Montero (José Manuel de Moraleda y) papers, 1791

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Summary

Title:
José Manuel de Moraleda y Montero papers
Dates:
1791
Abstract:
Contains three documents relating to José Manuel de Moraleda y Montero and a roundtrip voyage from the Port of Callao (Lima, Peru) to Acapulco, Mexico.
Extent:
0.21 Linear Feet (1 box)
Language:
Materials are in Spanish.
Preferred citation:

[Identification of item]. José Manuel de Moraleda y Montero papers, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.

Background

Scope and content:

These three documents describe the frigate Santa Gertrudis' voyage from the Port of Callao (Lima, Peru) to Acapulco, Mexico and back.

The first document is a 1-page introduction to the following two, dated October 30, 1791, in Acapulco. The second document is a 4-page report by Alonso de Torres y Guerra, the commander of the Santa Gertrudis, to Antonio Valdes, a Spanish naval officer. It summarizes the journey's events, including the assistance provided to an English ship, descriptions of the Galápagos Islands, as well as commentary on Alejandro Malaspina's navigation charts and Juan Francisco de Bodega y Quadra's upcoming expedition to Nootka Island, Canada.

And the third document is a 35-page derrotero, or route journal, written by Jose Manuel de Moraleda y Montero during the round trip from the Port of Callao to Acapulco, detailing landmarks, anchorages, climate, and other nautical and navigational information.

Biographical / historical:

José Manuel de Moraleda y Montero (1750-1810) was a Spanish naval officer and cartographer known for his maps and navigational diaries of Chiloé Island and other Patagonian archipelagos. His time in Chiloé also spawned legends of his and the Indigenous inhabitants' participation in sorcery.

Acquisition information:
Purchased from Elena Gallego Rare Books, LLC, July 2025.
Processing information:

Processed by Kahlee Leingang at the time of accessioning in September 2025.

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

About this collection guide

Collection Guide Author:
Kahlee Leingang
Date Encoded:
This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2025-10-03 09:47:59 -0700 .

Access and use

Restrictions:

Open for use by qualified researchers and by appointment. Please contact Reader Services at the Huntington Library for more information.

Terms of access:

The Huntington Library does not require that researchers request permission to quote from or publish images of this material, nor does it charge fees for such activities. The responsibility for identifying the copyright holder, if there is one, and obtaining necessary permissions rests with the researcher.

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item]. José Manuel de Moraleda y Montero papers, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.

Location of this collection:
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, CA 91108, US
Contact:
(626) 405-2191
reference@huntington.org
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