Tuesday the 28th. The clerks of the Custom House are come to day to mark our boxes with lead. At the end of the ropes of each box, they put a little piece of lead with the stamp of the King’s Arms and that of the City of Paris, that the contents may not be inspected in the cities through which they pass. A dozen of these leads are hardly worth 6s. and yet they make people pay 24s. apiece for them. It is a kind of impost.

Wednesday the 29th. The water-diligence, by which the goods are to be transported to Rouen, ought to have been opposite Passy and ready to be loaded very early. On this account I arose at 4 o’clock, but it was not arrived. I sent to Paris to know why. The errand-boy met it in the sandbank between Paris and Passy. They were making every effort to free it, and calculated to be at Passy in the evening. They said that the goods might still be carried to the water’s edge, and in case they did not arrive they would send some sails to cover them; in consequence of which we have carried a large part of the goods to the water’s edge, but they are not arrived; they have sent some folded sails to secure them from the rain, and a man remained there all night as a sentinel.

Thursday the 30th. It arrived and everything was loaded the same day to the number of 128 boxes.

Tuesday the 12th. We were set out from Passy early yesterday but the departure was then postponed until to day; at four o’clock in the morning my grandfather’s litter came, but again we were unable to start, on account of the quantity of accounts which my grandfather had to settle; we positively resolved to start after dinner, and we accomplished our design at ten minutes after 5 in the evening; after having dined at Mr. de Chaumont’s, my grandfather ascended his litter in the midst of a very great concourse of the people of Passy; a mournful silence reigned around him and was only interrupted by sobs. Mr. Le Veillard, my cousin, his domestic and myself got into a coach with two horses. We left our luggage behind because it was not yet laden in the cart which was to take it to Havre in our train. It was to rejoin us at St. Germain (where we have lodged) the same evening. We are arrived at the Misses Alexandre’s at St. Germain. They have given my grandfather a bed and we have been to lodge at the inn.

Wednesday the 13th. We have also breakfasted with them, and we had to bid them a long farewell; I confess that leaving (perhaps for ever) young ladies so good and beautiful has affected me much. We have been to lodge at Marite. It is a very pretty city, and in fact is surnamed the Pretty.

Thursday the 14th. We have been to lodge with the Cardinal de la Rochefoucault, Archbishop of Rouen. He has a superb and immense chateau upon a pretty eminence. He has a park of about two leagues in circumference, enclosed with walls and filled with roebucks for the chase. The place is called Galion. We have all been lodged magnificently.

Friday the 15th. We are arrived at Rouen at the house of Mr. Holker, Governor of this city.

Saturday the 16th. To day we have remained at Mr. Holker’s. I have been to see the city. In general it is very badly built and dirty. It is surprising for the number of churches. I met with three merely in going to the cathedral, and yet it was not very far from the lodging. To reach the top of the steeple of the cathedral, I ascended 464 steps of about seven inches high, which makes 270 feet in height; besides, the point of the steeple was eighty feet higher. I saw a bell very remarkable for its size, 27 feet in circumference, 9 feet in diameter, ten inches thick and nine feet high, weighing 45 thousand weight. The clapper weighs 2400, and is 5 feet in circumference. The whole church has been built 800 years.

Sunday the 17th. Dined at Ivto, in the country of Cau. I observe that all the women have lost their front hair, owing to a certain bonnet which removes it and pulls it out. Slept at Bolbeck, a very pretty city.

Monday the 18th. Dined at an isolated hamlet, at the sign of the Boot. We could not obtain water fit to drink. The only drink was some very bad cider. We arrived at Havre at about 5 o’clock, at Mr. Buellard’s, behind the bason.

Thursday the 21st. Dined at Mr. Lisnouzin’s. Arrangements were made with Mr. Jennings, the captain of the Southampton packet, to carry us thither. They were to start at 9 o’clock in the evening; but, the wind being contrary, it was put off until the next day.

Friday the 22nd. We started at 10 o’clock in the morning. We made but little headway, the wind being contrary.

Sunday the 24th. We were in the road of Portsmouth; and saw in passing, the tall masts of the Royal George, which was lost in the   We arrived at Southampton at 9 o’clock in the morning and went to lodge at the Star Inn. All the passengers have been sick except my grandfather. Mr. Le Veillard has accompanied us so far, to see the vessel which is to carry us to America; but it has not yet arrived. Mr. Houdon has come with us, to go to America to execute the statue of G. Washington. He had joined as at Havre. My uncle, the Governor, was at Southampton. We found him going to Cowes, where he was to rejoin us.

