1890 OCEANIA- Australia - New Zealand - Pacific Isles Manuscript & Photo Journal

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1890 OCEANIA- Australia - New Zealand - Pacific Isles Manuscript & Photo Journal:
$10900.00

1890 - Oceania & New Zealand & Australia & New Caledonia, Vanuatu, Efate, Tonga, New Guinea, Noumea…

19th century English manuscript journal illustrated with 140 original photographs executed by a seamanof the Australian Station.

The diary is divided in two main parts: manuscript text + leaves with 140 original photos taken by Lieutenant Boyle Somerville (H.M.S. Dart navigator and hydrographic surveyor) during surveying operations in the South Pacific.

Fantastic document recording in detail the events of each day during one year, 1stJanuary 1890 to 3rdJanuary 1891.

First leaf with the indication by the author “Joined the ship on March 7th 1889 at Sidney as Boy 1st class ranked Ordinary Seaman. May 24th /89 a trained Man, Nov 10th an able Seaman. March 24th/90. Joined H.M.S. “Dart” surveying vessel on May 8th /90 at Sidney Harbor. Ships lying at Sidney Harbor on New Year’s Day 1890 were: H.M.S. “Orlando”, “Rapid”, “Royalist”, “Raven”, “Egeria”, “Swinger”. H.M.S. “Opal” at Dunedin [New Zealand]; “Lizard” at the New Hebrides; “Dart” at Lizard Islands.

As indicated by the author, the “earlier photos show the result of missionary work in Epi, Efate Islands, the Shepherd Group, Tangoa, Tongariki and smaller islands of Mai, Nguna, Mau, and Makura. “. He then explains that further north at Malekula the natives are a different type: “Treacherous, bloodthirsty and cannibals…. The bushmen still make raids upon the coastal villages & their custom of buying older people alive was still carried on…” .

The first five months of the diary, January 1st1890 till May 8th, are written aboard ofH.M.S. “Orlando” Flagship of the Royal Navy Squadron of the Australian Station. The following monthsdetailsthe experiences lived by him and the crew of H.M.S. Dart.During this period the author travels and participates in numerous pioneer scientific expeditions and hydrographic surveys in the region.

The journal accounts for the author’sdaily activities as a seaman of the “Orlando” and “Dart”. It provides notable and detailed descriptions of previously unexplored regions, narrates encounters with natives who had never seen Europeans before (one of the encounters is described on July 25th 1890), penal islands of the region and prisoner´s conditions, flora and fauna of remote islands, barrier reefs, missionary activities, and so on.

The diary also describes the author’switness account of the Jubilee celebrations on Auckland Harbor, 30th January 1890, when he was on the boat that was guarding the Governor and his wife.

People mentioned include Lord Carrington (Governor of New South Wales), Earl of Onslow (Governor of New Zealand), Governor Sir R.G.C. Hamilton, Rear Admiral Lord Charles Scott, Captain J. Barlow, Lieutenant Boyle Somerville, Captain Davis of the “Royalist”, the surveyor of Dart, the Doctor, missionaries, traders, several Maori chefs, and others.

Physical description:208 manuscript pages written with black ink, [66] blank;82 pages with 140 photographs (additional details of the photos at the bottom).

Half leather binding with marbled paper on covers, 23 cm.

Condition: Neat and legible handwriting. Written part in very good condition, despite some browning and stains. Photos fragilized, faded and defective, some with loss. Approx. 10 photos missing. Binding damaged, with wear and loss of marbled paper. Text block partially detached. Other minor defects. Please also see provided images.

Some excerpts & photos descriptions:

Jan. 1st: Watched the old year out at the Sailors Home kept by Mr. Shearston [referring to John Samuel Shearston, seaman’s missionary in Sidney], the sailor’s friend….A grand night ashore, streets alive with people all night, plenty of fireworks & bonfires. Went to her Majesty’s theatre & saw “A Midsummer Night Dream” which was very good indeed, especially Puck & the scenery. Chaplain gave a dinner party on board to officers of “Royalist” & “Egeria” …..I took captain ashore to races, bought him abroad to dine…”

January 6th : “Hands called 4.45 am. Breakfast. Cleaned the gallery …..Admiral & Lord Carrington, Governor of N.S.Wales came abroad at 3.15 p.m. Fired 17 guns.

Slipped the ? @3.30 ... for New Zealand.

German man of war playing “God Save the Queen”. Passed right under her stern, had rather a close shave…..Blowing hard all night …

Jan. 7thStill blowing ...Mess deck flooded…Admiral & Lord Carrington sick.....A lot of sickness aboard…Butcher killed 2 sheep. 1 for admiral & staff. Other for the Ward Room officers.

