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

with Gibraltar this afternoon but of course were so far out to sea to see it. Today we are in Latitude 39.33 N. Long 12.21 W. We have run 235 miles since yesterday at 12 oclock there being 60 miles in a degree sailing at this rate we should reach Calcutta in 45 days but we cannot get on so favourably generally. The breeze was strong last night & in our favour we are now 460 miles distant from Madeira which we will likely pass in 2 days. Thursday Augt. 29th 1857 Last night met the Cheif Engineer of the ship who is a Scotsman from Queensferry (we have not many Scotsmen on board.) he occupies a station in the ship equal to the Cheif Officer he has a very nice Cabin very well fitted up. we sat chatting till pretty late it is strange how some Scotsmen get friends here To night it is stormy the clouds are gathering the wind high & the sea also running high so we may look out for a stiff night of it Lat. 36 37 North Long: 13.44 230 miles

Friday Augt 21st 1857 We have an awning put up over the quarter deck every day now to sheild us from the heat of the sun which is becoming pretty strong One can easily see that the sun is more vertical here than in England everyone is looking out for a sight of Madeira today we are steaming between it & the mainland we were doomed to be disappointed however we are passed its lat. & long. : without seeing it. we shipped a sea this morning which made the ladies run into their cabins in hot haste. A great many sea fowl are flying about which shows that we cannot be at a great distance from land. today our lat is 32°. 40. north Long. 15. 52 west. Distance run 230 miles

Saturday August 22nd 1854

I got up early this morning & had a salt water bath, it is very pleasant & refreshing Now that we are getting into a warmer climate We have got the most novel shower baths on deck I ever saw they pump up salt water from the sea through a pipe such

As they use with the fire engines in Edinr roses like those in a watering pan are attached to it A sailor gets in the top of a hatchway with this in his hand. While a dozen natives work at the pump. You get under the roses & have a first rate ducking Your shower baths in Edinr are mere childs play compared to this At 8 o'clock Am. we saw a ship ahead. We soon gained upon her. We hoisted our colours they returned the tricolor so that she was French. We were not near enough to interchange any more signals. We soon lost sight of her far behind At 3 o'clock this afternoon we sighted one of the Canary islands Palma for my part I could not think it any thing else than a cloud the Sailors however said it Was land & that it was the island Palma. We also saw dimly the Peak of Teneriffe which was very high out from the sea 12300 feet we guess more than 100 miles distant from Teneriffe & about 18 from Palma. On the latter we could see some houses apparently built among the rocks. I did not see that

A ship could land at it. As there was nothing to be seen round & round it but high rocks & the sea beating against them. Further on in the eveing we saw. Santa Cruz another of the group of Canary's - The sailors & officers servants meet every night on the forecastle after their work is done. & amuse themselves with singing, there are some good singers among them & they sing some good songs Lat: 29.45. N Long: 17.49. W. Distance run 218m

Sunday Augt: 23rd 1857

This morning is very close & hot. We are beginning to feel the heat a good deal now. We have made little progress the last 24 hours the breeze being right ahead. We are only going half steam power. I can scarcely beleve it is Sabbath mg. [morning] here. You hear the sailors shouting as usual the passengers sitting & laying about as usual the only difference being that the sailors have trea -ted themselves to clean shirts & clean white trousers. We had service on board this mg. [morning] at 10.30 conducted in the Church of England

form. The officers of the ship sailors & natives were all drawn upon the quarter deck in full dress. The officers with cap & gold band blue cloth dress & brass buttons. The sailors with blue jackets white trousers & straw hats all smart & clean. Some of the natives were dressed in the same way, but a good many had on the eastern costume & richly variegated silk dresses the roll being called they were all sent off and the order given to ring the bell for church. The cheif officer & purser then read over the Church of England service having the Union Jack. spread over the capstan for a pulpit. We had books provided by the ship Has little of real religion there is in the Church of England service compared with our own good old Scotch system. Here there is merely repetition of words it comes to be a mere matter of form while in our system we have a thorough heartstirring discourse delivered by a man who has religion really at heart. This in effect was