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Three folded Folio manuscripts: two folio bifoliums ca. 36,5x22,5 cm and ca. 44x27,5 cm, and a single folio leaf ca. 40,5x26 cm. 3, 3 and 1 pp. All written in brown ink on watermarked laid paper, each docketed on the last blank page. Two signed by deponents and notaries, one with two tax stamps and a notarial seal. Fold marks, but overall a very good collection of manuscripts written in a legible hand. Historically significant collection of three original manuscripts documenting the voyage to Jamaica of a British merchant brig "Jane" in August 1780 ? March 1781, with a detailed eye-witness account of the Savanna-la-Mar Hurricane on October 3, 1780, which seriously damaged "Jane" and destroyed a large part of her cargo. The Savanna-la-Mar Hurricane ran on October 1-3, 1780, mostly affecting Jamaica, where it destroyed the community of Savanna-la-Mar and Lucea, killed 360 people in the town of Montego Bay and sank several British naval ships ("Monarch," "Victor," "Barbadoes," "Scarborough"). The hurricane is a part of the 1780 Atlantic hurricane season, which became "the deadliest Atlantic hurricane season in recorded history" (Wikipedia). The collection includes an affidavit signed by "Jane's" Captain James Jones, first mate William Barrey and boatswain Sever Brown, with an hour-by-hour account of the events on board during the hurricane on October 3, 1780. The affidavit, dated "Montego Bay, January 10, 1781", was witnessed by Samuel Mottershed, Esq. (a Justice for the St. James parish, Jamaica) and certified by Ralph Montague (notary public in Montego Bay, St. James parish). The second document is an extensive "Declaration of a protest," signed by Captain Jones and first mate William Barrey, which describes the entire "Jane's" voyage with an emphasis on the events of the hurricane and its outcomes, including the description of the direction and strength of the wind and the rising of the sea level on October 3. The document is dated July 24, 1781 and is certified by London notary Wilson Forster. The last document is a period copy of Jane's portledge bill (January 1780 - September 1781), listing twenty-six crew members (including Captain), their stations (boatswain, cooks, mates, seamen, boys), length of service and wages due and paid. Overall an important eye-witness account of the 1780 Atlantic hurricane season. A brief history of "Jane's" 1780-81 voyage to Jamaica: The brig arrived in Kingston from London on August 1, 1780, under the escort of HMS "Thunderer" and other British men-of-war. On August 21, she sailed for the Black River where she received a cargo of logwood, mahogany and pimento. On August 29, "Jane" arrived to Montego Bay, where she received a cargo of sugar. On October 2, she moored in the mouth of the Great River, seeking asylum from the storm. On October 3, due to hurricane winds and the change of wind direction, the brig was driven to a reef where she was struck against the rocks many times, losing her lifeboats and a part of the cargo. "Jane" was taken off the reef only on October 22. The cargo, anchors and guns were reloaded in order to lighten the ship; some part of the cargo was never recovered. "Jane" returned to Montego Bay on January 27, 1781 and then went to Port Royal. On March 17, she left Jamaica for London in a convoy of ninety merchant ships, protected by HMS "Egmont," "Graffton," "Trident," "Bristol," and "Endymion," and endured several storms during the voyage, which forced the crew to have "pumps constantly going." "Jane" arrived in London on July 23, and the next day the Captain filed the Declaration of protest "against the Seas and bad weather, and particularly against the Violent Hurricane which the said Ship met with in Jamaica." Excerpts from the documents: 1) The Affidavit. " James Jones, Commander of the Brig or Vessel called the Jane now laying at Great River in the parish of Saint James in the Country of Cornwall and Island of Jamaica, Sever Brown Boatswain of the said Brig or Vessel. Seller Inventory # M46
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