A website from the Massachusetts Historical Society; founded 1791.

Diary of Charles Francis Adams, 1862

Wednesday 27th

27 August 1862

Friday 29th

29 August 1862
28 August 1862
187
Thursday, 28th.
London
CFA

1862-08-28

AM

I tried the bathing machine this morning, and was carried out nearly half a mile into about three feet water, where the hose was taken out and I was left to disport myself. I plunged it as well as I could and tried to swim far out into deeper water, but it scarcely shelved perceptibly. The labor of avoiding the ground was too great to be long persevered in. But on the whole this was better than yesterday. There were many of these machines moving in and out, some with men who mostly bathe naked, some with women who keep close within the canvass, and wear dresses. Presently a base was sent out to drag me back. The regatta was continued today, but we went off to see Newport and Carisbrook Castle. The drive is about eight or nine miles and is not so pretty as that yesterday. The own is a quiet, comparable looking old place without much to recommend it. The hotel which scarcely promised much in its exterior found very good inside and furnished an excellent dinner. But prior to that we went to Carisbrook Castle, the same place which I remember to have visited the last thing before we sailed, more than forty five years ago. The outside looked natural enough, but I was more puzzled with the interior. There were building which seemed to me news, adn the well head a changed covering. I did not remember the presence of a donkey to draw the water, though they told us that such a beast has been used there for three centuries. Here we met Mrs Durant, and her children with Brooks, who had come over from Shanklin to see us. The great interest attached to Carisbrook is that it was the place of confinement of Charles the first and settled his fate. How much of the later history of the English race has depended on that event! From here we went to see the remains of a Roman Villa which have been lately unearthed near this place. They consist mainly of the plans laid in mosaic pavement, which show the various rooms laid out according to custom, and a hypocaust and bath. It leaves no doubt of the Roman occupation of this island. We then returned to Ryde in season for the Steamer to Portsmouth. The pair was crowded and gay as we parted. The rest of our Journey from Portsmouth to London was in the dark, and soon after eleven o’clock, we were all safely lodged at home.188

Cite web page as:

Charles Francis Adams, Sr., [date of entry], diary, in Charles Francis Adams, Sr.: The Civil War Diaries (Unverified Transcriptions). Boston: Massachusetts Historical Society, 2015. http://www.masshist.org/publications/cfa-civil-war/view?id=DCA62d240