of them are left outside of the nest as food for her young when they are
hatched.
The natives of Africa are very fond of ostrich eggs, using them for
food. In taking the eggs, they exercise great caution; for should the
birds discover them, they would break all the eggs and leave the nest.
Young ostriches are readily tamed. Some families in Africa keep them as
we do chickens. They play with children, sleep in the houses, and when a
family moves, the ostriches follow the camels, frequently carrying the
children on their backs.
Within the past few years, ostriches have been brought to this country;
and places called ostrich farms have been established in California and
other States, for the purpose of raising them for their feathers.
* * * * *
Language Lesson.--Let pupils point out any points that are omitted from
the following
Analysis.--1. Where the ostrich lives. 2. Its size and appearance--body,
head, neck, eyes, feathers, and plumes. 3. Its food. 4. An incident. 5.
Its speed. 6. Its strength,--leg and foot. 7. Riding ostriches. 8.
Voice of ostrich. 9. Nests and habits of the birds. 10. Ostriches in
this country.
Change such points as may be found necessary, and use the _analysis_ in
describing some well-known bird.
* * * * *
LESSON LXIV.
plead, _urge as a reason_.
breach, _a breaking, as of a promise_.
re buke', _call attention to wrong-doing_.
strew, _spread; scatter_.
chide, _find fault with_.
re sent'nent, _anger on account of an injury_.
un a vail'ing, _useless; not helping in any way_.
jus'tice, _honesty; what is right_.
* * * * *
TO-DAY AND TO-MORROW.
If Fortune, with a smiling face,
Strew roses on our way,
When shall we stoop to pick them up?--
To-day, my friend, to-day.
But should she frown with face of care,
And talk of coming sorrow,
When shall we grieve, if grieve we must?--
To-morrow, friend, to-morrow.
If those who have wronged us own their fault,
And kindly pity pray,
When shall we listen and forgive?--
To-day, my friend, to-day.
But if stern justice urge rebuke,
And warmth from memory borrow,
When shall we chide, if chide we dare?--
To-morrow, friend, to-morrow.
If those to whom we owe a debt
Are harmed unless we pay,
When shall we struggle to be just?--
To-day, my friend, to-day.
But if our debtor fail our hope,
And plead his ruin thorough,
When shall we weigh his breach of faith?--
To-morrow, friend, to-morrow.
For virtuous acts and harmless joys
The minutes will not stay;--
We have always time to welcome them
To-day, my friend, to-day.
But care, resentment, angry words,
And unavailing sorrow,
Come far too soon, if they appear
To-morrow, friend, to-morrow.
* * * * *
Directions for Reading.--Let some pupil in the class state the manner
in which the lesson should be read.
What is the effect of repeating the words _to-day_ and _to-morrow_, in
the fourth and eighth lines of each stanza?
* * * * *
Language Lesson.--Let pupils give the meaning of each stanza in their
own words.
_Warmth from memory borrow_ means become more angry when we remember
our own acts of kindness toward the person now doing us injury.
Explain the meaning of the following expressions.
_Strew roses on our way._
_Breach of faith._
* * * * *
LESSON LXV.
ref'uge, _a place of safety_.
fo'li age, _leaves and branches of trees or shrubs_.
op pressed', _heavily burdened_.
be tray', _give information to an enemy_.
con trived', _managed; arranged_.
rec'og nized, _knew by seeing_.
ren'der, _give; make_.
im'mi nent, _close by; threatening_.
com pel', _make one do any thing_.
cav'al ry, _soldiers mounted on horses_.
false, _not true; unreal_.
re spond'ed, _answered; replied_.
* * * * *
AN INCIDENT OF THE REVOLUTION.
During the Revolutionary War, when the American people were fighting
for independence, a governor of one of the colonies found himself in
great danger of being captured by British soldiers.
The governor, whose name was Griswold, contrived to reach the house of
a relative, and while there, was informed that the soldiers had
discovered his place of refuge and were then on their way to seize him.
Griswold at once realizing that his peril was imminent, determined, if
possible, to reach a small stream, where he had left a boat so hidden,
by the foliage that it could not be seen from the road.
In great haste and excitement, he left the house and proceeded in the
direction of the river. Passing through an orchard, he encountered a
young girl about twelve years old. She was watching some pieces of
linen cloth which were stretched out on the grass for the purpose of
bleaching.
Hetty--that was the girl's name--was seated under a tree with her
knitting, and had near her a pail of water, from which she occasionally
sprinkled the cloths to keep them damp.
She started up and was somewhat frightened when she saw a man leaping
over the fence; but soon recognized him to be her cousin.
"O, is it you, cousin!" exclaimed Hetty; "you frightened me--where are
you going?"
"Hetty," he replied, "the soldiers are seeking for me, and I shall lose
my life, unless I can reach the boat before they come. I want you to
run down toward the shore and meet them."
"They will surely ask for me; and then you must tell them that I have
gone up the road to catch the mail-cart, and they will turn off the
other way."
"But, cousin, how can I say so?--it would not be true. O, why did you
tell me which way you were going?"
"Would you betray me, Hetty, and see me put to death? Hark! they are
coming. I hear the clink of their horses' feet. Tell them I have gone
up the road and Heaven will bless you."
"Those who speak false words will never be happy," said Hetty. "But
they shall not compel me to tell which way you go, even if they kill
me--so run as fast as you can."
"I am afraid it is too late to run, Hetty; where can I hide myself?"
"Be quick, cousin. Get down and lie under this cloth; I will throw it
over you and go on sprinkling the linen."
"I will do it, for it is my last chance."
He was soon concealed under the heavy folds of the long cloth. A few
minutes afterward, a party of cavalry dashed along the road. An officer
saw the girl and called out to her in a loud voice--
"Have you seen a man run this way?"
"Yes, sir," replied Hetty.
"Which way did he go?"
"I promised not to tell, sir."
"But you must tell me this instant; or it will be worse for you."
"I will not tell, for I must keep my word."
"Let me question her, for I think I know the child," said a man who was
guide to the party. "Is your name Hetty Marvin?"
"Yes, sir."
"Perhaps the man who ran past you was your cousin?"
"Yes, sir, he was."
"Well, we wish to speak with him. What did he say to you when, he came
by?"
"He told me that he had to run to save his life."
"Just so--that was quite true. I hope he will not have far to run. Where
was he going to hide himself?"
"My cousin said that he would go to the river to find a boat, and he
wanted me to tell the men in search of him that he had gone the other
way to meet the mail-cart."
"You are a good girl, Hetty, and we know you speak the truth. What did
your cousin say when he heard that you could not tell a lie to save his
life?"
"He asked, would I betray him and see him put to death?"
"And you said you would not tell, if you were killed for it."
Poor Hetty's tears fell fast as she responded, "Yes, sir."
"Those were brave words, and I suppose he thanked you and ran down the
road as fast as he could?"
"I promised not to tell which way he went, sir."
"O yes, I forgot; but tell me his last words, and I will not trouble you
any more."
"He said, 'I will do it, for it is my last chance.'"
Hetty was now oppressed with great fear; she sobbed aloud, and hid her
face in her apron. The soldiers thought they had obtained all the
information they could, and rode off toward the river-side.
While Griswold lay hidden at the farm, he had agreed upon a signal with
his boatmen, that if in trouble he would put a white cloth by day, or a
light at night, in the attic window of his place of concealment. When
either signal was seen, the men were to be on the watch, ready to render
him assistance in case of need.
No sooner had the soldiers ridden away, than Griswold's friends in the
house hung out a white cloth from the window, to warn the boatmen, who
then pulled out to sea.
The boat, with two men in it, was nearly out of sight by the time the
soldiers reached the shore, and this caused them to conclude that
Griswold had effected his escape.
Meantime he lay safe and quiet until the time came for Hetty to go home
to supper. Then he requested her to go and ask her mother to put the
signal-lamp in the window as it grew dark, and send him clothes and
food. The signal was seen, the boat returned, and Griswold made his way
to it in safety.
In better days, when the war was over, and peace declared, he named one
of his daughters Hetty Marvin, that he might daily think of the brave
young cousin whose sense and truth-speaking had saved his life.
* * * * *
LESSON LXVI.
con sume', _use entirely; exhaust_.
cul ti va'tion, _attending to the growth of plants_.
ex'ports, _the products of a country which are sold to other countries_
trans por ta'tion, _carrying_.
o'val, _shaped like an egg_.
prin'ci pal, _chief; that which is most important_.
es'ti mat ed, _stated in regard to quantity_.
se lect'ed, _chosen; picked out_.
ter'mi nates, _comes to an end_.
* * * * *
TROPICAL FRUITS.
Those who have not visited tropical countries, can scarcely imagine the
wonders of their vegetation. There is nothing in the northern half of
the United States, with which to compare the richness of the vegetable
growth of the tropics.
In the Southern States of our Union, as well as in Mexico and Central
America, there are found many of the same plants and trees that grow in
countries lying still nearer the equator.
The various kinds of fruits which grow in these countries, form a very
large portion of the exports. Among those that are most commonly sent to
us, are bananas, oranges, lemons, dates, cocoa-nuts, and figs.
In countries where the banana grows most abundantly, no article of food
which the natives can obtain, requires so little trouble in its
cultivation.
One has only to set out a few banana sprouts, and await the result. In a
short time, a juicy stem shoots up to the height of fifteen or twenty
feet.
It is formed of nothing more than a number of leaf stalks rolled one
over the other, and grows sometimes to a thickness of two feet.
Two gigantic leaves grow out from the top, ten feet long and two feet
broad. They are so very thin and tender that a light wind splits them
into ribbons.
From the center of the leaves a very strong stalk rises up, which
supports the cluster of bananas. There are sometimes over one hundred
bananas to a single stalk.
A cluster of ripe bananas will weigh from sixty to seventy pounds, and
represents a large amount of food. When a stalk has produced and ripened
its fruit, it begins to wither and soon dies.
