p. 1 Abstract: "The Lord's Librarians" describes in new detail the activities of the American Seamen's Friend Society in distributing loan libraries to merchant and naval ships for over 130 years. Based on the archives of the Society in the G.W. Blunt White Library at the Mystic Seaport Museum, the study examines the history of the Society in its efforts towards moral improvement of seamen, fostering temperance, reducing licentiousness, encouraging Sabbath worship and observation, countering swearing, and promoting thrift and financial responsibility among sailors. It examines the largely evangelical collection development policies for these compact 40-45 volume library boxes, and attempts to locate the surviving boxes and surviving books from these libraries. It ends with some unanswered questions which deserve further study.
The Lord’s Librarians: The American Seamen’s Friend Society and their Loan Libraries 1837-1967
- Maritime Reading
Nantucket Whalemen in the Deep-sea Fishery: the Changing Anatomy of an Early American Labor Force,
- Maritime Reading
On the whaling journey of the brig Polley to West Africa in 1774, and in particular one of its crew, Samuel Atkins, who wrote some poetry about the journey: Steadily the nerves of unlucky whalemen were worn down by loneliness, boredom, and the knowledge that the vessel would have to remain at sea until a reasonable haul of oil had been taken in (p. 278).
The Seamen’s Friend: a Sketch of the American Seamen’s Friend Society by its Secretary.
- Maritime Reading
p. 9: NY Bethel Union formed June 4, 1821, modeled on the Bethel Union of London. Mariners’ Magazine in April 1825 advocated for a similar society in NY. By then, the Magazine said, there were seventy Bethel Unions, 33 Marine Bible societies, and 15 seamen’s churches and floating Bethels.
Hurrah for the Life of a Sailor.
- Maritime Reading
p. 25-26: In July 1838 the Admiralty sanctioned the supply of libraries to sea-going ships. Large ships were issued with 276 books, small ships with 156. The books were mostly religious or of an ‘improving’ nature. Various societies and private individuals also contributed. As early as 1816 a Lieutenant Baker and a Dr Quarrier supplied the Leander frigate, fitting out from Woolwich, with a library of several hundred books. Mrs Elizabeth Fry later persuaded the Admiralty to issue libraries to naval hospitals and to the coastguard.
Sir Francis Drake and the Famous Voyage, 1577-1580.
- 1577-80 English Expedition around the World (Francis Drake commanding The Golden Hind).
- Global Circumnavigations and Cape Horn Transits.
- Maritime Reading
An handsome volume celebrating the 400th anniversary of Drake’s voyage to New Albion in 1577, a collection of essays by some of the luminaries of geographic and cartographic history in the later 20th century: John Parry, David Waters, David Quinn, Helen Wallis, and Thrower himself, among others. It is full of puzzles, enigmas, speculations, secrets, etc. There is this intriguing passage at the end of Helen Wallis’ substantial and fascinating essay on “The Cartography of Drake’s Voyage”:
The Observations of Sir Richard Hawkins, Knt in His Voyage into the South Sea in the Year 1598.
- Global Circumnavigations and Cape Horn Transits.
- Maritime Reading
p. x-xi, quoting from North West Fox, or Fox from the North-west passage, London, 1635: And for books, if I wanted any I was to blame, being bountifully furnisht from the treasury with money to provide me, especially for those of study there would be no leisure, nor was there for I found work enough.
An Account of Several Late Voyages & Discoveries to the South and North towards the Streights of Magellan, the South Seas, the Vast Tracts of Land beyond Hollandia Nova, &c.: also towards Nova Zembla, Greenland or Spitsberg, by Sir John Narborough, Captain Jasmen Tasman, Captain John Wood, and Frederick Martin of Hamburgh….
- Global Circumnavigations and Cape Horn Transits.
- Maritime Reading
The purpose of this voyage was to establish trading relations between Britain and South America and the South Seas. Narborough did claim for Britain some territory in Argentina, lost some of his men as hostages in Peru, but failed in his primary mission.
A New Voyage Round the World Describing Particularly the Isthmus of America, Several Coasts and Islands in the West Indies, the Isles of Cape Verd, the passage by Terra del Fuego, the South Sea Coasts of Chili, Peru and Mexico, the Isle of Guam One of the Ladrones, Mindanao, and Other Philippine and East-India Islands near Cambodia, China, Formosa, Luconia, Celebes, &c., New Holland, Sumatra, Nicobar Isles, the Cape of Good Hope, and Santa Hellena: Their Soil, Rivers, Harbours, Plants, Fruits, Animals, and Inhabitants: Their Customs, Religion, Government, Trade, &c.
- 1679-91 British Buccaneer Journey (William Dampier aboard Cygnet et al).
- Global Circumnavigations and Cape Horn Transits.
