Юные американцы за границей: путешествия по Англии: учебное пособие с иллюстрациями и звуковым сопровождением

УДК 811.111(075.8)
ББК  81.2Англ-923

К78

Р е ц е н з е н т ы:

д-р филологических наук, профессор А.П. Чудинов

(Уральский государственный педагогический университет)
канд. филол. наук, профессор Г.Н. Бабич

(Уральский государственный педагогический университет)
канд. филол. наук, зав. кафедрой перевода М.Ю. Бродский

(Институт международных связей)

старший преподаватель кафедры ГиСЭД Т.Н. Горновая

(Филиал Уральского гос. пед. университета в г. Новоуральске)

Красильникова Н.А.
Юные американцы за границей : Путешествия по Англии [Электронный ресурс] : 
учеб. 
пособие 
/ 
Н.А. 
Красильникова. – 3-е изд., стер. – М. : ФЛИНТА, 2021. – 
167 с. : ил.

ISBN 978-5-9765-0853-8 

К78

В основе настоящего пособия – книга Дж. Ов. Чоулса, которая со
стоит из писем молодых людей, передающих свои впечатления от увиденного в путешествии по Англии. В конце приведены упражнения по 
развитию и совершенствованию знания английского языка. Цель пособия – углубление и развитие навыков чтения и понимания неадаптированной литературы, навыков устной и письменной речи, сообщение 
сведений страноведческого характера. Материалы диска, сопровождающего книгу, способствуют развитию навыков аудирования и правильного произношения учащихся.

Для студентов вузов, а также учащихся старших классов и абиту
риентов.

УДК 811.111(075.8)
ББК  81.2Англ-923

© Красильникова Н.А., 2016
© Издательство «ФЛИНТА», 2016

ISBN 978-5-9765-0853-8 

CONTENTS 

To the Reader .
4

Foreword .
5

Introduction .
6

Letter 1 ........................................................................................................................7

Letter 2 ........................................................................................................................8

Letter 3 .
14

Letter 4 .
18

Letter 5 .
21

Letter 6 .
24

Letter 7 .
27

Letter 8 .
31

Letter 9 .
36

Letter 10 .
40

Letter 11.
42

Letter 12 .
46

Letter 13 .
80

Letter 14 .
83

Letter 15 .
86

Letter 16 .
90

Letter 17 .
100

Letter 18 .
103

Letter 19 ..................................................................................................................110

Letter 20 ..................................................................................................................113

Letter 21 ..................................................................................................................119

Letter 22 .
122

Letter 23 .
125

Exercises  .
127

Keys to Excercises .
163

УДК 811.111(075.8)
ББК  81.2Англ-923
 
К78

Р е ц е н з е н т ы:

д-р филологических наук, профессор А.П. Чудинов
(Уральский государственный педагогический университет)
канд. филол. наук, профессор Г.Н. Бабич
(Уральский государственный педагогический университет)
канд. филол. наук, зав. кафедрой перевода М.Ю. Бродский
(Институт международных связей)
старший преподаватель кафедры ГиСЭД Т.Н. Горновая
(Филиал Уральского гос. пед. университета в г. Новоуральске)

Красильникова Н.А.
Юные американцы за границей : Путешествия по Англии : учеб. пособие / Н.А. Красильникова. – М. : Флинта : 
Наука, 2010. – 168 с. : ил.
ISBN 978-5-9765-0853-8 (Флинта)
ISBN 978-5-02-037175-0 (Наука)

К78

В основе настоящего пособия – книга Дж. Ов. Чоулса, которая состоит из писем молодых людей, передающих свои впечатления от увиденного в путешествии по Англии. В конце приведены упражнения по 
развитию и совершенствованию знания английского языка. Цель пособия – углубление и развитие навыков чтения и понимания неадаптированной литературы, навыков устной и письменной речи, сообщение 
сведений страноведческого характера. Материалы диска, сопровождающего книгу, способствуют развитию навыков аудирования и правильного произношения учащихся.
Для студентов вузов, а также учащихся старших классов и абитуриентов.
УДК 811.111(075.8)
ББК  81.2Англ-923

© Красильникова Н.А., 2010
© Издательство «Флинта», 2010
ISBN 978-5-9765-0853-8 (Флинта)
ISBN 978-5-02-037175-0 (Наука)

