11Sunday 21st. (Adams Papers)
Nothing remarkable to day except calm all day. 6 o clock. It begins to freshen. We go about 3 knots an hour.
12Monday 22d. (Adams Papers)
A fresh breeze all day from the SSE. The Captain says we are about fifty Leagues from the Grand Bank.
13Tuesday 23d. (Adams Papers)
The weather is very much like that of the Bank. The Courier has taken two fish. At twelve o clock we shall Sound. 4 o clock. We have not sounded. Very foggy all this day.
14Wednesday 24th. (Adams Papers)
This morning the Courier lost herself in the fog but at about ten o clock we found her again. I will now give a list of the names of the officers and principal passengers on board the Sensible. Captain Bidé de Chavagnes. A chevalier of the order of Saint Louis and captain of his most Christian Majesty’s frigate La Sensible. Le Ch evalie r de Gois briand Goësbriand 2’d in command Mr. Riordan Le...
15Thursday 25th. (Adams Papers)
This morning about nine o clock the courier lost her foretopmast. About twelve o clock she got it up. 6 o clock. We lay to for her she being a stern of us. She came up with us and we again set sail.
16Friday 26th. (Adams Papers)
This Morning a very fresh breeze from the N.W. 7 o clock. We now go 12 knots an hour; every face is fill’d with contentment.
17Saturday 27th. (Adams Papers)
I could not write any more yesterday because a Gale of wind came on which hinder’d me but to day it has abated a great deal. Nothing very remarkable to day. O! I had like to have forgot that last night the Courier lost her foremast and we were obliged to leave her.
18Sunday 28th. (Adams Papers)
6 o clock. Calm and cloudy. 9 o clock. It begins to freshen. 6 o clock P.M. A very fresh breeze. I beleive that we shall have no other sail but our fore sail sot set to night.
19Mon 29th. (Adams Papers)
The ship is very leaky. The passengers are all called to the Pump four times per day. 8 o clock AM, 12 o clock, 4 o clock PM, and 8 o clock PM.
20Tues 30th. (Adams Papers)
To day a middling breeze from the S.E or SSE. At 12 o clock to day being at the Pump there being very little water the beam struck my head and hurt me a little. The remainder of the page in the Diary contains a drawing of a bird and several designs by JQA , probably used as filler since he begins his entries for the new month at the top of the following page.
21[December 1779] (Adams Papers)
We housed all the Guns to day because she rolled a great deal. A fresh breeze from the S.S.E. Nothing remarkable to day. A fresh breeze from the South. Continual Squalls thunder and lightning. 6 o clock PM. The weather has cleared up. Pleasant weather. A fresh breeze from the S.W. The Captain intends to go to Spain to search the ship and see if he can find the leak. At twelve o clock We were...
221779 December Wed 1st. (Adams Papers)
We housed all the Guns to day because she rolled a great deal. A fresh breeze from the S.S.E. Nothing remarkable to day.
23Thur 2d. (Adams Papers)
A fresh breeze from the South. Continual Squalls thunder and lightning. 6 o clock PM. The weather has cleared up.
24Friday 3d. (Adams Papers)
Pleasant weather. A fresh breeze from the S.W. The Captain intends to go to Spain to search the ship and see if he can find the leak. At twelve o clock We were according to our agreement at 180 leagues from Cape Finister.
25Satur 4th. (Adams Papers)
A middling breeze from the SW. This afternoon about four o clock a land Bird came a hovering over the frigate; she being so tired we Caught her. Nothing very remarkable to day.
26Sun. 5th. (Adams Papers)
A middling breeze from the S.W. We replaced our guns. We took in the Main, and forsails in order to get the Anchors ready. The Captain expects to spy Land tuesday.
27Mon 6th. (Adams Papers)
This morning my brother Charles look’d out of Pappa’s window and said he saw a flock of Wild fowl. A fine breeze from the South. About twelve o clock being in my Pappa’s room I heard a noise upon deck. I went out and was told by one of the Gentlemen that we saw a sail. I immediately went up to the Main cross trees and saw a brig. The Gentlemen conjecture that she is a cruizer and intends to...
28Tuesday 7th. (Adams Papers)
Last night about nine o clock we saw a number of fish. We could not tell what they were; some say they are Dolphins some that they are Porpoises but it being dark we could not perceive them well only the path they made in the water. I write it in this days Journal because the Captain dont allow any light in the night for fear that there are some british frigates hereabouts; and I could not...
