Joseph Arnold - Journals, 1810-1815

fonds

1810-1815

Textual Records, Watercolours

457710

Microfilm : CY 1391, frames 1-303 (C 720, filed at Safe 1/269)

0.07 metres of textual material (1 volume)
Drawings - watercolours

Joseph Arnold (1782-1818) naturalist and naval surgeon was born on 28 December 1782 at Beccles, Suffolk, England. He joined the navy as an assistant surgeon and served in H.M.S. Victory. In 1809 he was promoted to surgeon and transferred to H.M.S Hindostan arriving in Port Jackson 28 December 1809. He promptly returned to England leaving Port Jackson on 12 May 1810. In 1815 he visited Sydney again in charge of the female convict transport Northampton. He took passage for England in the Indefatigable. The ship was burnt to the water's edge at Batavia and Arnold lost most of his possessions including some of his journals. He died of fever at Padang on 26 July 1818. Source: ADB online.

Four different sized journals bound together in one volume covering the second half of Arnold's journey to England from Sydney with William Bligh and subsequent voyages in various parts of the world until June 8, 1813. Arnold was appointed medical charge of the Northampton bound with female convicts to Botany Bay. The Northampton journal commences with March 8, 1815 at Rio de Janeiro en route to Botany Bay. Entries relating to Sydney commence with June 19, 1815 until July 13, 1815 when he boarded the Indefatigable en route to Batavia. Then follows his description of the voyage up the East Coast of Australia and through Torres Straits to Batavia.
He was received by Governor Raffles in Java and describes events and manners of life, including the inefficiency of the navigation of the Indefatigable around the North of Australia and the fire which started so carelessly and which destroyed the ship in Batavia (Oct. 22, 1815) includes a list of his own losses. Illustrated with 3 watercolour sketches (1. Inscribed 'Goza distant 5 or 6 leagues' ; 2 & 3 are on the same sheet titled 'Coast of New Holland about Cape York') and one ink drawing of a sea creature. Source: Librarian's notes inserted in front of Journal.

Two letters to Arnold's brother dated 25 February and 18 March, 1810 describing affairs in New South Wales with pictures of Bligh, Macquarie etc are located at A 1849.