James Adam diary: 1857-1863 (Ms. Codex 1948)

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Diary comprising two volumes spanning the years from 1857 to 1863 written by James Adam. Volume 1 contains Adam's descriptions his journey from Scotland to India as a medical officer. On August 15, 1857 Adam departed from London on a steamer ship the Candia. He wrote of his sea voyage including officers he traveled with, the weather, landscapes, missing his family, sea sickness, and miles traveled. He arrived at Kalkota on November 5, 1857. Adam worked at a hospital and witnessed a portion of the Indian Rebellion of 1857. In February 1858 Adam was deployed to the ship Belgravia to take charge of the wounded and sick at the South African Cape. He traveled with his servant Harold. Once anchored at Table Bay Adam described the native people, seeing Dr. Livingstone. Adam noted he had a muster of forty natives whom he reluctantly treated for skin diseases. There is a copy of a letter to his parents and pencil drawings of the Cape of Good Hope. On the journey back to Calcutta there was an incident with the captain regarding ailing horses. In June 1858 Adam mentioned seeing cholera cases, reading Waston and works on homeopathy. Adam also worked off of the H.M.S. Proserpine. In March 1859 Adam began his voyage back to England on the Ivanhoe he mentioned playing chess and catching fish. Reading volume 1 from back to front are poems and songs. One of the poems was "written on board the Candia". Tables of daily latitude and longitude for the voyages to India and England are in the volume. Some accounting of receipts and expenditures is in the volume. Adam arrived back in Edinburgh on August 5, 1859. Volume 2 commences in 1861. In sporadic entries Adam described his arrival and work at Bethnal House Asylum with Dr. Ritchie. and Dr. Miller. In August 1863 Adam wrote of his trip to Scotland and attending a wedding in Portobello. He mentioned seeing family members in Edinburgh. Reading volume 2 from back to front is a clipping of an epitaph for Lord Clyde pasted over writing in pencil. Adam wrote an autopsy of a young woman named Ann Jones aged 23. A majority of volume 2 is blank. Inscribed on the first leaf of volume 1: J. F. Adam journal, commenced August 13, 1857 on leaving home for the first time to sail for India. Inscribed on the last leaf of volume 1: James F. Adam, Surgeon, H.M.S. Proserpine. Volume 2 is inscribed: Private, Jame Adam M.D., January 20, 1861. https://franklin.library.upenn.edu/catalog/FRANKLIN_9977359130603681

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But its cold stillness solemn spoke Death's ruthless hand laid it there II Cold as the marble spotless bright was that young brow so pure & fair Closed were those eyes of amuse light and still that soft bright curly hair. Those pallid lips that oft had smiled In life, on those he loved so well were now by death's dark angel stilled To earth had bid their last farewell III There stood the hardy sailor band men of Europe Afric. Ind. Even they mourned him who in spirit laid Now lived yet noble fair & kind. They wrapped the canvas round his form He sank beneath the parting wave far from the Sunshine & the storm Deep in the ocean's coral cave. IV The ship sped onward far away from whence he sleeps in silence deep The rolling oceans oer him play But ne'er can break his mournful sleep.

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Far from his own loved native land Far from the friends he loved so well The hope of that once happy land Now sleepeth where, ? no one can tell. V 'Neath oceans ever sounding wave He sleeps, in silent stillness there. The sea flowers father round his grave He once, the brave & good & fair, Perhaps a mother mourns her son Sad greif may in her bosom dwell but humbly says God's will be done My loved, My darling son, farewell ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Lt Dadson I have laid up the last 2 or 3 days he has disease of the knee joints so that is one more of our companions shut up. I am often amused with the remarks of the steward who is a german but talks English well with only a foreign accent. his man Joe he calls Choe just come & lay the tinner man he

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speaks very like a Highlander [One of scored through] Joe is a brother of Mrs Wyndham the Managress of the theatre royal Ednr. I have picked out by observation one or two men characters among the soldiers. Here is first a Scotsman belonging to the 93rd who went all through the Crimean War as he says without a wound & he is quite indignant now at being wounded by a nigger. he has a [wou scored through] bullet wound through the arm near the elbow. he is a fine strong burly looking fellow. He & another Scotsman sit & praise up Sir Colin to the skies much I daresay to the annoyance of the Irish + Englishman. Next here is an Irishman called Patk. Coleman of the 53rd or as he told his officer the other day on asking him his name Mr [underscored] Coleman Snr [underscored] ov Her Majestys fifty third

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& Faith Sir I was just goin to tell yir honor that the mate were gettin: isn't fit for an Animal or a brute baste to live on. & Shure the Doctor Knows it Yer honour. & havnt atin a bite this tree wakes since I cummed on board & its a wonder Im alive. Well says the officer my Good fellow you get the best meat that can be supplied by Government for you. Faith & is it the duff ye'll be callin good mate Shure & if yer honour'll only look ye'll find it alive & taking up a Crocroach [cockroach] from the head of the cask. he held it up between his fingers & Says thems the things ye find in the bottom o' the Cask, & its poison Ill be afther at atin afore Id ate that. The other day a man was Knocked down with Sun Stroke & lay insensible & Convulsed in the main deck. I directed a

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stream of cold water to be poured on his head. Pat was looking on very attentively. [all at scored through] the man was some time of coming out of his fit. When Pat making a salute. Says to me Shure & yer'e honour if ye'll just be after puttin a little salt in his mouth he'll be rivivin in no time. I niver saw a case that salt wouldn't cure. I ordered him off at once although I could not help laughing at his droll manuever. Another little trait of pat. I will chalk down now. I went down to my visit below the other day to the sick men Pat comes up, makes a salute Would ye be plased Sur to spake a minute. I asked what he wanted Shure Sur I would just be afther tellin ye that Ive been very bad all night & what is the matter I said, shure Sur its pains &

Last edit almost 2 years ago by Dendendaloom
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