CONTENTS 

To the Reader  ...................................................................................................... 4

Foreword .............................................................................................................. 5

Introduction .......................................................................................................... 6

Letter 1 ....................................................................................................................... 7

Letter 2 ....................................................................................................................... 8

Letter 3 ..................................................................................................................... 14

Letter 4 ..................................................................................................................... 18

Letter 5 ..................................................................................................................... 21

Letter 6 ..................................................................................................................... 24

Letter 7 ..................................................................................................................... 27

Letter 8 ..................................................................................................................... 31

Letter 9 ..................................................................................................................... 36

Letter 10 ................................................................................................................... 40

Letter 11 ................................................................................................................... 42

Letter 12 ................................................................................................................... 46

Letter 13 ................................................................................................................... 80

Letter 14 ................................................................................................................... 83

Letter 15 ................................................................................................................... 86

Letter 16 ................................................................................................................... 90

Letter 17 ................................................................................................................. 100

Letter 18 ................................................................................................................. 103

Letter 19 ..................................................................................................................110

Letter 20 ..................................................................................................................113

Letter 21 ..................................................................................................................119

Letter 22 ................................................................................................................. 122

Letter 23 ................................................................................................................. 125

Exercises  ......................................................................................................... 127

Keys to Excercises ........................................................................................... 163

5

TO THE READER:

THIS IS AN ILLUSTRATED EDITION OF THE PART OF J.O. Choules’s book 
“Young Americans Abroad; or, Vacation in Europe: Travels in England, 
France, Holland, Belgium, Prussia and Switzerland” devoted to his travels in England. It comes with a CD, which will help to master one’s listening and pronunciation skills.
This edition includes exercises meant to review and build up one’s 
knowledge of the English history and culture, to develop one’s skills in 
English grammar and speaking, and to enrich one’s vocabulary. It takes 
one through the most wondrous places in Liverpool, London, Bath and 
Bristol and offers an inside look and a detailed description of exterior of 
most marvelous buildings in  England.
For self-study 5 following steps are recommended: 1. Listen to the 
audio file and read the text. 2. Make up your own vocabulary for each 
letter. 3. Do the exercises provided at the end of the book. 4. Check your 
answers with the key. 5. Listen to the audio file again focusing on the 
vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation and cultural points that you’ve 
worked on through steps 1-4. Also, you can work on your pronunciation making stops and repeating after the native speaker or advance you 
translation skills trying synchronic or consecutive interpretation.
 Still other ways of using this edition would be for extensive reading or courses of “Speaking Practice” (Topics of going around England, 
English Art), “History of England”, “Stylistics of English”, reading and 
translation courses, etc. 
Enjoy your travels in the world of the English language and culture!

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would like to thank G. N. Babich, A. P. Chudinov, M. Yu. Brodsky 
and  T. N. Gornovaya for proofreading of the text and making suggestions for its improvement, for their trust, encouragement and the great 
inspiration they excite in me. I also express gratitude to one of my most 
gifted and industrious students Lola Shamuratova for her great help and 
assistance in working on this project.  

FOREWORD

CHOULES, John Overton, 
clergyman, was born in Bristol, England, 
5 February, 1801 and died in New York 
City, 5 January, 1856. His parents were 
Wesleyans, but he became a member of the 
Baptist church in 1819. After graduation 
at the Baptist divinity school in Bristol, 
he came to the United States in 1824. He 
supplied various churches in the vicinity of 
New York City, and became in the spring of 
1825 principal of an academy at Red Hook, 
on the Hudson. 

He was ordained pastor of the 2d Baptist church, Newport, Rhode 
Island, in September, 1827, took charge of the 1st church in New Bedford, Massachusetts, in 1833, and of the Washington street church, Buffalo, New York, in 1837. He was settled over the Sixth street church, 
New York City, in 1841, at Jamaica Plain, near Boston, in 1843, and in 
1847 became pastor for the second time of his old church in Newport.

