Two manuscript accounts of Boenechea's expeditions to Tahiti in 1772-1773 and 1774-1775

fonds

1772-1775

1000838

: Other surviving contemporary examples of Boenechea’s description can be found at the Museo Naval in Madrid (Manuscrito 476) and at the Archivo de la Casa de Medina Sidonia in Sanlúcar de Barrameda. A slightly different version of Boenechea’s account (referencing onlty Boenechea’s first voyage) was published by Bolton Glanvil Corney, ‘The quest and occupation of Tahiti by emissaries of Spain during the years 1772-1776’ (London : Hakluyt Society Publications, vol. 41, pp. 284-345).

0.09 metres of texutal material (2 boxes)

In October and December 1771, the Spanish Court instructed the Viceroy of Peru, Manuel de Amet y Juniet, to obtain possession of Tahiti, whose location was now known.

Accordingly, in September 1772, the Viceroy ordered that a naval expedition be mounted to reconnoitre the islands of Polynesia, and Tahiti in particular, with the view to establishing a permanent Spanish base in the Mid-Pacific.

Under the command of Basque captain Don Domingo de Boenechea y Andonaegui, the frigate Santa Maria magdalena, better known as the Aguila, sailed from Callao on 26 September 1772.

Boenechea brought several Tahitians with him on his return.

The Spanish made two more voyages to Tahiti, in 1774–1775 and 1775–1776, before the mission ended in failure.

References:
Information supplied by vendor and Oxford Encyclopedia of Maritime History. http://www.oxfordreference.com/ (accessed 6 June 2016)

Swann Auctions, New York. Early printed, medical and scientific books, 1 May 2014, Lot 177. H & S Rare Books, Buenos Aires. Fine books, travel & exploration, 2015, No. 4. Douglas Stewart acquired this volume from the above seller in Buenos Aires.

Two contemporary manuscripts containing first-hand accounts of the first two Spanish expeditions to Tahiti, made in the years 1772-1773 and 1774-1775.

ITEM 01:
Description de las Islas del occeano Pacifico reconocidas ultimamente de orden de su M[agestad]. C[atolica], [1775] / Domingo de Boenchea y Andonaegui

ITEM 02:
Relacion del viage hecho a la Isla de Otahiti y sus ajantes, para el reconocimiento de ellas, [1775] / José Andia y Varela

Boenechea sailed from Callao on 26 September 1772 and arrived at the Ruamotu Archipelago, discovering an island on 28 October which he named San Simon y Judas (Tauere), and another which he named San Quintin (Haraiki) on 31 October. The following day, he encountered Anaa, which he named Todos Santos; and on 6 November he sighted Meetia, which received the name San Cristobal. On 8 November the Aguila arrived at Tahiti, which Boenechea named Amat, after the Peruvian Viceroy. After making a survey, he sailed for Moorea, to which he gave the extra name of Santo Domingo.

On his return, Boenechea stopped at the port of Valparaiso in Chile, where he drafted his report to Amat, dated 8 March 1773. Amat was encouraged by Boenechea’s accounts and decided to authorise a second expedition. The main purpose of the second voyage was to land Roman Catholic priests on Tahiti whose main mission was to both convert the Tahitian people to Christianity and to secure their loyalty to the Spanish crown.

The second expedition embarked on the Aguila from Callao on 20 September 1774, along with the ship Jupiter, captained by Don José Andia y Varela. Shortly after departure, the two ships were separated and did not rendezvous until reaching Tahiti. On 14 November 1774 they both reached Tahiti, after Boenecha sighted a number of other islands in the area, including: Tatakoto, Tauere, Takokoto, and Hikueru.

After settling the priests Boenecha sailed northwest for Raiatea, sighting several other islands which he named Los Tres Ermanos, La Hermosa (Huahine), La Princessa (Raiatea), San Antonio (Maurua), and San Pedro (Borabora). The ships then returned to Tahiti, where Boenechea died on 26 January 1775. Gayangos took command of the Aguila and then returned to Callao on 8 April 1775. The Spanish religious colony failed within a year, effectively ending the Spanish empire in the Pacific.

Boenechea’s descriptions of the islands are one of the earliest detailed accounts of Tahiti and the Society Islands in existence and a fundamental source of information on the appearance of the islands before European settlement had been established and entrenched

Copyright status:: In copyright
Research & study copies allowed: Author has been deceased for more than 50 years

The manuscripts were copied by secretarial hand from the original hand written manuscripts, once they returned to Callao in 1775. Both volumes were intended for circulation amongst a select group of senior naval and civilian officials. It was customary for important documents to be copied by a secretary for presentation to leading naval and civilian officials in both Peru and Spain. This journal was never intended for publication as it contained sensitive military and commercial concerns. The number of copies and their distribution were carefully controlled.