[Royal Hospital, Plymouth]
[1777. May] 5. This morning Joseph Hatch, one of our company, died with small-pox. He is the second of our company that has died in these hospitals. 2
6. I begin to grow bravely, and have a very good appetite for my victuals. I remain very sore, yet not so sore as I was two or three days ago; as my pox ran all together then, when I used to rise up in bed to receive any thing, and stuck to my linen and the sheets, so that it would tear off the scab from the whole length of my back, when I arose.
7. I am very sore yet, but am doing finely, considering that it is with some difficulty that I can get to the table to write; and I have a good appetite to eat. I asked the doctor for mutton, which he granted, so that I now have a pound of bread, half a pound of mutton, and a quart of beer.
8. There are two of our company now in this ward, very sick with the small-pox; but they have faithful care taken of them by the nurses, and the doctor is very kind. He allows them near half a pint of wine, or a small bottle of cordial, almost every day. The nurses, also, have been, and still are, very kind to me. When I first came into this ward, I brought a little tea and sugar with me, which I obtained on board the ships, and after it was all expended, the nurses gave me out of their own stores, tea twice a day, or as often as they make it for themselves.
9. Near half the scab has come off my body, and every morning when I get up, there is near a handful of scab left in the sheet, which comes off in the night.
10. I have several biles upon my legs, which cause a great deal of pain.