1872 HANDWRITTEN MANUSCRIPT EPIC POEM OF THE VOYAGE OF THE FAMED HMS HIMALAYA, THE LARGEST STEAMER OF HER TIME, DETAILING THE VOYAGE AND THE RELEASE OF MANY SLAVES TO AFRICA

On offer is a superb manuscript epic poem, unsigned but attributed to W.E. Grimling, titled "The Voyage of H.M.S. Himalaya from July 3rd to November 17th 1872." 4 pages, 8vo. Day by day account of the voyage in rhyme. "For St. Helena next did steer: Tenth arriv'd as here 'tis stated, Embarked Africans liberated From slavery's bonds, they were set free, The 'leventh with them we put to sea. Two seventy-five blacks were the most. For Lagos bound, on Afric's coast; Nineteenth arrived with joy 'twas mark'd, One seventy of them disembarked; That evening left [now understand] For Cape Coast, with its Castle grand. The twenty-first we there lay too, And naked natives saw, 'tis true: When after a few hours stay, For Sierra Leone we made our way." Account ends in October. BACKGROUND: Class Iron Screw Troopship, Built by Mare of Blackwell, 1853, Speed 14 Knots under Steam, 16.5 Knots with sails assisting, Became a coal hulk in 1895. Bought by E W Payne in 1920. Sunk by Germans in an air raid on Portland harbour in 1940. When she was built the Himalaya was the largest steamer in the world. She was originally ordered and owned by P and O Ferries but was first chartered and then bought outright by the Navy. She gained battle honors in New Zealand 1863-66 and in Ashantee 1873 - 74. Identified in pencil as having been written by W.E. Grimling. VG.