29Wednes 8th. (Adams Papers)
This morning about half after four o clock we saw a sail. At about seven o clock we could see her very plain. She hoisted spanish coulours and we french ones and fir’d a Gun: she goes before to Pilot us. We lay to all last night. 9 o clock. We just fir’d a gun for a signal for a Pilot to come on board but none comes yet. 11 o clock. There’s a pilot on board. 1 o clock P M. We have just now...
30Thursday 9th. (Adams Papers)
This morning My Pappa, Mr. Dana, Mr. Allen, Mr. Thaxter, Sammy Cooper, my brother Charles, and myself came on shore and we all but pappa went and dined at Coll. Fleury’s lodgings which are at a french tavern, the master of which was born in South Carolina. At half after six oclock we went to the play and came back at ten. One thing which is remarkable is that all our Voyage we have not had...
31[Titlepage] (Adams Papers)
The first of two titlepages to the continuation of JQA ’s journal, the contents of which constitute the latter two-thirds of the Diary booklet, D/JQA/1. The title is followed by the same scrawled design repeated throughout the booklet.
32[Titlepage] (Adams Papers)
Titlepage A Journal by John Quincy Adams Continuation From The Xth Of December To The Last Of The Same Month MDCCLXXIX
33Friday 10th. (Adams Papers)
This forenoon I took a walk about the town but saw nothing worth remarking. At about half after twelve o clock Pappa and Mr. Dana went on board one of the french ships to dine with the Captain and a number of other Gentlemen. At four o’clock Sammy Cooper and Charles went on board the frigate. Nothing more remarkable to day. Dana records having dined with Hippolyte, Comte de Sade, Chef...
34Saturday 11th. (Adams Papers)
This forenoon a Captain of one of the french men of War came and very politely invited me on board to dine with him. Mr. Thaxter my brother Charles and I went on board of the Jason of 64 Guns. There are three French Men of War here the Triumphant of 80 Guns the Sovereign of 74 and the Jason of 64. The Captain and all the officers were all exceeding polite. At about 5 o clock we came back. We...
35Sunday 12th. (Adams Papers)
This morning I went to the French Consuls to ask him if he went to day. He said that it blew so smart and right against us that it was impossible for us to go to day and that he would take proper Measures to go to morrow by Land. 4 o clock P.M. Rains very hard, Thunder and lightning. 7 1/2. The Weather has clear’d up. I have just been (with Mr Dana, Mr. Allen, Mr. Thaxter, Sammy Cooper, and my...
36Monday Evening 13th. (Adams Papers)
Very rainy all this day. It is impossible to go to Coronna to day. 10 o clock. I have been to the play with Mr. Dana, Mr. Allen, Mr. Thaxter, and my Brother Charles. We saw there Captain Chavagnes, Mr. De Goesbriand, and all the officers of the Ship and one of the officers of the jason. The actors are very indifferent and so are the musiciens. There are some fine dancers there but I beleive...
37Tuesday 14th. (Adams Papers)
The French consul was here last night (he is to go to Coronna with us). He told us that he would send a man this morning to tell us if it was possible to go to Coronna this day. At 10 o clock a Messenger came to our lodgings after our things. The Muletiers came and carried our things down to the boat. At 4 o clock the Consul came and told us we should set out to Morrow morning at 5 o clock in...
38Wednesday 15th. (Adams Papers)
This morning at 5 o clock the Consul’s servant came and wak’d us up. We dress’d and drank a cup of Chocolat. After breakfast the Consul came and told us he was ready. We then went down to the wharf and went on board a boat to cross over the other Side of the bason. When we arrived the Muletiers were not quite ready but we soon got ready, and then we sot out like so many Don Quixote’s and...
39[Section Title] (Adams Papers)
Section Title A Journal from the time I left Ferrol to the time I left Coronna.
40Thursday the 16th of December. (Adams Papers)
This morning I took a walk about the town to see and found that it was a much more pleasant town than Ferrol. The Chamber which I lodge in comands a beautiful prospect of Rocks and mountains and also a fine view right out to sea and a small part of the town. There is a tour tower in the city, but I have not been to see it. Pappa has seen it to day and I beleive I shall go with Mr Thaxter and...