(MARITIME.) Cushion, Ed. Pair of watercolors from an American merchant ship. Watercolors on paper, 11 x 14 1/2 and 5 x 7 inches; the larger with a vertical crease, laid down on early paper with a worn and stained paper border pasted around the edges; the smaller with a small puncture, mat toning, and two bits of cello tape on verso; moderate foxing to both. South America, 1838 and undated
The first and larger of these attractive views is titled "Natchez, Captain W.H. Hayes" in an added paper border on recto, and on verso "Ship Natchez off the coast of Valdivia South America, drawn by Ed. Cushion and presented to the chief mate George Spall 1838." The ship Natchez, captained by William H. Hayes from 1838 to 1843, was a private merchant vessel trading between New York and Valparaiso, Chile; Valdivia is a few hundred miles south of Valparaiso on the Chilean coast. The second and much smaller watercolor is uncredited but seems to be by the same artist. It is captioned on recto "A representation of the Indians at Guanchacho following the cutter into the port." Guanchacho or Huanchacho is a coastal town in Peru.