Jan 11th Landed sight @ 3 o’clock….Entered Milford Sound. Scenery something splendid. Rocks of 7000 feet & over in height, not room to turn round only at certain places. Several small waterfalls ?down looking very pretty indeed….

Jan 13th Kept middle watch….Dropped anchor at Akaroa, a small village lying 38 miles ?. Christ church. Population 620. An old whaler lying off a short distance from us. We could smell her about a mile off….

Jan. 15th… dropped anchor at ? Harbor 190 miles north of Dunedin. Population 5000….

Jan. 21st. Sighted land on ? port beam ….Dropped anchor @ 3.15 in Wellington. Capital of New Zealand, seat of government. Population of town & suburbs 28000. Governor left the ship here in ? Bargi at night...

Jan. 22nd. ….The Earl Of Onslow, Governor of New Zealand came aboard to see the Admiral. Fired a salute of 17 main deck guns when he left. Called away @ 11 o’clock to go ashore with orderly. Came back & piped to dinner. Great bush fire a mile away inland, ….

Jan. 30th… Maori’s War dance in ashore & racing with their canoes, jumping hurdles in the ?. A Maori village ashore, people coming up to see the Governor. This being their jubilee of being under English Protection….

Feb. 1st. …to the Maori village to see the war dance which was something splendid, being in two parties attacking & defending. Both led by an old chief who took the leading part in dancing the others following him in every sign, movement, & grimace, some of which were horrible to look at. The Governor then read out a proclamation which was explained to them piece by piece by an interpreter. The Governor & his wife then had a trip in one of their largest war canoes while we followed up in our own boat in case of any accident. It was a grand sight to see them, between 30 to 40 men in one canoe, their stroke being regulated by an old man called “The Ingle Man” who stood on a small platform in the canoe, singing & making time with his hands, the whole crew following him, both with the singing…..

Feb. 3rd………Had plenty of company as all the Maoris were living in the Depot & other sheds, some in their own tends, some in the open air. Going as early as we did, the greater part of them were asleep. Men &women all cuddled together to keep warm, as it is very chill in the early mon……….One pretty young thing about 15 kept throwing stones & ? with me all day so there was but very little work done. They kept running away & quite natural enough we ran after them. Heard their preacher give short sermon, but could not understand it, but knew all the hymns & joined in with them which pleased them very much indeed.…..

Feb. 4th….Went to the Depôt @ 7 o’c saw 2 large whales that had just been caught, one of the still alive. Our friends, the Maoris, left this morning, some for ? island, some for Waiheke & some as far as Whangarei. Of course I had to go & see my young protégée…

Feb. 25th ….I sighted the Island of Tasmania. Altered course….Fort saluted the Admiral & dropped anchor @ 4.35 p.m. at Hobart, capital of Tasmania & the seat & government on river Derwent about 12 mile from north…..

Feb. 26th …. Governor Sir R.G.C. Hamilton came aboard. Saluted him with 17 guns on leaving. Took captain ? to government house….

March 6th….Boat keeping in the forenoon. Rather dull morning. Court martial, a marine belonging to H.M.S. “Rapid” sentenced to 6 months. Had several trips to the “Rapid”. Dinner, made an apple tart in afternoon out of the apples we got yesterday. Had it for our teas. Took Capt. & secretary ashore & bought them off again @ 6.30. Went ashore with them again to a ball at Government House, acme back to the ship @ 3.30.

March 15th………Anchored @ 4.30 in Port Melbourne formerly Sandridge. Population 9000 Melbourne, capital of Victoria being 2 ½ miles from the sea, on the river Yarra, an Episcopal Sea, with a population including suburbs 283000 has spring into existence during the present generation, possesses within itself all benefits & advantages of the oldest cities of the Western World...

March 16th……..Large fire ashore somewhere could see the flames from the ship…

April 3rd …Entered Sidney Heads @7.15. Brought ship to an anchor just outside quarantine grounds. Health officer came aboard for medical sheet…..180 sick altogether & now the doctor is down with it. Turned out to be some new disease called influenza. 18 of my messmates sick out of 20…. Went ashore at night shopping & to the “Theatre Royal” to Silver Falls, very good play finished @ 11o’c. Slept at Sailors Rest.

April 14th… Two men broke out of the ship during the night, but were caught coming back this morning & put in irons. Cleaned out boat. Stand easy. Black List men fall in. Took captain over admiral’s house…..

