1Travels, and Negotiations. (Adams Papers)
Quincy December 1. 1806. When I asked Leave of Congress to make a Visit to my Constituents and my Family in November 1777, it was my intention to decline the next Election, and return to my practice at the Bar. I had been four Years in Congress, left my Accounts in a very loose condition, my Debtors were failing, the paper Money was depreciating, I was daily loosing the fruits of seventeen...
21778 (Adams Papers)
I was almost out of Patience, in Waiting for the Frigate till the Thirteenth day of February 1778, when Captain Samuel Tucker, Commander of the Frigate Boston, met me at the House of Norton Quincy Esquire, in Braintree, where We dined. After dinner I bid Adieu to my Friend and Unkle Quincy, sent my Baggage, and walked myself with Captain Tucker, Mr. Griffin a Midshipman, and my eldest Son,...
3[Feb. 14. 1778.] (Adams Papers)
Feb. 14. 1778. A fine morning, the Wind at North West. At day break orders were given for the Ship to unmoor. My Lodging had been a Cott with a double Mattross, a good Bolster, my own Sheets and Blanketts enough. My little Son with me, We lay comfortably and slept well though there was a violent gale of Wind in the night. On the morning of Sunday the fifteenth of February, the last Anchor was...
4[Monday February 16. 1778.] (Adams Papers)
On Monday February 16. 1778. We had for our mortification another Storm from the North East, and so thick a Snow that the Captain thought he could not go to Sea. Our Excursion to this place, was unfortunate, because it was almost impossible to keep the Men on board. Mothers, Wives, Sisters came and begged leave for their Sons, husbands and Brothers, to go on Shore for one hour &c. so that it...
5[Tuesday the Seventeenth of February 1778] (Adams Papers)
On Tuesday the Seventeenth of February 1778 I set a Lesson to my Son in Chambauds French Grammar and asked the favour of Dr. Noel to shew him the precise critical pronunciation of all the french Words, Syllables and Letters, which the Dr. very politely undertook to do, and Mr. John proceeded to get his Lessons accordingly very much pleased. The Weather was now fair and the Wind right, and We...
6[February 18. Wednesday.] (Adams Papers)
February 18. Wednesday. We had a fine Wind for twenty four hours; but the constant rolling and rocking of the Ship, made Us all Sick. Half the Sailors were so. My young Gentlemen Jesse and John were taken about twelve O Clock the last night and had been very Sick all day. I was seized with it in the afternoon. My Servant Joseph Stevens and the Captain’s Will, were both very bad.
7[February 19. Thursday. 1778] (Adams Papers)
February 19. Thursday. 1778. Arose at four O Clock. The Wind and Weather still fair. The Ship rolled less than the day before, and I neither felt nor heard any thing of Sea Sickness last night nor this morning. Monsieur Parison, one of General Du Coudrai’s Captains of Artillery, dined with Us Yesterday, and behaved like a civil and sensible Man. We learned from him, that the roads from Nantes...
8[February 19. 1778.] (Adams Papers)
February 19. 1778. In the morning We discovered three Vessells a head of Us. They appeared to be large Ships, and Captain Tucker observing them with his Glasses, gave it as his Opinion that they were British Frigates and was preparing to give orders to avoid them. But a murmur arising among the Men which was countenanced by some of the petty Officers, if not by some of the three Lieutenants,...
9[February the 20th. Fryday.] (Adams Papers)
February the 20th. Fryday. In the morning nothing to be seen: but soon after a Sail discovered a head: supposed to be the same Frigate. She pursued Us the whole day. When the night approached, the Wind died away and We were left rolling and pitching in a Calm, with our Guns all out, our Courses or Coursers, I know not which is the right Word, all drawn up and every Way prepared for battle, the...
10[February 21. Saturday. 22. Sunday, and 23. Monday] (Adams Papers)
February 21. Saturday. 22. Sunday, and 23. Monday Monday exhibited such Scaenes as were new to me, except in the Histories of Voyages, and the descriptions of the Poets. We lost sight of our Ennemy it is true, but We found Ourselves in the Gulph Stream, in one of the most furious Storms, that ever Ship survived, the Wind North East, then North and then North West. It would be fruitless to...
