Journal of the Captain’s Wife: An 1852 Voyage from Calcutta to Boston

This is the 1852 diary of Minerva Sears as she accompanies her husband, Captain Joshua Sears, on a voyage from Boston to the Isle de France, then to Calcutta, and back to Boston aboard the ship Orissa. Minerva describes the rough conditions on board and her thoughts about them. Several of the crew members suffer various illnesses and injuries which the Captain treats with home remedies. Minerva cares for many of the animals on board, including her pet dog. On calm days, she writes of the lonesomeness and how she misses her friends back home. During wicked storms, she writes of her terror and anxiety. This diary provides an interesting look on board a 19th century trade ship through the eyes of a young woman with excellent writing abilities.