''Hermes'' was built in Quebec in 1811. She traded widely before she made two voyages as a

whaler A whaler or whaling ship is a specialized vessel, designed or adapted for whaling: the catching or processing of whales. Terminology The term ''whaler'' is mostly historic. A handful of nations continue with industrial whaling, and one, Japa ...

to the British Southern Whale Fishery. She was wrecked in 1822 during the second voyage. The wreck was found at

Pearl and Hermes atoll The Pearl and Hermes Atoll ( haw, Holoikauaua), also known as Pearl and Hermes Reef, is part of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, a group of small islands and atolls that form the farthest northwest portion of the Hawaiian island chain. The ...

in the 21st century, an atoll for which the ship is also a namesake along with another ship.

Career

A letter dated 16 May 1812 reported that ''Hermes'' had been re-registered at London.Library and Archives Canada Item: 29808: HERMES.
/ref> She entered ''

Lloyd's Register Lloyd's Register Group Limited (LR) is a technical and professional services organisation and a maritime classification society, wholly owned by the Lloyd’s Register Foundation, a UK charity dedicated to research and education in science and ...

'' (''LR'') in 1813 with Harvey, master, Haslop, owner, and trade London–

Smyrna Smyrna ( ; grc, Σμύρνη, Smýrnē, or , ) was a Greek city located at a strategic point on the Aegean coast of Anatolia. Due to its advantageous port conditions, its ease of defence, and its good inland connections, Smyrna rose to promi ...

.''LR'' (1813), Supple. pages "H", Seq.№H17.
/ref> ''LR'' for 1816 showed ''Hermes'' with W.Moore, master, changing to J.Streffen, Haslop, owner, changing to Douglas & Co., and trade London–West Indies. On 30 November 1818 ''Hermes'', Bond, master, put into Lerwick, leaky. She had been sailing from Archangel to London. She had had to throw part of her cargo overboard. ''LR'' for 1819 showed ''Hermes'' with Bond, master, changing to Taylor, owner Douglas, changing to Gales, and trade London–Havana, changing to London–South Seas. 1st whaling voyage (1819–1820): Captain J. Taylor sailed from London 6 April 1819. ''Hermes'' returned on 5 September 1820.British Southern Whale Fishery Database – Voyages: ''Hermes''.
/ref>

Fate

In 1820 Captain Taylor sailed from London bound for the

Sandwich Islands The Hawaiian Islands ( haw, Nā Mokupuni o Hawai‘i) are an archipelago of eight major islands, several atolls, and numerous smaller islets in the North Pacific Ocean, extending some from the island of Hawaii in the south to northernmost Kur ...

, for ''Hermes''s 2nd whaling voyage. ''Hermes'' was lost on 26 April 1822 in the

South Seas Today the term South Seas, or South Sea, is used in several contexts. Most commonly it refers to the portion of the Pacific Ocean south of the equator. In 1513, when Spanish conquistador Vasco Núñez de Balboa coined the term ''Mar del Sur'', ...

. Her crew were rescued. She was wrecked on a coral reef in the NW of the Hawaiian Islands. ''Hermes'' was in company with the whaler ''Pearl'' which also was wrecked at the same time. ''Pearl'' was wrecked first; ''Hermes'' wrecked when she came to ''Pearl''s assistance. The 57 men from both crews were able to land on one of the atoll's small islands.Shipwrecks at Holoikauaua (the Pearl and the Hermes). Accessed 16 August 2019.
/ref> They were able to salvage provisions that enabled them to survive for some months. They also salvaged timbers that they used to build a 30-ton (bm) schooner that they named ''Deliverance''. Fortuitously ''Thames'' sailed by and rescued most of the survivors before ''Deliverance'' had been completed. Still, James Robinson, carpenter on ''Hermes'' who had led the construction, and eleven other survivors chose to sail ''Deliverance'' to Honolulu. There Robinson and another of the crewmen formed the James Robinson & Co boat repair company. ''LL'' reported on 18 April 1823 that both ''Hermes'' and ''Pearl'' had been wrecked and that their crews had been saved. ''Pearl'' and ''Hermes'' gave their name to the Pearl and Hermes Atoll. As late as 1870s the keel stem and stern could be seen on the bottom. Postscript: The wreck of what may have been ''Hermes'' or ''Pearl'' was discovered 20 September 2004 at the atoll.http://archives.starbulletin.com/2004/09/30/news/story3.html Leone, Diana (30 September 2004), "182-year-old shipwrecks possibly found". ''Star Bulletin''.

Notes

Citations

References

* {{Pearlandhermes 1811 ships Ships built in Quebec Age of Sail merchant ships of England Whaling ships Maritime incidents in April 1822 Pearl and Hermes Atoll