In a very short time, however, new sprouts spring up from the old root,
and ere long the native has another cluster. So rapidly do they follow
each other, that one cluster is scarcely consumed before another one is
ready to ripen.
Bananas ripened on the stalk will not bear transportation to any great
distance; therefore, when selected for export, the clusters are cut off
while the bananas are very green.
Another valuable fruit of the tropics is the date. This fruit grows on a
tree called the date-palm, that is found in both Asia and Africa.
The date-palm is a majestic tree, rising to the height of sixty feet or
more, without branches, and with a trunk of uniform thickness throughout
its entire length.
It begins to bear fruit about eight years after it has been planted, and
continues to be productive from seventy to one hundred years.
Dates are oval in shape, and have a long solid stone. They form the
principal food of the inhabitants of some of the eastern countries, and
are an important article of commerce.
When they are perfectly ripe, they possess a delightful perfume, and are
very agreeable to the taste.
In preparing dates to be sent to distant countries, they are gathered a
short time before they are quite ripe, dried in the sun on mats, and
finally packed in boxes or straw sacks.
Travelers in the deserts of Africa, often carry dried dates with them
for their chief food, during a journey of hundreds of miles.
The Arabs grind dried dates into a powder which they call date flour. If
this is packed away in a dry place, it will keep for years, and only has
to be moistened with a little water to prepare it for eating.
One of the most valuable and productive of tropical trees is the
cocoa-nut palm. It grows largely in both the East and West Indies, and
elsewhere throughout the torrid zone.
It rises to a height of from sixty to one hundred feet, and terminates
in a crown, of graceful, waving leaves. Some of these leaves reach a
length of twenty feet, and have the appearance of gigantic feathers.
The fruit consists of a thick outward husk of a fibrous structure, and
within this, is the ordinary cocoa-nut of commerce.
The shell of the nut is hard and woody, and a little over a quarter of
an inch in thickness. Next to this shell is the kernel, which is also a
shell about half an inch thick, and composed of a white substance very
pleasant to the taste. Within this white eatable shell, is a milky
liquid, called cocoa-nut milk.
[Illustration]
The cocoa-nut is very useful to the natives of the regions in which it
grows. The nuts supply a large portion of their food, and the milky
fluid inclosed within, forms a pleasant and refreshing drink.
The shell of the nut is made into cups, and from the kernel, cocoa-nut
oil is pressed out and largely used in making soap and for other
purposes.
In Ceylon, the tree is cultivated extensively. It is estimated that
there are twenty million trees in that island, and that each tree
produces about sixty nuts yearly. The wealth of a native is based upon
the number of cocoa-nut palms he owns.
Another well-known tropical fruit is the fig, which grows on a bush or
small tree about eighteen or twenty feet high.
The fig-tree is now cultivated in all the Mediterranean countries, but
the larger portion of the American supply comes from western Asia and
the south of France.
The varieties are extremely numerous, and the fruit is of various
colors, from deep purple to yellow, or nearly white.
The trees usually bear two crops--one in the early summer, the other in
the autumn.
When ripe, the figs are picked and spread out to dry in the sun. Thus
prepared, the fruit is packed closely in barrels, baskets, or wooden
boxes, for commerce.
Oranges and lemons are cultivated in nearly all warm countries. They
grow on trees somewhat smaller than apple trees, and must be picked for
export while they are hard and green.
They ripen during transportation, so that green oranges put up and sent
to us from Sicily or other distant points, change to a golden yellow
color by the time they reach us.
Oranges are grown largely in Florida and Louisiana, extensive orange
orchards being frequently met with in traveling through those States.
The oranges grown there are considered very choice, and are generally
sweeter than those brought from Italy.
* * * * *
Language Lesson.--Define the following words, giving the meaning of
each part as indicated by hyphens: _ex-port-ing, un-common-ly,
dis-trust-ful, pro-vid-ing, un-bear-able, un-hope-ful_.
The syllables _placed before_ a stem are called _prefixes_; those
_placed after_ a stem, _suffixes_.
The words _shall_ and _will_ are used to indicate _future time_; as, I
shall go; you will go; he will go.
The three tenses of an action may in a general way be represented by the
words _yesterday, to-day_, and _to-morrow_.
Let pupils fill blanks in the following statements, and state the tense
of each action.
We ---- go to see them next week.
John ---- last night.
You and I ---- in school at the present time.
* * * * *
LESSON LXVII.
found'ed, _established; placed_.
gar'ri son, _soldiers stationed in a fort or town_.
strode, _walked with long steps_.
coun'cil, _a number of men called together for advice_.
in cit'ing, _moving to action_.
de vot'ed, _very much attached_.
de feat'ed, _overcome_.
cul'ture, _a high state of knowledge_.
or'na ment ed, _adorned_.
wam'pum, _shells used by the Indians as money or for ornament_.
fan tas'tic, _wild; irregular_.
* * * * *
THE STORY OF DETROIT.
The early history of Detroit is highly romantic. It was founded in 1701
as a military colony.
It soon became one of the most important of the western outposts of
Canada, and as the French and Indians were usually on the most friendly
terms, the colony for a long time existed in a state of happiness and
contentment.
At the close of the French War, Detroit contained over two thousand
inhabitants. Canadian dwellings with their lovely gardens lined the
banks of the river for miles.
Within the limits of the settlement were several Indian villages. Here
the light-hearted French-Canadian smoked his pipe and told his story,
and the friendly Indian supplied him with game and joined in his
merry-making.
In the year 1760, Detroit was taken possession of by the English. The
Indians hated the English, as much as they had loved the French.
Pontiac, the ruling spirit of the forests at this time, was a most
powerful and statesmanlike chief. When he found that his friends, the
French, had lost their power, he sought to unite the Indian tribes
against the English colonies, and to destroy the English garrison at
Detroit by strategy.
He was chief of the Ottawas, but possessed great influence over several
other tribes. Pontiac believed, and that truly, that the establishment
of English colonies would be fatal to the interests of the Indian race.
He strode through the forests like a giant, inciting the tribes to war.
He urged a union of all the Indian nations from the lakes to the
Mississippi for the common defense of the race.
There lived near Detroit a beautiful Indian girl, called Catharine. The
English commander, Gladwyn, was pleased with her, and showed her many
favors, and she formed a warm friendship for him.
One lovely day in May, this girl came to the fort and brought Gladwyn a
pair of elk-skin moccasins. She appeared very sad.
"Catharine," said Gladwyn, "what troubles you to-day?"
She did not answer at once. There was a silent struggle going on in her
heart. She had formed a strong attachment for the white people, and she
was also devoted to her own race.
"To-morrow," she said at length, "Pontiac will come to the fort with
sixty of his chiefs. Each will be armed with a gun, which will be cut
short and hidden under his blanket. The chief will ask to hold a
council. He will then make a speech, and offer a belt of wampum as a
peace-offering.
"As soon as he holds up the belt, the chiefs will spring up and shoot
the officers, and the Indians outside will attack the English. Every
Englishman will be killed. The French inhabitants will be spared."
Gladwyn made immediate preparations to avoid the danger which threatened
them. The soldiers were put under arms. Orders were given to have them
drawn up in line on the arrival of the Indians the following day.
The next morning Indian canoes approached the fort from the eastern
shores. They contained Pontiac and his sixty chiefs. At ten o'clock the
chiefs marched to the fort, in fantastic procession. Each wore a colored
blanket, and was painted, plumed, or in some way gaily ornamented.
As Pontiac entered the fort, a glance showed him that his plot was
discovered. He passed in amazement through glittering rows of steel, he
made a speech, expressing friendship; but he did not dare to lift the
wampum belt which was to have been the signal for attack. He was allowed
to depart peaceably.
When he found that his plot had been discovered, his anger knew no
bounds. He gathered his warriors from every hand and laid siege to
Detroit. He was defeated, and with his defeat ended the power of the
Indian tribes in the region of the Upper Lakes.
Detroit became an English town, and afterward an American city. She has
gathered to herself the wealth of the fertile regions which lie around
her, as well as the commerce of the broad inland seas on either hand.
To-day she has more than one hundred and twenty thousand inhabitants,
and is famous for her wealth and culture.
* * * * *
Language Lesson.--Let pupils review, as a written exercise, the
spelling of the following words.
treasure rheumatism group desperate
release mischievous courtesy separate
weary approach redoubled vegetable
stealthy caution mighty stratagem
peasants exhausted fortnight spectator
concealed draughts knowledge necessary
freight guidance flickering particular
In the sentences given below, change the verbs so as to represent the
action as completed.
"The chiefs march to the fort in fantastic procession. They find that
their plot is discovered. Pontiac immediately gathers his warriors from
every hand, and lays siege to Detroit. He is defeated, and with his
defeat, the power of the Indian tribes is at an end."
In the last two sentences, change the verbs so as to represent future
time.
Let pupils make out an _analysis_ and use it in treating the subject--
_The town (or city) that I live in._
_Suggestion_.--Include the location and early history of the town. Its
present population. Its different manufactures. How to get to it. Its
chief points of interest to a stranger. Anecdotes.
* * * * *
LESSON LXVIII.
heave, _raise; lift_.
mack'er el, _a fish spotted with blue, and largely used for food_.
con geals', _freezes; grows hard from cold_.
ant'lers, _branching horns_.
a main', _suddenly; at once_.
lurks, _lies hidden_.
reels, _frames for winding fishing lines_.
teem'ing, _containing in abundance_.
car'i bou, _a kind of reindeer_.
Mick'mack, _a tribe of Indians_.
* * * * *
THE FISHERMEN.
Hurra! the seaward breezes
Sweep down the bay amain;
Heave up, my lads, the anchor!
Run up the sail again!
Leave to the lubber landsmen
The rail-car and the steed;
The stars of heaven shall guide us
The breath of heaven shall speed.
