History | |
---|---|
France | |
Captured | 1803 [1] |
United Kingdom | |
Name | Adventure |
Acquired | 1804 by purchase of a prize |
Fate | Wrecked 28 April 1808 |
General characteristics | |
Tons burthen | 294 [1] ( bm) |
Length | 97 ft 6 in (29.7 m) [2] |
Beam | 26 ft 7 in (8.1 m) [2] |
Armament | 12 × 6-pounder guns [1] |
Notes | Two decks and three masts |
Adventure was a French privateer captured in 1803. She became a whaler that made two voyages to the Southern Whale Fishery. She was wrecked in April 1808 as she set out on her third.
On 2 October 1803 HMS Acasta captured the French privateer Adventure. Adventure was out of Bordeaux and carried 20 guns and a crew of 144 men. Acasta pursued her in the mid-Atlantic for 45 hours, finally bringing her to action and capturing her. [3] Acasta also recaptured two prizes, Royal Edward and St. Mary's Planter, that Adventure had taken from the Jamaican convoy and whose captains were aboard Adventure. [4] When Acasta intercepted Adventure, she had been about to take possession of Jane, before going after a fourth ship of the convoy. [3] Acasta sent Venturé, Royal Edward, and St. Mary's Planter into Plymouth. [5]
The London-based shipowner Daniel Bennett purchased a French prize that Acasta had captured, [2] and renamed her Adventure. At the time Bennett was the most important ship-owner in the Fishery and had some 17 vessels out whale hunting. [6]
Adventure first appeared in the Register of Shipping for 1805 with J. Page, master, Bennett, owner, and trade London–Southern Fishery. [1]
1st whaling voyage (1804-1806): Captain John Page (or Paget) sailed from England on 3 September 1804, bound for Peru. Adventure was at Easter Island at some point in 1805 and may have brought a young Easter Islander to England when she returned on 28 April 1806. [7]
2nd whaling voyage (1806-1808): Captain Page sailed on 20 June 1806, bound for Delagoa Bay. A report on 15 January 1808 stated that Adventure was at Delagoa Bay on 1 August 1807, but that Page had died. Captain William Parker (or Barker) returned to England on 6 March 1808. [7]
Captain William Parker sailed in April 1808. Lloyd's List reported on 3 May 1808 that Adventure, Parker, master, had become a total loss on 28 April 1808 on the North Sand Head, near Deal, Kent, while sailing from London for the South Seas. The pilot and one crewman had drowned. [8] Adventure drifted off and had been towed on shore near Margate. [9]