April 28th….Court of Inquiry held today on H.M.S. “Opal” over the mutineers of “Egeria”. Dinner. Took the Capt. ashore & ordered the boat 6.30. .R.M.S. “Cuzco” left today. Seven prisoners from “Egeria” came aboard.

May 5th…..H.M.S. “Dart” came in told my boat mates I should volunteer for her, here they ? laughed and said “you have got too good a ? for that”, but I meant it….

May 8th….Went to the “Rapid” with a letter & then over to admiral’s house with captain. Came back & piped to dinner. ? to H.M.S “Dart” to be ready to leave the ship after tea. Packed my bag & got my ?down, & got everything ready. Had tea & then joined my new ship. Told off for Port Walsh…..had a long ? with some of my messmates. I knew all of them quite well as we all came out from England together in Orient Siner “Iberia”…

June 2nd…Watch see foresail. Closed reef. Sighted land. New Caledonia…Native Pilot spoke us from Noumea, but not wanted. Dropped the ? anchor @ 11.20 in Noumea Harbour, a French convict settlement. Called away the gallery & took the captain to H.M.S. “Royalist”. Got a bag of bread from some of the crew, got back to the ship in time for dinner. Took the officer of the guard to the French ship “Saôme” & then took the Capt. ashore again…

June 4th……. An old native came aboard with a few old shells to change for old cloths. Got rid o a few, but I didn´t go in for any. They were hardly worth it….

June 5th…Blue jumpers & white trousers, caps & covers. ? off for the galley. Stand easy. Landed with captain & officers & instruments to go sight taking. Went away from the town altogether, cleaned a square place for them ashore & placed the instruments. Saw the convicts working about 200 yards away from us, some of them in chains. Plenty of warders around on the lookout some of them mounted. I could feel for some of the poor fellows, but some of them looked bad enough for anything. It is a common thing to see ½ dozen chained together & drawing a cart……., but the worst of the characters go off to the prison every night, which is on another small island. They are brought backwards & forwards in large boats in charge of these Hanakas?(black men employed as warders), who do not forget to show their authority as a rule. I think that is one of the hardest things against the Frenchman, to be bossed over by a black. There is very often a strike out, it being not an uncommon thing at all to see the Flag ? ashore, which means another execution. They have a splendid band amongst them, being composed of all good conduct men, who play ashore every evening & afternoon in the square, it is well worth listening too. I’ve heard it said, that it is the best band that side of the lime, which is saying a great deal. There are a lot of ? leave men, who are allowed to marry & live in the place, but in a fare allowed for them, but they are under a lot of restriction, if they go in a public house at all, they muse call for a drink & go at once, they are not allowed to stand about or hold any conversation with anyone else. …

June 6th…. Passed through a narrow strait called the Woody Pass & brought the ship to an anchor near the Isle of Pines @ 3.30. Hands to supper …Nearly all hands fishing, had a try myself, caught a nice big one, which gave 6 of us a supper, besides several small ones…

June 9th Had the 1st wheel in the middle watch course N ½ W. Wind dropped about 1.30. Watch ? sails & were on the job till relieved by the other watch…Sighted land @8.15 some of the New Hebrides Islands….Dropped anchor at @ 6.45 in Havannah Harbour. Efate Island galley went away ?

June 12th ….plenty of natives alongside in canoes ? with sweet potatoes, fowls, ? , bananas, & pine apples. For pipes Tobacco & matches …. ? off for camping party tomorrow with the captain, 4 of us altogether. Got the ? already . Dinned in grass bank & slept well.

June 13th…….Surveying ..Landed in the 2nd whaler with captain & Doctor & 2 more hands @ 7 o’clock. Took one of the natives as a guide to the top of mountain, had the ? shapped across my back & found it very ? work, although it was a very nice climbing the hill going back in series of steps. We lost one of our party for a short time on the way up. It appears that he had dropped some balls of ? which he was carrying & stopped to tie them up, we still going ahead & when he finished, he could not find us the grass being this very long…. There being no trees on the top, we had to go down a bit & picked out a suitable one for a Flagstaff which we got on the top again tied the Flag on….The island being of volcanic origin …..

June 18th…….We dropped anchor at Fila Harbor….Plenty of natives alongside hading, one of them full of women. 2nd whaler & galley away surveying. Tea. Went fishing in evening caught enough for supper….

June 19th……..Boat got under way again, & left me & Ellis & the Navigator ashore, with the chain for land measuring as we had to measure the base which was the small bay we landed in. It was rather a funny job, as we had to make a straight line with the chain & by doing so we were measuring under water half our time. The chain which is 100 ft long & is used with 10 iron pegs, one man being at each end of the chain which is fitted with a triangle…….

