John Buyers
Encyclopedia
John Buyers was the first officer of the brig
Barwell in 1799 on her voyage to China. Later he was the first officer of the brig Margaret
as an investment he and John Turnbull made in Turnbull and Co. John Turnbull being his second officer and historian. The Margaret, after some delay, left England on July 2, 1800, and sailing by way of the Cape of Good Hope, reached Sydney in February 1801. They reached the Society Islands
in September 1802. After trading with various islands in the group, the ship sailed for the Hawaiian Islands
, arriving at Oahu on December 17. After trading for salt at Oahu
, Kauai
, Niihau
, and Hawaii island
, Margaret sailed south on January 21, 1803. The ship sailed in among the Tuamotuan atolls and, on March 6, 1803, Nukutepipi
, one of the Duke of Gloucester Islands
, was visited and named Margaret Island, after the ship, though previously discovered in 1767. On March 10, Makemo
was discovered and named Phillips Island, after a late sheriff of London, Sir Richard Phillips
. On the same day, Taenga
was discovered and named Holts Island. Some other islands were sighted but they had been previously discovered and were not landed on. Once in Tahiti, Turnbull set up an establishment ashore for buying pigs and salting them down with the salt obtained in the Hawaiian Islands.
Margaret, under Buyers, set out to trade for hogs with the neighboring islands, but she ran onto a reef
in the Palliser Islands
and was wrecked. Buyers and his crew, after considerable hardship, managed to reach Tahiti on a roughly constructed barge made of planks from the wreck. A ship which called at Tahiti afforded passage to Sydney for both Turnbull and Buyers. They left Sydney on March 16, 1804, in Calcutta and reached England
via Cape Horn
. Though a financial failure, the voyage obtained interesting information about the Society and Hawaiian Islands and the discovery of the islands Margaret, Phillips, and Holt in the Tuamotu Archipelago.
Brig
A brig is a sailing vessel with two square-rigged masts. During the Age of Sail, brigs were seen as fast and manoeuvrable and were used as both naval warships and merchant vessels. They were especially popular in the 18th and early 19th centuries...
Barwell in 1799 on her voyage to China. Later he was the first officer of the brig Margaret
Margaret (brig)
The Margaret was a British-built Australian brig that was wrecked in 1803.The Margaret was constructed in London in 1799 and registered to a company called Turnbull & Co, carrying a crew of fifteen and fitted with ten guns...
as an investment he and John Turnbull made in Turnbull and Co. John Turnbull being his second officer and historian. The Margaret, after some delay, left England on July 2, 1800, and sailing by way of the Cape of Good Hope, reached Sydney in February 1801. They reached the Society Islands
Society Islands
The Society Islands are a group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean. They are politically part of French Polynesia. The archipelago is generally believed to have been named by Captain James Cook in honor of the Royal Society, the sponsor of the first British scientific survey of the islands;...
in September 1802. After trading with various islands in the group, the ship sailed for the Hawaiian Islands
Hawaiian Islands
The Hawaiian Islands are an archipelago of eight major islands, several atolls, numerous smaller islets, and undersea seamounts in the North Pacific Ocean, extending some 1,500 miles from the island of Hawaii in the south to northernmost Kure Atoll...
, arriving at Oahu on December 17. After trading for salt at Oahu
Oahu
Oahu or Oahu , known as "The Gathering Place", is the third largest of the Hawaiian Islands and most populous of the islands in the U.S. state of Hawaii. The state capital Honolulu is located on the southeast coast...
, Kauai
Kauai
Kauai or Kauai, known as Tauai in the ancient Kaua'i dialect, is geologically the oldest of the main Hawaiian Islands. With an area of , it is the fourth largest of the main islands in the Hawaiian archipelago, and the 21st largest island in the United States. Known also as the "Garden Isle",...
, Niihau
Niihau
Niihau or Niihau is the seventh largest of the inhabited Hawaiian Islands in the U.S. state of Hawaii, having an area of . Niihau lies southwest of Kauai across the Kaulakahi Channel. Several intermittent playa lakes provide wetland habitats for the Hawaiian Coot, the Black-winged Stilt, and the...
, and Hawaii island
Hawaii (island)
The Island of Hawaii, also called the Big Island or Hawaii Island , is a volcanic island in the North Pacific Ocean...
, Margaret sailed south on January 21, 1803. The ship sailed in among the Tuamotuan atolls and, on March 6, 1803, Nukutepipi
Nukutepipi
Nukutepipi, or Nuku-te-pipi is an atoll in French Polynesia, Pacific Ocean. It is part of the Duke of Gloucester Islands, a subgroup of the Tuamotu group. Nukutepipi's nearest neighbor is Anuanurunga, which is located about 22 km to the WNW....
, one of the Duke of Gloucester Islands
Duke of Gloucester Islands
The Duke of Gloucester Islands is a subgroup of the Tuamotu group in French Polynesia. They are located southeast of Tahiti and south of the main Tuamotu atoll cluster and are rather isolated...
, was visited and named Margaret Island, after the ship, though previously discovered in 1767. On March 10, Makemo
Makemo
Makemo, Rangi-kemo or Te Paritua, is one of the larger of the Tuamotu atolls in French Polynesia.Makemo Atoll measures 70 km in length with an average width of 5–8 km. It is the fourth largest atoll of the Tuamotu Archipelago in terms of lagoon surface, with a lagoon of over 600 km²...
was discovered and named Phillips Island, after a late sheriff of London, Sir Richard Phillips
Sir Richard Phillips
Sir Richard Phillips was an English schoolteacher, author and publisher.Phillips was born in London. Following some political difficulties in Leicester where he was a schoolteacher and bookseller, he returned to London, established premises in Paternoster Row, St. Paul's Churchyard, and founded...
. On the same day, Taenga
Taenga
Taenga, or Taunga-hara, is one of the Tuamotu atolls in French Polynesia. It is located 32 km to the northeast of Makemo Atoll and 27 km to the northwest of Nihiru Atoll....
was discovered and named Holts Island. Some other islands were sighted but they had been previously discovered and were not landed on. Once in Tahiti, Turnbull set up an establishment ashore for buying pigs and salting them down with the salt obtained in the Hawaiian Islands.
Margaret, under Buyers, set out to trade for hogs with the neighboring islands, but she ran onto a reef
Reef
In nautical terminology, a reef is a rock, sandbar, or other feature lying beneath the surface of the water ....
in the Palliser Islands
Palliser Islands
The Palliser Islands or Pallisers are a subgroup of the Tuamotu group in French Polynesia. They are located in the northwest of the main group of atolls.-Atolls:The group includes:*Apataki*Arutua*Fakarava*Kaukura*Mataiva*Rangiroa*Makatea...
and was wrecked. Buyers and his crew, after considerable hardship, managed to reach Tahiti on a roughly constructed barge made of planks from the wreck. A ship which called at Tahiti afforded passage to Sydney for both Turnbull and Buyers. They left Sydney on March 16, 1804, in Calcutta and reached England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
via Cape Horn
Cape Horn
Cape Horn is the southernmost headland of the Tierra del Fuego archipelago of southern Chile, and is located on the small Hornos Island...
. Though a financial failure, the voyage obtained interesting information about the Society and Hawaiian Islands and the discovery of the islands Margaret, Phillips, and Holt in the Tuamotu Archipelago.