Diary reveals all manner of ship debauchery

VIOLENCE, drunkenness and all manner of debauchery featured on a six-month voyage on a migrant ship bound for Australia 170 years ago, a newly discovered diary reveals.

The raunchy tale is recorded by a junior officer, James Bell, aboard The Planter, which sailed to Adelaide from Deptford in east London in 1838.

Acts of “great violence” involving officers, mates and even the ship’s doctor are all recounted.