Diary: James P. Stabler, 1827 (Volume 1)

He seem'd to forget all _, or as much as a bad headache would let him _ but owned his error frankly remarking that "these excesses carried their own punishment with them" __ "And a happy thing they do" __ rejoined I - for if men will only profit by their experience they need no better counsellors to avoid the rocks they split on" or something to this purpose to which he responded a good humourd amen _ Another of his britanic Majesty's subjects comes next in order & is our knowing friend Jackson who possesses as much of a certain quality I have heard spoken of as being requisite to the performance of great actions when combined with perseverance, as any one I have seen lately. — I mean a self confidence in the unlimited extent of our our own powers, whether physical or mental, bordering on a conviction of their infallibility to do every thing withing the scope of human energy.

There is nothing he knows not - and no achievement unperformable to some people, who appear among other good qualities to have buckled on their quixotic armour in defence of British Kings _ laws _ customs _ superiorities in sinners, as well as saints, and are ready with the pious editor of the Quarterly to go telling against an incredulous world._ Oh wicked and perverse generation! who hath believed our report? __ Answ^r __ Nobody _

But now for another tack upon the visibles _ Our course was the same all day with occasionaly a little bit of a breese, but more of fog & mists - about 8 P.M. Tack'd about for N by E but scarcely any wind _ A schooner in sight on the same tack but lost by night 3 to 4 knots to day __ Longitude 11 1/2 by 49.23 _ laid down our position upon the chart and find we are by the Chron. & observations 150 miles

from Cape Clear and 40 from sound^gs of 100 Fathoms – Very little swell to day and so ends this chapter.

2nd day Morning 9th

and another dead calm !!! — I went on deck this morning after experiencing a sleep almost as sound as death, for about four or five hours _ for it is in vain I find to attempt getting to sleep at my usual time tho I generally retire about 1/2 past nine to ten, and roll from side to side _ compelled to endure the noise of the cabin gentry till about 12 when all becomes still. On deck I found the old Cap^t almost impatient for a wind — said he scarcely ever saw the sea so perfectly calm in his life — very little more swell than in the Chesapeake or Potomac – and presenting a surface smooth and mirror -like as I have ever seen it

— I soon got my tin cup rigged out for fishing up curiosities — but a little wind

spring up for a quarter or half knot to the h^r and relievd me from the trouble of experiment^g much before breakfast — — The wind increased a little say to 1 or 1 1/2 knots by 10 oclock, and more mist — cloudy as usual all over and cooler than under the Equator ====

Cheavalier "Pillot" the French celebrator of "happy anniversaries" is a clever sort of genius (when sober which we all have been always except a little lively somtimes after dinner) deducting the "4th" — a bachelor _ and warm advocate for single blessedness – He might be considerd a naturalized Frenchm – nothing inviting to me — J Templeton — a young man originally from Glascow but in co with Mr Vance lately from Vera Cruz — The two Spaniards Don Alonzo and Don Josè Maria not being able to speak English have not received much edification

I presume from the rest of the comp^y – they generally keep together and the latter from his app^e and general deportm^t rather an amiable disposition. The servant of the former, Paedro, whose English is Peter, is from Mailla _ and a fine intelligent boy _ obliging _ and since being on board has learned to make himself understood very well and to communicate his Ideas with the help of signs with facility. — I have been quite amused with him, sometimes teasing him a little which he does not dislike _ M^rs Vance appears to be a fine woman but I have not formd much acquantance with her, except that originating in friendly attentions - ever due to the fair? — liff. off now - Her son Pat a smart, but little too much indulged youth of 13 or 14 a would-be-man, with his hook bill nose and palmetto hat — The boy Thomas a lad of 10 or 12 quite a prodigy at — {[shorthand]}