Francisco Antonio Mourelle

Francisco Antonio Mourelle de la Rúa (1755 – May 24, 1820) was a Spanish naval officer and explorer. He was born in 1755 at San Adrian de Corme, near La Coruña, Galicia, Spain.cite book |last= Thrapp |first= Dan L. |title= Encyclopedia of Frontier Biography: In Three Volumes |year= 1991 |publisher= University of Nebraska Press |isbn= 0803294182 |pages= p. 1028]

1775 voyage

Mourelle served the Spanish navy in the Guyanas, Trinidad, and the Antilles before becoming stationed at New Spain's Pacific Ocean naval base at San Blas, Mexico in 1774. He joined the 1775 expedition of Bruno de Heceta and Juan Francisco de la Bodega y Quadra, serving as Quadra's pilot on the schooner "Sonora". On July 29, at around 49 degrees north latitude, the "Sonora" became separated from Heceta's ship "Santiago". Heceta soon returned south while Quadra and Mourelle continued north, eventually reaching 58 degrees 30 minutes north latitude. They found and anchored in Bucareli Bay. Then they sailed south, arriving at Monterey, California, on October 7, and San Blas on November 20, 1775.

Mourelle's journal was somehow taken clandestinely to London where it was translated and published. Captain James Cook made use of the information in Mourelle's journal during his travels in the Pacific Northwest.

1779 voyage

Mourelle again served as the pilot of Quadra, and second in command of the ship "Favorita", during the 1779 expedition commanded by Arteaga. Leaving San Blas on February 11, 1779, the expedition reached 61 degrees north and Hinchinbrook Island at the head of the Gulf of Alaska. From there they sailed southwest along the Kenai Peninsula. The ships returned to San Blas on November 21, 1775.

Later career

During his service at San Blas, Mourelle traveled extensively throughout the Pacific Ocean. He visited Tonga in 1781. He was also familiar with the Philippines and Canton, China.

Mourelle was to command the "Mexicana" for a 1792 voyage to explore the Strait of Georgia but Alessandro Malaspina had one of his own officers, Cayetano Valdés, placed in command of the "Mexicana". Dionisio Alcalá Galiano commanded the "Sutil", the twin companion of the "Mexicana".

Mourelle was transferred to Spain in 1793. He was promoted to frigate captain in 1799, ship's captain in 1806, and commodore in 1811. He commanded a squadron in 1818 that was to put down a rebellion in the Rio de la Plata, but the endeavor never got underway.

Mourelle died on May 24, 1820, at the age of 64.

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