Dr. Choules was a personal friend of Daniel Webster, and delivered 
a sermon in his memory at Newport, 21 November, 1852. He had mingled with various English celebrities in his youth, and was intimate with 
the most cultivated public men of his day. He was very successful as a 
teacher, and had a few pupils under his charge at his home during most of 
his life. One of his specialties was old Puritan literature, of which he had 
a fine collection in his library. He published “Young Americans Abroad,” 
a description of a vacation tour with his pupils, and “The Cruise of the 
Steam Yacht North Star,” a narrative of a pleasure excursion to Europe 
with Cornelius Vanderbilt (Boston, 1858). He also completed Smith’s 
“History of Missions” (2 vols., New York, 1832) and was, for a time, editor of the Boston Christian Times. In 1844 he contributed an introduction to Daniel Neal’s History of the Puritans, continued Hinton’s “History of the United States” to 1850, and edited various works.

5

TO THE READER:

THIS IS AN ILLUSTRATED EDITION OF THE PART OF J.O. Choules’s book 
“Young Americans Abroad; or, Vacation in Europe: Travels in England, 
France, Holland, Belgium, Prussia and Switzerland” devoted to his travels in England. It comes with a CD, which will help to master one’s listening and pronunciation skills.
This edition includes exercises meant to review and build up one’s 
knowledge of the English history and culture, to develop one’s skills in 
English grammar and speaking, and to enrich one’s vocabulary. It takes 
one through the most wondrous places in Liverpool, London, Bath and 
Bristol and offers an inside look and a detailed description of exterior of 
most marvelous buildings in  England.
For self-study 5 following steps are recommended: 1. Listen to the 
audio file and read the text. 2. Make up your own vocabulary for each 
letter. 3. Do the exercises provided at the end of the book. 4. Check your 
answers with the key. 5. Listen to the audio file again focusing on the 
vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation and cultural points that you’ve 
worked on through steps 1-4. Also, you can work on your pronunciation making stops and repeating after the native speaker or advance you 
translation skills trying synchronic or consecutive interpretation.
 Still other ways of using this edition would be for extensive reading or courses of “Speaking Practice” (Topics of going around England, 
English Art), “History of England”, “Stylistics of English”, reading and 
translation courses, etc. 
Enjoy your travels in the world of the English language and culture!

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would like to thank G. N. Babich, A. P. Chudinov, M. Yu. Brodsky 
and  T. N. Gornovaya for proofreading of the text and making suggestions for its improvement, for their trust, encouragement and the great 
inspiration they excite in me. I also express gratitude to one of my most 
gifted and industrious students Lola Shamuratova for her great help and 
assistance in working on this project.  

FOREWORD

CHOULES, John Overton, 
clergyman, was born in Bristol, England, 
5 February, 1801 and died in New York 
City, 5 January, 1856. His parents were 
Wesleyans, but he became a member of the 
Baptist church in 1819. After graduation 
at the Baptist divinity school in Bristol, 
he came to the United States in 1824. He 
supplied various churches in the vicinity of 
New York City, and became in the spring of 
1825 principal of an academy at Red Hook, 
on the Hudson. 

He was ordained pastor of the 2d Baptist church, Newport, Rhode 
Island, in September, 1827, took charge of the 1st church in New Bedford, Massachusetts, in 1833, and of the Washington street church, Buffalo, New York, in 1837. He was settled over the Sixth street church, 
New York City, in 1841, at Jamaica Plain, near Boston, in 1843, and in 
1847 became pastor for the second time of his old church in Newport.

Dr. Choules was a personal friend of Daniel Webster, and delivered 
a sermon in his memory at Newport, 21 November, 1852. He had mingled with various English celebrities in his youth, and was intimate with 
the most cultivated public men of his day. He was very successful as a 
teacher, and had a few pupils under his charge at his home during most of 
his life. One of his specialties was old Puritan literature, of which he had 
a fine collection in his library. He published “Young Americans Abroad,” 
a description of a vacation tour with his pupils, and “The Cruise of the 
Steam Yacht North Star,” a narrative of a pleasure excursion to Europe 
with Cornelius Vanderbilt (Boston, 1858). He also completed Smith’s 
“History of Missions” (2 vols., New York, 1832) and was, for a time, editor of the Boston Christian Times. In 1844 he contributed an introduction to Daniel Neal’s History of the Puritans, continued Hinton’s “History of the United States” to 1850, and edited various works.

