Copy of the Log of the Proceedings of His Majesty's Ship 'Ethalion'. Thomas John Cochrane Esq., Captain. Commencing June 19th 1809 and ending August 3rd 1810. kept by [P. Dunstan, Midshipman]. with: Log of Proceedings of His Maj. Ship 'Poictiers'. John Poo Beresford Esq. Captain. Commencing August 4th 1810 and ending August 25th 1810. kept by P. Dunstan, Midshipman Ethalion

small 4to [20x16cm]. pp[226, 26]. modern binding of half morocco over marbled paper boards. good clean condition. written in a neat hand, legible, but hard to decipher in places. A little fading to the ink, but generally clear. the lower corner of the first title-page, including the name of the writer, has been torn away. But as the hand is the same for both logs and the keeper of the log is identified for the second part, one can assume both are written by one and the same From June 1809, the log covers the Ethalion's service in the Caribbean, sailing from St.Perris Bay [?] with landfalls including Vera Cruz, Havana, Barbados and Porto Rico [Puerta Rica]. This narrative of proceedings provides a vivid insight into the operations of a Royal Navy frigate in West Indian waters during the latter years of the Napoleonic wars. Ethalion sailed for Cadiz from Porto Rico on January 14th 1810, arriving February 17th. She remained in Cadiz for two months, then sailed in convoy for England, arriving in Portsmouth on June 2nd, where she was paid off on August 3rd. The short log for HMS Poictiers relates the start of a voyage, in company with the frigates 'Seine' and 'Shannon'. HMS Ethalion was a 5th rate frigate of 36 guns, launched in 1802 and decommissioned in 1816. She survived till 1877, serving as a hospital ship and a breakwater.She had been serving in the West Indies since 1807 and took part in the 1809 invasion of Martinique. HMS Poictiers was a 74-gun third rate ship of the line. She went on to see very active service during the War of 1812 [please see our storefront page for shipping information]