The late colonial Rio de la Plata in Atlantic perspective

This article aims to make a reconstruction of the particularities of the experience of sailors in the late colonial Rio de la Plata through the study of a specific case: the desertion of most of the crew of a Spanish frigate moored in Buenos Aires in the mid-18th century. The case was reconstructed through various sources: the letters between the captain of the ship whose crew deserted and the governor of Buenos Aires; and the series of official edicts ("bandos") made by the governor. The article uses three concepts taken from the studies of Atlantic history whose importance is substantive to analyze the case: Law of the Sea, Hydrarchy and Ship as Society.