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NTRS 1334 Security copy microfilm (silver halide negative) of Port Essington notebook

Recording Agency:McArthur, John (junior) (250)
Date Range:1838 - 1850
Access:Restricted
Location:Darwin (NTAC)
Legacy Series Id:

How to Use the Records

A reference microfilm copy (NTRS 2607) is available in the Darwin search room.

Function / Content

This series consists of the security copy microfilm of the Port Essington notebook to be used to make any further copies for reference use. The notebook records accounts, wages, and provisions provided to marines, settlers and ships, such as the "Royalist", and also includes 79 sketches and 11 poems. Included is a list of names of the men, women and children at Port Essington titled "from victualling book Febr 1st 1843 to Novr 22nd 1844", and a list of "expenses with Mr John McArthur by JH McArthur" for the period 1838-1840. There are also intermittent diary entries, particularly regarding the building of the schooner "Gipsy" and the sailing trips made to test her seaworthiness. Other details recorded include Dr Ludwig Leichardt's address in Sydney, a list of books (such as "Last of the Mohicans" and "Tales of an antiquary"), a list entitled "color of birds eyes", a list and description of Aboriginal spears with phonetic spelling of indigenous language, and a record of John McArthur junior's heated conversation with Mr Selby regarding repairs to leaks in "Gipsy" dated 30 November 1846. Sketch subjects include unidentified men and women, soldiers, ships and schooners, dogs, kangaroos, birds, flowers, the McArthur crest and motto, and Macassan trading prahus. Sketches were drawn in pen or pencil, and include detailed work such as the image of "Isabella" at sea with annotations describing the damage she sustained from a large wave on 17 March 1848. One of the poems is a 2 verse satire of life at Victoria, Port Essington. The notebook was purchased from Peter Arnold Booksellers, and microfilmed, in 1988.

Recordkeeping System

None, one only

Recording Agency

PeriodTitleAgency Id
1838 - 1850McArthur, John (junior)250

Related Series

Transfer DateSeriesSeries Id
1838 - 1850Master positive and negative microfilms of Port Essington notebookNTRS 888
1838 - 1850Notebook relating to the Port Essington settlementNTRS 862
1838 - 1850Reference microfilm (silver halide positive) of Port Essington notebookNTRS 2607

Consignments

Consignment IdNumber of UnitsContents Date RangePublic AccessDescription
P000111838 - 1850Restricted