{"product_id":"private-journal-of-a-voyage-to-australia-9781742377957","title":"Private Journal of a Voyage to Australia","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eOn 19 November 1838 James Bell, then aged 21, set out in the sailing vessel  the Planter from St Katharine Docks in London to travel to Adelaide, an infant  colony half a world away and not yet two years old. He left behind family, good  friends and the mysterious 'C.P.', a young woman with whom he hoped one day to  be reunited.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe journey usually took 130 days, but due to the incompetence  of the captain and the many misadventures encountered it took the Planter almost  six months to reach its destination. Along the way it lost a crew, several  passengers and much livestock; it gained a new crew and at least one extra  passenger. The drunken brawls and licentious couplings horrified James Bell who,  to while away the time, penned a detailed account of all the comings and goings  for the eyes of 'C.P.' only, sternly advising her that 'it must never be read by  a third party'.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSustained by his sense of adventure, his love of poetry, his  faith in his Presbyterian God, his nostalgic memories of rural Scotland and  particularly by his affection for 'C.P.', James Bell maintained a vivid and  astute record of his historic journey. His voice travels down to us, more than a  century and a half later, and reminds us of the dangers and joys of such an  adventurous leap into the unknown.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Allen \u0026 Unwin","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50578401821015,"sku":"9781742377957","price":11.69,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9781742377957.jpg?v=1746099117","url":"https:\/\/bookcurl.com\/products\/private-journal-of-a-voyage-to-australia-9781742377957","provider":"Book Curl","version":"1.0","type":"link"}