Little Ones,
The Great Expedition continues and all in my party are safe. Do you remember Mr. Buchanan? His airship and shuttle provide us with almost as many comforts as you yourself enjoy. Rain and wind do whip about us at times. The clouds are so very lovely I wish each of you were beside me when we fly through them.
How have your studies gone? Can you name four rocks native to our fair land? Who guessed the name of the samples I sent to Miss Watkin? I have more for you to guess so pray be still, quiet and listen close to the lesson for only after such proper behavior will Miss Watkin read the last bit out. (1)
Our lesson today is geography. First I want you to hear some words and their definitions. (2)
Geography, a description of the surface of the earth.
Sea, a large body of water.
Lake, a large body of fresh water (rarely salt water).
Ocean, a large sea--the mother of seas.
Strait, a narrow channel, or water-passage, connecting seas or lakes.
Channel, a wide strait, or water-passage.
Canal, an artificial water-passage.
Gulf, a large body of salt water, almost surrounded by land.
Bay, a large body of water, opening into a sea or lake.
Harbour, a safe shelter for ships.
Dock, an artificial harbour.
River, a stream of water flowing into the sea.
Sound, a bay or frith ; a great inlet of the sea with anchorage.
Roadstead, a portion of a bay, where ships can find anchorage.
Frith, a wide mouth of a river; an estuary.
Tide, the semi-daily rise and fall of the sea.
Shoals, shallow places where there is little depth of water.
Shore, the portion of land that forms the border of seas, rivers, &c.
Banks, shores of a river ; shoals in the sea ; shallow places.
Ship, a boat or vessel of the largest class, having three or more masts ; a large steamboat.
Brig, a vessel of the 2nd class, having two masts, and square sails.
Sloop, a vessel of the 3rd class.
Schooner, a small brig, but differently rigged.
Who has guessed today's theme? Water and how it meets the land! This is not all the words you will need to know and when I return I will award a prize to two pupils. The first one to correctly spell every word above and the one who works hard on the best map of Caledon using the above words. Fetch out the box for art. Now, each one of you raise your hand and tell Miss Watkin one place you know in Caledon. Use the proper word to describe it.
You are loved, each and every one of you. Mind your manners, keep clean and study hard for one day you will be old enough to go on a Great Expedition. Pardon? You want your guessing game? Only if Miss Watkin says tis time.
The Divided Garden.
A person has a square plot of ground having a house built upon it, which he lets out to various tenants; he was desirous of dividing it so that each of the five inmates should have an equal share of the garden, and two trees.
The Great Expedition continues and all in my party are safe. Do you remember Mr. Buchanan? His airship and shuttle provide us with almost as many comforts as you yourself enjoy. Rain and wind do whip about us at times. The clouds are so very lovely I wish each of you were beside me when we fly through them.
How have your studies gone? Can you name four rocks native to our fair land? Who guessed the name of the samples I sent to Miss Watkin? I have more for you to guess so pray be still, quiet and listen close to the lesson for only after such proper behavior will Miss Watkin read the last bit out. (1)
Our lesson today is geography. First I want you to hear some words and their definitions. (2)
Geography, a description of the surface of the earth.
Sea, a large body of water.
Lake, a large body of fresh water (rarely salt water).
Ocean, a large sea--the mother of seas.
Strait, a narrow channel, or water-passage, connecting seas or lakes.
Channel, a wide strait, or water-passage.
Canal, an artificial water-passage.
Gulf, a large body of salt water, almost surrounded by land.
Bay, a large body of water, opening into a sea or lake.
Harbour, a safe shelter for ships.
Dock, an artificial harbour.
River, a stream of water flowing into the sea.
Sound, a bay or frith ; a great inlet of the sea with anchorage.
Roadstead, a portion of a bay, where ships can find anchorage.
Frith, a wide mouth of a river; an estuary.
Tide, the semi-daily rise and fall of the sea.
Shoals, shallow places where there is little depth of water.
Shore, the portion of land that forms the border of seas, rivers, &c.
Banks, shores of a river ; shoals in the sea ; shallow places.
Ship, a boat or vessel of the largest class, having three or more masts ; a large steamboat.
Brig, a vessel of the 2nd class, having two masts, and square sails.
Sloop, a vessel of the 3rd class.
Schooner, a small brig, but differently rigged.
Who has guessed today's theme? Water and how it meets the land! This is not all the words you will need to know and when I return I will award a prize to two pupils. The first one to correctly spell every word above and the one who works hard on the best map of Caledon using the above words. Fetch out the box for art. Now, each one of you raise your hand and tell Miss Watkin one place you know in Caledon. Use the proper word to describe it.
You are loved, each and every one of you. Mind your manners, keep clean and study hard for one day you will be old enough to go on a Great Expedition. Pardon? You want your guessing game? Only if Miss Watkin says tis time.
The Divided Garden.
A person has a square plot of ground having a house built upon it, which he lets out to various tenants; he was desirous of dividing it so that each of the five inmates should have an equal share of the garden, and two trees.
How did he contrive it? My next letter will have the solution and a prize of two candy pieces to everyone who gets it correct.
With warm affection,
Mylinn Ofeq
Curator's note
We have located what we believe to be the origin of Mylinn Ofeq's puzzles. Much of the lesson seems to derive from the second book listed. Some researchers have suggested she may have been the original creator of these 'short expeditions.'
1) The Boy's Own Toy-maker: A Practical Illustrated Guide to the Useful Employment of Leasure Hours By Ebenezer Landells, p 144.
2) Title: A geography for beginners / by the Rev. K.J. Stewart. Author: Stewart, K. J. (Kensey Johns) Collection: 19th Century Schoolbooks Collection pp 1 - 5 (quoted with only a few omissions).