To George Sumner, ESQ,
as a slight tribute of gratitude
for his kind attentions in Paris,
and in admiration of talents
devoted to the interests of freedom,
these letters are respectfully dedicated,
by his obliged friends, 
the authors. 

INTRODUCTION

One evening last winter a few private pupils were sitting in the study 
of their instructor, when he stated his intention to pass the spring vacation in Europe, and his wish to have two or three of his young friends as 
his travelling companions. An earnest and joyous desire was expressed 
by each lad to enjoy the gratification, and in the course of a short period 
the arrangements were made which afforded him the pleasure to assure 
three boys that they should accompany him. The ages of the young travellers were twelve, fourteen, and sixteen. Their attention was immediately directed to a course of reading adapted to prepare them for the 
beneficial use of the proposed tour; and during its progress each boy kept 
a journal, which was useful as a reference in the correspondence kept up 
with friends and families at home.
A companion in study, left behind, and prevented by duty from joining the party, wished to have constant advices of the movements of his 
friends; and the letters of the young travellers to a lad of sixteen are, at 
the advice of many friends, now submitted to the perusal of those at that 
age. No similar work is known to the authors of these letters; and at the 
forthcoming gift season it is hoped that the young of our country may be 
amused and gratified by these reminiscences of other lands.

J.O. CHOULES.

NEWPORT, R.I., 

Nov. 25, 1851.

Letter 1

Astor House, New York, April 1, 1851.

Dear Charley:

I have just arrived at this place, and have found my companions 
on hand, all ready for the commencement of the long-anticipated voyage. We regret the circumstances which render it your duty to remain, 
and we all feel very sorry for the disappointment of your wishes and 
our hopes. You will, however, feel happy in the thought that you are 
clearly in the path of duty; and you have already learnt that that path 
is a safe one, and that it always leads to happiness. You have begged 
us all to write to you as frequently as we can, and we have concluded 
to send you our joint contributions, drawing largely upon our journals 
as we move from place to place; and, as we have for so many years had 
pleasant intercourse in the family circle, we wish to maintain it by correspondence abroad. Our letters will, of course, be very different in their 
character and interest, because you will bear in mind that our ages are 
different; and we shall write you from a variety of points, some having 
a deeper interest than others. I trust that this series of letters will give 
you a general view of our movements, and contribute to your gratification, if not to your instruction. The weather is delightful, and we are 
anticipating a fine day for leaving port. It is to all of us a source of pain 
that we are deprived of your sunny smile; and while we are wandering 
far away in other lands, we shall often, in fancy, listen to your merry 
laugh; and I assure you, my dear fellow, that, wherever we rove, it will 
be amongst our pleasantest thoughts of home when we anticipate the 
renewal of personal intercourse with one who has secured so warm a 
place in our affections.

Yours truly,

J.O.C.

To George Sumner, ESQ,
as a slight tribute of gratitude
for his kind attentions in Paris,
and in admiration of talents
devoted to the interests of freedom,
these letters are respectfully dedicated,
by his obliged friends, 
the authors. 

INTRODUCTION

One evening last winter a few private pupils were sitting in the study 
of their instructor, when he stated his intention to pass the spring vacation in Europe, and his wish to have two or three of his young friends as 
his travelling companions. An earnest and joyous desire was expressed 
by each lad to enjoy the gratification, and in the course of a short period 
the arrangements were made which afforded him the pleasure to assure 
three boys that they should accompany him. The ages of the young travellers were twelve, fourteen, and sixteen. Their attention was immediately directed to a course of reading adapted to prepare them for the 
beneficial use of the proposed tour; and during its progress each boy kept 
a journal, which was useful as a reference in the correspondence kept up 
with friends and families at home.
A companion in study, left behind, and prevented by duty from joining the party, wished to have constant advices of the movements of his 
friends; and the letters of the young travellers to a lad of sixteen are, at 
the advice of many friends, now submitted to the perusal of those at that 
age. No similar work is known to the authors of these letters; and at the 
forthcoming gift season it is hoped that the young of our country may be 
amused and gratified by these reminiscences of other lands.

J.O. CHOULES.

NEWPORT, R.I., 

Nov. 25, 1851.

Letter 1

Astor House, New York, April 1, 1851.

