26 December 1779
adams-john10 Health and Illness Travel and Touring, International
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Sunday 26th This Morning Mr Lagoanere came to our lodgings and told us that we should go at one o clock and that he would accompany us as far as the first stage. this Gentleman is about 45 years old according to my supposition he is neither handsome nor homely he is well shaped and a very agreable Gentleman 36Gentleman; he is Consul for the American affairs at Corunna. at about 12 o clock the French Consul came to our lodgings he embrac’d my Pappa and took leave of us all he is as I conjecture of about 35 years of age he is pitted with the Small pox without which he would be handsome he is a little tall but not overgrown he is very sociable & very polite. at half after one the Chaises came and any body would think that they were as old as Noah’s ark made in the year one and at a Quarter after two we got into our Chaises

A Journal from the time I left Corunna to the time I arrived at Astorga

their were three Carriages all drawn by Mules, two at each carriage and each carriage carries 37carries two persons except one which carries three. the three servant’s Andrew1 Mr Allen’s, John Mr Dana’s, and stevens My Pappa’s rode a Mule back as also did our Guide whose name is Martin, Mr Lagoanere rode on a horse belonging to him And thus equipped our caravan set out in the first carriage was Mr Allen and Sammy Cooper one of their Mules had near a Hundred little bells tied round it’s neck. next Mr Dana, and Mr Thaxter, one the Next of theirs had some bells but not many. and lastly My Pappa brother charles and Myself neither of our Mules had any bells. we pass’d I beleive near almost 20 crosses we came about 3 leagues and a half good way and the other half a league was very bad and muddy. I forgot to say that our first stage was 12 Miles off of Corrunna; at about 7 o clock 38we arrived at a village call’d Betancos we found a place to lodge for once not among the Mules, however I beleive that we sha’nt have that to boast of long. This city of Betancos otherwise betanzos was formerly the Capital of the province of Galicia which is to this day call’d the Kingdom of Galicia. we have right against our lodgings a large Church. this also is the place where the archives otherwise call’d records of this province are kept at present

1.

Andrew Dismié (or Desmia) had been a servant of one of the officers of La Sensible. Upon arrival in Spain and with that officer’s consent, he served Allen on the journey from El Ferrol to Bordeaux (JA to the Governor of La Coruña, 18 Dec. 1779; JA to Andrew Dismié, 15 May 1780, both LbC, Adams Papers).
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