11[Tuesday. 24. Wednesday 25. and Thursday 26 of February. 1778.] (Adams Papers)
Tuesday. 24. Wednesday 25. and Thursday 26 of February. 1778. Our Mainmast and Maintopmast had been hurt by the Lightening. On Tuesday We espyed a Sail and gave her chase. We gained upon her, and upon firing a Gun to leward and hoisting American Colours, she fired a friendly Gun and hoisted the French Colours of the Province of Normandy. She lay to, for Us, and we were coming about to speak to...
12[February 27. Fryday. 1778.] (Adams Papers)
February 27. Fryday. 1778. A calm. As soft and warm as Summer. A Species of black Fish, which were called Beneaters, appeared about the Ship. One source of the disorders in our Ship was a great irregularity in the meals. There ought to have been a well digested System, for eating, drinking and sleeping. At six all hands should have been called up. At Eight they should all breakfast. At one...
13[February 28. Saturday. 1778.] (Adams Papers)
February 28. Saturday. 1778. The last night and this day We enjoyed a fine easy breeze, the Ship had no motions but directly forward. I slept as quietly and as soundly as in my own bed at home.... Some of the Gentlemen had given me some West India Nutts, and not knowing the caustic quality in the outward Shell I had broken them with my hands, and probably carelessly rubbed my face or my Eyes...
14[March 1. 1778. Sunday.] (Adams Papers)
March 1. 1778. Sunday. It was discovered that our Mainmast was sprung in two Places; one beneath the Maindeck, where, if the Mast had wholly failed in the late Storm it must have torn up the Main deck, and the Ship must have foundered. This was one among many instances in which it had already appeared that our Safety had not depended on ourselves. We had a fine Wind all day and night. The Ship...
15[March 2. Monday. 1778.] (Adams Papers)
March 2. Monday. 1778. A fine Wind still and a pleasant morning. The Colour of the Water which was green, not blue as it had been for many days past, the appearance of large flocks of Gulls, and various other birds convinced many of the Gentlemen, that We were not far from the grand Bank of Newfoundland. The Captain however thought it thirty five Leagues to the North West of Us. Our Mast was...
16[March 3. Tuesday. 1778.] (Adams Papers)
March 3. Tuesday. 1778. Our Wind had continued brisk and fresh all the last night and this morning. Our Course was about North East. Showers fell in the night and in the morning. The Flocks of Gulls still pursued Us. This morning Captain Parison breakfasted with Us. Our Captain was in high Spirits and very gay, chattering in French, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Dutch, Latin and Greek and...
17[March 4. Wednesday. 1778.] (Adams Papers)
March 4. Wednesday. 1778. The Weather was fair, but We had an adverse Wind from the North East, which obliged us to go to the Southward of the South East, which was out of our Course. Our general intention was to make for Nantes, one of the most commercial Cities of France, which I was very anxious to see, not only on Account of its Wealth and Antiquity, and the Connection of its Merchants...
18[March 5. Thursday 1778.] (Adams Papers)
March 5. Thursday 1778. This morning We had the pleasantest prospect We had yet seen. An easy breeze from the Southward, gave Us an Opportunity of keeping our true course. With a soft, clear, warm Air, a fair Sun and no Sea, We had a great number of Sails spread, and went at the rate of nine Knots; yet the Ship had no perceptible motion and made no noise. My little Son was very proud of his...
19[March 6. Fryday. 1778.] (Adams Papers)
March 6. Fryday. 1778. The Wind had continued in the same point all night; about South, and We had gone nine Knots upon an Avarage. This was great favour. Many Years before I had accidentally purchased an Edition of Molieres Commedies in ten or twelve Volumes, with an English translation on the page opposite to the French. I had never made any Use of the French part untill I found myself...
20[March 7. Saturday. 1778.] (Adams Papers)
March 7. Saturday. 1778. The same prosperous Wind and the same beautifull Weather continued. We proceeded on our course about two hundred miles in twenty four hours. We had passed all the dangers of the American Coast; those of the Bay of Biscay and those of the Coast of France, and as it happened those of the English Channel remained to be encountered. Yesterday the Ship had been all in an...
