Built as a sixth rate frigate by the Chatham Dockyard for the Royal Navy.
26 March 1822 launched under the name HMS RATTLESNAKE.
503 ton (BM), dim. 34.7 x 9.7m.
Armament: 20 –32pdrs, 6 – 18pdrs, 2 – 9pdrs.
08 May 1824 completed.
Most probably after commissioned sailed to the West Indies; Captain John Leith was promoted out of the HMS PYLADES to the RATTLESNAKE in Jamaica in November 1825.
Under his command she brought home the Duke of Manchester and his suite on 12 August 1827, soon after her arrival in the U.K she was put out of commission.
Later under Capt. Hugh Patton again in service in the West Indies.
Then in service under command of Hon. Charles Orlando Bridgeman in the Mediterranean.
Nov 1830 command taken over by Capt Charles Graham, still in the Mediterranean.
In Portsmouth in December 1834 command was taken over by Captain William Hobson, and she sailed for the East Indies.
From 1836 till 1837 stationed in Sydney, Australia.
1837 she provided protection for the white settlers against the attacks by the Maoris in the Bay of Islands, New Zealand. On 16 June 1837 she visited Cloudy Bay for wood and fresh water, she sailed the next day, the intention of Capt. Hobson was to make landings at Kapiti and Mana islands but due to bad weather landing was not possible. During this voyage the Rev. Samuel Marsden was on board, and it was the only time Marsden visited the South Islands before the RATTLESNAKE headed back to Sydney. (Captain Hobson was later appointed as Lieutenant-Governor of New Zealand.)
1838 Ordered home.
1839 Under command of master and commander William Brodie.
July 1839 in service as a troopship in the East Indies
June 1841 under command of acting master and commander James Sprent, used as troopship in the East Indies.
1844 At Portsmouth.
From September 1846 used as a survey vessel, sailed on 01 December 1846 from the U.K for service in the East Indies under command of Captain Owen Stanley. She sailed via the Cape of Good Hope and Mauritius to Tasmania and then to Sydney.
She carried out surveys in Torres Strait, the Louisiade Archipelago and Eastern New Guinea.
1850 After arrival Sydney, Capt Stanley died suddenly on 13 March at the age of 39.
Lieutenant Yule was appointed as the new commander of the RATTLESNAKE, and he got orders to proceed direct to the U.K. On board were many mariners, invalids and passengers; total 230 persons were on board on sailing.
02 May sailed from Sydney, but after some time at sea it was discovered that the RATTLESNAKE was leaking in her after gunroom, and it was decided to call at New Zealand for repairs, she arrived the 15 May at the Bay of Islands and stayed there till 22 May.
05 July passed Cape Horn, and arrived 8 July on the anchorage of Port William, Falkland Islands. After taken on board fresh water, food and stores, she sailed on 24 July.
29 September arrived at Horta, Azores for fresh water, and sailed on 05 October.
09 November 1850 she was paid off at Chatham.
1859/60 Broken up at Chatham.
On the 1999 stamp of 5t of Papua New Guinea, the inscription on the stamp is wrong, it gives Simpson and BLANCHE instead of RATTLESNAKE and Owen Stanley.
Papua New Guinea 1987 20t sg 548 and 1999 5t MS861.
Source: http://www.cronab.demon.co.uk/R.HTM The Old Whaling Days by Robert McNab. Ships of the Australian Station by John Bastock.