Nearing Boston early on the morning of July 4, Bodmer executed several hasty studies of the approach to Boston Bay. This distant view of the shoreline would be difficult to identify today were it not for the descriptive caption on the reverse.

The Janus met numerous American fishing boats and other vessels off Cape Cod on the morning of July 3. Bodmer made several sketches from the deck that day. One of these includes the figure of the captain outlined against the ship's railing in the act of inspecting the coast of Massachusetts with a telescope. The figure shown sitting at a large barrel is probably Prince Maximilian.