Somers: Journal

Title:

Somers: Journal

Date:

1711/1715

Description:

Journal of the East India Company ship Somersby John Sparks, third mate. The journal covers the ship's voyage from England to Bombay and its return to England, between 11 November 1711 and 28 March 1715 (Captain Eustace Peacock).The journal contains daily entries in two different formats. Firstly, daily entries written in a journal style (folios 3-6, 8-10, and 30-31). Secondly, daily entries in six columns: H [Hour], Courses, K [Knots], F [Fathoms], Winds &c., and Remarks (folios 12-27; 32-127). When the ship is at anchor, the entries consist of remarks only. The journal records the following: navigational information; weather; contact with other East India Company ships, French ships, a Dutch ship, a Portuguese ship, a European ship and country ships; commodities carried; general remarks.The journal also includes:A list of the crew with their age and nationality (folios 5-6)A list of the soldiers onboard (folios 49)Remarks in the margins, written in pencil (folios 30, 45, 51, 71, 78, 107)Notes about the deaths of crewmembers, some including a small sketch depicting the deceased (folios 15, 16, 21, 32, 41, 43, 57, 58, 59, 62, 98)A mention of sickness on the ship (folio 16)A mention of birds seen (folio 43).Entries are double-dated using both the Old Style (Julian) and New Style (Gregorian) calendars.At the front of the journal (folio 1) is the inscription: ‘Second mate jounall of the ship Sommers received 14 June 1715’.The journal records the ship's arrival at the following places: the Downs, 15 April 1712; Snt Jago [Santiago, Cape Verde], 30 May 1712; Table Bay, Cape Bona Esperanca [Cape of Good Hope], 15 August 1712; Anjengo, 18 November 1712; Cochin [Kochi], 28 November 1712; Calicut [Kozhikode], 6 December 1712; Goa, 14 December 1712; Bombay [Mumbai], 27 December 1712, Surratt [Surat], 24 January 1712/13; Bombay, 15 March 1712/13; Arabian Coast, 27 April 1713; Muscat, 4 May 1713; Gombaroon [Bandar-e ʻAbbās], 13 May 1713; Maderass [Madras, i.e. Chennai], 8 August 1713; Balasore, 23 September 1713; Calcutta [Kolkata], 19 October 1713; Anjengo, 8 Jan 1713/14; Tellicherry [Thalassery], 17 January 1713/14; Goa, 27 January 1713/14; Bombay, 5 February 1713/14; Surat, 23 February 1713/14; Bombay, 23 March 1713/14; Pondicherry, 17 May 1713/14; Madras [Chennai], 19 May 1713/14; Cape Bona Esperanca, 31 October 1713/14; Lisbon, 12 February 1714/15; Coast of France, 24 March 1714/15.1 file (133 folios)The journal entries are recorded in chronological order from the front to the rear.Foliation: the foliation sequence for this description (used for referencing) commences at f 1, and terminates at f 133; it is part of a larger physical volume of different shelfmarks in which this shelfmark has been given its own separate foliation sequence, i.e. non-consecutive; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto side of each folio. A previous foliation sequence, which is also circled, has been superseded and therefore crossed out.

Language:

English

Type:

Archival file

Type (Narrower):

Other Texts

Type (Broader):

Text

Subject:

Crew lists
Ships logs
Weather
Trade (practice)
Marine navigation

Geographic region:

Surratt
Cape of Good Hope
Madras
Lisbon
Muscat
Bombay

Extent:

1 file (133 folios)

Rights:

Open Government Licence

Identifier:

81055/vdc_100000000229.0x000200_ar
81055/vdc_100000000229.0x000200_en
IOR/L/MAR/B/705C

Is part of:

British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers

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