Nathaniel Portlock
Nathaniel Portlock (* 1747 or 1749 in Norfolk, Virginia; † September 12, 1817 at Greenwich Hospital in London) was a British naval officer and explorer in the 18th century.
Life
Portlock was born into a middle-class family from the British colonies in America. His grandfather had a small ship company, and his father ran an inn. The father died when Nathaniel was 3 years old. Nathaniel went early to sea, on one of the family-owned Briggs. In 1771 he was faced with the choice, on a British ship, the HMS St. Albans, to be pressed or voluntarily to hire. Portlock volunteered and was classified as a midshipman within two months. After two years on HMS St. Albans, he spent 19 months on the HMS Ardent and then served eleven months on HMS Ramillies. His decision to stay with the British Royal Navy, estranged him with his American family.
On March 12, 1776, he signed on as able seaman (English AB ) on the HMS Discovery, with the James Cook was preparing to set off on his third Pacific expedition ( 1776-1780 ). After Cook's death, he was summoned to the resolution and assigned to the Sailing Master William Bligh as Master 's Mate. After his return in 1780 he was promoted to Lieutenant Portlock.
1785 to 1788 he worked for King George Sound Company in exploration and trade on the Pacific coast of Canada, along with George Dixon. Portlock commanded the HMS King George (320 tons), the smaller Queen Charlotte Dixon (220 tons). 1786 they moved one between the Cooks River and Nootka Sound, charted and traded furs. In 1787 they sold the furs in China, took on new goods on board and were back in 1788 in the UK. His experiences Portlock published in a travel Description: A Voyage Round the World.
1791 Portlock got a new command on HMS Assistant, a brig. He should accompany the HMS Providence, under Captain William Bligh on his second breadfruit expedition (1791-1793) to Tahiti. After a successful return in August 1793 Portlock was appointed Commander.
In 1799 he was given command of HMS Arrow with which he seized on the Dutch ship Draak in September. In October, he was with his ship on the spot, as the frigate HMS Frisky went down with their particular for Hamburg Gold treasure off the Dutch coast. He could only involve a single survivor. ( The bell of the Frisky was salvaged in 1858 and hung in the offices of Lloyd 's of London. ) After these two actions Portlock was promoted to captain.
From 1803 to 1806 served Portlock in the coastal defense, the Sea Fencibles. On January 20, 1805 he headed the rescue measures for the Danish ship Den Lille Catherina at Thurlestone Rock in the Bigbury Bay. In recognition he received from the Danish shipowners a silver cup presented.
1816 Portlock was entrusted with the management of Greenwich Hospital - a post which was handed veteran naval officers in their retirement. But already in the following year died Portlock. He was buried in the cemetery of the hospital.
Portlock was an able seaman. Captain Bligh, who was rarely satisfied with his officers, he greatly appreciated and trusted him during the time of his illness to even take command of your own ship.
Various places in the world remember Nathaniel Portlock. In Alaska, there are the village and the Portlock Portlock Glacier on the Kenai Peninsula and the Portlock Bank in the Gulf of Alaska, east of Afognak Iceland and south of the Kenai Peninsula named after him. In the Torres Strait between Australia and Papua New Guinea to Portlock Reef Shawl are ( nord-östl. the Cape Peninsula Yorck ) and Portlock Iceland (northeast of Moa Iceland ). In the southeast of Oahu, one of the Hawaiian islands, is Portlock Point and in British Columbia, southeast off Vancouver Iceland, on the southern tip of Prevost Iceland, there is also a Portlock Point, reminiscent of the sailors.
Writings
- A Voyage Round the World; But More Particurly to the North West Coast of America, Performed in 1785, 1786, 1787 and 1788, in the King George and Queen Charlotte, Captains Portlock and Dixon. London 1789 ( digitized)