From the hill-top looks the steeple,
And the light-house from the sand;
And the scattered pines are waving
Their farewell from the land.
One glance, my lads, behind us,
For the homes we leave, one sigh,
Ere we take the change and chances
Of the ocean and the sky.
Where in mist the rock is hiding,
And the sharp reef lurks below,
And the white squall smites in summer,
And the autumn tempests blow;
Where, through gray and rolling vapor,
From evening unto morn,
A thousand boats are hailing,
Horn answering unto horn.
Hurra! for the Red Island,
With the white cross on its crown!
Hurra! for Meccatina,
And its mountains bare and brown!
Where the caribou's tall antlers
O'er the dwarf-wood freely toss,
And the footsteps of the Mickmack
Have no sound upon the moss.
There we'll drop our lines, and gather
Old ocean's treasures in,
Where'er the mottled mackerel
Turns up a steel-dark fin.
The sea's our field of harvest,
Its scaly tribes our grain;
We'll reap the teeming waters
As at home they reap the plain.
Though the mist upon our jackets
In the bitter air congeals,
And our lines wind stiff and slowly
From off the frozen reels;
Though the fog be dark around us,
And the storm blow high and loud,
We will whistle down the wild wind,
And laugh beneath the cloud!
Hurra!--Hurra!--the west wind
Comes freshening down the bay,
The rising sails are filling--
Give way, my lads, give way!
Leave the coward landsman clinging
To the dull earth like a weed--
The stars of heaven shall guide us,
The breath of heaven shall speed!
* * * * *
Directions for Reading.--Let some pupil in the class state in what
manner the lesson should be read.
* * * * *
Language Lesson.--Change the verbs throughout the sixth stanza so as
to represent past action.
Give the time indicated in the following sentences.
I _am thinking_ about it. I _am going_ to-morrow.
As _verb-forms_ do not always determine the _time of an action_, we
must call an action _past, present_, or _future_, in accordance with
the meaning indicated by the verb.
* * * * *
LESSON LXIX.
op er a'tions, _ways of working; deeds_.
e vap'o rat ed, _has the moisture taken from it_.
au'ger, _a tool used in boring holes_.
shan'ty, _a hut; a poor dwelling_.
e nor'mous, _of very large size_.
su per in tend'ing, _directing; taking care of_.
an nounce', _give first notice of; make known_.
de li'cious, _affording great pleasure, especially to the taste_.
de'tails, _small parts of any thing_.
clar'i fied, _made clear or pure_.
* * * * *
MAKING MAPLE SUGAR.
PART I.
There is no part of farming that a boy enjoys more than the making of
maple sugar; it is better than "blackberrying," and nearly as good as
fishing.
And one reason he likes this work is that somebody else does the most of
it. It is a sort of work in which he can appear to be very active, and
yet not do much.
In my day maple-sugar-making used to be something between picnicking and
being shipwrecked on a fertile island, where one should save from the
wreck, tubs and augers, and great kettles and pork, and hen's-eggs and
rye-and-indian bread, and begin at once to lead the sweetest life in the
world.
I am told that it is something different nowadays, and that there is
more desire to save the sap, and make good, pure sugar, and sell it for
a large price.
I am told that it is the custom to carefully collect the sap and bring
it to the house, where there are built brick arches, over which it is
evaporated in shallow pans, and that pains are taken to keep the leaves,
sticks, ashes and coals out of it, and that the sugar is clarified.
In short, that it is a money-making business, in which there is very
little fun, and that the boy is not allowed to dip his paddle into the
kettle of boiling sugar and lick off the delicious syrup.
As I remember, the country boy used to be on the lookout in the spring
for the sap to begin running. I think he discovered it as soon as
anybody.
Perhaps he knew it by a feeling of something starting in his own
veins--a sort of spring stir in his legs and arms, which tempted him to
stand on his head, or throw a handspring, if he could find a spot of
ground from which the snow had melted.
The sap stirs early in the legs of a country boy, and shows itself in
uneasiness in the toes, which, get tired of boots, and want to come out
and touch the soil just as soon as the sun has warmed it a little.
The country boy goes barefoot just as naturally as the trees burst their
buds, which were packed and varnished over in the fall to keep the water
and the frost out.
Perhaps the boy has been out digging into the maple-trees with his
jack-knife; at any rate, he is pretty sure to announce the discovery as
he comes running into the house in a state of great excitement, with
"Sap's runnin'!"
And then, indeed, the stir and excitement begin. The sap-buckets, which
have been stored in the wood-house, are brought down and set out on the
south side of the house and scalded.
The snow is still a foot or more deep in the woods, and the ox-sled is
got out to make a road to the sugar camp. The boy is every-where
present, superintending every thing, asking questions, and filled with a
desire to help the excitement.
It is a great day when the cart is loaded with the buckets, and the
procession starts into the woods. The sun shines brightly; the snow is
soft and beginning to sink down; the snow-birds are twittering about,
and the noise of shouting and of the blows of the axe echoes far and
wide.
In the first place the men go about and tap the trees, drive in the
spouts, and hang the buckets under. The boy watches all these operations
with the greatest interest.
He wishes that some time when a hole is bored into a tree that the sap
would spout out in a stream, as it does when a cider-barrel is tapped.
But it never does, it only drops, sometimes almost in a stream, but on
the whole slowly, and the boy learns that the sweet things of the world
have to be patiently waited for, and do not usually come otherwise than
drop by drop.
Then the camp is to be cleared of snow. The shanty is re-covered with
boughs. In front of it two enormous logs are rolled nearly together, and
a fire is built between them.
Forked sticks are set at each end, and a long pole is laid on them, and
on this are hung the great iron kettles. The huge hogsheads are turned
right side up, and cleaned out to receive the sap that is gathered.
The great fire that is kindled is never allowed to go out, night or day,
so long as the season lasts. Somebody is always cutting wood to feed it;
somebody is busy most of the time gathering in the sap.
Somebody is required to watch the kettles that they do not boil over,
and to fill them. It is not the boy, however; he is too busy with things
in general to be of any use in details.
He has his own little sap-yoke and small pails, with which he gathers
the sweet liquid. He has a little boiling-place of his own, with small
logs and a tiny kettle.
* * * * *
Directions for Reading.--In the second line of the lesson, after the
word _more_, a pause should be made for the purpose of giving special
effect to the words which follow. This is called a _rhetorical pause_.
In the third and fourth lines, point out the _rhetorical pauses_.
* * * * *
Language Lesson.--Let some pupil explain the meaning of the third
paragraph of the lesson.
Change the verbs in the last paragraph so as to indicate _future
time_.
* * * * *
LESSON LXX.
grim'y, _dirty_.
re al i za'tion, _the act of coming true_.
in vent'ed, _found out; contrived_.
per mit'ted, _allowed_.
dis solved', _melted; broken up_.
a vid'i ty, _eagerness_.
re duced', _made smaller in quantity_.
sen sa'tion, _feeling_.
crys'tal lize, _change into hard particles of a regular shape_.
* * * * *
MAKING MAPLE SUGAR.
PART II.
In the great kettles the boiling of the sap goes on slowly, and the
liquid, as it thickens, is dipped from one to another, until in the end
kettle it is reduced to syrup, and is taken out to cool and settle,
until enough is made to "sugar off."
To "sugar off" is to boil the syrup until it is thick enough to
crystallize into sugar. This is the grand event, and is only done once
in two or three days.
But the boy's desire is to "sugar off" all the time. He boils his kettle
down as rapidly as possible; he is not particular about chips, scum, or
ashes.
He is apt to burn his sugar; but if he can get enough to make a little
wax on the snow, or to scrape from the bottom of the kettle with his
wooden paddle, he is happy.
A great deal is wasted on his hands, and the outside of his face, and on
his clothes, but he does not care; he is not stingy.
To watch the operations of the big fire gives him constant pleasure.
Sometimes he is left to watch the boiling kettles, with a piece of pork
tied on the end of a stick, which he dips into the boiling mass when it
threatens to go over.
He is constantly tasting of it, however, to see if it is not almost
syrup. He has a long, round stick, whittled smooth at one end, which he
uses for this purpose, at the constant risk of burning his tongue.
The smoke blows in his face; he is grimy with ashes; he is altogether
such a mass of dirt, stickiness, and sweetness, that his own mother
wouldn't know him.
He likes to boil eggs with the hired man in the hot sap; he likes to
roast potatoes in the ashes, and he would live in the camp day and night
if he were permitted.
To sleep there with the men, and awake in the night and hear the wind in
the trees, and see the sparks fly up to the sky, is a perfect
realization of all the stories of adventures he has ever read.
He tells the other boys afterward that he heard something in the night
that sounded very much like a bear. The hired man says that he was very
much scared by the hooting of an owl.
The great occasions for the boy, though, are the times of "sugaring
off." Sometimes this used to be done in the evening, and it was made the
excuse for a frolic in the camp.
The neighbors were invited; sometimes even the pretty girls from the
village, who filled all the woods with their sweet voices and merry
laughter, were there, too.
The tree branches all show distinctly in the light of the fire, which
lights up the bough shanty, the hogsheads, the buckets on the trees, and
the group about the boiling kettles, until the scene is like something
taken out of a fairy play.
At these sugar parties every one was expected to eat as much sugar as
possible; and those who are practiced in it can eat a great deal.
It is a peculiar fact about eating warm maple sugar, that though you
may eat so much of it one day as to be sick, you will want it the next
day more than ever.
At the "sugaring off" they used to pour the hot sugar upon the snow,
where it congealed into a sort of wax, which I suppose is the most
delicious substance that was ever invented. And it takes a great while
to eat it.
If you should close your teeth firmly on a lump of it, you would be
unable to open your mouth until it dissolved. The sensation while it is
melting is very pleasant, but it will not do to try to talk, for you can
not.
The boy used to make a big lump of it and give it to the dog, who seized
it with great avidity, and closed his jaws on it, as dogs will on any
thing.