June 20th.... Cleaned a surveying rig. Started raining very heavy….Rained cleared off. Called away the boats. Told off for the galley to land with the captain taking angles & ? on the coastline. Came on to rain, but very fine……..anchored to the coral reef. Pulled over to Mâle Island, landed with the captain ,with theodolite, wrote down for him. Plenty of natives came round to the boat we had to keep a eye on them, as one of them tried to get away with a crutch. They seemed to be a different race altogether on this island to the others, being a fines lot of men, especially & different mode of wearing the hair, we could not manage to do any ? at all, it was as much as we could do to get a ?...Put up 2 Flags me & capt & then got back to the boat, all the natives following us on to the beach….

June 26th…… Anchored at Nguna Island on Two Hills island. Told off to land with capt. after dinner in the skiff. Got into an old surveying rig already & landed with Capt. could not reach the boat, so dropped the ……saw a large rock snake, went after it, but it got away into a large crack so I could not kill it…..

June 27th… Away all boats, told off for the ? cutter with the navigator went round to all the stations & then took 2 natives & went to the top of the highest hill of the two. 4 of us altogether. Had rather a rough time getting on the top, put up a large Flag….

July 2nd Out with hands. Breakfast. Cleaned in same rig…..put up a Flag on a large sandbank, picked up a few shells & 2 & 3 different specimens of coral. Ship anchored about 10 0´clock off Man Island …….Plenty of natives along side with fowls spirit?..Broke a ? the gig on the reef caught coral fish reef after the ride was done that nit had two pieces of ?, one each side of the nail, shaped just like knife blades which filed in a sheath in the tail, but I sucked the ? so they did not poison me, but some of the fish were good to eat., but all of them were very pretty…..

July 10th ……anchored the boat in a small bay & waded ashore, had a ? outside of a large cave, with a nice spring of fresh water in it, & was told by an old native how it was first discovered through 2 or 3 birds. The island itself having been put some magic spell by one of their gods, so there was a great drought, a number of them perished for the want of water, but it so happened that the old chief taking his usual walk day after day had noticed several birds flying in & out of a bush & wondered what the cause was, determined to find out climbed up & pulling the bush aside discovered the ? in the rock & could hear the water …..& going back to the village for help soon enlarged the opening, so they got to the longed water at last. The cave ever since being almost worshipped only the old chiefs being allowed to enter. The doctor having taken a photo of the entrance & some of the people with me in a group of 4 of the women....

July 14th….Ship employed deep sea sounding, greatest depth of the day being 662 factions using the wire. Reading all day a book lent me by the doctor called “Guana” a very interesting book on the South Sea Islands. Dinner….Dropped anchor @ 5.30 in Havannah Harbor & landed a wide party. Ellis & Holmes fixed the tent up about 300 yards from the French store. Hands scrub & washed cloths. Jubilee ashore amongst the Frenchman’s niggers celebrating “Bastille Day”….

July 23rd …. …Told off for camping party in the morning, provisions for 3 days, 13 hands told off altogether, in 3 separate parties, got all my gear ready for tomorrow ..

July 24th… all the camping party were given 3 doses of quinine, one had to be taken before leaving the ship & the others to go with them; all the party landed in the gig. Our party in charge of the navigator, consisting me , J. S? (S.S & D, Smith) landed at East Nt Efâte Island & had to pick up the other parties on the 3rd day at a small village called Mataafa in Frêre Bay where we should find the ? cutter & gig waiting . Put up a large black & white Flag as near the P? as we could & then started to march into the bush, which was very thick in some places, had to get on knives & cut our way through kept …….pretty warm work, saw a couple wild pigs & a very large lizard which ran up a tree, which were all thick overhead, so as soon as the sun had set it was dark, but we had picked out a suitable place to camp before it was too late, which was under a large head fruit tree, where we had found water by the number of birds flying in & out, made a large fire & climbed up the tree to get some water to make coffee with ……I tried to get a nap, but there was so many noises, it put me in the mind of being in the parrot house in the zoo, but heard from a distance. ? with bats & flying foxes, frogs croaking & a large kind of cricket, which are nicknamed Australian canarys, there was very little sleep at first, but eventually I dosed off. I don´t know how long I had been sleeping, but was awake by something touching me under my hand & found it to be an old wild boar, as I caught sight of it…. I was frightened to fire at it, as I thought it would wake the others up & frighten them, thinking we were attacked by the natives…..Smith had been badly bitten by mosquitos during night…..

