#hms niger

[clove-pinks]

"Ships of the Navy" series by Ciba Laboratories, late 1960s (Wellcome Collection).

[ltwilliammowett]

The Bloody Journal - The Journal of a Levante Pirate

The Edinburgh Annual Register, for 1810 picks up a very curious case that leaves researchers in some doubt as to whether it is genuine or not.

It concerns William Davidson, a Scotsman who served under Captain Keates on HMS Niger in 1791. He is described as "a dark sallow man, aged about 35, of a gloomy and unsocial disposition". He had probably already been noticed several times for brawling and was probably punished again, whereby he collapsed under convulsions after 5 blows and the punishment was aborted. But when he hit a midshipman a few months later, the fun was over and he was supposed to be whipped again. Out of consideration for his last situation, they wanted to give him a different punishment, but he didn't get that far, because he broke away and threatened to kill himself if they didn't let him go. But he didn't, instead he jumped overboard, but was caught again and put in irons. In the meantime, rumour had it that Davidson was not a fine man, but had been involved in sinister dealings and had recorded all this in a secret journal.

You can read it here

The journal, also known as the Bloody Journal, was found and read in his Seachest. It described a voyage in 1788-89 on a Russian privateer named Saint Dinnan, who soon became guilty of piracy and was not very gentle with his Turkish and Greek victims, like, for example, the ship was simply sunk with all the remaining things and people (presumably most of the people were still alive). When asked about this, he admitted that he had written it, but that he had no choice and had to take part in order to survive. The journal was immediately sent to the Admiralty with this case of Piracy. But no answer came from the Admiralty and Davidson remained on board the Niger, which was now sailing under Captain Foote, until 1793. Still in Portsmouth, Davidson deserted 1794, but was pressed again and taken to the Royal George, where he drowned in an accident in 1795.

The question now occupying researchers is whether this journal is genuine or just an adventure/ pirate novel. The text itself is quite short, consisting of only 27 pages, and written quite incorrectly. Which is no wonder, because many of the simpler men could neither read nor write, so such a journal was already a rarity and makes it even more questionable. What is surprising is that the Admiralty, which had been presented with the case, did not react and presumably dismissed the whole thing as an adventure novel and did not put Davidson on trial as a pirate. The fact that he hid it does not, in my opinion, indicate that it is an authentic report, because even if it is a novel. He had to expect a conviction, because at that time anyone who gave even the slightest hint of piracy was given a trial. Which is why the A General History of the Pyrates: Pirate Captains, Crews, Ships, and Laws was written under a pseudonym, because it could have got the author into trouble.

But it is interesting that the journal was actually published in several copies before it was classified as too brutal. Whether you consider this an authentic report or not is up to you. But the whole thing is strange.