Dear Charley:

I have just arrived at this place, and have found my companions 
on hand, all ready for the commencement of the long-anticipated voyage. We regret the circumstances which render it your duty to remain, 
and we all feel very sorry for the disappointment of your wishes and 
our hopes. You will, however, feel happy in the thought that you are 
clearly in the path of duty; and you have already learnt that that path 
is a safe one, and that it always leads to happiness. You have begged 
us all to write to you as frequently as we can, and we have concluded 
to send you our joint contributions, drawing largely upon our journals 
as we move from place to place; and, as we have for so many years had 
pleasant intercourse in the family circle, we wish to maintain it by correspondence abroad. Our letters will, of course, be very different in their 
character and interest, because you will bear in mind that our ages are 
different; and we shall write you from a variety of points, some having 
a deeper interest than others. I trust that this series of letters will give 
you a general view of our movements, and contribute to your gratification, if not to your instruction. The weather is delightful, and we are 
anticipating a fine day for leaving port. It is to all of us a source of pain 
that we are deprived of your sunny smile; and while we are wandering 
far away in other lands, we shall often, in fancy, listen to your merry 
laugh; and I assure you, my dear fellow, that, wherever we rove, it will 
be amongst our pleasantest thoughts of home when we anticipate the 
renewal of personal intercourse with one who has secured so warm a 
place in our affections.

Yours truly,

J.O.C.

9

Letter 2

Adelphi Hotel, Liverpool, April 14.

Dear Charley:

It is but twelve days since we parted, and yet we are actually in 
the old world, and the things which we have so often talked over on 
the rock-bound shore are really before me. Yes, we are on the soil of 
Old England, and are soon to see its glories and greatness, and, I fear, 
its miseries, for a bird’s eye view has already satisfied me that there is 
enough of poverty. You know we left New York in a soaking rain, and 
the wind blowing fresh from the north-east. We all felt disappointed, as 
we had hoped to pass down the bay, so celebrated for its beauty, with the 
bright sunshine to cheer our way; but we had to take comfort from the 
old proverb, that “a bad beginning makes a good ending.” James, George, 
and I had made up our minds to a regular time of sea-sickness, and so we 
hastened to put our state room into order and have all our conveniences 
fixed for the voyage. As soon as we had made matters comfortable, we 
returned to the deck, and found a most formidable crowd. Every passenger seemed to have, on the occasion, a troop of friends, and all parts of 
the immense steamer were thronged. The warning voice of “all on shore” 
soon caused secession, and at twelve o’clock we had the great agent at 
work by which we hoped to make headway against wind and wave. The 
cheering of the crowd upon the wharf was hearty as we dropped into the 
river, and its return from our passengers was not lacking in spirit. The 
Arctic, you know, is one of the Collins line of steamers, and I was not a 
little surprised at her vast size and splendid accommodations, because 
I had only seen the Cunard boats in Boston, which are very inferior, in 
size and comfort, to this palace and tower of the ocean.
We all anticipated a hard time of it, from the severe storm which 
raged all the morning, and I, in common with all the passengers, was delighted to find it any thing but rough water outside the Hook. We kept 
steaming away till we lost sight of land with the loss of daylight, and yet 
the sea was in less commotion than it frequently exhibits in Newport 
Harbor. The next morning, at breakfast, we had quite a fair representation at table, and I think more than two thirds presented themselves for 

