Illustrated Manuscript Notebook of J. Longden, Surgeon on East Indiaman Protector, 1837-8

Manuscript, 266pp. (pagination irregular), many blanks, wove paper watermarked 1833, numerous full page sketches in pencil and/or watercolour, contemporary marbled boards, rebacked, 4to, 1837-8

A unique and heavily illustrated notebook from a Surgeon in the East India Company.

The illustrations comprise of ten anatomical studies, five studies of animals, fruit and plants, including a coloured sketch of flowers from Mauritius, lychees and a walrus. There are ten views of coastlines and ships with captions describing details of the subject, coordinates and the date.

“ Ship Protector, T. Buttenshaw, Commander, outward bound. Thursday April 6th 1837”; “Island of Trinidad bearing W by S. 1/2 S, sketched April 6th 37 by J. Longden ..”’;”’St Antonio one of the Cape Verde Isles …”; “The Protector coming to an anchor at Rankafullah Pagoda in the river Hooghly Sept 8th 37”

There are also several various preparatory or unfinished sketches.

The manuscript text is a lengthy verse account of the voyage to Bengal and China written in rhyming couplets. He also wrote poems addressed to family members, variously signed ‘off the coast of Sumatra’, ‘Bay of Bengal’, and ‘Diamond Harbour, River Ganges’, and quotations from classical authors.

As the ship’s surgeon, Longden has written numerous medical notes on diseases such as cholera and scurvy, including an account of an emergency on the ship.

“When in Calcutta … I had some singular cases one which ran thus: Mr Clark a stout florid healthy man a Scotchman by birth was attacked one day at 1P.M. while in the heat … with … rigid spasms”. He also wrote an extensive section titled ‘Chemical Notes from a Course of Study under Professor Everitt’.

He also wrote detailed notes to and on fellow crew members. To Captn Buttenshaw I am greatly indebted not only for giving me my berth without a moment’s hesitation or asking to see even a certificate of qualification but also for his great kindness to me during my illness in Calcutta’; ‘Mr Brooks held the double situation of 3rd mate and sailmaker, he was a man who had risen from before the mast and had been nearly all over the world a first rate seaman … he spoke French and Spanish and a little Italian and Bengali