Tuesday the 26th. The bishop of St. Asaph, a very great friend of my grandfather, on the news of his arrival at Southampton, has come to see him with his wife and one of his daughters.

Wednesday the 27th. Mr. Vaughan and Mr —— have also come from London for the same purpose. We went on board the London Packet, Capt. Truxtun, with the whole party which had come to see my grandfather. It is a very large vessel, with three masts, well supplied with poultlry, sheep and pork, and also a goat which is to supply us with milk. They supped on board, and waited until the next day to separate.

Thursday the 28th. The whole party left at 4 o’clock in the morning, without our knowledge, and when I awoke I found the vessel under sail; they had raised the anchor at 5 o’clock.

Monday the 1st. Up to this time the wind has been contrary. We are now keeping our course, the weather good and fine; we have passed the Channel.

Tuesday the 2nd. This evening, the captain caught a land bird which had rested upon the vessel, and which was so tired that it allowed itself to be caught by the hand.

Thursday the 4th. We perceived a vessel upon the wind which was holding the same course as ourselves. Having noticed that it had made a change in its sails, which showed that it wished to join us, we have taken in our sails and hoisted our American flag; she has done it at the same time and has fired towards us; and on nearing, we learnt that it was Capt. Keeler, going from London to Philadelphia. He had bent his mizzen mast, and they were repairing it. He proposed going to the noth of the Azores and we to the south fearing the gulf stream, and he, the Algerines.

Friday the 19th. Yesterday we saw a turtle which might be fifteen feet in length, of the colour of dead leaves. We have caught a very handsome dolphin. I had never seen one; and it may be imagined how its beautiful colours have struck me. In the water, it was a very handsome King’s blue; but sometime after having been drawn out of the water with the   its blue colour faded; it then became green; then becoming dead, it became yellowish. It is to be observed that the nearer we approach the belly, the more the colours fade, so that being of a handsome blue upon the back, the belly is of a pale yellow and dead white.

Monday the 22nd. We collected a few grasses which came from the Gulf of Florida, and which the current conveys. We found them inhabited by crabs half an inch long.

Tuesday the 23rd. This morning the wind sprang up towards the south, and has continued increasing until 12 o’clock; then it whistled with unparalleled impetuosity. The only sail which was left was a very small one of the bowsprit, which has been carried away with a terrible crash, so loud that I have heard that the masts of the vessel broke; we remain without a single sail, and are going at the pleasure of the wind, which, fortunately, was not unfavourable. The sea was frightfully agitated; the waves were in such a way that the mainyard dipped three times in the water; and the particles of water which the wind carried up into the air, prevented our seeing to a greater distance than fifty feet. I was with Mr. Houdon for the purpose of contemplating the beauty of this spectacle; and now and then I went to bale out the water which had come into the bunkers in great quantity, and to tie down the sick who were turned upside down. Finally the wind began to lull at 2 o’clock, and at 4 it had abated considerably; and, according to the admission of the bulk of the sailors and the Captain, they had never seen the like.

Wednesday the 24th. We are enjoying a very fine day which serves us to dry some of our things which were damaged. For my part I was very well satisfied with having enjoyed so fine a spectacle, and with having escaped the danger without accident. I believe that I shall remember all my life a moment which the danger rendered interesting.

Saturday the 10th. This morning we saw in broad daylight two sails which came towards us. They were those of some whalers of New York. They had been four months at sea. After having bid us farewell, they asked if we could give them a bottle or two of porter. We promised them a half dozen of them if they would come for them. It was no sooner said than, in less than five minutes, they launched their little boat into the sea, because it was fastened to the side of the sloop. Seven men jumped in and plied their oars vigorously, and rejoined us in a short time. We have fulfilled our promise, and they have returned with the same speed. The sea, which was not very rough, sometimes hid them from our eyes. After having fastened their boat as quickly as they had unfastened it, they have set sail to gain the offing. We have sounded at 1 o’clock, and have found 29 fathoms of water and a bottom of sand; sounded again at 6 o’clock, and have found 22 of them. Toward night we have again perceived a sail. It was a shallop going from Boston to Virginia. We have raised some lights believing that it was a pilot-boat.

Sunday the 11th. We have perceived land, south of the Cape.

Tuesday the 13th. We are arrived at Philadelphia. The joy which I felt at the acclamations of the people, at seeing a father and mother and many brothers and sisters, may be felt and not described.

Wednesday the 14th. Here I am, returned at last, in my native country, where more important avocations will prevent my continuing this journal.