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

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

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

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

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

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