#if anyone ever wants to see the rest of the logbook i'd be happy to link you lmao

[thebaffledcaptain]

Been doing some more transcription work and I've just been consistently delighted by what I find in this logbook, so I present:

A collection of delightfully imperfect doodles from the first several pages of George E. Folger's logbook of the whaleship Mariner from 1840-44

Starting off strong with a lovely bird and an American flag right on the inside front cover, under where his name is written out in big block letters (not pictured).

...and immediately cutting to this funky little man. We've got a little bit of Picasso going on.

Here's a lovely 18th century gentleman. I’m not sure who he is but he’s actually quite... proportionate (I mean no offense to some of his other drawings, but... well, you'll see) and the shading is excellent! I feel like he must have had a reference.

Another 18th century gentleman. If he looks familiar to you, I’m pretty sure this is just Thomas Jefferson—he looks remarkably similar to George Healy's portrait of him. Once again I feel Folger must have been working from reference.

(More under the cut)

Oh. Hello. (Maybe no reference on this one.)

Another bird, in a similar position to the first one.

Ah. You don't look... quite finished.

Had to include this one because of how intricate this is—"A Breech Loading Shot Gun."

Does this look a little like John Adams to you? I want to say it's this portrait judging from the buttons on the waistcoat. The wig is not the same, I know… if anyone can identify a more similar portrait or subject, I'd be curious.

Two drawings on this page. Not sure who the first man is but the second one looks like another Jefferson.

I figure I'll end for now with this fantastic macaroni. I can only imagine he's from the author's imagination with the 18th-century getup but the rather 19th-century hair and mustache. Either way, I'm fond of him.

It just brings me so much joy to look at this logbook—as always, it's so human. He loved to doodle, so much so that he would do it over his writing and sketch paintings of the presidents and little characters he came up with... I find it so endearing.