Roebuck and Dampier

[shipstamps]

The last of the series of "Navigators of Australia" stamps made its appearance on November 25th 1964 and shows William Dampier and his ship Roebuck, in which Dampier reached Shark Bay, Western Australia, in August 1699, and in which he subsequently explored the adjacent coasts for several months. The portrait was derived from an engraving supplied by the National Library, Canberra. Dampier was born at East Coker, near Yeovil, in 1652. After a very adventurous youth, in which he became a pirate, though undoubtedly an odd one, for he spent his time ashore studying nature while his companions were carousing, Dampier being a teetotaller, he wrote a book "Discourse on Winds" which was a real asset to deep sea voyagers. It brought him immediate respect.
Evelyn, in his diary, wrote: "I dined with Mr. Pepys, where was Capt. Dampier, who had been a famous buccaneer, and printed a relation of his very strange adventures and his observations. He was now going abroad by the King's encouragement, who furnished a ship of 290 tons. He brought a map of his observations of the course of the winds of the South Sea." The ship was the Roebuck, a 6th rater, pierced for 24 guns, but which only carried 12 on Dampier's voyage. He was originally appointed by an Admiralty Order dated March 23, 1698, to command the Jolly Prize "when fitted out", but Dampier twice complained, on June 30 and July 6, that this vessel was altogether unfit for the proposed voyage to New Guinea and Australian waters, so the Admiralty gave him their next worst ship on the list, the Roebuck, if her subsequent voyage is any yardstick.
Dampier sailed in her from the Downs on January 14, 1699. After touching at the Canaries, Cape Verde Islands and Bahia he made a long sweep round Cape Horn and sighted the coast of Australia on July 26. A few days later he anchored in Shark Bay. During August he searched along the coast for a harbour, provisions and water. His crew were suffering from scurvy and his ship needed careening, but he had no success and sailed for Timor in September. Having refreshed his men and cleaned and repaired the Roebuck, he sailed for New Guinea, sighting the island on December 3.
He spent some months charting the north, east and south coast of New Guinea and outlying islands, but was prevented from charting the western coastline by the condition of his ship and her obviously discontented crew who feared she might go down with them if a storm arose. Thus he made for Batavia, anchoring there on July 4, and remaining until October 17, 1700. Having spent three months careening and repairing .his ship he sailed for home, but after all the attention the ship had received she still leaked so badly that it was necessary to keep the pumps going night and day. Although he again refitted at the Cape of Good Hope, it was a forlorn hope. Off the lonely uninhabited island of Ascension on February 21, she sprang another leak. "The plank was so rotten it broke away like dirt, and now it was impossible to save the ship," records Dampier, "for they could not come at the leak because the water in the run was above it."
The ship was beached after all efforts to save her proved in vain. The sloop's sails were cut up to make tents, a mountain spring provided water, and the shipwrecked crew lived comfortably enough until they were relieved by three naval ships and an East Indiaman, the Canterbury, in which Dampier returned to England. Thus ended the voyage commemorated by the stamp. Dampier eventually died in London in 1715.
Sea Breezes 6/65

Australia SG356,399 ms1852. Papua New Guinea SG544 ms861

[aukepalmhof]

Built as a 5th Rate by Edward Snelgrove, Wapping for the Royal Navy.
06 December 1689 ordered.
17 April 1690 launched as the HMS ROEBUCK.
Tonnage 291 ton (bm), dim. 84.5 x 25.6 x9.9ft
Armament: lower deck 4 – 9pdr, upper deck 20 – 4pdr., quarter deck 4 – 4pdr. guns.
Crew 125/50.
11 April 1690 commissioned under command of Captain Isaac Townsend. She was built with the intention to use her as a fire-ship.

When he died command was taken over on 17 August 1690 by commander Andrew Leake.
15 January 1691 under command of Captain Francis Manley who died of wounds on 16 June 1691.
19 – 24 May 1692 took part in the Battle of Barfleur.
06 March 1693 under command of Captain Richard Wyatt.
23 November 1693 under command of Captain Robert Kirton took part in the destruction of the shipping in Bertheaume Bay near Brest on 10 May 1694, where many French merchantmen and warships were destroyed.
1695 Under command of Captain Edward Owen she escaped from the French squadron which was under command of Duguay-Trouin in April 1695.
1697 Under command of Captain William Urry escorting fishing vessels from Yarmouth.
11 August 1698 under command of Captain William Dampier fitting out for a round the world expedition, armed with 12 guns.

Ascension 2001 35p sg?, scott?

Source British Warships in the Age of Sail 1608-1714 by Rif Winfield

[Arturo]

Roebuck and Dampier

Ecuador, 2006