British artist and author Augustus Prinsep, best known for his book The Journal of a Voyage from Calcutta to VanDiemen’s Land, died on this day.

He was the eighth and youngest son of Sophia Elizabeth Auriol and John Prinsep and the younger brother of orientalist scholar James Prinsep. Augustus arrived in Calcutta from England in July 1822 and worked as a British East India Company clerk. He was later appointed commissioner of Pergunnah Palamow (Palamu).

After marrying Elizabeth Acworth Ommanney in 1828, he left India on medical advice. He decided to go to Australia and recorded his travels, with illustrations, in his journal and letters to his wife. He reached Van Diemen’s Land (Tasmania) in 1829, but died at sea on a further voyage. His wife published the journal as the book. Augustus was 27 when he died. The book was warmly received for its valuable observations on the places it mentioned.

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