Portfield: Journal

Title:

Portfield: Journal

Date:

1746/1748

Description:

Abstract: Journal of the voyage of the East India Company ship Portfieldfrom England to Mocha and Surat, and back (Captain Francis D'Abbadie), 28 April 1746-9 September 1748 (dates given are for arrival unless otherwise indicated): left Plimouth [Plymouth], 20 September 1746; 23 December 1746, Cape of Good Hope; 17 May 1747, Mocha; 5 September 1747, Surat; 11 March 1747 [Old Style]/11 March 1748 [New Style], Bahia de Todos Los Santos; 8 July 1748, Lisbon; 21 August 1748, the Downes [Downs].The ship was at the Cape of Good Hope from 23 December 1746 to 23 March 1747 [New Style date only given in the record], at Mocha from 17 May to 15 August 1747, and at Surat from 5 September to 28 November 1747.Inscribed: 'This is my original Journal, F. D'Abbadie' (folio 1).Marked: 'Rec. [Received] 12 Sept. [September] 1748' (folio 1).The journal contains daily entries in seven columns: H [hour]; K [knots]; F [fathoms]; C [course]; Winds; Weather; and [date and remarks]. When the ship is in harbour, or close to shore, entries consist of remarks only.The journal records: navigational information; the ballasting, provisioning and maintenance of the ship; transport of Company soldiers; contact with other British ships, and His Majesty's ships (including Admiral George Anson's squadron); references to the other ships with which the Portfieldsailed in convoy; weather; winds; sea conditions; sightings of birds and marine animals; deaths of crew members and soldiers; sightings of other vessels; and commodities carried (especially coffee at Mocha).The Journal employs astrological symbols to indicate the days of the week.Also included is an account of a complaint received by the Captain of the Portfieldfrom the Governor and Council of Bombay: folio 83.The journal is generally double-dated, where applicable, giving both Old Style (Julian calendar) and New Style (Gregorian calendar) dates.Physical description: Foliation: the foliation sequence for this description (used for referencing) commences at f 1, and terminates at f 153; 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.

Language:

English

Type:

Archival file

Type (Narrower):

Other Texts

Type (Broader):

Text

Subject:

Ships logs
Coffee
Trade (practice)
Portfield

Geographic region:

Mocha
Surat
Cape of Good Hope

Rights:

رخصة حكومة مفتوحة

Identifier:

81055/vdc_100000000179.0x000381_ar
81055/vdc_100000000179.0x000381_en
IOR/L/MAR/B/609A
IOR/L/MAR/B/609A

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