The Adventures of Ship-Boy (Leith 1823) Prisoner of War in Denmark H.M.S. Brunswick

The Adventures of a Ship-boy

Written by Himself

Published for the Author and sold by James Burnett, Oliver and Boyd, etc, Leith, 1823. First Edition. Scarce. In original cloth binding with leather titlepeice, 173 pages plus 1 page or erratta. With a lovely engraved frontispiece of the H.M.S. Brunswick.

CONDITION
A very good complete first edition. The original cloth binding is very good but the leather label a little worn. Endpapers very good. All contents present and pages good throughout with just the odd spot or ocassional thumb mark to the margins. No names or writing. Overall a good first edition of this interesting and true narrative.

PREFACE
The following pages were written for the purpose of embodying the substance of a Journal kept by the Narrator, while a Prisoner of War in Denmark, in an early part of his life; and at the time of writing, his only object, further than his own satisfation, was the amusement of a few Friends, to which, the perusal of the Narrative might possibly contribute. Some of these friends having since advised him to print it, it is offered to the Public in its present shape.

The whole is a plain account of facts as they occurred; and as little has hitherto been published on the treatment of British Subjects in Foreign prisons, it is hoped, the present small Volume may be acceptable to those who feel an interest in such matters.

The first part is chiefly introductory, and contains a few Sketches of the Treatment and Professional Education of a Boy in a Merchant vessel; the second and third are composed of Prison Scenes, and in the fourth is given some account of the disasters which be-fel His Majesty's Ship, Brunswick, in the beginning of 1809, when detained by ice in the Cattegat. The latter was thought necessary to complete an account of the Writer's peregrinations; and if into this part, any inaccuracy of statement has inadvertently found it's way, it is entirely owing to the distressing situation in which he found himself, while on board of that Ship, which precluded the possibility of his keeping a regular Journal. This, however, can only be to a trifling extent.

In the Appendix is given a short account of Bornholm and the adjacent Danish islands; of the City of Copenhagen; and of Roeskilde Cathedral, from the best authorities; which particulars may probably be interesting strangers visiting Denmark.

(Loc: Shelf: Scotland 1)