Diary of John Quincy Adams, volume 1

Sun. 5th.

Tuesday 7th.

Mon 6th. JQA

1779-12-06

Mon 6th. Adams, John Quincy
Mon 6th.

This morning my brother Charles look'd out of Pappa's window and said he saw a flock of Wild fowl. A fine breeze from the South. About twelve o clock being in my Pappa's room I heard a 9noise upon deck. I went out and was told by one of the Gentlemen that we saw a sail. I immediately went up to the Main cross trees and saw a brig. The Gentlemen conjecture that she is a cruizer and intends to come and reconnoitre us she having but Very little sail set. I o clock. I thought she was a brig but I hear she is a ship1 which has lost her Main mast. 2 o clock P M. She has got almost out of sight. 4 o clock. She has got Quite out of sight.

1.

A square-rigged vessel with a bowsprit and three masts, each composed of a lower, top, and topgallant mast; a brig is a two-masted vessel with square rigging like the ship's fore- and main-masts, but the main-mast has also a fore-and-aft sail ( OED ).