duty. We boys were all on hand, and passed for “able-bodied men.” The 
routine of life on board was as follows: We breakfasted at eight, lunched 
at twelve, dined at four, took tea at half past six, and from nine till eleven 
gentlemen had any article for supper they saw fit to order. This is quite 
enough of time for taking care of the outer man, and any one careful of 
his health will be sure to intermit one or two of these seasons. All the 
meals were excellent, and the supplies liberal. The tables present a similar appearance to those of a first-class hotel. In regard to our passengers, 
I think I can say, with confidence, that a more agreeable set of persons 
could not well have been gathered together. It really was a nicely-assorted cargo. We numbered one hundred and thirty, and all the various 
parts of our country were all represented. Philadelphia sent the largest 
delegation; from that city we had more than twenty. 
I liked the looks of the passengers at the first glance, and every day’s 
intercourse heightened my estimate of their worth and pleasantness. 
Amongst the company we had Professor Haddock, of Dartmouth College, going out to Portugal as chargé d’affaires. He was accompanied by 
his lady and son. Then, too, we had the world-renowned Peter Parley, 
with his accomplished family circle. Mr. Goodrich, after a long labor for 
the youth of his country, for whose reading and instruction he has done 
so much, has been honored by the government of the United States with 
an appointment as consul at Paris. Mr. Goodrich resided there for two or 
three years, and was in Paris during the revolution of 1848. He seemed 
fond of the company of young people, and we spent a great deal of time 
on board with him, listening to his stories, some made up for the occasion, and narrations of the events in February at Paris, and some capital 
anecdotes about the last war with England, during which he served his 
country in the army. The Hon. George Wright, of California, and her 
first representative in Congress, was also one of our party; and his glowing descriptions of the auriferous regions kept groups of audience for 
many an hour. The Rev. Arthur Cleveland Cox, of Hartford, favorably 
known as the author of some pleasant rhymes and sonnets, Mr. Cunningham, a southern editor, and several retired sea captains, all contributed to enhance the agreeableness of the voyage. 
I am sorry to tell you that, three days out, we had a sad occurrence 
in our little world. Just as we were sitting down to lunch at eight bells, 
the machinery stopped for a moment, and we were informed that William Irwin, one of the assistant engineers, was crushed to death. He ac

9

Letter 2

Adelphi Hotel, Liverpool, April 14.

Dear Charley:

It is but twelve days since we parted, and yet we are actually in 
the old world, and the things which we have so often talked over on 
the rock-bound shore are really before me. Yes, we are on the soil of 
Old England, and are soon to see its glories and greatness, and, I fear, 
its miseries, for a bird’s eye view has already satisfied me that there is 
enough of poverty. You know we left New York in a soaking rain, and 
the wind blowing fresh from the north-east. We all felt disappointed, as 
we had hoped to pass down the bay, so celebrated for its beauty, with the 
bright sunshine to cheer our way; but we had to take comfort from the 
old proverb, that “a bad beginning makes a good ending.” James, George, 
and I had made up our minds to a regular time of sea-sickness, and so we 
hastened to put our state room into order and have all our conveniences 
fixed for the voyage. As soon as we had made matters comfortable, we 
returned to the deck, and found a most formidable crowd. Every passenger seemed to have, on the occasion, a troop of friends, and all parts of 
the immense steamer were thronged. The warning voice of “all on shore” 
soon caused secession, and at twelve o’clock we had the great agent at 
work by which we hoped to make headway against wind and wave. The 
cheering of the crowd upon the wharf was hearty as we dropped into the 
river, and its return from our passengers was not lacking in spirit. The 
Arctic, you know, is one of the Collins line of steamers, and I was not a 
little surprised at her vast size and splendid accommodations, because 
I had only seen the Cunard boats in Boston, which are very inferior, in 
size and comfort, to this palace and tower of the ocean.
We all anticipated a hard time of it, from the severe storm which 
raged all the morning, and I, in common with all the passengers, was delighted to find it any thing but rough water outside the Hook. We kept 
steaming away till we lost sight of land with the loss of daylight, and yet 
the sea was in less commotion than it frequently exhibits in Newport 
Harbor. The next morning, at breakfast, we had quite a fair representation at table, and I think more than two thirds presented themselves for 

