Description
No. 58 in Fanshawe's Pacific album, 1849 - 52. Captioned by the artist on the album page below the image, as title. On return from Beaver Harbour on 3 August, the 'Daphne' anchored off the Victoria settlement, 'in the creek next to Esquimault Harbour' (Fanshawe [1904] p 270). '..Victoria at this time was a stockaded fort, containing the [Hudson's Bay Company] "factory" or fur-store, and half a mile off was Government House. When [Fanshawe] first arrived this was occupied by Mr Blanchard, the newly appointed Governor. What occurred in [his] short absence at the north of the island he never exactly knew, but local influences had proved too strong for the new Governor, who resigned and sailed away in the 'Daphne'. The chief factor of the [Hudson's Bay] company, Mr. Douglas, obtained the vacant post of Governor and the interests of all..seemed hopelessly sacrificed to the company's absolute sway' (p. 271). In this view across the inlet the stockade mentioned can be clearly seen. Fanshawe wrote to his wife on 22 August that Blanchard, with whom he been out shooting, would leave with him and be back in England 'about November. I shall send by him some sketches - a few, and some worthless; but don't tear them up as they may show the sort of country..' (p.273). This and the others of his Vancouver visit are probably those drawings. They sailed for San Francisco on 1 September. From an album of watercolours of Madeira, Brazil, the Falkland and Pacific Islands, Chile, Panama, Mexico, Vancouver, and California. It covers Fanshawe's commission in command of HMS 'Daphne' 1848-52, on the Pacific station based at Valparaiso, Chile, under Rear-Admiral Phipps Hornby in the 84-gun 'Asia'. The earliest dated drawing is of Madeira, 1 January 1849 on the way out, and the last of Cape Horn on the return, 28 May 1852. For further details, see collection online record.
Image Licence
CC BY-NC-ND
Image Credit
© National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London
Location
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
Country
Canada
Medium
Watercolour
Tags
Category
Landscapes & Seascapes
