Diary kept aboard a ship (not named in the diary) on a commercial voyage from London (departed April 5, 1859) to Sydney, Australia and via Bombay, India back to England (arriving Hull, July 27, 1860) by Mrs. John H. Wilson, wife of the ship's captain. The diary records the second part of the voyage, beginning sometime after leaving Sydney with the approach to Malabar Coast on January 1, 1860, and going on to describe the stay at Bombay (January 15-March 1, 1860), the voyage from there to St. Helena (arrived May 14, 1860), and from there to Hull, England (arrived July 7, 1860). At Hull Mrs. Wilson leaves the ship, and the diary ends July 27, 1860, Captain Wilson having departed with the ship for Newcastle and Mrs. Wilson being about to travel by land to Penrith, Cumbria. While at sea the diary records the ship's position (latitude), nearby landmarks (if any), the weather, progress, other ships sighted and selected activities aboard ship. During stops in port the diary describes commercial and social activities in some detail, especially about places visited and people encountered ashore.