duty. We boys were all on hand, and passed for “able-bodied men.” The 
routine of life on board was as follows: We breakfasted at eight, lunched 
at twelve, dined at four, took tea at half past six, and from nine till eleven 
gentlemen had any article for supper they saw fit to order. This is quite 
enough of time for taking care of the outer man, and any one careful of 
his health will be sure to intermit one or two of these seasons. All the 
meals were excellent, and the supplies liberal. The tables present a similar appearance to those of a first-class hotel. In regard to our passengers, 
I think I can say, with confidence, that a more agreeable set of persons 
could not well have been gathered together. It really was a nicely-assorted cargo. We numbered one hundred and thirty, and all the various 
parts of our country were all represented. Philadelphia sent the largest 
delegation; from that city we had more than twenty. 
I liked the looks of the passengers at the first glance, and every day’s 
intercourse heightened my estimate of their worth and pleasantness. 
Amongst the company we had Professor Haddock, of Dartmouth College, going out to Portugal as chargé d’affaires. He was accompanied by 
his lady and son. Then, too, we had the world-renowned Peter Parley, 
with his accomplished family circle. Mr. Goodrich, after a long labor for 
the youth of his country, for whose reading and instruction he has done 
so much, has been honored by the government of the United States with 
an appointment as consul at Paris. Mr. Goodrich resided there for two or 
three years, and was in Paris during the revolution of 1848. He seemed 
fond of the company of young people, and we spent a great deal of time 
on board with him, listening to his stories, some made up for the occasion, and narrations of the events in February at Paris, and some capital 
anecdotes about the last war with England, during which he served his 
country in the army. The Hon. George Wright, of California, and her 
first representative in Congress, was also one of our party; and his glowing descriptions of the auriferous regions kept groups of audience for 
many an hour. The Rev. Arthur Cleveland Cox, of Hartford, favorably 
known as the author of some pleasant rhymes and sonnets, Mr. Cunningham, a southern editor, and several retired sea captains, all contributed to enhance the agreeableness of the voyage. 
I am sorry to tell you that, three days out, we had a sad occurrence 
in our little world. Just as we were sitting down to lunch at eight bells, 
the machinery stopped for a moment, and we were informed that William Irwin, one of the assistant engineers, was crushed to death. He ac

11

cidentally slipped from his position, and was killed instantaneously. In 
less than half an hour he was sewed up in canvas, and all hands called to 
attend his funeral services! The poor fellow was laid upon a plank covered 
with the American flag, and placed at the wheel-house. The service was 
performed by Mr. Cox, in full canonicals; and I can assure you that the 
white-robed priest, as he issued from the cabin and ascended the wheelhouse, really looked impressively. At the close, he was committed to the 
deep. What food for thought was here! A man in health and at life’s daily 
task,—alive,—dead,—and buried,—all these conditions of his state crowded into thirty minutes! The poor man had a mother who was dependent 
upon him. Dr. Choules drew up a subscription paper for her benefit, and 
nearly five hundred dollars were at once raised for her relief. This unhappy 
event, of course, gave a sad damper to the joyous feelings which existed on 
board, and which were excited by our fine weather and rapid headway. On 
Sunday we had two sermons in the cabin to large congregations, all the 
passengers attending, with the officers and many of the crew. The morning service was by Dr. Choules, and the evening one by Mr. Cox.
In the afternoon, April 6, we had the gratification to see a magnificent iceberg. We were in lat. 43° 4’, lon. 53° 11’ at twelve o’clock, and at 
three the ice appeared at about ten miles’ distance. The estimated height 
was about three hundred feet. One of the passengers took a sketch. I also 
made one, and have laid it aside for your inspection.
The berg had much the appearance of the gable end of a large house, 
and at some little distance there was another, of tower-like aspect, and 
much resembling a light-house. The effect of the sun upon it, as we saw it 
in various positions, was exceedingly fine. On Monday, the 7th, we saw a 
much larger one, with several small ones as neighbors. This was probably 
one mile in length, and about two hundred feet high.

We saw several whales frolicking at the distance of a mile, and distinctly saw them spout at short intervals.
After having had all reason to hope for a ten-day passage, we were 
annoyed for four or five days with head winds, materially retarding our 
headway. The evenings of the voyage were generally spent on deck, 
where we had charming concerts. Seldom have I heard better singing 
than we were favored with by eight or ten ladies and gentlemen. One 
universal favorite was the beautiful piece, “Far, far at sea.” On Sunday, 
the 13th, just after morning service, conducted by Mr. Cox, we made 
Mizzen Head, and obtained a magnificent view of the north coast of Ireland, which was far more beautiful than we had expected. The coast is 
very bold, and the cliffs precipitous, in many places strongly reminding 
us of the high lands of the Hudson. A more exquisite treat than that 
which we enjoyed all the afternoon in looking on the Irish coast I can 
hardly imagine. At night we had a closing service, and Dr. Choules 
preached. Every one seemed to feel that we had cause for thankfulness 
that we had been brought in safety across the ocean, and under so many 
circumstances of enjoyment. We have made acquaintances that are truly 
valuable, and some of them I hope to cultivate in future life. 
One of the great advantages of travel, Charles, seems to be, that it 
enables us to compare men of other places than those we live in with our 
former acquaintances. It brings us into intercourse with those who have 
had a different training and education than our own; and I think a man 
or boy must be pretty thoroughly conceited who does not often find out 
his own inferiority to many with whom he chances to meet. On board 
our ship are several young men of fine attainments, who, engaged in mechanical business, are going out to obtain improvement and instruction 
by a careful study of the great exhibition. A number of gentlemen with 
us are young merchants, who represent houses in our great cities, and go 
to England and France twice and three times every year. Some of these 

Icebergs seen from the Steamship “Arctic,” on the Voyage from New 
York to Liverpool, April 6, 1851. 

