Manuscripts
Journal for the year 1854
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Autograph diary of Charles Cochran who went to the gold fields of California
Manuscripts
The diary contains argonaut Charles Cochran's descriptions of an ocean journey on the barque "Strafford," which left New York on Feb. 3, 1849, bound for the gold fields of California via the Cape Horn route. Cochran relates adventures on board the ship as well as sightings of other vessels and describes visits to St. Catherine Island (Brazil) and the Island of Mas-a-tierra. The diary ends with Cochran's description of San Francisco Bay on Aug. 29, 1849.
mssHM 58071
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Record of a voyage to the Orient in 1918
Manuscripts
Kinney's journal starts the day he leaves California and ends the day he gets back four months later. In it, he includes details about his work on board the ship, the daily inspections, the conditions on the ocean, the meals he has, and the various stops along the route including: Hawaii, Japan, China, the Philippines, and Hong Kong. Kinney gives detailed descriptions of Honolulu, Hawaii; Tokyo and Kobe, Japan; Shanghai, China; Manila, Philippines; and Hong Kong. The typed journal includes photocopies of pages from Kinney's original diary, photographs, maps, advertisements, menus, passenger lists, and various other things he collected during his voyage.
mssHM 75688
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Henry P. Fleischman journal
Manuscripts
Fleischman's journal starts on December 13, 1812 while he is onboard the brig Hunter, which the British ship Phoebe captured on December 23rd. In his journal, Fleischman details how he and his crew mates board the Phoebe and sail for Plymouth where they are put on the prison ship Hector. Fleischman complains about the lack of food and water and the treatment he and his men receive in prison by the British. He also makes comments upon the new prisoners coming in everyday from various American ships that had been captured, as well as the sickness and death onboard. While in prison, he goes ashore to Plymouth to make an official complaint about the prison conditions to an American agent. He and his men eventually get transferred to several different prison ships and there are daily rumors that they are going to be exchanged or paroled. When this part of his journal ends, it is April 1813 and he had been moved to a prison ship at the Chatham Dockyard in Kent. The journal jumps to May 31, and Fleischman is on the frigate Chesapeake; he then details the battle between his ship and the frigate Shannon, including the wounding and eventual death of his captain James Lawrence and the capture of the Chesapeake by the Shannon. He also includes a list of officers killed and wounded during the battle.
mssHM 66770
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J. Barker letters to Kirk Barker
Manuscripts
These two letters were written by J. Barker to his brother, Kirk, describing his search for gold in Australia and South America. In the first letter, HM 16535, dated 1853, March 13, J. Barker is in Melbourne, Australia, after a one hundred and ten day voyage. He writes that the prices of everything, including gold, is much higher in Australia, and says there is "plenty of gold to be had but the state of society is awful." In Melbourne, he writes "robery and murder is of comon occurrence" and yet he is "determined not to leave here without making something." The second letter, HM 16536, is dated 1853, October 11 and 14. J. Barker is on board the ship Lady Juliana, about to land in San Francisco, California. He is glad to be out of Australia, and laments that so many miners left good claims in California to travel to Australia. He has received no letters from home, despite having sent six himself. He has heard that gold has been discovered in South America, and he plans to depart for the Amazon River to search for himself.
mssHM 16535-16536
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George Washington Felt journal
Manuscripts
The journal covers Felt's voyages on board the ship Rival from Boston to San Francisco, San Francisco to Callao, Peru, and then from Callao to Hampton Roads. Felt gives great detail regarding the events on board the ship, fights among the crew, daily chores and duties, ships and locations passed, the weather and sea conditions, and the longitude and latitude of the ship. The last few pages of the journal are "reminiscences" Felt wrote after the voyage regarding his feelings about being a sailor and his memories of San Francisco (including a visit to a Chinese Temple), and Callao and the Chincha Islands, Peru. Scattered throughout the journal are sketches of ships drawn by Felt; also included is a photo of Felt.
mssHM 63174
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Peter Andrew Clapsaddle diary
Manuscripts
In this diary, Clapsaddle writes daily entries while on his voyage from New York to San Francisco. In it. he talks about life on board the ship, seasickness, his asthma, three passengers dying on board, church services he attended and the meals he ate. He also gives the ship's position and course. He briefly mentions the ship's stops in Panama and Guatemala, the arrival in San Francisco and a job he obtained with the Evening telegram. With the diary is a typed biography of Clapsaddle, outline of his voyage, map of his voyage and typescript of the diary.
mssHM 75101