Beschreibung:

manuscript ship's log on paper, c.156pp. plus a couple of loose leaves, written at sea, 1827-29, recording details of the capture of various ships, with other remarks: Nov.18 1828 "Commodore appointed me to the command of the Black Joke Tender, Lt. Turner having been promoted by H.R.Highness Duke of Clarence to Commander for having a brush with the Providentia Brig. Privateer and making a very gallant defence."; Feb 1 1829 "Black Joke captured Almirante Spanish Brig with 466 slaves from Lagos to Havannah after an action of one hour and twenty minutes. Almirante 13 k[illed]? 15 wounded. Black Joke 6 wounded one of whom/Johnson/ died in West Bay of his wounds.- Slade took her up to Sierra Leone in Co with Medina."; March 6 1829 "Black Joke captured the Carolina Brazilian Brigantine with 427 slaves from Lagos to Batvia. Butterfield took them up to Sierra Leone."; plus Black Joke's daily position Nov. 1826 to April 12 1829; List of Officers and Crew belonging to Black Joke in action with Almirante; Table entitled "List of Slave Vessels captured by H.M.S. Sybille & Tender from May 1827 to May 1829" also indicating total ships 16, total slaves 3970 and Lt's share in English pounds; "Accou Language used by Slaves from the Kingdoms of Haysa & Hio: generally taken in vessels from Whydah and Badapry. Ah-way - Go and wash, Moulatoo - I want to make water."; Damage sustained by Black Joke in action with Spanish Brig. "El Almirante"; "HD's letter to Commodore, acquainting him of Almirante's capture" [Downe's transcription]; "Commodore Collier's Letter to the Admiralty relative to capture of El Almirante" [Downe's transcription]; "Copy of a Letter adressed to Don Damaso Jorgannes, Captain of the Spanish Brig "El Almirante" (at anchor in Lagos Roads, waiting for a cargo of slaves) by his Mate Don Manuel Ostenzo e Lastre" [Downe's transcription]; "Memoranda. Observations and Information collected from Crew of "El Almirante" after the action"; "Song by Thomas Eason one of the Black Joke's crew on 1 Feb 1829"; Extract table from Almirante trade book listing types of slave and values in dollars; and Capt. Collier's Orders to the Officers of the Sybille [written in a different hand, possibly Collier's], signed T. Collier and dated 14 May 1827 plus a second order dated 12 Sept. 1827, original limp sheep, 8vo *** Highly important ship's log concerning the capture of slavers after the abolition of the slave-trade. The Abolition of the Slave Trade Act was passed on 25 March 1807 and, together with subsequent acts tightening up the provisions for monitoring and suppressing the trade as well as international treaties with European and American countries, gave Great Britain the role of international policeman. She used the Royal Navy and diplomatic efforts to suppress the trade in the Americas, Middle East and India. British naval squadrons were set up to patrol the coast of West Africa and the Caribbean looking for illegal slavers. The Navy also encouraged exploration of the coastal rivers and waterways, bombarded slaving settlements, made treaties with friendly African groups and encouraged other forms of trade, eg palm oil. On 6th September 1827 H.M.S. Sybille captured the Brazilian ship Henriqueta with 569 captured Africans on board. The Henriqueta was tried by a Mixed Commission Court at Sierra Leone on 6th October 1827 and condemned. 546 salves were "liberated" to be looked after by the Liberated African Department, 12 died of natural causes, one was lost overboard and eight died from alcohol. Four others died shortly after landing in Sierra Leone. In December 1827 the Henriqueta was purchased by the Admiralty for £900 as a tender to the Sybille and renamed the Black Joke. During the next 5 years the Black Joke captured at least 22 vessels. In December 1832, after several surveys it was decided that the ship was in too poor a state of repair and she was burnt.