1880 ORIGINAL MANUSCRIPT AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED [ALS] HANDWRITTEN BY A ROYAL MARINE ABOARD THE THE STORIED HMS LONDON RELATING HIS EXPERIENCES SUPPRESSING THE SLAVE TRADE

On offer is a charming, historically significant autograph letter signed [ALS] dated January 26 1880 handwritten by British serviceman, C. Turner, RM [Royal Marine] aboard the HMS London a renowned ship with a storied history including its work suppressing the slave trade, writing from the south east coast Zanzibar. Over 4 pages beginning by chiding his brother and sister for not writing Turner writes of personal matters: 'Get me a nice girl, the one I left in Chatham has given me "turnips" she said she couldn't do without a young man for so long' to most interestingly that the ship has 'been chasing slave ships from a boat 100 miles away from ship, went ashore with Collings to chase the slaves in the woods; met a panther 3 yards in front, Collings fired but didn't kill him; I fired my rifle as he was about to springe and killed him 2 feet from me. He measured 5 feet, I have got the skin and won't go slave catching again this commission. [signed] Best love your nearly killed brother.'