It was funny the next moment to see the expression of perfect surprise
on the dog's face when he found that he could not open his jaws.
He shook his head; he sat down in despair; he ran round in a circle; he
dashed into the woods and back again.
He did every thing except climb a tree, and howl. It would have been
such a relief to him if he could have howled. But that was the one thing
he could not do.
* * * * *
Language Lesson.--Let pupils change the verbs in the following lines,
so that they will indicate _present time_.
"He shook his head; he sat down in despair; he ran around in a circle;
he dashed into the woods and back again."
Suggestion.--Let the teacher, from time to time, select stories, and
have them read before the class. After the reading, let pupils make
oral _analyses_. The stories should be short, and the exercise
conducted without the use of pencils or paper.
* * * * *
LESSON LXXI.
en'sign, _flag_.
dis man'tled, _stripped of masts, sails, and guns_.
pa tri ot'ic, _full of love for one's country_.
hulk, _a dismantled ship_.
frig'ate, _a ship of war_.
tat'tered, _torn_.
me'te or, _a fiery body in the heavens_.
van'quished, _conquered; overcome_.
har'pies, _destroyers_.
manned, _supplied with men_.
* * * * *
OLD IRONSIDES.
During our second war with Great Britain, which began in the year 1812,
many battles were fought both on land and sea.
Among the ships of war belonging to the United States Government, was a
frigate named the Constitution. She was built about the beginning of
the present century, and owing to her good fortune in many engagements,
her seamen gave her the name of "Old Ironsides."
She was in active service throughout the entire war, and captured five
ships of war from the British, two of which were frigates.
In all her service, her success was remarkable. She never lost her
masts, never went ashore, and though so often in battle, no very serious
loss of life ever occurred on her decks. Her entire career was that of
what is called in the navy "a lucky ship."
Perhaps this may be explained by the fact that she always had excellent
commanders, and that she probably possessed as fine a ship's company as
ever manned a frigate.
In 1829, the Government ordered the Constitution to be dismantled and
taken to pieces, because she had become unfit for service.
At that time, Oliver Wendell Holmes, who has since become famous as a
writer, was a young man twenty years of age, about completing his
studies at Harvard College.
When he heard of the intended destruction of "Old Ironsides," he went
directly to his room, and, inspired by patriotic feelings, wrote the
following poem.
OLD IRONSIDES.
Ay, tear her tattered ensign down!
Long has it waved on high,
And many an eye has danced to see
That banner in the sky;
Beneath it rung the battle shout
And burst the cannons' roar:
The meteor of the ocean air
Shall sweep the clouds no more.
Her deck, once red with heroes' blood,
Where knelt the vanquished foe,
When winds were hurrying o'er the flood
And waves were white below,
No more shall feel the victors' tread,
Or know the conquered knee:
The harpies of the shore shall pluck
The eagle of the sea!
O, better that her shattered hulk
Should sink beneath the wave!--
Her thunders shook the mighty deep,
And there should be her grave.
Nail to the mast her holy flag,
Set every threadbare sail,
And give her to the god of storms,
The lightning, and the gale!
The effect of this poem upon the people was so great that a general
outcry arose against the destruction of the gallant old ship.
The Government was induced to reconsider its determination. The old ship
was saved, repaired, and for many years has delighted the eyes of
thousands of people who have visited her.
At present, she is used as a receiving-ship at the United States Navy
Yard, Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
* * * * *
Directions for Reading.--With what tone of voice should the prose part
of the lesson be read?
Read the poetry--first, slowly and quietly; then, in a loud tone of
voice, expressing the feeling of anger.
Which method of reading the poem do the pupils prefer?
Which do they think represents the poet's feelings?
Let pupils pronounce in concert, and singly, the following words: _hero,
year, people, deep, eagle, knee, serious, meteor, complete, pieces_.
* * * * *
Language Lesson.--Let pupils point out and explain the unusual
expressions found in the first two stanzas, writing out a list of the
changes made.
* * * * *
LESSON LXXII.
ver'tic al, _upright_.
cat'a ract, _a great fall of water over a precipice_.
pro vis'ions, _stock of food_.
con struct'ed, _made; formed_.
in cred'i ble, _not easily believed_.
sta'tion a ry, _not moving; fixed_.
ex tinct', _inactive; dead_.
de pos'it, _that which is laid or thrown down_.
ap'er ture, _an opening_.
di am'e ter, _distance across or through_.
com pris'es, _includes; contains_.
* * * * *
NATURAL WONDERS OF AMERICA.
PART I.
Within the vast extent of territory belonging to the United States,
there are many wonderful natural curiosities which attract visitors from
all parts of the world.
A short description of some of the principal attractions is here given,
with the hope that many who read this lesson, may at some time visit a
part or all that are noticed.
GEYSERS OF THE YELLOWSTONE PARK.
The Yellowstone Park is a tract of country fifty-five by sixty-five
miles in extent, lying mainly in the northwest corner of the Territory
of Wyoming, but including a narrow belt in southern Montana. It
contains nearly thirty-six hundred square miles, and is nearly three
times as large as the State of Rhode Island. No equal extent of country
on the globe comprises such a union of grand and wonderful scenery.
Numerous hot springs, steam jets, and extinct geyser cones exist in the
Yellowstone basin. Just beyond the western rim of the basin, lies the
grand geyser region of Fire-Hole River.
Scattered along both banks of this stream are boiling springs from two
to twelve feet across, all in active operation.
One of the most noted geysers of this district is "Old Faithful." It
stands on a mound thirty feet high, the crater rising some six feet
higher still.
The eruptions take place about once an hour, and continue fifteen or
twenty minutes, the column of water shooting upward with terrific force,
from one hundred to one hundred and fifty feet.
The great mass of water falls directly back into the basin, flowing over
the edges and down the sides in large streams. When the action ceases,
the water recedes from sight, and nothing is heard but an occasional
escape of steam until another eruption occurs.
[Illustration]
Just across the river and close to the margin, a small conical mound is
observed, about three feet high, and five feet in diameter at the base.
No one would suspect it to be an active geyser. But in 1871, a column of
water entirely filling the crater shot from it, which by actual
measurement was found to be two hundred and nineteen feet high.
Not more than a hundred yards from the river, there is a large oval
aperture eighteen feet wide and twenty-five feet long. The sides are
covered with a grayish-white deposit which is distinctly visible at a
depth of a hundred feet below the surface.
This geyser is known as the "Giantess," and a visitor in describing it
states that "no water could be discovered on the first approach, but it
could be distinctly heard gurgling and boiling at a great distance
below. Suddenly it began to rise, spluttering and sending out huge
volumes of steam, causing a general scattering of our company.
"When within about forty feet of the surface, it became stationary, and
we returned to look upon it. All at once it rose with incredible
rapidity, the hot water bursting from the opening with terrific force,
rising in a column the full size of this immense aperture to the height
of sixty feet.
"Through, and out of the top of this mass, five or six lesser jets or
round columns of water, varying in size from six to fifteen inches in
diameter, were projected to the marvelous height of two hundred and
fifty feet."
[Illustration: View in the Grand CaÒon]
THE CA—ONS OF THE COLORADO RIVER.
The length of the Colorado River, from the sources of the Green River,
is about two thousand miles.
For five hundred miles of this distance, the river has worn deep cuts or
gorges through the soft rock, called caÒons.
The rocky sides of these caÒons form lofty vertical walls, which, in
some places, rise to a height of more than a mile above the surface of
the water.
The largest and most noted of these vast gorges is the Grand CaÒon,
which extends a distance of more than two hundred miles. The height of
the walls of this caÒon varies from four thousand to seven thousand
feet.
The river, as it runs through it, is from fifty to three hundred feet
wide. So swift is the current, that it is almost impossible to float a
boat down the stream without having it dashed to pieces against the
rocky walls on either side.
The first descent through these caÒons was made in 1867, from a point on
Grand River, about thirty miles above its junction with Green River.
Three men were prospecting for gold, and being attacked by Indians and
one of their number killed, the other two decided to attempt the descent
of the river, rather than retrace their steps through a country where
Indians were numerous.
They constructed a raft of a few pieces of drift-wood, and having
secured their arms and provisions, commenced their journey down the
stream.
A few days afterward, while the raft was descending a cataract, one of
the men was drowned and all the provisions were washed overboard.
The third man, hemmed in by the walls of the caÒon, continued the
journey alone amid great perils from cataracts, rocks, and whirlpools.
For ten days he pursued, his lonely way, tasting food but twice during
the whole time. Once he obtained a few green pods and leaves from bushes
growing along the stream, and the second time from some friendly
Indians.
At last he succeeded in reaching Callville in safety, after having
floated several hundred miles.
* * * * *
LESSON LXXIII.
pro por'tions, _relations of parts to each other_.
in te'ri or, _the inside_.
al a bas'ter, _a kind of whitish stone_.
chasm, _a deep opening_.
a're a, _any surface, as the floor of a room_.
an'cient, _belonging to past ages_.
un ex am'pled, _without a similar case_.
co los'sal, _of great size_.
feat'ure, _any thing worthy of notice_.
dra'per y, _hangings of any kind_.
o ver awed', _held in a state of fear_.
sur pass'ing, _exceeding others_.
* * * * *
NATURAL WONDERS OF AMERICA.
PART II.
THE MAMMOTH CAVE.
In the year 1809, a hunter named Hutchins, while pursuing a bear in
Edmondson County, Kentucky, was surprised to see the animal disappear
into a small opening in the side of a hill.
Upon examining the spot, Hutchins found that the opening led into a
cave. Following up the examination soon after, it was discovered that
the cave was immense in its proportions.
On account of its great size, it was named Mammoth Cave. It has an area
of several hundred square miles, and two hundred and twenty-three known
and numbered avenues, with a united length of from one hundred and
fifty to two hundred miles.
