Scope and arrangement
The Samuel Hill papers consist of his autobiography, his journal of a voyage of the brig Ulysses, unidentified poetry, and writings by F. Stanhope Hill about Samuel Hill, all bound in one volume; a bound copy of the autobiography in negative photostat, edited and incomplete; and the illustrated journal and logbook of the ships Ophelia and Packet in one volume.|||Autobiography (1 v., 42 p.), dated on board the ship Packet at sea, 14 June 1819, recounts his early life and career at sea, including voyages to England, Germany, West Indies, Java, Japan, Spain, the Pacific Northwest coast of America, and China; the rescue of John R. Jewitt from Nootka Indians; fur trade and China trade ventures; his capture by the British during the War of 1812, the rescue of three Malayans off Sumatra; his acquaintance with Protestant missionary Robert Morrison (1782-1834) in China, and other matters, including an account of his religious conversion.|||Bound with the autobiography is his brief journal of a voyage during the War of 1812 as master of the letter-of-marque brig Ulysses from Boston to Savannah for cargo, thence with cotton for France, noting capture of the brig by H.M.S. Majestic, his parole at Halifax, and return to Boston, 1813-1814 (2 leaves); a sheet of unidentified poetry; and a small amount of undated notes and writings about Samuel Hill by his grandson, F. Stanhope Hill, author and former U.S. naval officer. A related volume contains an edited, incomplete copy of the autobiography in negative photostat.|||Also, journal and logbook, 1815 January-1822 July (1 v., 352 p.) of two voyages: the Ophelia from Boston to Chili, Hawaii, Batavia, Canton and return to Boston, 1815-1817; and the Packet from Boston to Chili, with voyages between Chile and Canton, then Chile to Canton and return to Boston, 1817-1822, describing places encountered in voyages and landings, including Valparaiso and Santiago, Chile, with reference to trade and the independence movement in Chile; the Galapagos, Sandwich and other Pacific islands; Canton; and other locales. Illustrations by Hill include a landscape drawing, chart, and coastal views.