MS 690
Papers of Alexander Home (c.1738-1823)
- Manuscripts
- 1777-79
- 4 items
- MS 690
- Available for reference
The two manuscripts of Alexander Home were purchased by the Commonwealth
National Library in December 1925 from the Museum Book Store, London.
Alexander Home (c.1738-1823) joined the crew of HMS Discovery on
16 March 1776. In July 1776, when HMS Resolution and Discovery
left Plymouth, he was promoted to masters mate. In December 1777,
when the expedition was at Tahiti, he was made quartermaster.
In December 1780, after the ships had returned to England, Home was
promoted to the rank of lieutenant. He served in the American War of
Independence, where his sight was damaged. He retired on half-pay in 1783
and spent the rest of his life on a small farm at Buskenburn,
Berwickshire. His son George Home (b. 1794) was the author of Memoirs
of an aristocrat and reminiscences of the Emperor Napoleon (1837),
which contains references to Alexander Home.
Item 1 |
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Folio manuscript, 18 leaves, no covers, written by Alexander Home
comprising:
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| (i) |
The Account of Ottihiti and Our Transaction there, Continued
[pp 19-27, 30-41]. Manuscript account of the visit of HMS Resolution,
commanded by Capt. James Cook, and HMS Discovery, commanded by
Capt. Charles Clerke, to Tahiti, Sept. Dec. 1777. It refers to
a review of Tahitian war canoes, including Omai in English military
uniform, relations with the chiefs Tu and Mahine, punitive measures
taken by Cook at Moorea, the house erected for Omai at Huahine, the
character of Omai and his predicament, visit to Bora Bora, desertions,
imprisonment of Podua and her husband, Cooks exhortations
against desertions, and trade with Tahitians. |
| (ii) |
Lattd and Long. of places Touched at and Discovered by the
Resolution & Discovery wh the Dates. Var: hight of the tides there
Set of the nidle Thermometer [pp 28-29]
Extracts from 11 entries of log, not in date order and ranging from
26 December 1776 to 30 January 1778, referring to landings at the
Sandwich Islands, Christmas Island, Marion Island, Kerguelen, Van
Diemens Land, Bora Bora and Tahiti. |
| (iii) |
A description of the Vale of Tiarabu wh some Remarks on its
inhabitants [pp 42-54]
An account of the topography and landscape of Taiarapu, the eastern
part of Tahiti, and the social organisation, houses, weapons, customs
and beliefs of the peoples. |
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Item 2 |
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Octavo manuscript, leaves, vellum cover, inscribed LOG BOOK of
Captain Alex: Home R.N. of Buskenburn, Berwickshire while with Captain
Cook on his last voyage 1776.
Notwithstanding the title, the manuscript by Alexander Home is not a
log but comprises:
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| (i) |
An account of proceedings of HMS Resolution and HMS Discovery
at Owyhee in the Sandwich Islands, 7 February 15 March 1779,
including a description of the death of Captain Cook (15pp). Home
wrote I was not present in this Fray being Sick So this Account
is entirely from the Mouths of others Who were present. |
| (ii) |
An account of Kamschatska, April 1779 (48pp). Following
the death of Captain Cook, the two ships, under the command of Charles
Clerke, sailed north-west to Kamchatka, the peninsular that extends
southward from Siberia, from where they made a second attempt to
discover the North West Passage. The manuscript describes the arrival
at Kamchatka, topography and landscape, flora and fauna, relations
between Kamchatkans and Russians, social customs, government, trade,
houses, crops, meetings between the English and the Russians at
Petropavlovsk |
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Item 3 |
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Typescript transcript of item 1 (36pp) |
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Item 4 |
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Typescript transcript of the account of the death of Captain Cook
(7pp) |
Return to Manuscript Finding Aids
Guide prepared May 1999 |