The interior of this cave is divided by huge columns and walls of stone
into chambers of various shapes and sizes. Some of these are large
enough to afford standing room for thousands of people.
One of the largest of these chambers is called Mammoth Dome. This room
is four hundred feet long, one hundred and fifty feet wide, and two
hundred and fifty feet in height.
The walls of this grand room are curtained by alabaster drapery in
vertical folds and present to the eye a scene of unexampled beauty and
grandeur.
A large gateway at one end of this room opens into another room, in
which the position of the huge stone pillars, reminds one of the ruins
of some ancient temple.
Six colossal columns, or pillars, eighty feet high and twenty-five feet
in diameter, standing in a half circle, are among the imposing
attractions of this wonderful room.
Another striking feature of Mammoth Cave is what is called the Dead Sea.
This body of water is four hundred feet long, forty feet wide, and very
deep.
A curious fish is found in this dark lake. It is without eyes, and, in
form and color, is different from any fish found outside the cave.
There are found also a blind grasshopper, without wings, and a blind
crayfish of a whitish color, both of which are very curious and
interesting.
The fact that these living creatures are blind would seem to indicate
that nature had produced them for the distinct purpose of inhabiting
this dark cave.
NIAGARA FALLS.
Of all the sights to be seen on this continent, there is none that
equals the great Falls of Niagara River, situated about twelve miles
north of Buffalo, in the State of New York.
On first beholding this most wonderful of all known cataracts, one is
overawed by its surpassing grandeur, "and stunned by the sound of the
falling waters as by a roar of thunder."
For quite a distance above the falls, the Niagara River is about one
mile wide, and flows with great swiftness.
Just at the edge of the cataract stands Goat Island, which divides the
waters of the river, and makes two distinct cataracts; one on the
Canadian side, and one on the American side of the river.
The one on the Canadian side, called from its shape the Horse-shoe Fall,
is eighteen hundred feet wide, and one hundred, and fifty-eight feet
high. The other, called the American Fall, is six hundred feet wide, and
one hundred and sixty-four feet high.
As the immense body of water leaps over this vast precipice, it breaks
into a soft spray, which waves like a plume in the wind. At times, when
the rays of the sun strike this spray, a rainbow is formed which
stretches itself across the deep chasm, and produces a beautiful effect.
During the winter, much of the water and spray freezes, and as each
moment adds to the frozen mass, some curious and wonderful ice
formations are produced.
Sometimes, during a very cold winter, the ice at the foot of the falls
forms a complete bridge from one shore to the other.
An interesting feature of a visit to these falls is a descent to the
level of the foot of the cataract behind the great sheet of water.
A long flight of steps leads down to a secure footing between the rocky
precipice and the falling torrent. By a narrow footpath, it is possible
for the visitor to pass between this column of water and the wall of
rock.
Once behind the sheet of water, the roar is deafening. One can only
cling to the narrow railing or his guide, as he picks his way for more
than a hundred feet behind the roaring torrent.
A single misstep, a slip, or a fall, and nothing remains but a horrible
death by being dashed to pieces upon the jagged rocks below.
* * * * *
Directions for Reading.--Point out four places in the lesson where
words would likely be run together by a careless reader.
The word _caÒon_ is pronounced _can'yon_.
* * * * *
Language Lesson.--Give rules for marks of punctuation and capital
letters used in the first paragraph of the account of Niagara Falls.
Let pupils make out an _analysis_ in five or six parts, treating some
well-known scene.
* * * * *
LESSON LXXIV.
vo ra'cious, _greedy; very hungry_.
o ver whelmed', _overcome by force of numbers_.
a bound'ing, _existing in large numbers_.
as cend'ing, _going up_.
her'ald ed, _gave notice of_.
im pet'u ous, _furious; without care for what happens_.
crim'i nals, _those who have broken the law_.
con'cen trate, _gather in a large mass_.
in tol'er a ble, _not to be borne_.
ir re sist'i ble, _can not be opposed_.
* * * * *
AFRICAN ANTS.
A strange kind of ant is very abundant in the whole region I have
traveled over in Africa, and is the most voracious creature I ever met.
It is the dread of all living animals, from the leopard to the smallest
insect.
I do not think that these ants build nests or homes of any kind. At any
rate they carry nothing away, but eat all their prey on the spot. It is
their habit to march through the forests in a long, regular line--a line
about two inches broad and often several miles in length. All along this
line are larger ants, who act as officers, stand outside the ranks, and
keep this singular army in order.
If they come to a place where there are no trees to shelter them from
the sun, whose heat they can not bear, they immediately build
underground tunnels, through which the whole army passes in columns to
the forest beyond. These tunnels are four or five feet underground, and
are used only in the heat of the day, or during a storm.
When, they grow hungry the long file spreads itself through the forest
in a front line, and attacks and devours all it overtakes with a fury
which is quite irresistible. The elephant and gorilla fly before this
attack. The black men run for their lives. Every animal that lives in
their line of march is chased.
They seem to understand and act upon the tactics of Napoleon, and
concentrate with great speed their heaviest forces upon the point of
attack. In an incredibly short space of time the mouse, or dog, or
leopard, or deer, is overwhelmed, killed, eaten, and the bare skeleton
only remains.
They seem to travel night and day. Many a time have I been awakened out
of a sleep, and obliged to rush from the hut and into the water to save
my life, and after all suffered intolerable agony from the bites of the
advance-guard, that had got into my clothes.
When they enter a house they clear it of all living things. Cockroaches
are devoured in an instant. Rats and mice spring round the room in vain.
An overwhelming force of ants kill a strong rat in less than a minute,
in spite of the most frantic struggles, and in less than another minute
its bones are stripped. Every living thing in the house is devoured.
They will not touch vegetable matter. Thus they are in reality very
useful, as well as dangerous, to the natives, who have their huts
cleaned of all the abounding vermin, such as immense cockroaches and
centipedes, at least several times a year.
When on their march the insect world flies before them, and I have often
had the approach of an ant-army heralded to me by this means. Wherever
they go they make a clean sweep, even ascending to the tops of the
highest trees in pursuit of their prey.
Their manner of attack is an impetuous leap. Instantly the strong
pincers are fastened, and they let go only when the piece gives way.
At such times this little animal seems animated by a kind of fury which
causes it to disregard entirely its own safety, and to seek only the
conquest of its prey. The bite of these ants is very painful.
The natives relate that in former times it was the custom to expose
criminals in the path of these ants, as the most cruel way that was
known of putting them to death.
* * * * *
Directions for Reading.--Name the _emphatic words_ in the last
paragraph of the lesson, and mark the _inflections_.
In determining upon the _emphasis_ to be given to the words of a
sentence, the only guide we have to follow is the _meaning_. We must
ask ourselves, "Which, words are of special importance to the meaning?"
* * * * *
Language Lesson.--Change each of the sentences given below to
_statements_, expressing as nearly as possible the same meaning.
"What troubles you to-day?"
"Tell me at once what the matter is!"
"Let us shout for Meccatina, and its mountains bare and brown!"
Model.--"What is your name?" changed to the form of a _statement_,
becomes--"I wish you to tell me your name."
Let pupils write four _questions_, and then change them to
_statements_, expressing as nearly as possible the same meaning.
* * * * *
LESSON LXXV.
plun'dered, _stripped of their goods by force_.
surge, _a rolling swell of water; billows_.
verge, _extreme side or edge_.
sheer, _straight up and down_.
frag'ments, _pieces; small portions_.
vis'ion _scene; imaginary picture_.
a byss', _chasm; deep space_.
phan'tom, _ghost; airy spirit_.
* * * * *
THE LEAP OF ROUSHAN BEG.
Mounted on Kyrat strong and fleet,
His chestnut steed with four white feet,
Roushan Beg, called Kurroglou,
Son of the road and bandit chief,
Seeking refuge and relief,
Up the mountain pathway flew.
Such was Kyrat's wondrous speed,
Never yet could any steed
Reach the dust-cloud in his course.
More than maiden, more than wife,
More than gold, and next to life,
Roushan the Robber loved his horse.
In the land that lies beyond
Erzeroum and Trebizond,
Garden-girt his fortress stood.
Plundered khan, or caravan
Journeying north from Koordistan,
Gave him wealth and wine and food.
Seven hundred and fourscore
Men at arms his livery wore,
Did his bidding night and day.
Now, through regions all unknown,
He was wandering, lost, alone,
Seeking without guide his way.
Suddenly the pathway ends,
Sheer the precipice descends,
Loud the torrent roars unseen;
Thirty feet from side to side
Yawns the chasm; on air must ride
He who crosses this ravine.
Following close in his pursuit,
At the precipice's foot,
Reyhan the Arab of Orfah
Halted with his hundred men,
Shouting upward from the glen,
"La Illah'illa Allah'!"
Gently Roushan Beg caressed
Kyrat's forehead, neck, and breast;
Kissed him upon both his eyes;
Sang to him in his wild way,
As upon the topmost spray
Sings a bird before it flies.
"O my Kyrat, O my steed,
Round and slender as a reed,
Carry me this peril through!
Satin housings shall be thine,
Shoes of gold, O Kyrat mine,
O thou soul of Kurroglou!
"Soft thy skin as silken skein,
Soft as woman's hair thy mane,
Tender are thine eyes and true;
All thy hoofs like ivory shine,
Polished bright; O, life of mine,
Leap and rescue Kurroglou!"
Kyrat, then, the strong and fleet,
Drew together his four white feet,
Paused a moment on the verge,
Measured with his eye the space,
And into the air's embrace
Leaped as leaps the ocean surge.
As the ocean surge o'er sand
Bears a swimmer safe to land,
Kyrat safe his rider bore;
Rattling down the deep abyss,
Fragments of the precipice
Rolled like pebbles on a shore.
Roushan's tassled cap of red
Trembled not upon his head,
Careless sat he and upright;
Neither hand nor bridle shook,
Nor his head he turned to look,
As he galloped out of sight.
