Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
had never sailed farther than the Atlantic. Carteret was thirty-three
and the
Swallow
was his first command. Promotion had come more
slowly, perhaps because he had not been present in a major theatre
of war. Yet he was a good officer. At least, that was the opinion of
Captain the Hon. John Byron. Carteret had served several times un-
der Foul-Weather Jack and Byron had specifically asked for him to be
appointed to his 1764 expedition. He returned from that voyage as
first lieutenant in the
Dolphin.
By temperament Carteret was adven-
turous, impatient, intolerant and quick to take offence. The two cap-
tains were thus as different from each other as the ships they com-
manded. Carteret, doubtless, expected that his superior would take
him into his confidence and rely heavily on his experience as a cir-
cumnavigator. Wallis seems to have been determined to keep his ju-
nior in his place. There were several officers and men who had sailed
on the Byron voyage and their new commander probably felt that he
had to stamp his authority on the new expedition. He may even have
regarded Carteret as something of a threat.
Whatever the reasons for their estrangement, the two men did
not get on. At the outset Wallis refused to reveal his secret instruc-
tions to the captain of the
Swallow.
Carteret, like everyone else on
board the three ships, assumed that they were going to provision
and equip the Port Egmont settlement, where he was to relieve
McBride and the
Jason.
Only after they had been at sea for three
weeks and it was necessary to make plans for a rendezvous in the
event of the convoy being split up, was Carteret made privy to Wal-
lis's real intentions. These were to make for Magellan's Straits where
the
Prince Frederick
would be despatched to the Falklands and the
other two ships would sail westwards to continue the work of Pacific
exploration. Carteret was stunned when he realised that he was
expected to sail his inadequate craft round the world. Wallis was
scarcely less annoyed when, day after day, the progress of his fleet
was held up by the ill-named
Swallow.
