AGUILA 1775

[shipstamps]

I don't have many details on the ship herself, but some other information from some web sites on the voyages is also interesting.

The AGUILA a frigate was used by Don Domingo de Boenechea (or Bonechea) (ca 1711-1775) for the first voyage to establish a Spanish colony on Tahiti, which the Spanish named Amat, named after the viceroy of Chile and Peru, Don Manuel de Amat.
Set sail on 26 September 1772 from Callao, Peru for his first voyage.
Bonechea discovered an island, which he named San Simon y Judas, what is now known as Tauere in the Tuamotu Archipelago, and an other island what he named San Quintin (Haraiki). Two other islands discovered were Anaa and Meetia before the AGUILA arrived at Tahiti.
The island Moorea he named Santo Domingo.
He anchored in the waters off Tautira (ESE from Tahiti) from 9 Nov until 20 Dec. 1772. He returned at Callao on March 1773.

The second expedition to Tahiti commenced when he sailed with two vessels on 20 Sept. 1774 from Callao, the AGUILA under his command and a store ship the JUPITER under command of Don Thomas Gayanos.
On this voyage he took two Franciscan missionaries with hem.
During the voyage the islands San Narciso (Takatoko) was discovered, and Tauere sighted. Other islands sighted or visited this voyage were Los Martires (Tekokoto, San Juan (Hikueru), Haraiki, Anaa, Meetia before arriving at Tahiti.
In a bay in the Tautira-District, named by the Spanish, Santa Cruz de Ohatutira a good place was found to build a house for the priests.
Then the two ship set sail for Orayatea (Raiatea), and on his return from Raiatea in Tautira, Boenechea got seriously ill and died in Tahiti on 26 January 1775.
Command was taken over by Thomas Gayangos and the two ships sailed to Callao, where she arrived on 8 April 1775.
By French Polynesia a stamp was issued on 1 Jan. 1995 to commemorate the first expedition 220 years ago.
It depict the AGUILA on arrival, (the stamp shows a ship of that time, a painting or picture of the ship does not exist.) The coast and first mountain peaks of Tautira are in the background of the stamp.
The stamp depicts a portrait of Don Domingo de Boenechea, and a cross.
Boenechea was buried on the foot of the cross, which was placed in front of the poorhouse, which was built to meet the needs of the poor in the missionary settlement.
The AGUILA made an other voyage to the new colony in 1775, when she sailed under command of Don Cayetano de Langara with stores and supplies for the missionaries at Tahiti. But both missionaries Pater Geronimo Clota and Pater Narciso Gonzales wanted to return home, they were afraid for their personal security on the island. The AGUILA returned at Callao on 16 Feb. 1776 with the missionaries.
The records of the two priests are saved and give interesting and ethnologic details of the island and people.
Fate of the AGUILA till so far not know.

French Polynesia 1995 92Fr. sg 716, scott 653

http://www.univie.ac.at/Voelkerkunde/ap ... nechea.htm in German .
http://www.tahiti-postoffice.com/englis ... 8-1/2.html
http://www.paisvasco.com/getaria/english/sons.htm
http://www.univie.ac.at/Voelkerkunde/ap ... angara.htm in German.

[Miguel Gil]

HISTORY
Domingo de Bonechea y Andonaegui (Getaria, September 21, 1713 – Tahiti, January 26, 1775). He was born into a family with strong seafaring roots, as both his father and several of his brothers served in the Armada, as well as in shipping companies.
He joined the Armada, though he already had prior experience as a navigator. During his military career, he rose to the rank of ship captain in 1774, one year before his death. However, he never learned of this last promotion due to the slow communications of the time.
During his career in the Armada, he participated in several 18th-century conflicts, such as the War of Polish Succession (1733–1738) and the War of the Asiento against England (1739–1748), also known as the War of Jenkins' Ear, serving as a privateer and coastguard. However, his greatest contribution was two expeditions to Tahiti. In the first, between 1772 and 1773, he explored and mapped recently discovered islands in what is now French Polynesia, including Tahiti and Moorea.
During the second voyage, between 1774 and 1775, in addition to continuing the work of exploration and mapping, a mission and a settlement were established to reinforce Spanish control and prevent other powers from gaining influence. On the very day the mission was consecrated, the Treaty of Tautira (Tahiti), also called an affidavit, was signed, in which Tahitian leaders recognized Spanish sovereignty over those lands. Weeks later, Domingo de Bonechea died from illness and was buried in the mission's cemetery. He is also credited with some of the first observations of Polynesian customs, clothing, and navigation techniques, as well as descriptions of the islands' flora, fauna, and resources.
Portrait painted by Elías Salaverria around 1912 for the Historic Naval Oceanographic Exhibition of the Basque Country held in Donostia-San Sebastián in 1913.

https://www.correos.es/es/es/particular ... 5/pioneros
Spain 2025, 2,4€. Sg? Scott?

Also see the below topic
viewtopic.php?p=21804&hilit=bonechea#p21804