John Adams sailed to France in 1778 and recorded this episode of shipboard life
MARCH 7 SATURDAY
We have passed all the Dangers of the American Coast Those of the Bay of Biscay, remain God grant Us, an happy Passage through them all This Morning the Captain ordered all Hands upon Deck and took an account of the Number of Souls on board which amounted to 172 Then he ordered the Articles of War to be read to them—after which he ordered all Hands upon the Forecastle and then all Hands upon the Quarter deck, in order to try Experiments, for determining'whetrier any difference was made in the Ships sailing, by the Weight of the Men being forward or abaft Then all Hands were ordered to their Quarters to exercise them at the Guns Mr Barron [the captain] gave the Words of Command and they spent an Hour perhaps...