New Year's Gift: Journal

Title:

New Year's Gift: Journal

Date:

1614/1615

Description:

Abstract: Journal of the voyage of the East India Company ship New Year's Giftfrom England towards Surat and Bantam (Captain Thomas Elkington, Master Martin Pring/Nicholas Downton), 9 March 1613 [New Style date 9 March 1614]-14 September 1615 (dates given are for arrival unless otherwise indicated): 9 March 1613 [New Style date 9 March 1614], off the Lizard; 15 June 1614, Saldanie [Saldanha Bay, Cape of Good Hope]; 6 August 1614, St Augustine's Bay [Madagascar]; 9 September 1614, Sucatora [Socotra].The journal ends on 14 September 1614, with the ship leaving Socotra bound for Surrate [Surat].Labelled on the front cover 'No. 15', and inscribed '1614. Begun 9th. March 1613/14. Ends 30 Sept [September] 1614' (folio 1B).The journal contains regular dated entries in (variously) seven or eight columns, under the following headings: daies [days]; houres [hours]; course; leages [leagues]; latitude (degrees and minutes); varia[tion]; windes [winds]; and [month, year, and remarks]. When the ship is in harbour, the entries consist of remarks only.The journal records: navigational information; weather; sea conditions; topographical and anthropological descriptions; descriptions of flora and fauna; potential trading commodities; and references to the other ships with which the New Year's Giftsailed in convoy.The journal includes descriptions of Saldanha Bay and Pengwin Ilande [Penguin Island] (folios 5-7); St Augustine's Bay (folios 11-12); and the reception given to members of the ship's crew by the King of Socotra (folios 12-13).The record includes a draft letter dated 27 February 1614 [New Style date 27 February 1615], which describes the voyage, and gives an account of an engagement between English ships and a Portuguese fleet at Surratt [Surat] in January [1615] (folios 14-15).The record bears summary notes of a later date in pencil on the front cover, and in the left hand margin of the journal and letter.The journal and letter (where indicated) employ Old Style (Julian calendar) dates only.Physical description: Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the first folio with 1a, and terminates at the last folio with 15; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the bottom right corner of the recto side of each folio.The file contains foliation anomalies, f 1a and 1b. The volume includes a sequence of 131 unfoliated blank pages following f 15, which have not been digitised.

Language:

English

Type:

Archival file

Type (Narrower):

Other Texts

Type (Broader):

Text

Subject:

Ships logs
Marine navigation
Weather
Trade (practice)
New Year's Gift

Geographic region:

Sucatora
St Augustine's Bay
Saldanie
Surat

Rights:

رخصة حكومة مفتوحة

Identifier:

81055/vdc_100000001273.0x0001b4_ar
81055/vdc_100000001273.0x0001b4_en
IOR/L/MAR/A/XXI
IOR/L/MAR/A/XXI

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