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paulding : caballito rescue,
1831
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Lt. Hiram Paulding
: Rescue with Peruvian Caballito, 1831.
Extract
from
Paulding, Lieut. Hiram (USN):
Journal of a cruise of the United States
schooner Dolphin among the islands of the Pacific Ocean
and a visit to the Mulgrave Islands,
in pursuit of the mutineers of the whale ship Globe.
G. & C. & H. Carvill, New York,
1831.
Australia and New Zealand Book Co.,
Sydney, 1970. (reprint)
Introduction by A. Grove Day
www.googlebooks.com
Introduction.
While not specifically
detailing wave riding, Paudling is clear that the cabillto (noted
in the text as a balsa) paddlers are confident in surf conditions
that are potentially dangerous for standard boats.
The location of Huanchaco,
"the
seaport of the city of Bolivia", is somewhat confusing.
wikipedia.org notes:
"Huanchaco is
a beach and summer vacation spot in the northern city of Trujillo, Peru.
Huanchaco is
famous for a few things but in particular for being a surfer's dream spot
and its caballitos de totora."
Page 13
...
On the 24th of August, we anchored
in the roads or Huanchaco, and communicated with several vessels that were
lying there.
Huanchaco is an Indian village, and
the seaport of the city of Bolivia, the ancient name of which
was Truxillo.
It is exposed to the sea, and at times
the surf breaks so violently on the shore, as to prevent all intercourse
with the vessels at anchor.
The Indians are provided with a float
they call Balsa, and on which they pass through this surf, in cases of
great emergency, when no boat could live in it.
It is composed merely or two bundles
of long reeds, bound compactly together, tapering a little at one end,
and the two bundles secured to each other, the smati ends coming to a point,
somewhat resembling in appearance the bow of a boat.
In the middle it is hollowed sufficiently
for a man to seat himself securely.
It is usually about fifteen feet long,
and from two to three feet wide.
It is calculated for one man only,
who directs it with his paddle.
I one day witnessed their wonderful
skill in the management of the balsa.
The surf was breaking so furiously,
that the men, accustomed to work in it, advised me not to go on board of
my ship.
Whilst I was standing on the shore,
with several ...
Page 14
... of them around me, a boat appeared
just without the heavy rollers that were setting in, filled with
people, who it was evident were strangers
to the danger they were about to encounter, as they were dashing on fearlessly
into the surf.
The Indians near me made motions, and
called to them not to advance further, but they neither saw nor heard the
warning.
Observing this, six or eight or them
launched their balsas, and in a few minutes were in the midst of the breakers.
They were just in time, for the boat
in a moment afterwards darted forward with great velocity, and suddenly
disappeared.
The wave had broken, and was foaming
over her, and another must have terminated the existence of every person
on board; but, before the next swell, that came rolling on in quick succession
had reached them, each man was upon a balsa, and the skilful and intrepid
Indiana bore them safely to the shore.
We remained but a few hours at Huanchacot,
when we continued on to the north, and on the 25 th of August, came up
with the Lobos Islands ...
Paulding, Lieut. Hiram (USN):
Journal of a cruise of the United States
schooner Dolphin among the islands of the Pacific Ocean
and a visit to the Mulgrave Islands,
in pursuit of the mutineers of the whale ship Globe.
G. & C. & H. Carvill, New York,
1831.
surfresearch.com.au
Geoff Cater (2010) : Lt. Hiram
Paulding : Rescue With Peruvian Balsas, 1831.
http://www.surfresearch.com.au/1831_Paulding_Dolphin_Pacific.html