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Start Over You searched for: Creator Anonymous Remove constraint Creator: Anonymous Subjects Sailing ships. Remove constraint Subjects: Sailing ships. Formats Ships' logs. Remove constraint Formats: Ships' logs.
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Collection

Brig Kitty logbook, 1785-1787 (majority within 1785)

1 volume

The Brig Kitty logbook spans April 9 to August 19, 1785, detailing the merchant ship's voyage from the port of Piscataqua, likely near Portsmouth, New Hampshire, to the West Indies and back to the region near Cape Cod, Massachusetts. The bulk of the brig's daily entries are recorded in columns to notate the hour of the day, knots and half-knots for speed, the brig's course, the direction of the winds, and general remarks. Most of these remarks relate to weather, sea conditions, handling of sails, and latitude observations. The volume also includes a "Harbour Logg" kept from May 22 to July 22 at the "Lee Cayes [Cays]", recording the unloading of staves, boards, and shingles while the Kitty was at its destination in the West Indies, as well as molasses taken on board for the return voyage.

The Brig Kitty logbook spans April 9 to August 19, 1785, detailing the merchant ship's voyage from the port of Piscataqua, likely near Portsmouth, New Hampshire, to the West Indies and back to the region near Cape Cod, Massachusetts. The bulk of the brig's daily entries are recorded in columns to notate the hour of the day, knots and half-knots for speed, the brig's course, the direction of the winds, and general remarks. Most of these remarks relate to weather, sea conditions, handling of sails, and latitude observations, and the writer often used phonetic spellings. The log keeper also indicated when barrels of supplies were broached, like water, bread, beef, and pork, but also indicated when they observed other ships. Occasionally, they would speak with other captains, and the writer would record their port of departure and destination, principally ports in New England and the West Indies. The logbook documents land sightings and their distances from the ship. Some places named include Tobago, Rockley Bay, Grenada, Hispaniola, Cape Tiburon, Cape St. Nicholas, Acklins Island, Crooked Island, among others.

The volume includes a "Harbour Logg," kept from May 22 to July 22 at the "Lee Cayes [Cays]", recording the unloading of staves, boards, and shingles while the Kitty was at its destination, as well as molasses taken on board for the return voyage. Several entries also relate to routine shipboard activities, like mending sails, having a cooper come on board, sending a crew person ashore because of ill health, securing the hold, and watering the ship. A Captain Nott appears to have had control of the ship upon its return voyage. The entry for August 17th includes notes on taking depth soundings with brief remarks about sand samples.

The volume's cover is sailcloth. One edge of the cloth appears to be the selvage, where the cloth was finished to prevent unraveling, suggesting this may have been a repurposed remnant.

A loose receipt dated October 3, 1787, from Dover, New Hampshire, is laid into the volume, recording Benjamin Peirce's survey of pine boards and planks for widow Lydia Tibbits. The verso of an interior page includes several accounts, including one for Miss Plummer of Dover, dated September 19, 1785, for food items and other goods. The final two pages of the volume feature mathematical notations as well as financial accounts, seemingly related to room and board as well as some transactions relating to molasses and other items.

Collection

Fanny Sanford log book, 1820-1847 (majority within 1820-1821)

1 volume

This partially printed volume (44 pages) contains the log of the Fanny Sanford's voyage from New York to South America between June 27, 1820, and October 3, 1821. The voyage included stops at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Montevideo, Uruguay; Pisco, Peru; and Guayaquil, Ecuador.

This partially printed volume (44 pages) contains the log of the Fanny Sanford's voyage from New York to South America between June 27, 1820, and October 3, 1821. The voyage included stops at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Montevideo, Uruguay; Pisco, Peru; and Guayaquil, Ecuador.

The logbook, manufactured by William Hooker in New York in 1819, contains printed grids in which to record daily readings such as wind direction, latitude and longitude, and remarks. The entries for this voyage were kept only occasionally, and remarks most often concern the weather; one entry noted the confinement of two unruly passengers (July 5, 1820). The Fanny Sanford reached its initial destination of Rio de Janeiro around July 24, 1820, and departed for Montevideo about two months later. Following a stay in Montevideo, the ship sailed for Peru, in late December, and arrived in Pisco around February 1821. From there, the Fanny Sanford traveled to Guayaquil, Ecuador. The remainder of the log records the ship's movements along the western coast of South America and its eventual departure for a return trip to Montevideo.

The final pages contain notes kept by a later owner, including lists of loans made to Colonel William French in September and October 1841; other records are dated as late as 1847. The title page contains a printed illustration of a sailing ship, and the book contains 2 printed advertisements for maps and nautical publications. The title page was signed by Timothy Thompson.

Collection

Moro Castle and Southern Rights log book, 1860-1867

1 volume

This log book contains information about several voyages of the ships Moro Castle and Southern Rights between the United States and Europe from 1860-1867. Log entries pertain to weather, sailing, crew members, the discharge of cargo, and other matters. The volume also contains a brief excerpt from William Shakespeare's poem "Venus and Adonis."

