An old engraving of the leaving of The Darien Expedition from the port of Leith, Scotland, UK in 1698. It is from a Victorian history book of c.1900. Several hundred young men embarked on the voyage, with the hope of creating a prosperous new life with a Scots colony on the Isthmus of Darien, in what is now Panama. The expedition was led by a Scottish banker and trader Sir William Paterson. Sadly, the scheme proved to be disastrous due to the poor food, water and disease on the island. The expedition abandoned – only three hundred men out of the original twelve hundred arrived back home alive.
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M&N / Alamy Stock PhotoImage ID:
2Y3HWN6File size:
36.7 MB (5.2 MB Compressed download)Releases:
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3106 x 4134 px | 26.3 x 35 cm | 10.4 x 13.8 inches | 300dpiLocation:
Leith, Scotland, UKMore information:
This image could have imperfections as it’s either historical or reportage.
An old engraving of the leaving of The Darien Expedition from the port of Leith, Scotland, UK in 1698. It is from a Victorian history book of c.1900. Several hundred young men embarked on the voyage, leaving behind friends and family, with the hope of creating a prosperous new life for themselves and for their country with a Scots colony on the Isthmus of Darien, in what is now Panama. The expedition was led by a Scottish banker and trader called Sir William Paterson. Sadly, the scheme proved to be disastrous due to the poor food, water and disease on the island. The settlers were unable to trade with locals or passing ships that stopped in the bay, leading to a lack of resources. Only eight months after arrival was the expedition abandoned, and the small number of men that were left returned. Only three hundred men out of the original twelve hundred arrived back on to home soil alive.