Travel Diaries and Journals

27

"Hearts of Oak" but merchant ships whether Indiamen or others are often in difficulty as to the choice of men for their crews and must often take such as offer themselves, without a possibility of ascertaining their characters, one or two of our lot were flogged for theft, and I am happy to say, flogging punishment in that ship, was only put in force for the crime of theft.

As soon as Neptune had visited all his children with those marks of fatherly affection, the procession formed in order again, passed along the quarter deck to the cuddy door where another glass of rum is given to each man belonging to it and they then disperse. The decks are cleaned up and the gun carriage restored to its proper place, but at night the gun deck was a regular scene of confusion, grog was plentyful and many of them with their noviatiation still fresh in their minds were pugnacious, and the consequence was numerous fights and a goodly show of black eyes the following morning.

In the "Asiatic Register" is an account of a lawsuit occasioned by these sports, a gentleman passenger to India on board an Indiaman told the Captain he would not submit to the usual ceremony on "crossing the Line" and demanded protection from insult. The Captain said it was a custom and he could not stop it.

"Very well" said the passenger, "I have paid you for my cabin, I shall consider it as my house no one shall enter it without my consent. I shall not pay your crew their demand, not suffer them to intrude upon my privacy on the day you think proper to give them a license to act tyranical.

"As you please" was the Captain's reply.

On the following day Neptune hailed the ship and the gentleman who had retired to his cabin

with Miss Neptune, how [illegible?] her word to me as regards keeping her word to watch + keep me safe from danger for many a [illegible?] [pass?] our ship on all sides so it is plain that Some Angle has appered + give some consolation, I have been taken care of by some unseen hand in all my [travels?], and in every danger I have confronted, that hand must have been the hand of God. + to him I entirely give any self to his guidance + and protection, I do, not [illegible?] his Mercies, but he is generous + kind + I through his help have an assurance of reaching my [illegible] safety where I cane explain all his wondrous works I have seen both, by sea + by land, but although I were involved in company + friends I shall [illegible?] remember my fond friends in India service [illegible?] + some who lie under the green [illegible?], where the hand of Nature [illegible?] them [illegible?], had my [illegible?] it pleased him to take [illegible]

3rd Very nice wether today, + a good wind, every one seems [glad?] + well pleased at the progrese our ship is making, every sail is histed, + full with wind the Sun shining [illegible?] but [illegible?] so -

you so much admire, oh, about 11 years ago he said, will [?] I [illegible?] you labour [illegible?] a very dreary abode, do you expect to return + find the girl as young looking + fond hearted as when you left, or do you that the same girl will find in you the same man that left England + has Served 10 years under the burning Sun of India, believe me that although you do not know any difference yourself, your relatives will find it on your return, I will give you an advice an old Man once gave me, it was as follows

Sow not your seed in [?] Land Nor put your trust in [weave?] Nor Ride upon an Elephant For the [?] of your [Gaze?]

All this passes very well + very amusing when all is well + gay, but there is a time when sorrow sprades her wings over us + stands between us + the Sun of pleasure for a time, a Man of the 51st Regt. was taken badly shortly after coming on board with Desentrey, he Died about 8 1/2 o'c P.M. + was buried in the deep at 1. o.c following Morning. he

[Calligraphy swirls above and below text, and on either side of Dr. Adam's name] Dr. J. F. Adam Journal Commeced August 13th 1857 on leaving home for the first time To Sail for India

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