Travel Diaries and Journals

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

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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p. 76

last 2 or 3 weeks has been pleasant. occasional squalls & one night it blew pretty hard & there was a heavy cross sea which kept us rolling & [above four lines scored through 3 times] tumbling about all the night it is now cool & pleasant, quite like English weather again it is a great change from the heat of India & the tropics. Saturday March 27th. 1857 This morning sighted land a long way off 80 miles supposed to be some of the high land at Cape Agullas there were 6 or 7 peaks of hill quite distinct above the horizon. To an inexperienced eye they would pass for clouds. the wind died off this morning but the falling of the barometer led us to expect that we would very soon have it blowing stiffly. once in the afternoon the wind increased to a stiff breeze

Last edit about 2 years ago by Dendendaloom

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p. 77

but it passed off. Again tonight the wind again seems inclined to get up a bit. Nothing new today one of the men very sick this afternoon inflammation bowels after dysentery the weather pleasant & cool.

Sunday March 28th 1858. [underscored] Very stormy all day tacked up to land in the forenoon. Kept on for it till 4. Went in to within 2 miles into a Bay. 'bout ship at 4 oclock. Came on to blow hard we have been under double reefed topsails all day. A ship on the lee hoping to carry on has her topsail split & is now reefing. No service today.

Monday March 29th 1858. [underscored] We have only made 20 miles on our course since yesterday this is now the 3rd day that we have tacked about & nearly

Last edit about 2 years ago by Dendendaloom

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p. 78

the same point of land has been made every day. We went in very close at 12 oclock today. the part we made was a fine bold rocky coast sand hills interspersed & very high hills ranged all round. No habitations of Kaffirs were visible. 'bout ships again at 2 o'clock & long. The Capt went up to the stern to fish. Caught a Snapper 8 1/2 lbs weight beautiful fish with gold & silver coloured scales. We will tack again for land at sundown. This afternoon & have some fishing. We are now getting all the lines ready.

Tuesday 30th to Thursday April 1st 1858. All Tuesday kept tacking about the south of Moosel Bay & making very little progress to the westward

Last edit about 2 years ago by Dendendaloom

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p. 79

Wednesday 31st

A good breeze speang up from E.S.E. & we skirted slowly along the coast at about 10 miles distance previous [t]o this in the forenoon. We were nearly becalmed & the ship was brought too I've had some fishing, the Capt caught 7 large fish weighing from 4 to 12 lbs (Snappers). [the coast along struck through] the Carpenter (Chips) caught 2 & one of the sailors caught 2. A plentiful supply of fish to Lunch and breakfast. for 2 days the coast along which we are sailing is high & mountainous Several ranges of hills rising behind each other different degrees in height in the evening sighted hill called Cupola.

Thursday April 1st 1858.

Have been carried off from the land for a long way to the southward by a strong current. this morning

Last edit about 1 year ago by Dendendaloom

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p. 80

An unusual number of porpoises got up. Made our bows a perfect cloud of them Kept leaping above water, & swimming along faster than the ship. the sailors got hold of a harpoon & struck one, but the shaft of the harpoon broke the line was carried off. the whole flock immediately dis- appeared. We made the land again at 10 oclock (AM) it came on to blow very hard then but it passed off as we made the land. Got up to the Western exty [extremity] of the Cape this afternoon. Saw a large Steamer under sail. Close on land, & the Aguelas light house. Passed danger point where many ships are lost. The steamer supposed to be the Himalaya from India to England with Invalids. We kept on along the land

Last edit about 1 year ago by Dendendaloom

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