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447299

Title
James Burney - Journal on HMS Discovery, 10 Feb. 1776 - 24 Aug. 1779
Creator
James Burney, 1750-1821
Call number
Safe 1/64
Safe 1/79
Level of description
fonds
Date

1776-1779
Type of material
Textual Records, Graphic Materials, Drawings
Reference code
447299
Issue Copy
Digitised
Physical Description
0.02 metres of textual material (2 volumes) - manuscript
Drawings
ADMINISTRATIVE/ BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

James Burney (1750-1821), was the son of composer Charles Burney, and brother of novelist Fanny Burney and the Rev. Charles Burney. He entered the navy in 1764 and sailed with Captain James Cook on his second and third voyages. On the third voyage he was first lieutenant on the Discovery, tranferring to the Resolution on 25 August 1779. He became a captain in 1782, and was made a rear admiral in 1821, not long before his death. Burney was the author of 'A Chronological history of discoveries in the South Sea or Pacific Ocean' (published in 5 vols., 1803-1817) and 'A Chronological history of north-eastern voyages of discovery and of the early eastern navigations of the Russians' (published 1819).
Scope and Content
Burney's account begins on 10 February when the Resolution and Discovery were commissioned for the voyage. He describes the ship's progress, commenting especially on the customs of the native people encountered. The journal ends on 24 August 1779 when the ships were in the harbour of St Peter and Paul, Kamchatka.

The journal includes 2 watercolour sketches: a drawing, by John Webber, of the Kerguelen cabbage [Pringlea antiscorbutica], signed 'J.W. 1777' (vol. 1, p.12); and a view in the Society Islands, possibly Huaheine, unsigned (vol. 2, p.91). The 20 charts of coasts and ship's tracks include charts of Kerguelen's Land, Adventure Bay (Tasmania), Hawaii, and locations along the north-west coast of America including Nootka Sound, Prince William Sound, Cook Inlet and the Bering Sea.

Journal comprises four volumes in two.

Full title: 'Journal of the proceedings of His Majesty's Sloop, the Discovery, Charles Clerke, Commander, in company with the Resolution, Captain James Cook'.

ML Safe 1/64
Vol. 1: 10 Feb. 1776 - 11 Oct. 1777
Vol. 2: 12 Oct. 1777 - 24 July 1778
Vol. 3:25 July 1778 - 14 Feb. 1779
Acquired through the NSW Agent General in London in 1922

ML Safe 1/79
Vol. 4: 15 Feb. - 24 Aug. 1779 titled 'Part 2nd of death of Captain Cook by Admiral James Burney'
Acquired from Dymocks Bookseller, Sydney, in 1921
Finding Aids
Read the transcription here: acms.sl.nsw.gov.au/_transcript/2011/D02340/a2281.pdf
General note

This journal is a copy made by Burney, probably from his journal which is held in the British Library (BM Add. MS 8955; a microfilm copy is held in the Mitchell Library at M 1565). The title page of the second volume is signed 'Jas. Burney / Latona', suggesting that he may have made the copy while in temporary command of the frigate 'Latona' in 1781-1782

Reference:
'The Journals of Captain James Cook...Resolution and Discovery', edited by J.C. Beaglehole, part 1.

Short extracts from the journal can be found in 'The Journals of Captain James Cook...Resolution and Discovery', edited by J.C. Beaglehole (pub. 1967), and in 'My Friend the Admiral: the life, letters, and journals of Rear-Admiral James Burney, F.R.S, the companion of Captain Cook and friend of Charles Lamb', by G.E. Manwaring, London, 1931.

Burney's journal of the second voyage, held at the National Library of Australia, has been published as: 'With Captain James Cook in the Antarctic and Pacific: the private journal of James Burney, second lieutenant on the "Adventure" on Cook's second voyage, 1772-1773', edited by Beverley Hooper, 1975.

Photocopy - CY Safe 1/64 & CY Safe 1/79 (Ref. 1, open access): Xerox copies made from microfilm of the original volumes.

Microfilm available at CY 217 (Safe 1/64) and CY 218 (Safe 1/79).
Digital order no:Album ID : 846130
Creator/Author/Artist
Webber, John, 1752-1793
Name
Discovery (ship : Captain = Charles Clerke)
Subject
Cook, James, 1728-1779.
Cook, James, 1728-1779--Travel.
Northwest Coast of North America--Discovery and exploration--British.
Northwest Passage--Discovery and exploration.
Pacific Ocean--Discovery and exploration.
Voyages and travels--18th century.
Voyages around the world.
Place
Adventure Bay (Tas.)
Alaska
Bering Sea
Canada
Hawaii
Kamchatka Peninsula (Russia)
Northwest coast of North America
Siberia, Eastern (Russia)
Society Islands
Tahiti (French Polynesia : Island).
Exhibited in

Nelson Meers Foundation Heritage Collection - State Library of New South Wales (April-November 2009). Applies to: Safe 1/64c
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