Folio. Manuscript on paper. Three volumes. [35]; [42]; [13]ff, (the remainder of the third volume blank). Contemporary limp sheep. Worn, with some loss to extremities, splitting to spines, and damp-staining. [With:] [Drop-head title:] Remarks of Ports, Roads, Harbours &c. taken on board His Majesty's Ship Camilla. [s.i.]. [s.n., 1784-7]. [30]ff, with evidence of removal of further leaves at start. Contemporary blind-ruled vellum. Worn and marked with some loss, damp-staining to text block causing some slight loss at head. [And:] Two manuscript notes inserted into the first mentioned, detailing the author's extensive naval career. The extensive manuscript logs, made by Midshipman (and Master's Mate) Henry Gage Morris (1770-1852) on board the 20-gun Sphinx class HMS Camilla, whilst she was commanded by Captain John Hutt (1746-1794) on the Jamaica Station. The New York-born Morris was the only surviving son of the late Hon. Lieutenant-Colonel Roger Morris, a member of the Governor’s Council at New York who served with distinction in the first American war, was wounded in the celebrated battle of the Monongahela river and assisted in the taking of Quebec. Henry Gage's naval career was long and distinguished, and included nine years of almost uninterrupted escorting of convoys to and from Ireland, the British Channel, Lisbon, and the West Indies whilst in command of HMS Espiegle (1804-9) and Jalouse (1809-12) respectively, and eventually reached the rank of Rear-Admiral. William O'Byrne remarks in the account of Gage's career in A Naval Biographical Dictionary (London, 1849) that 'It is worthy of remark, that on no occasion did any of the numerous vessels placed during that period under his charge either endure capture or part company'. The period of his career covered by these logs occurred during the peace that followed the American Revolutionary War, during which Morris had been present (on the Centurion) at the Action of 22 January 1783 in Chesapeake Bay, which saw the capture of the French frigate Sybille by HMS Hussar. These logs record the day-to-day activities on the Jamaica Station both at sea, patrolling the Caribbean to Honduras, Belize and Cuba, amongst others, and in port (largely at Port Royal, Jamaica). Perhaps the most interesting volume of this collection is that which provides detailed sailing instructions for the various Ports, Roads and Harbours of the Jamaica Station, with - apart from nautical necessities - comments on the degree of fortification, the type of provisions available and the availability of fresh water. The first 11 leaves of this volume - providing such details for: Port Royal; Altavella; St. Domingo and Cape Francois in Hispaniola; Cumberland Harbour, Cuba, Aruba; 'Curracoe & Harbour of Schotte Gat'; Bonnair, and Alvis - is in a distinctly different hand. Gage takes up the volume from there, adding remarks in the same categories from December 1786 for the 'Turks Islands', 'Bonaua', 'Tuxillo Bay', The Bay of Honduras, 'Cape Gracias-a-dio' and the 'Great Cayaman Islands'. Unlike his predecessor, Gage's eye for detail extends to the activities of the native inhabitants of the island, and discussions of the principal trade that occupies those residing in various locations - largely conducted with Britain and America, with the distinction made by the author.