July 25thWe had been camping for 3 hours or more, when we noticed that we were on a beaten track, so looked out for natives or village, which we soon sighted so we had to stop, as one of the natives sighting us gave a yell which was answered by the others & their dogs started barking so there was plenty of noise for a little while, when things had quieted down a bit & the navigator had made them understand by signs that we were friendly & wanted a guide, the women & children came round & began feeling & pinching us all over & singing to themselves all the time, as they had never seen any white men before, so after we had made friends all round by giving them Tobacco, pipes & matches, & had a good drink of cocoanut milk & a few ripe bananas each we started again, we had been going about 2 hours when our guide gave a yell which was answered & we found we were near another village, were we went through the same process of making friends, but could not persuade our guide to go any further with us, as the tribes were not friendly, so we got another one here & stated off again, we had to cross a small river, which we waded across….We were soon on to another village, which was near the beach …..

October 1st…….Small steamer arrived named “Triginini” with mail & news from H.M.S. “Royalist” who had gone round to some of the other islands to punish the natives for murdering a trader. Shot some of the ringleaders & set fire to the village & chopped up their canoes….

October 7th ….4 men taken very queer poisoned through eating a large coral fish they had for dinner. Gave some of them a good dose of mustard & water & made them sick….

Oct. 8th…. ..Cutter sounding in Urdine Bay. 2nd whaler took the mail round Havannah harbor. Working short handed with the sounding party, as some of the poisoned men were very queer, at it all day long & rather heavy work….

Oct. 10th … Clean guns & arms. Ship sounding round Man Isl. & a large rock called by our Capt. the Monument, as it was white with birds, went in quite close

Daily accounts until January 3rd 1891

Description of some of the 140 photos included on the other section of the diary:

“H.M.S. Dart in Farm Cove Sydney Harbour.”, “H.M.S. Dart in dock Auckland.”, “Deep Sea Sounding”, “ Tinupa Mata, Chief of Tongoa”, “Chiefs of the Shepherd Group Who Came on Board to See The Big White Queen to Place Themselves Under British Protection”, “ Our Guide, Native of Tongoa”, “Trader’s House at Tongoa (Mr. Micholson)”, “Natives of Epi Isld” , “2nd Whaler’s Crew at Tongariki”, “Old Chief at Tongariki”, “Tongariki Chief With Spear”, “Tongariki Natives”, “ Shooting Fish”, “1st Whaler”, “1st. Lieutenant and Engineer at Cave. Efate”, “Trader’s House at Fila”, “Trader’s women”, “Steam Cutter’s Crew”, “ At Namuka Village”, “Women of Namuka”, “Old Chief”, “Captain and French Missionary”, “Women With Picanins On Coral Reef”, “Port Sandwich”, “ Mouth of Erskine River”, “Pere Doncere, Missionary at Port Sandwich”, “My Friend Dednip”, “ Three Musketeers of Malekula”, “Ship visitors”, “Ship Visitors Malekulan at Port Sandwich”, “Idols Collected From Malekula Island – Human Skulls & Hair”, “Men Belong Bush”, “Ready For The Dance”, “A Malekula Native”, “Native of Pobolin, Epi Island”, “Warriors Dancing at Sasaki”, “Dancing at Lambanui”, “Medicine Hut at Lopevi”, “ Stone Alters at Uripin”, “Chef’s Son From Lambanui”, “Port Stanely Youngster Standing Between Roots Of A Tree”, “Grave of Murdered Traders At Port Sandwich”,” Native of Pobolin, Epi Isl.”, “Roasting Breadfruit At Pankuma”, “Api Harbour Before The Great Hurricane of 89” “Api Harbour After Hurrican”, “Natives of Samoa”, “Ladies of Samoa”, Young Maori From Waikeke”, “Maori Chief’s Wife”, “Tatooed Maoris With Jade Club And Charms”, “Solomon Islander”, “Tanna Ladies, “”Native Of Tanna”, “Young Lady Of New Guinea”, “Hawaiian Ladies”, “Aboriginal Lady Of Australia”, “Church Of St. Louis At Noumea”; “Deserted Tum-Tums At Nguna Isl.”, “Fishing on Reef At Pangkuma” , “Tatooed Leg Of Lady Of Papete”, “Ruin Of Old Prison At Norfolk Insland”, “Descendants Of Mutineers Of H.M.S. “Bounty”, “Weighting And Packing Coffee At Fila- Efate Island”.