Print Culture in Exile: The Scottish Emigrant Reader in the Nineteenth Century‪.‬

Bill Bell is currently Professor of English Literature at the University of Edinburgh (Scotland). He is Co-director of the Centre for the History of the Book and is General Editor of History of the Book in Scotland. After I had been there about ten or twelve days, it came into my thoughts that I should lose my reckoning of time for want of books and pen and ink, and should even forget the sabbath days from the working days; but to prevent this I cut with my knife upon a large post, in capital letters, and making it into a great cross I set it upon the shore where I first landed, viz. `I came on shore here on 30th Sept. 1659'....among the many things which I brought out of the ship in the several voyages....in particular, pens, ink, and paper, several parcels in the captain's, mate's, gunner's, and carpenter's keeping, three or four compasses, some mathematical instruments, dials, perspectives, charts, and books of navigation, all of which I huddled together, whether I might want them or no; also I found three very good Bibles which came to me in my cargo from England, and which I had pack'd up among my things; some Portugueze books also, and among them two or three popish prayer-books, and several other books, all of which I carefully secur'd.