Library Collections: Document: Full Text


Diary Of Laurent Clerc's Voyage From France To America In 1816

Creator: Laurent Clerc (author)
Date: 1816
Publisher: American School for the Deaf
Source: Available at selected libraries
Figures From This Artifact: Figure 2  Figure 3  Figure 4  Figure 5  Figure 6  Figure 7  Figure 8  Figure 9  Figure 10  Figure 11  Figure 12  Figure 13  Figure 14

Previous Page   Next Page   All Pages 


Page 3:

26  

At two o'clock, (P. M.) the steward gave us notice that the dinner was ready. We all descended into our cabin, and sat in our own places. After having asked God for his benediction, we hastened all to the mess which covered the table. Our dinner was good enough, and as good as is possible in a ship. We said Grace, rose from the table and went upon deck. The weather had changed and become cold. I soon went and threw myself all dressed on my bed. I took my book and whilst I read it, I fell asleep in spite of myself. At seven, M. Gallaudet came, awoke me and told me that supper waited for me. I was up in a trice; but I had no appetite. I drank only two bowls of tea with some buttered bread. I returned to bed as soon as I had prayed to God and wished my friends a good night, and I slept till the next day.

27  

Thursday, June the 20th. The hour of our breakfast being fixed at eight o'clock, that of our dinner at two o'clock and that of our supper at eight o'clock, I take care to rise every morning half an hour before breakfast, which consists usually of the same things which I have before related. I employed all the morning in studying English, and in making some exercises on some verbs which I judge convenient to record here:

28  

to let down ...... They let down, during the night, the lanterns of the streets to light them.

29  

to abridge ...... Your letter is too long, you must abridge it.

30  

to shorten ...... My pantaloons are too long, I must get them shortened.

31  

to buy .......... M. Gallaudet has bought all that we want for our voyage.

32  

to finish ........ Be so kind as to wait a moment, I shall finish your shoes in an hour.

33  

to pay .......... I shall pay your debts.

34  

to admire ........ I admire the works of nature.

35  

to address ...... Adieu, my dear friend. I am going away to the United States, address your letters to me according to the following directions: To M. Clerc, to the care of U.S.A. Gallaudet, New York.

36  

to strengthen .... If you do not strengthen that black plank, it will fall at the moment when you least expect it.

37  

to put up ....... They put up the playbills at the corners of the streets of the city.

38  

to weaken ...... That sickness has weakened him much.

39  

to agitate ...... The wind agitates the leaves of the trees.

40  

to make greater... Your room is too little, one must make it greater.

41  

to whet ........ These knives do not cut, they must be whetted.

42  

to lengthen ...... Lengthen my coat if you please.

43  

to bring ......... My uncle has just arrived; he has brought me some letters from my

44  

mother. She is well, I am glad of that.

45  

to bring ......... Bring me that child.

46  

to amuse ........ Amuse him, that he may not be weary.

47  

to appease ......... Appease his anger.

48  

to quiet ............ There were some disorders at Grenoble, a town of France; the King of France has sent a General with a great number of various troops to quiet that City.

49  

to call .......... Walk home, your mother calls you.

50  

to pull out ...... I have a tooth which is loose, I am going directly to a dentist, that he may pull it out.

51  

I did nothing extraordinary the rest of the day, except, that having perceived one of our companions had mounted the shrouds, I thought that it was necessary that I should advise the Captain of it. I took then a sheet of paper and wrote this to the Captain with my pencil: "Sir, it is forbidden to the passengers to mount, the shrouds, under pain of being condemned to pay an honorable forfeit, but that gentleman has ascended in spite of that prohibition. I advise you to condemn him to pay to the sailors six bottles of wine." Before showing this advertisment to the Captain, I presented it to Mr. Gallaudet, begging him to correct it. He cast a glance of the eye upon it, with the goodness which characterizes him, and when he had corrected it, I wrote it fair. The Captain in reading it, laughed, and agreed that I had reason in what I had said, but he did not follow my advice. He asked me where I had learned that prohibition. I answered him that it was when I went from France to England.

52  

It being two o'clock, we descended into our cabin and dined without ceremony. After dinner, we ascended upon deck, and to our great surprise, we discovered around us several vessels which we supposed to belong to the English, and so much the more when we discovered their coast at a distance. It soon was night and we went to supper, to prayer and to bed.

53  

Friday, June the 21st. I was up at eight o'clock and wished my friends a good morning as soon as I saw them. I asked them how they had passed the night. They answered me that they had slept well. I told them that I was very glad of it, and that I wished them, each night the continuation of it. After breakfast, M. Gallaudet desiring to encourage me to learn good English, suggested to me the thought of writing this journal, and it is in consequence of his advice that I do it. I began it therefore on the spot and I wrote my diary of the 18th of June, which busied me all the day. It was a long time for so small a matter, but if you deign to consider that I was obliged, every moment, to seek in my dictionary the words which I did not understand, you would say of it, I am sure, that I could not do it more quickly. When I had finished my first day, I presented it to Mr. Gallaudet, praying him to correct it. He did it with his ordinary kindness. Afterwards I wrote my work fair in my stitched book. Hardly had I done when the steward spread the table-cloth and served the dinner. I dined with a good appetite, and drank proportionately. After dinner I took a walk upon deck for an hour, and applied myself to the study of the English language till supper, which consists of the remainder of our dinner with tea added to it. After having well supped, I returned upon deck to walk a little, after which we all went again into our cabin to pray to God, and then every one went to bed. I need not say that I usually sleep well.

Previous Page   Next Page

Pages:  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18    All Pages