A SHIP'S LOG FOR THE EAST INDIAMAN BERWICKSHIRE

under the command of Captain Frederick Madan, 4to, October 23 1828 - March 20 1829, sailing from the Canton River to England via Sunda, St Helena and the South [North] Atlantic with an extremely erratic course to the West of the Scilly Isles owing to heavy south eastern gales (a pen and ink folding plan charting the course, short split at lower fold), the log concerns itself mainly with ordinary tasks (washing clothes and hammocks, repairing masts and sails, washing the sun deck, divine service etc., with many instances of punishments, for the most part extremely lenient 'PM. Confined on the poop Henry Parvey Seaman for disobedience of orders & insolence to Mr Micollor, Boatswain, also put under arrest Mr Micollor for scuffling with the prisoner in the quarter deck, four for improper language to Mr Thomas Chief Officer ... AM. Held a court of enquiry on the prisoner, found him guilty, & sentenced him to receive three dozen lashes at the gangway, but in consequence of Mr Micollor's having struck him repeatedly, recommended him to Capt. Madan's mercy, and released him the following day, other punishments include temporary imprisonment, putting a prisoner in irons and remitting up to 24 lashes on the promise of future good behaviour, contemporary diced calf gilt, three labels on spine (Berwickshire, Bengal & China, Fourth Voyage 1828-29), spine rather rubbed, bookplate of Frederick Madan -- 7¾ x 6½in. (20 x 16cm.)

Captain Madan's copy of his own logbook. The Berwckshire at 1,322 tons was one of the largest ships of the East Indian Company of the period. It completed six voyages during its period of service (1821-31).