Flash of harness in the air,
Seen a moment, like the glare
Of a sword drawn from its sheath;
Thus the phantom horseman passed,
And the shadow that he cast
Leaped the cataract underneath.
Reyhan the Arab held his breath
While this vision of life and death
Passed above him. "Allahu!"
Cried he. "In all Koordistan
Lives there not so brave a man
As this Robber Kurroglou!"
* * * * *
Directions for Reading.--Let pupils point out where changes in tone of
voice occur in reading this lesson.
What lines in the last two stanzas are to be joined in reading?
Keep the lungs sufficiently full of air to avoid stopping to breathe at
such places as would injure the sense.
* * * * *
Language Lesson.--Let pupils select a subject, and then make out an
_analysis_ to use in treating it.
* * * * *
LESSON LXXVI
mu se'um, _a place where curiosities are exhibited_.
ban'daged, _bound with strips of cloth_.
dy'nas ties, _governments; families of kings_.
ex plored', _searched; examined_.
pop'u lat ed, _peopled; filled with people_.
gen era' tions, _succession of families or peoples_.
e rect'ed, _raised; built_.
cal'cu lat ed, _estimated_.
flour'ished, _prospered; thrived_.
* * * * *
EGYPT AND ITS RUINS.
PART I.
Egypt embraces that part of Africa occupied by the valley of the River
Nile. For many centuries, it was a thickly populated country, and at one
time possessed great influence and wealth, and had reached an advanced
state of civilization.
The history of Egypt extends through a period of about six thousand
years. During this time great cities were built which flourished for
hundreds of years.
Owing to wars and changes of government many of these cities were
destroyed, and nothing of them now remains but massive and extensive
ruins.
Pyramids were built, obelisks erected, canals projected, and many other
vast enterprises were carried out.
Remains of these are to be seen to-day, some in ruins, some fairly
preserved, and, altogether, they give present generations an idea of the
wealth and power of the different dynasties under which they were built.
[Illustration]
Not far from Cairo, which is now the principal city of Egypt, are the
famous pyramids. These are of such immense proportions, that from a
distance their tops seem to reach the clouds.
They are constructed of blocks of stone. Some of these blocks are of
great size, and how the builders ever put them into their places, is a
question we can not answer.
It is supposed that the construction of one of these pyramids required
more than twenty years' labor from thousands of men.
The largest pyramid is four hundred and sixty-one feet high, seven
hundred and forty-six feet long at the base, and covers more than twelve
acres of ground. In all, sixty-seven of these pyramids have been
discovered and explored.
They are the tombs in which the ancient kings and their families were
buried. In the interior of these pyramids, many chambers were
constructed to contain their stone coffins.
It has been calculated that one of the principal pyramids could contain
three thousand seven hundred rooms of large size.
The bodies of those who were buried in the pyramids were preserved from
decay by a secret process, known only to the priests.
[Illustration]
After the bodies were prepared, they were wrapped in bands of fine
linen, and on the inside of these was spread a peculiar kind of gum.
There were sometimes a thousand yards of these bands on a single body.
After they were thus prepared, a soft substance was placed around the
bandaged body. This covering, when it hardened, kept the body in a
complete state of preservation.
[Illustration]
These coverings are now called mummy-cases, and the bodies they inclose,
mummies.
These bodies were finally placed, in huge stone coffins, many of which
were covered with curious carvings.
Some of these mummies have been found, that are said to be over three
thousand years old. However, when the wrappings are removed from them,
many of the bodies have been so well preserved, as to exhibit the
appearance of the features as in life.
Large numbers of these mummies have been carried to other countries and
placed on exhibition in museums.
Among the mummies brought to this country, are some of the best
specimens which have yet been discovered.
* * * * *
Directions for Reading.--Let pupils mark the _inflection_ and point out
_emphatic words_ in the first two paragraphs of the lesson.
Show positions of the _rhetorical pauses_ in the first paragraph on
page 363.[20]
* * * * *
Language Lesson.--Let pupils review, as a written exercise, the
spelling of the following words.
receding principal rubbish punctual
precipice council orphan microscope
justice civilized threshold muscles
precious merchandise especially traveler
physician recognize anecdote marvelous
sufficient apologize character benefited
vicious poisonous tremendous intelligent
Let pupils select a subject and make out an _analysis_ for its
treatment.
Each point in the _analysis_ will require a separate paragraph
for its treatment.
Be careful to use capital letters and marks of punctuation correctly.
[20] Paragraph beginning, "Remains of these are to be seen to-day...."
* * * * *
LESSON LXXVII.
de vic'es, _curious marks or shapes_.
in scrip'tion, _any thing cut or written on a solid substance_.
trans lat'ing, _expressing in another language_.
mem'o ra ble, _worthy of being remembered_.
spec'i mens, _small portions of things_.
in ge nu'i ty, _skill in inventing_.
tour'ists, _travelers; sight-seers_.
ded'i cat ed, _set apart for a special purpose_.
cer'e mo nies, _forms; special customs_.
site, _the place where any thing is fixed_.
mon'o lith, _a column consisting of a single stone_.
o rig'i nal ly, _in the first place_.
* * * * *
EGYPT AND ITS RUINS.
PART II.
The ancient Egyptians erected many obelisks in various parts of their
country. These were monuments made from single pieces of hard stone, and
in some cases reached a height of more than a hundred feet.
They were placed before gateways leading to the principal temples and
palaces, and were covered with curious carvings in the stone, which
represented the language of the people at that time.
It thus appears that their written language was not composed of letters
and words alone, like our own; but that they used pictures of animals,
including birds, human figures, and other devices of a singular nature,
to express their thoughts and ideas.
Until the year 1799, it was impossible for the scholars of modern
nations to read this strange language. In that year, however, a stone
tablet was discovered by a French engineer, containing an inscription
written in three languages.
One of these was in the characters of the ancient Egyptian and another
in those of the Greek. Upon translating the Greek writing, it was
discovered to be a copy of the inscription in the Egyptian language.
By comparing the words of these inscriptions with many others, the
formation of this peculiar language was ascertained. It was then learned
that the inscriptions on these obelisks were the records of memorable
events, and the heroic deeds of their kings and heroes.
Many of these obelisks have been taken from their positions in Egypt and
transported with great labor to other countries. Nearly two thousand
years ago the Roman emperors began to carry them to the city of Rome.
Altogether, nearly fifty of these remarkable monuments were taken away
and set up in that city. They were then, as now, regarded as curious
examples of the ingenuity of the ancients who first made them.
[Illustration: The Obelisk in Central Park, New York, and as it appeared
in Egypt.]
In later years, specimens were taken to Paris and London, and more
recently one was brought to America, and set up in the Central Park, New
York City.
This one belongs to the largest class, being nearly seventy feet high
and about eight feet square at the base.
The accompanying cut shows the position of this obelisk as it appeared
when standing near the city of Alexandria, Egypt.
The difficulty of transporting one of these huge stone columns is so
great, that for a long time it was thought impossible to remove it from
Egypt to this country.
In their large cities, the Egyptians built massive temples which were
dedicated to religious ceremonies. Some of them, although now in ruins,
are considered to be among the most remarkable productions of the
ancients.
Tourists who nowadays sail up the River Nile and visit the site of the
city of Thebes, the ancient capital of Egypt, are struck with amazement
at the vast ruins surrounding them.
On the eastern side of the Nile lies what is left of the temple of
Karnak.
Imagine a long line of courts, gateways, and halls; here and there an
obelisk rising above the ruins, and shutting off the view of the forest
of columns!
This mass of ruins, some lying in huge heaps of stone, others perfect
and pointed as when they were first built, is approached on every side
by avenues and gateways of colossal grandeur.
The temple originally covered an area of two hundred and seventy acres,
inclosed within a wall of brick. Parts of this wall are still visible,
while the rest lies crumbled and broken.
It is difficult to realize the grand appearance of the thirty rows of
stone columns standing within the wall. Some of them that are still
perfect, are capped with enormous monolith capitals, and it is said that
one hundred men could stand on one of them without crowding.
The hall itself is four hundred and twenty-two feet long by one hundred
and sixty-five feet broad. The stones of the ceiling are supported by
one hundred and thirty-four columns, which are still standing, and of
which the largest measures ten feet in diameter, and more than
seventy-two feet in height. They are covered with carvings and
paintings whose colors are still bright, even after a lapse of forty
centuries.
Gazing on what he sees around, the traveler becomes lost in an effort to
form some idea of the grandeur and vastness of the original.
* * * * *
Directions for Reading.--Let pupils read one or more of the paragraphs
in a whisper, so as to improve _articulation_.
Mark _rhetorical pauses_ in the last paragraph of the lesson.
Name _emphatic words_ in the same paragraph, and state whether the
_rhetorical pauses _occur before or after these words.
* * * * *
Language Lesson.--Let pupils write _statements_, each containing one
of the following words, used in such a manner as to show its proper
meaning: _haul, hall; site, sight; piece, peace; our, hour; sum,
some_.
Rules for the Analysis of a Subject.--Select such points as are
necessary to make the treatment of the subject complete.
Add such points as will increase the interest felt in the subject.
Arrange the points in a natural and easy order.
Note.--In treating an historical subject, it is necessary to arrange
the points in the order in which they occurred. In description, it is
best to adopt some plan of treatment, and arrange the points according
to the plan decided upon.
* * * * *
DEFINITIONS
OF NEW WORDS USED IN THIS BOOK, THAT DO NOT APPEAR
AT THE HEADS OF THE LESSONS.
_A_
a board', _on board of_.
ac cept', _take; receive_.
ac'ci dents, _effects; unusual results_.
ac cord'ing ly, _agreeably to a plan_.
ac count', _statement of facts; bill_.
ad mit'tance, _permission to enter; entrance_.
ad vice', _opinion worthy to be followed; counsel_.
af ford', _give; produce_.
a'gen cy, _office of an agent; action_.
aid, _help; assistance_.
al to geth'er, _with united action;
completely_.
a mid', _in the midst of; surrounded by_.
anxi' e ty (ang zi'e ty), _concern respecting some future event_.
ap plause', _praise_.
ap ply', _suit; agree_.
arch'es, _places made of stone, brick, etc_.
art, _skill_.
a shamed', _affected by a feeling of shame_.
as sist'ing, _helping; aiding_.
as sure', _tell truly; make sure or certain_.
at tempt', _try; make an effort_.
at ten'tion, _care; notice_.
av'e nues, _broad streets; openings_.
a wait'ed, _waited for_.
a ware', _informed_.
awk'ward, _clumsy; ungraceful_.
ay, _yes_.
_B_
bade, _said_.
ban'dit, _robber_.
ban'ner, _flag_.
base, _lower part_.
bid'ding, _command; order_.
bil'lows, _large waves_.
bon'ny, _handsome; beautiful_.
bor'row, _to receive from another with the intention of returning_.
bore, _carried_.
bor'ders, _edges; outer parts_.
braced, _took a firm stand_.
braid'ed, _woven or twined together_
brick, _a body made of clay and water and hardened by fire_.
bri'er, _a prickly plant or shrub_.
brig, _a vessel with two masts, square-rigged_.
brill'iant, _splendid; shining_.
brim'ming, _full; nearly overflowing_.
bris'tling, _standing erect_.
bul'let, _small ball of lead_.
bur'den, _that which is carried_.
but'ter fly, _a winged insect of many colors_.
_C_
cack'ling, _sharp and broken in sounds_.
ca nals', _water-courses made by man_.
ca'per ing, _playing; dancing_.
capped, _covered over at the top_.
cap tiv'ity, _state of being a prisoner_.
car'go, _burden; load_.
cas'ters, _rollers or small wheels_.
ceil'ing, _the upper surface of a room_.
cen'ter, _the middle point of any thing_.
cen'ti pedes, _a kind of insect having a great number of feet_.
cent'u ry, _one hundred years_.
chan'nel, _the regular course of a river_.
cheat'ed, _taken unfair advantage of; robbed_.
chose, _wished; desired_.
cin'ders, _small pieces of coal or wood partly burned_.
cir'cu lar, _round; shaped like a circle_.
cli'mate, _state or condition of the air as regards heat, cold,
and moisture_.
clink, _sharp ringing sound_.
clum'sy, _awkward; ungraceful_.
clus'ter, _number of things of the same kind growing together_.
cock'roach es, _insects with long, flattish bodies_.
cof'fins, _cases in which dead bodies are placed_.
coin, _piece of stamped metal used for money_.
col'umn, _a dark cloud of regular shape; a shaft of stone_.
com mand'ed, _had charge of; ordered_.
com plaint', _expression of anger_.
com plete', _entire; perfect_.
con clude', _make up one's mind_.
con'duct, _manner of action_.
con fined', _kept within limits_.
con nect'ed, _joined_.
con'quered, _subdued; overcome_.
con'quest, _act of taking by force_.
con sid'er a bly, _in a manner worthy of notice_.
con sid'er ing, _thinking; regarding_.
con'stant ly, _all the time_.
con'tact, _touching; meeting_.
con tained', _held_.
con'ti nent, _a great extent of land unbroken by water_.
con tin'u ally, _all the time_.
con verse', _talk_.
cour' age, _boldness_.
cow'ard, _one who lacks courage_.
crack'ling, _sharp noises_.
creek, _a small river or brook; a bay_.
crew (kru), _the sailors who man a ship_.
croak'ing, _making a hoarse noise_.
crook'ed, _not straight_.
crop, _what grows in a season_.
cured, _made well_.
cu ri os'i ty, _eager desire to find out something_.
cur'rent, _motion of a river_.
cus'tom, _way of acting; habit_.
cut'ter, _small boat used by ships of war_.
_D_
dames, _women_.
debt, _that which is owed_.
de'cent, _fit; suitable_.
de clare', _say with firmness_.
deed, _act; that which is done_.
de fence', _protection_.
dense, _thick; close_.
de scrip'tion, _an account_.
de sert'ed, _left; given up_.
de struc'tion, _ruin_.
de ter'mine, _decided; resolved_.
di'et, _what is eaten or drunk_.
di rect'ly, _instantly; immediately_.
dis ap point'ed, _grieved; filled with regret_.
dis as'ters, _unfortunate events_.
dis ease', _illness; sickness_.
dis hon'est, _not honest; faithless_.
dis miss' ing, _putting or sending away_.
dis o beyed', _went contrary to orders_.
dis pose', _sell; part with_.
dis re gard', _lose sight of_.
dis'trict, _part of a country; region_.
di vide', _separate into equal shares or parts_.
dome, _very high and broad roof_.
drag, _pull; draw_.
drays, _kinds of carts_.
dread'ful, _full of terror_.
drift, _borne along by the current of a river_.
driz'zling, _falling in very small drops_.
drowned, _deprived of life by water_.
duck'ing, _plunging into water_.
_E_
earth'quake, _a shaking or trembling of the earth_.
ech'oes, _is heard_.
ef fects', _results_.
ef'fort (furt), _struggle; attempt_.
em brace', _clasp; grasp_.
em'pire, _the country of an emperor_.
en'e my, _one who hates another_.
en gaged', _occupied; taken_.
en'gines, _machines used for applying force_.
en raged', _made very angry_.
en tire', _whole_.
ere, _before_.
er'rand, _short journeys on business_.
ex am'ple, _a pattern; a copy_.
ex'cel lent (ek), _very good_.
ex cep'tion, _that which is left out or omitted_.
ex cite'ment, _intense feeling_.
ex cla ma'tion, _a cry; that which is cried out_.
ex'er cise, _bodily exertion_.
ex hi bi'tion, _show; display_.
ex pla na'tion, _that which makes clear_.
ex ten'sive ly, _widely; largely_.
ex'tra, _more than usual_.
_F_
fac'to ries, _places where things are made_.
fare well', _good-by_.
fa'vors, _kind acts_.
fear'less ly, _without fear_.
feast, _a joyous meal_.
feat, _a difficult act_.
fee'ble, _weak; sickly_.
fer'ry, _a place to cross a river_.
fig'ured, _ornamented with marks_.
file, _a row of soldiers ranged behind one another_.
flanks, _the fleshy parts of the sides of animals_.
flee, _to run away_.
flood, _great flow of water_.
flour, _ground wheat_.
flu'id, _water, or any liquid_.
foot'men, _male servants_.
for ma'tions, _things of certain shape or form_.
for'tress, _a fort; a castle_.
fort'une, _chance; luck_.
frol'ic some, _merry; playful_.
fu'el, _material for fire_.
_G_
gal'lop, _a rapid movement, as of horses_.
gar'ret, _the upper room of a house_.
gems, _precious stones_.
gen'eral ly, _usually; commonly_.
gleam'ing, _shining brightly_.
glee, _joy; happiness_.
glim'mer, _a faint light_.
glis'ten ing, _sparkling; shining_.
globe, _the earth; a round body_.
glo'ri ous, _grand; splendid_.
glos'sy, _smooth; shining_.
gor'ges, _narrow passages_.
gos'sip, _foolish talk_.
gov'ern ment, _the power that controls a people_.
grand, _large; imposing_.
grum'bled, _complained; found fault with_.
guard, _that which protects_.
guests, _visitors_.
gur'gling, _flowing in a noisy current_.
_H_
hatch, _the cover for an opening in a vessel's deck_.
heath, _a meadow; cheerless tract of country_.
hedg'es, _thickets of bushes_.
hemmed, _shut in; surrounded_.
hence forth', _hereafter_.
he'ro, _a brave man_.
high'way, _a public road_.
hint, _something intended to give notice_.
hitched, _tied; fastened_.
hith'er, _in this direction_.
hogs'head, _a large cask_.
hoot'ing, _crying; shouting_.
hor'ri ble, _dreadful; terrible_.
howl'ing, _crying like a dog or wolf_.
hub'bub, _a great noise; uproar_.
husk, _the outside covering of certain fruits_.
hust'le, _shake; push roughly_.
_I_
i de'a, _thought_.
ill'-nat ured, _cross; bad-tempered_.
im ag'ine, _think; consider_.
im me'di ate ly, _without delay_.
im pos'si ble, _not possible_.
in de pend'ence, _the state of being free_.
in for ma'tion, _news; knowledge_.
in formed', _told; gave notice of_.
in hab'i tants, _persons living in a place_.
in'jured, _hurt; harmed_.
in'stant ly, _at once; without loss of time_.
in tent', _eager; anxious_.
in vi ta'tions, _requests for one's company_.
is'sue, _come forth; flow out_.
_J_
jag'ged, _having sharp points_.
jew'els (ju'els), _precious stones_.
jin'gling, _giving forth fine, sharp sounds_.
_K_
kern'el, _the eatable part of a nut; a little grain or corn_.
_L_
la'bor, _work; toil_.
lapse, _passing away_.
las'sie, _a young girl; a lass_.
lat'ter, _last-named; nearer_.
launched, _put into the water_
laws, _rules of action_.
leath'er, _the skins of animals prepared for use_.
ledge, _shelf of rocks_.
lee'ward, _that part toward which the wind blows_.
leop'ard, _a large animal of the cat kind_.
lest, _for fear that_.
lev'el, _smooth and flat; of equal height_.
lin'ing, _inside covering_.
lint, _linen scraped into a soft substance_.
liq'uid, _any fluid, like water_.
lisp'ing ly, _with a lisp_.
liv'er y, _a peculiar dress_.
load'stone, _a kind of magnetic ore_.
loft'y, _very high_.
low'ered, _let down_.
lub'ber, _a heavy, clumsy fellow_.
luck'y, _fortunate; meeting with good success_.
lum'ber, _timber sawed or split for use; boards_.