- Maritime Reading
p.252-3, in Mindanao: We did all earnestly expect to hear what Captain Swan would propose and therefore were very willing to go aboard. But unluckily for him, two days before this Meeting was to be, Captain Swan sent aboard his Gunner, to fetch something ashore out of his Cabbin. The Gunner rummaging to find what he was sent for, among other things took out the Captain’s Journal from America to the island Guam, and laid down by him.This Journal was taken up by one John Read, a Bristol Man, whom I have mentioned in my 4th Chapter. He was a pretty Ingenious young Man, and of a very civil carriage and behavior. He was also accounted a good Artist, and kept a Journal, and was now prompted by his curiosity, to peep into Captain Swan’s Journal, to see how it agreed with his own; a thing very usual among the Seamen that keep Journals, when they have an opportunity, and especially young Men, who have no great experience. At the first opening of the Book he light on a place in which Captain Swan had inveighed bitterly against most of his Men, especially against another John Reed a Jamaica Man. This was such stuff as he did not seek after: But hitting so pat on this Subject, his curiosity led him to pry further, to look over at his leisure. The Gunner having dispatch’d his business, lock’d up the Cabbin-door, not missing the Book, and went ashore. Then John Reed showed it to his namesake, and to the rest that were aboard, who were by this time the biggest part of them ripe for mischief; only wanting some fair pretence to set themselves to work about it. Therefore looking on what was written in this Journal to be matter sufficient for them to accomplish their Ends, Captain Teat, who as I said before, had been abused by Captain Swan, laid hold on this opportunity to be revenged for his Injuries, and aggravated the matter to Commander, in hopes to have commanded the Ship himself. As for the Sea-men they were easily perswaded to any thing; for they were quite tired with this long and tedious Voyage, and most of them despaired of ever getting home, and therefore did not care what they did, or whither they went. …therefore they consented to what Teat proposed, and immediately all that were aboard bound themselves by Oath to turn Captain Swan out, and to conceal this Design from those that were ashore, until the ship was under Sail…. [Goes onto recount a successful mutiny that left 36 of the richer men of the ship ashore, many to be poisoned by the natives.]
The Three Voyages of Edmond Halley in the Paramore 1698-1701.
- Global Circumnavigations and Cape Horn Transits.
- Maritime Reading
[Note]: Despite an unsuccessful first voyage, Halley retained the confidence of the Admiralty, and his second cruise from September 1699 to September 1700 was successful. He went south as far as 52° into the ice field north of the site of the modern Halley Bay Geophysical Observatory and was in considerable danger, as he was later from a storm off the coast of Africa. (ODNB). Though they were in iceberg infested waters with fogbound conditions, the journals indicate no unusual events.
A Voyage to the South Sea, and Round the World, Perform’d in the Years 1708, 1709, 1710, and 1711, by the Ships Duke and Dutchess of Bristol…. In two Volumes.
- 1708-11 Woodes Rogers aboard the Duke and Dutchess.
- Global Circumnavigations and Cape Horn Transits.
- Maritime Reading
Cruising Voyage Round the World.
- 1708-11 Woodes Rogers aboard the Duke and Dutchess.
- Global Circumnavigations and Cape Horn Transits.
- Maritime Reading
Woodes Rogers’ journal is most notable for its account of finding Alexander Selkirk after his four years spent as a desert-island castaway on the Juan Fernandez Islands west of Chile.
A Voyage Round the World by the Way of the Great South Sea, performed in the Years 1719, 20, 21, 22, in the Speedwell of London….
- 1719-22 English Voyage around the World in War with Spanish Crown (George Shelvocke aboard Speedwell and other ships).
- Global Circumnavigations and Cape Horn Transits.
- Maritime Reading
p. 14-15: But having read in Frezier’s Voyage of the Island of St. Catherines, on the coast of Brazil, in the Latitude of 27, 30. So. which according to his account, afforded every thing we stood in need of, even without any expense, or, at least, in exchange for salt, which is very valuable there; and this being confirmed to me by one of my Officers…it was indisputably advisable to put in there….
[Journal]
- 1721-22 Dutch South Seas Expedition to Australia (Jacob Roggeveen).
- Global Circumnavigations and Cape Horn Transits.
- Maritime Reading
This voyage was intended to confirm earlier knowledge of the Falklands in its path to Australia. It was too hurried to stop at the Falklands but it did find Easter Island before it reached New Ireland (Papua New Guinea) where Roggeveen’s journal ends, 18 July 1722.
A Voyage to the South Seas in His Majesty’s Ship the Wager in the Years 1740-1741.
- 1740-41 English Naval Voyage to the South Seas (aboard Wager).
- Global Circumnavigations and Cape Horn Transits.
- Maritime Reading
Fascinating account of a shipwreck, a potential mutiny, and a Warrant Officer who took it on himself to advise incompetent officers in how to save the lives of the crew. His advice was dependent upon one volume he borrowed from the ship’s Captain.
Anson’s Voyage Round the World.
- 1740-44 English Naval Voyage to South Seas and Round the World (under George Anson aboard Centurion).
- Global Circumnavigations and Cape Horn Transits.
- Maritime Reading
Judging from his critiques Anson had books with him, though we don’t know how many. He was especially critical of the work of Frazier: