Beschreibung:

i) "Journal of my particular proceedings when detach'd from or acting seperate [sic] from my Colleage Mr. Wm: Harrison", detailing his activities whilst employed in the slave trade at Sierra Leone, including extensive travel in the region, especially to the Banana Islands and inland upriver from Sherbro on the Deong (Jong) River, also the purchase of goods and merchandise, and negotiations with other slavers and with regional rulers involved in the trade, with significant detail on the impact of local wars and Matthew's involvement in negotiating peace between two local kingdoms, with "Directions for going up to York Island from Jenkins in the River Sherbro", 35 pages, 28 April 1785 to 15 May 1787, with, written from the back, retained copies of four letters by Matthews, Deong and York Island, Sierra Leone, 4 pages, 20-25 April 1787, altogether 39 pages plus blanks, folio, paper wrappers, also with, loosely inserted, five documents relating to Matthew's journey up the Deong River including draft agreements for compensation from the Kings of Sherrbo, 1787 ii) Ship's Journal, when employed on the African coast by the Africa Company, detailing his work stocking ships with slaves and preparing them for the trans-Atlantic passage ("...Sunday 9 April 1786 This Morning about 9 o'clock came along side the Hazard Harry Canoe with Rice & 8 Slaves, Six of which accepted, the other two, likewise the Rice being bad wou'd not take..."), 80 pages, plus blanks, folio, 1 April 1786 to 31 March 1787 iii) "Journal of Proceedings on board his Majesty's Fire ship Vulcan Commencing May 1793", commencing with his appointment as captain on 3 May, the ship weighing anchor on 23 May as part of the Mediterranean Fleet commanded by Admiral Samuel Hood, with a detailed account of his passage to the Mediterranean, observations during time spent ashore (e.g. Gibraltar and Genoa), anchoring at Toulon on 29 August ([30 August] "...several ships shifted their situations, and moor'd in such Positions as could best defend the approaches to the Town of Toulon, which we understand is threaten'd to be attack'd by a large Army from Marseilles ... AM receiv'd orders to shift the Vulcan to a situation of circumstances (as I suppose) should render it necessary to destroy the French Fleet..."), his reassignment to HMS Courageux, and order to "proceed imm[ediatel]y off Marseilles & recall the Nemesis from off that P[o]rt...", 3 May to 15 September 1793, with orders of battle and sailing for the fleet, and with six ink and wash sketches of coastal horizons, including Alicante and Cape St Martin (2 pages), altogether 68 pages, folio, marbled wrappers iv) "Journal of the Proceedings of HM Ship Maidstone. Commencing Jany. 1st 1797", detailing his employment as Captain stationed off the West African Coast, arriving at Sierra Leone on 17 February 1797, later on convoy across the Atlantic, and in the Caribbean, describing in detail visits to leading figures in African coastal settlements (such as "the Reverend Mr Quaqua (the black Clergyman at Cape Coast Castle)"), including his attendance at a feast with dancing ("...The Females with their Music (ie) drums & gourds containing some beads or stones to make them rattle) withdraw a little distance (20 or 30 yards) they then pitch their voices to some particular song and Tune, three or 4 sing, and the rest join in the Chorus which has a pleasing effect. one of the Females then advances with a shuffling step - a waving motion of her hands - and writhing wriggling motion of her body towards the Men & pays her obeisance to her Father & Friends and returns in the same manner to the group, and is followed by all the rest in rotation...", 23 March 1797) and at a ritual trial for adultery with use of a fetish ("...a hollow circular vessel like a portion of a cylinder about two feet long, made I believe of clay, and coverd over with a dried skin..."), also recording his official duties policing ships of various nationalities engaged in the