The first time I found the name "NAUTILUS" on a website was that she was the first sealer under command of Capt. Charles Bishop around the Furneaux Group in 1798.
She is given then as an 80 ton brig.
Capt. Bishop established the first settlement south of Sydney at Kent Bay on the Southern side of Cape Barren Island.
In 1799 Capt. Bishop on board the "NAUTILUS" discovered Nonouti and most probably also Abemama in the Gilbert Islands.
The same year she visited the Marshall Islands on a fur trading mission.
Who was this Capt. Charles Bishop, in the Australian Dictionary of Biography I found on him, and I quote:
Born 1765?, appears to have descended from a lower middle-class family of Hampshire, England. He joined the navy in his teens, and reached midshipman's rank. Soon after entering the employ of Sidenham Teast, a Bristol merchant, he served from 1792 to 1794 in a Teast ship gathering produce from West Africa; he then received command of the "RUBY" to sail to the north-west America in quest of furs for the Canton trade. Teast's instructions also included Japan and Korea as possible places for commerce. The merchant must have been an intelligent reader of the journals of James Cook and his followers, who advanced British expansion into the Indian and Pacific Oceans and thereby opened an important passage in world history.
Bishop sailed in September 1794 and reached the Columbia River next May. His trade did not prosper, Teast's plans being too sanguine, and the "RUBY"s arrival too late in the year. At the season's end Biship decided to make for Hawaii for supplies and to ensure return as the first ship on the coast next spring. On the way however the "RUBY" suffered great damage in January and February. Hawaii could not provide materials for repair and so Bishop sailed for Macao and Canton where lie became involved in extremely complex business negotiations. In one attempt to overcome his difficulties Bishop sailed to Amboina, where he sold the "RUBY" and bought the "NAUTILUS". Back in Canton refitting took many more weeks, and not until June 1797 did Bishop sail again for America His supercargo was Roger Simpson, henceforward an active figure in Pacific commerce. Bishop's plans continued to go awry. Fierce and prolonged storms drove the "NAUTILUS" to Formosa, Kamchatka and Hawaii before she reached ! Tahiti in March 1798, the first ship to anchor since the London Missionary Society pioneers had settled there precisely a year earlier. The missionaries were unhappy fearing attack from hostile natives and a majority, including Rowland Hassall, William Henry and Francis Oakes contracted with Bishop to carry them to Sydney, There the "NAUTILUS" arrived on 14 May 1798. Bishop then heard from the survivors of the "SYDNEY COVE" which had been wrecked in Bass Strait, of the rich seal fisheries there. In October the "NAUTILUS" set off to exploit them. She returned to Sydney in December, and then went back to the fisheries. Back in Sydney again Bishop carried a cargo to Norfolk Island for William Campbell.
In May he set off for Canton, having taken out letters of marque (probably the first issued by the local Vice-Admiralty Court) to validate any attacks he might make on Spanish shipping. The voyage saw some original exploration among the Marshall and Gilbert Islands. At Canton Bishop sold his sealskins and the "NAUTILUS", and thence sailed for England. A pioneer in the industry, he had tasted the pleasure of skimming the cream of Pacific wealth.
George Bass (on Australia 1963 £1, and 1966 $2 SG 359 and 102) had become friendly with Bishop in Sydney, and sailed in the "NAUTILUS" to Canton. In England the two planned a commercial expedition to the South Sea in their ship "VENUS", in which they reached Sydney again in August 1801. The cargo sold poorly, but Governor King engaged the "VENUS" and her crew to collect pork from Tahiti. Thither Bass and Bishop sailed, exploring some islands southward of New Zealand on the way. At Tahiti Bishop again was involved in native politics, becoming commander of the forces of King Pomare, defender of European interests in the area. Under Bishop's leadership, Pomare's forces vanquished their enemies in 1802. Meanwhile the gathering of pork had prospered, while Bishop trafficked in firearms when he thought it desirable.
