Maritime – a fine ship’s diary – a trading passage from Peru to London 1860 original diary written by Richard Peele Hobson, an unbound Apprentice on his first voyage on the Ship ‘Philanthropist’ (Liverpool) bringing Guano from the vast deposits in Peru to Victoria Docks in London. Hobson’s diary covers part of the return passage and describes the voyage, leaving Rio de Janeiro to make the dangerous Atlantic crossing. The detail provides an important insight into the operation of sailing ships at the time including fierce storms threatening to sink the ship, short rations, continuous manning of the pumps to prevent disaster. Even when they limp into Queenstown, near Cork, they have to continue to man the pumps and they are eventually towed to London by steam tug. There is then a remarkable description of the shipping through the English Channel and the Downs with details of collisions, wrecks etc. Hobson gives a graphic account of the sheer volume of vessels and mentions passing HMS Britannia and a squadron of Battleships at target practice in the Downs. An intriguing addition is a sketch of a cutter named ‘Vixen’ which states ‘Builder R P Hobson’ – so it is assumed he continued in the maritime trade. 24pp on paper approx 11x10ins, some dusting to outer leaves but otherwise good.