location of its capital Nukualofa. It is located in Tonga's southern island group, to which it gives its name, and is the country's most populous island, with approximately 71,260 residents , 70.5% of the national population...
in the Friendly Islands searching for sandalwood
Sandalwood
Sandalwood is the name of a class of fragrant woods from trees in the genus Santalum. The woods are heavy, yellow, and fine-grained, and unlike many other aromatic woods they retain their fragrance for decades. As well as using the harvested and cut wood in-situ, essential oils are also extracted...
. The master of the boat, John Pendleton, with seven other men put ashore on 1 October 1804. Unknown to the crew remaining aboard all eight men were killed by natives. The following day, a native canoe approached the ship with a white woman on board. It appeared that her role was to entice another boat load of men to come ashore but she cried out that the other men had been murdered and she leapt out of the canoe and swam to the ship. The crew rescued her and held off the natives whilst the ship raised anchor. The woman turned out to be Elizabeth Morley, the sole survivor from the wreck of the Duke of Portland
Duke of Portland (whaler)
The Duke of Portland was an American whaler of 400 tons.It was registered in Boston, USA and left Norfolk Island in June 1802. At some stage during that month it was wrecked at Tongatapu, Tonga. All the crew were killed by natives except for one woman, Elizabeth Morley, who was rescued by the...
.
One account of a voyage aboard the Union was written by Walter Bates
Walter Bates
Walter Bates was an American who, through actions of his family and himself, came to Nova Scotia to live under British rule....
in Kingston and the Loyalists of the"Spring Fleet" of A.D. 1783
The surviving crew sailed the ship back to Sydney, under the First Mate, Daniel Wright, arriving on 25 October 1804. The Union sailed for Fiji
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
on 12 November 1804. Under contract to Simeon Lord
Simeon Lord
Simeon Lord was a pioneer merchant and a magistrate in Australia. He became a prominent trader in Sydney, buying and selling ship cargoes. Despite being an emancipist Lord was made a magistrate by Governor Lachlan Macquarie, and he became a frequent guest at government house. His business...
the Union was totally wrecked on Point Corabatta, near Sandalwood Bay. The Master, Daniel Wright and the other twenty one crew were drowned or killed by natives. No exact record of the date of its wrecking was recorded.