On returning to Sydney, Bass prepared for his fatal voyage towards South America and Bishop stayed behind through ill health. He established a farm outside Prospect; his friends ranged from government officers to seditious gentlemen convicts, especially John Grant. But Bishop's mind began to crack in 1804, and in October 1805 King made a constitutional innovation by calling a jury to consider his sanity. It confirmed his committal as a lunatic, and Bishop entered confinement. In April 1809 he moved to private lodgings but did not improve, and William Paterson returned him to England in October. Noting further is known of him.
Bishop was an interesting representative of the current British concern for eastern commerce. His personal Odyssey has intrinsic significance: few before him could have exploited the wealth of Africa, America, Australia, and Oceania. Bishop's journal and letters relating the "RUBY" and "NAUTILUS" voyages add significantly to Pacific literature. The degeneration of his intelligent and affectionate disposition set his life in a tragic key, and marked the excruciating strain which he had to endure.
By checking the Shipping Arrivals and Departures Sydney 1788-1825 by J.S.Cumpston I found the following entries.
She arrived Sydney for the first time on 14 May 1798 from Otaheite (Tahiti) with missionaries and pork. Given as a brig.
Sailed on 7 Oct. bound for Van Diemen's Land for scaling and fishing. Under command of Capt. Bishop.
Arrived Sydney 25 Dec. 1798 from Kent Bay with on board 5.200 seal skins and 350 gallon seal oil. Fourteen people (from the "NAUTILUS") were left behind on Cape Barren Island to collect skins and oil. She sailed on 10 Jan. 1799 bound for Norfolk Island under command of Capt Bishop.
Arrived again at Sydney on 8 March from Kent Bay with circa 3.800 seal skins- Then chartered by the American Whaler "REBECCA" to bring goods to Norfolk Island, sailed on 16 March 1799, under command of Capt. Bishop.
She arrived on 8 Sept. 1801 from China and Otaheite with general merchandise, under command of R.Simpson, her tonnage is given as 60 ts, 14 guns and a crew of 19 men, built in Calcutta, owner Rt Berry.
She sailed on 6 May 1802 for Fort William in ballast, it is given she sailed under command of Capt. Bishop, (but given above he left the ship already in Canton, and one of the sources must be wrong).
Arrived on 21 May 1803 under command of Roger Simpson from Otaheite`, carried then 5 guns and a crew of 18, owner given as Berry & Co.. She arrived at Sydney with 26 ts pork and 3 boxes Sandwich Island scenes (I am wondering what is in the boxes).
She sailed on 14 Aug. under command of Capt. Black for Fort William and Hunter River in ballast, to be used in the timber trade.
Arrived Sydney 30 Sept. 1803 under command of Capt. Js Black from the Hunter River, with a cargo of 60 logs cedar and 73 spars. Owner then given as Berry & Simpson.
After discharging she was renamed in "L'ENFANT D'ADELE", and sailed out under command of Capt. R.Coutance on 11 Oct. 1803, she was bound for Isle of France with a cargo of 1.500 ft oak and cedar. Owner given as Merle and Co.. That is the last entry in the book, so it looks she was sold to French or Spanish interest.
In Watercraft Philately Vol 42 page 11 is given she was built circa 1794 for the British East India Company (Bombay Marine) with a armament of 10 carronades and 4 long 9 pdrs.. (The first three entries in the Shipping Arrivals give not any armament but the fourth gives 14 guns, so most probably she is the same vessel).
On 22 Jan. 1794, "NAUTILUS" and four other British East Indiamen came upon the French privateers "LA RESOLUTE" and "LE VENGEUR" off Bengkuli, Sumatra, and after a short chase captured them both.
"NAUTILUS" sailed through the Marshall Islands in 1799 on a fur trading expedition from North America and Australia and China.
The rest of her history given in W.P. must be wrong, she was sold in 1803.
Marshall Islands 1993 5c sg?, scott452 and 1996 32c sg683, scott605o, 40c sg496, scott?
source: http://focusonflinders.com.au/about htm