TAIPING REBELLION AND MEDICAL INTEREST, INTERESTING EPISTOLARY DIARY
CIRCA 1861-1862

believed written by an Assistant Surgeon Kay of Port Glasgow, each entry taking the form of a letter to the author's father (believed due to lengthy period between sending and receiving post, hence a means of reference), the letters covering 191 pages and taking us from circa 24th June 1861 to 22nd April 1862, originally stationed on the S.S. Pera in the Mediterranean, he later hinds himself aboard other ships including H.M.S. Acorn, and in locations including Ceylon, Hong Kong and Shanghai

Note: A contemporary handwritten transcript is presented alongside the diary (roughly transcribed below):

p1 SS Pera 24.6.61 Seasick. Bay of Biscay, Set Sails as well as Steam.
p2 Describes magnifcent ship he is on. Crowded cabins. Heading for Hong Kong, other Assistant Surgeons on board.
p3 Mentions passengers going tiger hunting (Madras) passenger Major Brabazon, Father of Captain murdered by the Chinese
p6 Cape Trafalgar
p10 Gibraltar
p12 Landing - Bard plays "The Girl I Left Behind"
p15 English Convicts at work
p20 On the way to Malta - problem with a passenger in his cabin
p21 Arrived at Malta (29/6/61)
p23 Buys white Clothes at Valetta for Egypt
p25 Maltese beggars
p26-27 Details of time in Malta

S.S. Bengal 10/7/1861
Straits of Egypt
Visit to Cairo by Train
p37 Crossed "Magnificent" Bridge over Nile built by Stevenson
p45 Aden
p46 Described his visit to the Pyramids/Sphinx
p48 Talks of harvest at home - "James King" mentioned, love to "Massie" and "Willie" Little Johnny, Little Robert Schutz, Mr. Moffat, Mrs. Murrray. Mr. Zithgow, "Port Glasgow"
p49 Newspapers - Fire in London, Death of the Sultan & Lord Campbell

Ceylon 20/7/61
p50 Off Sumatra 24/7/61
p59 "All ships engineers from Scotland"
p59 Party splits up for Ceylon Calcutta Australia

China
p64 P.O. H. Kay - ???
p65 Talks of being home in 3 years - Jerry
p66 Sinsalone (?)
p68 Hong Kong 10/8/61 Princess Charlotte (H.M.S.) Hosptial Ship Melville Mentioned
p73 Talks of risk of murder/robbery
p75 leaving for Shanghai
H.M.S. Acorn - friend has dystentry - mentions H.M.S. Acorn
p78 H.M.S. Acorn Shanghai 29/8/61
p79 Was with Doctor King
the surgeon / D. Johhnston
Assistant surgeon
p81 Hopes to get home in 1863
p82 Chinese Civil War
p83 Rebel bodies (many) decomposing, dogs eating corpses. 3,000 rebels destroyed. Took Imperialists 6 days to execute them all. On Gunboat "Bouncer" witness to battles. 40 men-usually 1/4 sich Lieutenant Greasy? Second Master Darvel?
p85 Sailors seriously injured after argument with locals
p87 H.M.S. Centaur and HMS Bernard ? Mentioned
p89 Writes about types of illness in that area.
p91 wases - ring for Jenny
p92 New of defeat of the United States
p95 Lord John Hay - father's friend - trying to get a permanent position
p96 H.M.S. Acorn (Hospital Ship)

22/10/1861
p96 Talks of rebel gains and murder of missioneries
women & children
p97 James King illness
p98 Mrs. Lithgow dies
p99 Permanent appointment Admiral Hope - H.M.S. Acorn
2/11/1861
p102 letter from Willie Weir
Mr Hickly made commander
Lord John Hay mentioned
p103 Person in charge of ... has made a good deal of money (Shanghai) can't make out his name
p106 salary £108.10
p109 Glasgow Royal Infirmary
The crew consists mainly of Chinese
Hockly - the commander keeps them "at it"

p116 Admiral visits and inspects the "Acorn"
p117 Admiral removes our subject from his position as Ass. Surgeon as he is too young. Replaces him with Mr Sutherland? of Acteon?
p119-120 Given post as Ass.-Surgeon to Sir James Hope K.C.B. Vice Admiral on board his yacht.
"Coromandel"
p126 H.M.S. Coromandel 5.1.61
Shanghai
p130 Easy life on Board
Admiral & Mr. Falkes (?) negotiating with rebels
p131 talks of malaria dystentry. diarrhea, "drinking" and dissapation. small pox on two of the ships
talks of hate for the rebels
p136 H.M.S. Coromandel 21/1/62
p139 rebel executions & decapitation
p146 H.M.S. Coromander 29/1/61
p150 Heard of death of the prince consort (Albert)
p152 American Civil War mentioned
p155 Ship's in mourning - Prince Consort
p155 19/2/1861 Pirates
p170 Soldiers killed
p170-175 Battle details
p175 sent to duty on H.M.S. Bouncer
178 Recieved news of Provost William Birkmyre
Port Glasgow
p179/80 Colonel Ward Famous American Mercenary
p180 Talks of bullet wounds
p184 Fever epidemic in Glasgow
p190 Admiral shot in the leg

Robert Schultz p48 Became a famous architect

THE HANDWRITTEN NOTES HAVE BEEN ROUGHLY TRANSCRIBED