James Adam diary: 1857-1863 (Ms. Codex 1948) (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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this costs us nothing as it is allowed by the rules of the ship to every first class passenger I believe the one we got was half witted & besides to improve him on that particular evening he was very few. Shortly after I had got into my berth he came in & felt each berth very carefully. Capt Hallowes & I. who were both in bed gave a grunt which set him off. Capt. Tedlie had not come in so he walked off with his bedclothes bag & baggage leaving nothing but the wood box there had been a demand for bedclothes I suppose & this chap had walked off with the first he could get hold of. I had fallen asleep sometime when I heard a tremendous row in the Cabin. Capt. Tedlie had come in & finding nothing but a wood box to sleep in was in no amiable mood, he had the poor steward standing before him shaking like a leaf. The light was going out & the Capt. was ordering the Steward to get a light & bed clothes the poor steward was utterly

Last edit over 2 years ago by Dendendaloom

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bewildered & could not do either one thing or another up goes the Captain to the purser of the vessel & brought him down A Hindoo preceeding with a lamp which he held in his arms stationed himself at the door the others came in & the Captain after giving them all a complete blowing up got his bed & I heard no more of it that night I awoke about 4 oclock A M the ship was pitching from end to end & rolling about the water dashing on our cabin windows & without the noise & din was completed by the natives whom we have on board they were putting on sail & making such a yelling about it as I never heard in my life before we have 30 or 40 of them on board who are from all quarters Hindoo's Musselmans Malays & I dont know all what they squat about all parts of the ship forward & you are very apt to tumble over them in the dark & I felt that if I got up I should be very sick so I lay still in my

Last edit over 2 years ago by Dendendaloom

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berth.

Sunday August 16th 1857

I have kept my berth all day I need the Chloroform which set me asleep 2 or 3 hours but did not cure my sickness I believe that nothing but time will do that Capts Tedlie & Hallowes got up & went to breakfast they have both been in India before. Shortly after first the one & then the other came tumbling into the cabin. I thought they were drunk they complained that they were very seedy(underlined) not sick(underlined) only a little bile however I saw very well what was up although they would not confess it they both turned in & kept bed most of the day. There was no service on board to day I supposed was owing to so many being sick they could scarcely have got up a respectable meeting. Capt Tedlie seems a very melancholy sort of man but it may be partly owing to the misfortune he has had since he came on board he first lost his

Last edit over 2 years ago by Dendendaloom

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luggage then he could not get a seat at dinner & lastly his bed was stolen & he had only been home a few months in England when he was recalled instead of 3 years which is the usual time time of leave. Capt Hallowes of the Fusiliers is a different man altogether he is a very hand some gay dashing sort of fellow quite a picture of a soldier. he had a sword made when he was home in England on which he has the motto "Vengeance" rather a threatening one. I have no doubt he will use it with some effect among the Sepoys if necessary Capt Tedlie has got the motto "pour la patrie" on his which he says is the motto which was on a sword his father took from a Frenchman at Waterloo. Capt Hallowes was very kind to me today, he had several little things sent to me to my cabin which I could take I felt all night so long as I kept my head down but when I tried to get up I got very sick

Last edit over 2 years ago by Dendendaloom

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Monday August 17th 1857.

I awoke this morning at 6 oclock after a good nights sleep the steward brought me some coffee at 7 clock which did me a great deal of good I can get up now feeling only a little squeamish & a slight headache. on awaking here in the morning one night imagine they were in the midst of a farmyard. there are cocks crowing geese cackling pigs grunting ducks quacking sheep bleating cows bellowing dogs barking & the medley filled up by the "niggers" who make such a horrid yelling we have had rather a rough night of it the cabin windows are all bolted down. The Fushia which I got from Fred still keeps green although I am afraid it will not stand the voyage I lost a good deal of the earth out of the pot between London & Southampton & the sea air will be too strong for it. however I hope with good doctoring it may yet see Calcutta. I have been upon deck & what a beautiful sight meets the eye. Our fine ship tearing through the

Last edit over 2 years ago by Dendendaloom

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