Abstract: Journal of the East India Company ship,
Berkeley Castle, kept by Philip Leigh, Chief Mate (Captain John Consett). The journal covers the ship's voyage from England to Sumatra, India, and Persia (dates given are those of arrival): 25 July 1686, Prio Bay [Praia]; 19 October 1686, Cape [of Good Hope]; 29 December 1686, Bancola Road [Bengkulu]; 11 January 1687, Indrapora Bay [Indrapura]; 25 April 1687, Achine Road [Aceh]; 6 July 1687, Ballisore Road [Balasore]; 9 April 1688, Bombay [Mumbai]; 23 August 1688, Muscatt [Muscat]; 2 September 1688, Gomberoone [Bandar-e ʻAbbās]; 7 December 1688, Bombay; 29 October 1689, Mauritious [Mauritius]; 9 January 1690, Cape; 14 February 1690, St Helena; 26 May 1690, the Downs.The journal consists of daily entries containing the date, and notes on wind, weather, land bearings, courses, depths, distances travelled, navigational data, rigging, ship maintenance, and other more general remarks. When the ship is at anchor notes are made once every few days only, sometimes not at all. Names of deceased crew members are noted in the margins, as well as being mentioned in the main entry.Inserted in the middle of the volume (folio 47) is a sheet from a different ship's log book. The entry is from 9-10 January in Saldinia Bay [Saldanha Bay] but it is not clear from what year or from what ship.Physical description: Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the inside front cover with 1 and terminates at the inside back cover with 106; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto side of each folio.