_M_
main'ly, _mostly; chiefly_.
mam'moth, _of great size_.
man'aged, _controlled; brought to do one's wishes_.
mane, _the long hair on a horse's neck_.
man'tel, _a narrow shelf over a fire-place, with its support_.
mar'gin, _edge; border_.
mark'et, _a place where things are sold_.
mark'ings, _marks; stamped places_.
mean'time, _during the interval; meanwhile_.
mel'low ing, _ripening; growing soft_.
melt'ed, _changed to a liquid form by the action of heat_.
mem'o ry, _the power of recalling past events_.
mer'chants, _those who buy goods to sell again_.
mil'i ta ry, _belonging to soldiers, to arms, or to war_.
mis'er y, _great unhappiness; extreme pain_.
mod'ern, _of recent date; belonging to the present time_.
mon'ster, _something of unusual size, shape, or quality_.
mon'u ments, _those things which stand to remind us of the past_.
mound, _a small hill, natural or artificial_.
mo'tion, _movement; change of position_.
must'y, _spoiled by age; of a sour smell_.
_N_
neigh'bor, _a person who lives near one_.
nerved, _strengthened; supplied with force_.
night'-mare, _an unpleasant sensation during sleep_.
nim'bly, _actively; in a nimble manner_.
_O_
o be'di ence, _willingness to submit to commands_.
o bliged', _forced; compelled_.
oc'cu pied, _taken possession of; employed_.
of'fi cer, _one who holds an office_.
off'ing, _a part of the sea at a distance from the shore_.
om'ni bus es, _large, four-wheeled carriages_.
on'ion (un'yun), _a root much used for food_.
out'posts, _advanced stations, as of an army_.
o ver come', _affected; overpowered by force_.
_P_
pace, _rate of movement_.
pal'ace, _a splendid dwelling, as of a king_.
par take', _share; take part in_.
patch, _small piece of any thing, as of ground_.
paus'es, _short stops; rests_.
pave'ments, _coverings for streets, of stone or solid materials_.
peb'bles, _small, roundish stones, worn by the action of water_.
per cus'sion, _requiring to be struck; the act of striking_.
per'fume, _scent or odor of sweet-smelling substances_.
pe'ri od, _portion of time; an interval_.
per'ished, _died; were destroyed_.
per mis'sion, _the act of allowing; consent_.
pic'nick ing, _having an outdoor party_.
pier, _a landing-place for vessels_.
pierce, _force a way into or through an object_.
pil'lars, _columns; huge masses_.
pin'cers, _jaws; pinchers_.
pit'e ous, _fitted to excite pity; sorrowful_.
pit'falls, _pits slightly covered for concealment_.
plan ta'tions, _farms of great extent_.
plots, _small pieces of ground, as garden plots_.
plucked, _pulled out or off_.
plunged, _dove; fell_.
po'et, _a maker of verses_.
pol'ished, _made bright and smooth by rubbing_.
po lite', _obliging; pleasant in manner_.
por'tion, _a part; that which is divided off_.
prat'tling, _childish; talking like a child_.
preach'ing, _speaking in public upon a religious subject_.
pres'ent ly, _soon; in a short time_.
prey, _any thing taken by force from an enemy_.
pri'vate, _not publicly known; peculiar to one's self_.
pro ces'sion, _regular movement, as of soldiers_.
prod'ucts, _fruits; that which is brought forth_.
proved, _turned out; showed the truth of_.
pro vid'ed, _furnished; supplied with necessary articles_.
puff'ing, _swelling with air; blowing in short, sudden whiffs_.
pure, _clear; free from other matter_.
_Q_
quilt'ed, _stitched together with some soft substance between_.
quo ta'tions, _portions of writings_.
_R_
range, _reach, as of a gun_.
ranks, _regular rows or lines, as of soldiers_.
ray, _light; a line of light or heat proceeding from a certain point_.
read'i ly, _without trouble or difficulty; easily_.
reap, _gather by cutting, as a harvest_.
re call'ing, _thinking of; bringing back to mind_.
re con sid'er, _think of again; change one's mind_.
rec'ords, _stories; descriptions of events_.
re gard'ed, _considered; looked at earnestly_.
re late', _tell_.
re lig'ious, _relating to religion_.
re main'der, _the rest; what is left_.
re mind', _call attention to for a second time_.
re moved', _moved away; took off_.
rent'ed, _gave possession of for pay_.
re paired', _mended_.
re placed', _put in place of another_.
rep re sent', _picture; tell about in an effective manner_.
re quire', _need; demand_.
re sist', _stand against; oppose with force_.
re spect', _regard_.
re tire', _withdraw; turn back_.
re volv'er, _a fire-arm with several chambers or barrels_.
rid, _free_.
ridg'es, _a long range of hills; steep places_.
ri'fle, _a gun having the inside of the barrel grooved_.
rind, _the outside coat, as of fruit_.
risk, _danger; peril_.
riv'u let, _a small river or brook_.
rob'ber, _one who commits a robbery_.
ro man'tic, _strange and interesting, as a romantic story_.
rouse, _awake; excite_.
ru'in, _that change of any thing which destroys it_.
rust'y, _covered with rust on account of long disuse_.
_S_
sake, _purpose; reason_.
sap, _the juice of plants_.
sat'in, _a glossy cloth made of silk_.
scene, _picture; view_.
schol'ars, _men of learning; those who attend school_.
scorch'ing, _burning slightly; affecting by heat_.
scoured, _made clean and bright_.
scram'bled, _moved with difficulty_.
scum, _that which rises to the surface; worthless matter_.
se'ri ous, _severe; sad in appearance_.
serv'ice, _duty, as of a soldier_.
se vere', _violent; hard_.
shab'by, _worn to rags; poor in appearance_.
shag'gy, _rough_.
shal'lows, _places where the water is not deep_.
shat'tered, _broken; broken at once into many pieces_.
sheath, _a covering for a sword_.
shep'herd, _one who has the care of sheep_.
shield, _a broad piece of armor carried on the arm_.
shock, _a sudden striking against_.
shriek, _a sharp, shrill cry on account of surprise or pain_.
siege, _a closing in on all sides of a fortified place_.
sighs, _stifled groans; long breaths_.
skein, _a number of threads of silk or yarn_.
skel'e ton, _bony frame-work of the body_.
skull, _the bony case which encloses the brain_.
sleet, _frozen mist_.
slopes, _declines by degrees_.
slum'ber, _sleep_.
sly'ness, _cunning; artfulness_.
smites, _strikes, as with a weapon_.
snort'ing, _forcing the air through the nose with a loud noise_.
soaked, _moistened throughout_.
soar, _fly high_.
sought (sawt), _tried; went in search of_.
spared, _saved from death or punishment_.
splut'ter ing, _boiling noisily; speaking hastily_.
spout, _run out with force_.
sprained, _injured by straining_.
spurred, _urged; encouraged_.
stale, _not new; not fresh_.
stee'ples, _high towers ending in a point_.
stern, _hind part of a boat_.
stock, _supply on hand_.
stout, _large; broad_.
strain'ing, _exerting to the utmost_.
strict, _severe; exact_.
stub'by, _short and thick_.
sub'stan ces, _bodies; matters_.
suc ceed'ed, _obtained the object desired_.
suf'fered, _felt pain_.
sul'try, _very hot; burning_.
sup port', _prop; pillar_.
sus pect'ed, _thought; considered quite probable_.
sus pi'cious, _indicating fear; inclined to suspect_.
_T_
tab'let, _a flat piece of stone_.
tac'tics, _disciplined movements_.
tem'per, _way of acting_.
tem'ple, _a place for worship_.
ten'drils, _tender branches of plants_.
ter'ri fied, _filled with fear_.
ter'ri to ry, _a large tract of land_.
ter'ror, _fear; dread_.
thieves _persons who steal_.
thirst, _strong desire for drink_.
thith'er, _to that place_.
thorns, _woody points on some trees and shrubs_.
thor'ough, _complete; perfect_.
thread'bare, _worn out_.
thrives, _prospers; flourishes_.
till'er, _the bar used to turn the rudder of a boat_.
ti'tle, _a name_.
tor'rid, _violently hot_.
trace, _mark; appearance_.
tract, _a region_.
treb'les, _the higher parts in music_.
trick'led, _flowed in drops_.
trop'ic al, _belonging to the tropics_.
tuft, _a cluster or bunch_.
tun'nels, _passages; openings_.
twinge, _a sudden, sharp pain_.
twink'ling, _a quick movement_.
twit'ter ing, _a trembling noise_.
_U_
uncom'forta ble, _causing uneasiness; not pleasant_.
un der neath', _below; beneath_.
un der take', _attempt_.
un ea'si ness, _want of ease_.
un grate'ful, _not thankful_.
u nit'ed, _joined; combined_.
un man'ly, _not worthy of a man_.
un ru'ly, _not submissive_.
un scarred', _not marked_.
urg'ing, _encouraging_.
ut'most, _to the furthest point_.
_V_
val'u a ble, _of great value_.
vel'vet, _a soft material woven from silk_.
ver'min, _little animals or insects_.
vic'tims, _persons destroyed in pursuit of an object_.
vic'tor, _one who conquers_.
vi'o lence, _force; power_.
virt'u ous, _inclined to do right_.
_W_
wa'ges, _what is paid for services_.
wa'ter break (breakwater), _that which breaks the force of water_.
weap'on, _any thing to be used against an enemy_.
whence, _from which or what place_.
whiff, _a quick puff of air_.
whith'er, _to what place_.
wig, _a covering for the head, made of hair_.
wine, _a liquor made from grapes_.
wits, _powers of the mind_.
wrig'gled, _moved or twisted_.
wrung, _distressed; twisted about_.
_Y_
yawns, _opens wide_.
youth'ful, _young; belonging to early life_.