IDNO

N.131000.HNL

Description

View of the ship, St. George, on the sea by the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador.

Place

S America; Ecuador; Galapagos

Cultural Affliation

Named Person

Photographer

Hornell, James

Collector / Expedition

Hornell, James; [St. George Expedition, Organised by the Scientific Expeditionary Research Association and under the direction of Commander D. Blair, O.BE., R.N.R.]

Date

24 July - 7 August 1924

Collection Name

Hornell Collection

Source

Hornell, Charlotte (Mrs)

Format

Film Negative Black & White

Primary Documentation

Other Information

N.130985.HNL - P.131070.HNL were found unaccessioned in Drawer C.42.2 of the Photo Store, in a cardboard box, now numbered C696/.

Related Archive: James Hornell's papers at University Library, Cambridge, ref 10065 Box 8, contains references to the St. George 10 month South Pacific Scientific Expedition, Summer 1924 - Summer 1925.

From a newspaper clipping James Hornell described to be, "From "The Times Literary Supplement" April 17, 1924. (Proby. written by Chalmers Mitchell)." entitled "Life on the Galapagos", which reviews William Beebe's "Galapagos World's End", "The Galapagos, apart from their remoteness, now lessened by the Panama Canal, offer little opportunity to colonisers or exploiters, and have remained almost as wild as when Darwin visited them. Mr. Beebe and his companions confirm Darwin's observation of the complete absence of fear of man. The birds, urged by curiosity, come right up to the visitors, or pursued their own affairs in complete unconcern. The giant tortoises and the four-feet-long marine lizards, as well as the huge land iguanas, allowed themselves to be handled, making no effort to escape or to bite. The sea-lions and their pups could be freely touched. The only living thing which seemed to show fear of man was a gigantic grasshopper. The ease with which examples could be "collected" must have made the task a dismal butchery. Perhaps the Zoological Society of New York, which is taking an active interest in the tropical life of Central and South America, will now persuade the Government of Ecuador to give some measure of protection -- particularly against collecting naturalists -- to a set of unique species, some getting very rare and all sufficiently well represented in the larger museums."

A newspaper clipping "Lure of the Pacific, St. George Expedition. V.-Islands of Desolation" by James Hornell, F.R.A.I. from the Telegraph, Wednesday, October 29, 1924 reports that, "The St. George spent a fortnight among the Galapagos Islands (July 24 to Aug 7), and as the time available was limited attention was concentrated upon James, Indefatigable, Charles, Albemarle, and Narborough Islands."

A newspaper clipping "St. George for England", from the Trinidad Guardian, Tuesday, May 27, 1924 in the notebook ""St. George" Expedition. Trinidad, Panama and Gorgona. 1924" describes the British Yacht St. George as, "...a beautiful and comfortably fitted up brigantine--rigged craft of 1,000 tons with auxiliary steam power engines, registered at 800 horse power." The St. George was built in the 1890s and was a unit of the Royal Thames Yacht Club. The project cost £50,000, coming from private donations. The endeavour of the voyage was to "enrich the national collections... and arouse the nation's interest in scientific wok which has been neglected".

A newspaper clipping from "Observer", 6/1/24, found in the notebook "Madeira - 1924", as well as the newspaper clipping "St. George for England", from the Trinidad Guardian, Tuesday, May 27, 1924 in the notebook ""St. George" Expedition. Trinidad, Panama and Gorgona. 1924", revealed that the St. George, South Pacific Scientific Expedition was headed by Commander David Blair, R.N.R., F.R.G.S.. The crew members and their jobs included: Major A. J. A. Douglas, F.R.G.S. was in charge of the landing parties. Pay-Lieutenant F. W. Kealey. R.N.V.R. (great-great-grand-nephew of the famous Captain John [sic? James?] Cook) was the organising secretary, Mr. James Hornell (late Director of Fisheries, Madras) was in charge of Ethnology, Dr. Cyril Crossland was in charge of Marine Biology, Mr. P. H. Johnson was in charge of General Biology, Lt.-Col. H. J. Kelsall was in charge of Ornithology, Miss L. E. Cheesman was in charge of Entomology, Mr. Laurence A. M. Riley was in charge of Botany, Mr. Larwence J. Chubb was in charge of Geology, Colonel F. S. Penny acted as Surgeon, Mr. Alfred Duggan (son of Marchioness Curzon of Kedleston) was a member of the party, Messrs. S. L. Eaton and W. Harcourt were the Cinema Operators, and Mr. Dawson served as the Artist completing drawings for the purpose of illustrating books and other forms of literature that would be compiled from the voyage. The itinerary showed the St. George sailed out of Dartmouth on 9th April 1924, reached Madeira by 25 April 1924, and then sailed to Trinidad, the Panama Canal, the Galapagos, the island of Gorgona and Malpelo, Easter Island, Mangareva, Pitcairn, the Austral Islands and Papau. This was followed by Tahiti and the Cork Group for stores, following which the St. George would begin the return trip, visiting several atolls in the Tuamatus, the Marquesas and Cocos Island, before reaching London via the Panama Canal and the Azores by summer 2015. [FC 4/5/2016]