21[March 8. Sunday. 1778.] (Adams Papers)
March 8. Sunday. 1778. The same Wind and Weather continued and We went at the rate of seven and a half and Eight Knots. Mr. Barrons our first Lieutenant, appeared to be an excellent Officer, very Attentive and diligent in his Duty; thoughtfull for the Safety of the Ship, and considerate about Order, Oeconomy and regularity among the officers and Men. He had great experience at Sea. Had used...
22[March 9. 1778. Monday.] (Adams Papers)
March 9. 1778. Monday. Last night the Wind shifted to the North West, and blew fresh. It was then fairer for Us than before. The Weather was fair and We proceeded on our Voyage at a great rate. Some of our Officers thought We should reach our Port, by thursday night: others by Saturday night: But these made no Account of Cruisers and Chace’s, nor any allowance for the variability of the Winds....
23[Tuesday March 10. 1778.] (Adams Papers)
Tuesday March 10. 1778. We espied a Sail and gave her chace. We soon came up with her, but as we had borne directly down upon her, she had not seen our Broadside and knew not our force. She was a Letter of Mark, with fourteen Guns, Eight nines and Six Sixes. She suddenly turned and fired a broadside into Us, but did Us no other damage, than by cutting some of our rigging, piercing some of our...
24[March 19. Thursday.] (Adams Papers)
March 19. Thursday. Captain McIntosh assured Us that by his Reckoning when he was taken he was in the English Channel, and We had been beating about in it for some time. For the last five days We had been tossed in another Gale: I had been scarcely able to stand or sit, without holding fast with both my hands, upon some lashed Table, or Gun, or the Side, or beams of the Ship or some other...
25[March 20 Fryday. 1778.] (Adams Papers)
March 20 Fryday. 1778. Yesterday afternoon the Weather cleared up and the Wind came about very fair. We had a great run, last night. This Morning espyed a Sail under our leward Bow, chased and soon came up with her, a Snow from Amsterdam to Demarara and Essequibo. I made Inquiry to day of our Prisoner, Captain Mclntosh, concerning the Trinity House. He says it is the richest corporation in the...
26[March 21. Saturday 1778.] (Adams Papers)
March 21. Saturday 1778. Five Weeks had elapsed Yesterday, since my Embarkation. We went East South East.
27[March 27. Fryday.] (Adams Papers)
March 27. Fryday. On Wednesday Evening Mr. Barrons died, and Yesterday was committed to the Deep, from the Quarter Deck. He was laid in a Chest made for the purpose by the Carpenter; about a Dozen twelve pound Shot were put in with him and then nailed up. The Fragment of the Gun which destroyed him, was lashed on the Chest, and the whole launched overboard, through one of the Ports, in...
28[March 28. Saturday. 1778.] (Adams Papers)
March 28. Saturday. 1778. Last night and this morning We were in the thoroughfare of all the Ships from Bourdeaux. A great number of them were always in Sight. By Observation to day our Latitude was forty six degrees three minutes north, about seven minutes South of the middle of the Isle of Rea. We were therefore about twenty leagues from the Tower of Cordovan. We had no Wind, but a very...
29[March 29. Sunday. 1778.] (Adams Papers)
March 29. Sunday. 1778. Becalmed all the last night. This morning a vast number of Sails were in Sight. Saint Martins and Oleron were visible, at least the Towers and Windmills, but the Land was very low and level. A Pilot boat, with two Sails and four Men, came on board of Us, and the Pilot instantly undertook to carry Us to Bourdeaux. He said the Ship might go quite up to the City, if she...
30[March 30. Monday. 1778.] (Adams Papers)
March 30. Monday. 1778. This Morning the Officer came down and told the Captain that a lofty Ship was in Sight and had fired two heavy Guns. All hands were called up: but the lofty Ship appeared to be an heavy loaded Snow. The Weather was Cloudy, but there was no Wind. All very still excepting a small Suel. The Tower of Cordovan or as our Sailors called it The Bourdeaux lighthouse, was in...