This log book (93 pages) contains entries regarding multiple voyages of the ships Moro Castle and Southern Rights between the United States and Europe from 1860-1867.

Under W. L. Knowles, the Moro Castle traveled between New York and Bristol, England, from October 5, 1860-May 26, 1861. The volume also regards voyages between United States and European ports from August 1862-February 1864. Log entries typically report information about the ship's course, the use of sails, and the weather. The author occasionally mentioned crew members, including "green" sailor William Andrewson, who later deserted (October 12, 1860, and October 27-28, 1860); Thomas Brooks, who fell overboard (December 7, 1860); and the ship's cook, who appeared to have a mental breakdown (March 5, 1861). While in port, the Moro Castle discharged cargo, usually wheat. Earlier entries include partially completed hourly charts reporting wind speed, the ship's course, and similar information; later "abstract log" entries consist solely of prose.

The latter part of the volume contains the brief logs of several voyages of the Southern Rights between the United States and Europe. These entries are similar to those of the Moro Castle and appear to be written in the same hand as the later Moro Castle records. The author most frequently documented weather conditions, but also reported the crew's harsh language in an entry dated June 23, 1863, and a crew member's case of "sulks" in an entry dated February 10, 1864. The final pages include a short extract from William Shakespeare's poem "Venus and Adonis" and brief financial records.

Voyages and Locations of the Moro Castle and Southern Rights
  • Moro Castle
    • October 5, 1860-May 26, 1861: New York to Bristol, England, and back to New York (including entries made during time in port)
    • August 30, 1862-September 23, 1862: [Mediterranean Sea] to Atlantic Ocean
    • March 24, 1863-April 6, 1863: New Orleans, Louisiana, to New York
    • June 23, 1863-July 23, 1863: New York to Glasgow, Scotland
    • January 5, 1864, and February 4, 1864-February 24, 1864: Leghorn, Italy, to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
  • Southern Rights
    • March 15, 1865-March 28, 1865: Shields, [England], to Atlantic Ocean
    • February 28, 1866-March 11, 1866: Charleston, South Carolina, to Liverpool, England
    • April 6, 1867-April 7, 1867: Charleston, South Carolina, to Liverpool, England
Collection

Neptune (Bark) and Federal (Schooner) log book, 1783, 1789-1791

1 volume

This log book pertains to the voyage of the bark Neptune from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Mauritius and back to Philadelphia between May 1789 and August 1790, as well as multiple voyages of the schooner Federal between Pennsylvania and the Caribbean between March 1791 and November 1791.

This log book (around 200 pages) pertains to the voyages of the bark Neptune from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to the Isle of France (present-day Mauritius) and back to Philadelphia from 1789-1790 and voyages of the schooner Federal between Pennsylvania and the Caribbean in 1791. The log entries are written in a pre-printed The Seamen's Journal Book (London, 1785), with sections for each day's measurements and remarks.

The log entries from the voyages of the Neptune (which comprise the bulk of the volume) and the Federal are typically notes on the wind direction, ships' courses, and ships' positions. Additional prose remarks concern weather conditions, the sighting of land, encounters with other ships, and anchorage at a port or harbor. The log has gaps during the Neptune's stay at the Isle of France and during the Federal's time in Caribbean and United States ports.

The first page of the volume, preceding the printed title page, has calculations involving an epact. The book's final pages contain entries from one of the Federal's voyages and additional notes about the Neptune's time at the Isle of France in December 1789 (particularly regarding a thunderstorm). A sheet of paper laid into the book contains notes about an unknown vessel's anchorage at Saint Helena in May and December 1783.

Collection

Ralph I. Linzee, Log of the Brig Swiftsure, 1817-1819

1 volume

This log book documents the voyage of the merchant brig Swiftsure from Boston, Massachusetts, to India by way of Mauritius, and back to Boston, between November 1817 and January 1819. Ralph I. Linzee was the ship's captain for the voyage.

This log book documents the voyage of the merchant brig Swiftsure from Boston, Massachusetts, to India by way of Mauritius, and back to Boston, between November 1817 and January 1819. Ralph I. Linzee was the ship's captain for the voyage. The volume is approximately 180 pages, has a hand-stitched heavy linen cover, and includes the handwriting of multiple unidentified bookkeepers.

The log begins on November 26, 1817, just before the Swiftsure's departure for Calcutta, India, by way of Port Louis, Mauritius. The daily entries record information on the ship's course, prevailing winds, weather, distances traveled, unusual incidents, and (occasionally) crewmembers' behavior or illnesses. The writers frequently described the sails used for navigation. On one occasion, the ship's steward had a physical altercation with Captain Linzee (March 16, 1818), and several entries from November 1818 detail a pox that afflicted the ship's cook, Lewis Wilson. The Swiftsure returned to Boston around January 20, 1819, bearing cotton, cowhides, silk, and other goods. The log's final entry is dated January 27, 1819. Supplementary information within the volume includes lists of articles received from the ship's chandler (foods, sails, and ammunition) and accounts of cordage and food for the crew.