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NOT IDENTIFIED : 1928 ORIGINAL MANUSCRIPT DIARY DETAILING AN ENGLISHMAN'S TRIP TO ARGENTINA TOURING RANCHES AND THE INTERIOR THEN BACK TO ENGLAND VIA SENEGAL

48mo - over 3" - 4" tall. On offer is a unique British Legion diary dating from the years following WWI. This small volume measures 3.75 inches by 2.5 inches. It contains 365 pages plus memorandum pages. It is about 35% complete including memo pages. The leather cover is in good condition and all pages are intact. Given its small size, the handwriting is dense but readable. The author is unknown. He keeps this diary record of his trip in 1928 from England to Argentina, Senegal and back home on board a commercial cargo ship. Although there is no biographical information about him, there are some clues about the writer. On March 8th, 1928, he visited the Medical Appeals Board in Cardiff, Wales. Earlier entries noted several visits to his doctor. He is likely a WWI veteran who is a member of the British Legion. British Legion membership at the time was restricted to veterans. His diary is a 1928 edition of the British Legion diary. An entry (May 31) suggests that his home is Brookhill UK, north of Brighton. His entries cover principally the time between March 14th and June 30th. On March 14th he reported on board SS Peterston bound for Uruguay and Argentina and they sailed on the 15th. His entries recount his experience on this trip. They left in a gale and experienced rough weather the first week: "Still rolling like hell. Was I sick and feeling awful. ..." [Mar 21]. It has not been very hot yet. Nothing like the Red Sea. Always the Trade Wind. Temperature in Chart Room 80 o. Passed the half way mark." [Mar 31]. He arrived in Montevideo on Apr 13th. He tours some of the inland areas in the company of the ship's Captain. They then sailed to Rosairio, Argentina, up the Parana River. Although it is not specifically stated, context suggests his ship is in Rosario to take on a load of processed meats from the Swift Canning Company and that he may be involved in the meat packing industry. Swift was (and remains) one of the largest meat processing companies in Argentina. After visiting the Swift plant, he arranges to visit a large cattle ranch inland where he stayed for several days. He describes the cattle ranch in detail: "... Had the use of 2 horses every day and rode about the Estancia which is 6 miles square daily. There were 109 riding horses, 100 draught, over 3,000 head of cattle and a lot of [ ] and some mules. The steers are very fine. [ ] and the draught horses of Percheron stock. The place has its own Smith and a Carpenter's shop. The house is like a very superior Indian Bungalow with their own Electric heating and mosquito-proof doors ..." [May 5]. He returns to the ship and uses it as a base to tour the area. On My 24th, he notes seeing the two Royal Navy destroyers HMS Amazon and HMS Ambuscade. He visits the English Club and golfs at the Hastingham Club. The ship left Rosario May 26th and visited Buenos Aires before departing for home via Dakar, on the west coast of Africa. He describes the passage across the Atlantic and the few days they docked in Dakar. "Arrived off Dakar before daybreak. ... The Peterston took on bunker coal from a hulk. ... Nice town with eastern colouring like Egypt ... a lot of French khaki clad whitehelmeted soldiers about... " [June 16]. On June 28th, he arrived home: "... we eventually tied up stern to a quay in Victoria Dock at 2 A.M. Thank goodness, we have arrived at last." [June 26]. His memoranda pages include other notes and observations such as graphic details about the process in the "Killing Sheds". This is an outstanding record of a sailing passage in the early 20th century. It is full of detailed descriptions of several major South American cities. It is an excellent resource for a historian and offers a window into the operations of one of the major food processing companies of the time.. Illustr.: /. Manuscript. Book Condition: Good

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