Diary of John Quincy Adams, volume 1
1779-12-08
This morning about half after four o clock we saw a sail. At about seven o clock we could
see her very plain. She hoisted spanish coulours and we french ones and fir'd a Gun: she
goes before to Pilot us. We lay to all last night. 9 o clock. We just fir'd a gun for a
signal for a Pilot to come on board but none comes yet. 11 o clock. There's a pilot on
board. 1 o clock P M. We have just now cast anchor after coming by five forts; it is an
amazing strong place. In one of the forts there are 365 guns. We saw a number of french
ships here three of which are agoing to Brest the first good wind. A number of the officers
belonging to them 10came on board to see the Captain. As we pass'd by
the ships we saluted them with three huzzas which were returned by them. As we passed by the
last fort we were saluted from it by 21 guns; we did not return it. I wonder why they did
not? The city of Ferrol the harbour of which we are now in is a small city but the houses
appear (from here) to be well built. About a league out of the town there is a Vessel with
three decks abuilding. It appears to be a Vessel of a hundred guns; the Entrance of the port
is very narrow being but about a mile wide. The magazines are very large and magnificent.
There is a large building in about the middle of the City which appears to be a monastry.
The houses (as I said before) are large and well built. The port is what they call a bason