Four Positions of an Iceberg, seen 6th of April. Estimated Height, 300 
feet. Lat. 43.04; long. 53.11; at Noon. 

11

cidentally slipped from his position, and was killed instantaneously. In 
less than half an hour he was sewed up in canvas, and all hands called to 
attend his funeral services! The poor fellow was laid upon a plank covered 
with the American flag, and placed at the wheel-house. The service was 
performed by Mr. Cox, in full canonicals; and I can assure you that the 
white-robed priest, as he issued from the cabin and ascended the wheelhouse, really looked impressively. At the close, he was committed to the 
deep. What food for thought was here! A man in health and at life’s daily 
task,—alive,—dead,—and buried,—all these conditions of his state crowded into thirty minutes! The poor man had a mother who was dependent 
upon him. Dr. Choules drew up a subscription paper for her benefit, and 
nearly five hundred dollars were at once raised for her relief. This unhappy 
event, of course, gave a sad damper to the joyous feelings which existed on 
board, and which were excited by our fine weather and rapid headway. On 
Sunday we had two sermons in the cabin to large congregations, all the 
passengers attending, with the officers and many of the crew. The morning service was by Dr. Choules, and the evening one by Mr. Cox.
In the afternoon, April 6, we had the gratification to see a magnificent iceberg. We were in lat. 43° 4’, lon. 53° 11’ at twelve o’clock, and at 
three the ice appeared at about ten miles’ distance. The estimated height 
was about three hundred feet. One of the passengers took a sketch. I also 
made one, and have laid it aside for your inspection.
The berg had much the appearance of the gable end of a large house, 
and at some little distance there was another, of tower-like aspect, and 
much resembling a light-house. The effect of the sun upon it, as we saw it 
in various positions, was exceedingly fine. On Monday, the 7th, we saw a 
much larger one, with several small ones as neighbors. This was probably 
one mile in length, and about two hundred feet high.

We saw several whales frolicking at the distance of a mile, and distinctly saw them spout at short intervals.
After having had all reason to hope for a ten-day passage, we were 
annoyed for four or five days with head winds, materially retarding our 
headway. The evenings of the voyage were generally spent on deck, 
where we had charming concerts. Seldom have I heard better singing 
than we were favored with by eight or ten ladies and gentlemen. One 
universal favorite was the beautiful piece, “Far, far at sea.” On Sunday, 
the 13th, just after morning service, conducted by Mr. Cox, we made 
Mizzen Head, and obtained a magnificent view of the north coast of Ireland, which was far more beautiful than we had expected. The coast is 
very bold, and the cliffs precipitous, in many places strongly reminding 
us of the high lands of the Hudson. A more exquisite treat than that 
which we enjoyed all the afternoon in looking on the Irish coast I can 
hardly imagine. At night we had a closing service, and Dr. Choules 
preached. Every one seemed to feel that we had cause for thankfulness 
that we had been brought in safety across the ocean, and under so many 
circumstances of enjoyment. We have made acquaintances that are truly 
valuable, and some of them I hope to cultivate in future life. 
One of the great advantages of travel, Charles, seems to be, that it 
enables us to compare men of other places than those we live in with our 
former acquaintances. It brings us into intercourse with those who have 
had a different training and education than our own; and I think a man 
or boy must be pretty thoroughly conceited who does not often find out 
his own inferiority to many with whom he chances to meet. On board 
our ship are several young men of fine attainments, who, engaged in mechanical business, are going out to obtain improvement and instruction 
by a careful study of the great exhibition. A number of gentlemen with 
us are young merchants, who represent houses in our great cities, and go 
to England and France twice and three times every year. Some of these 

Icebergs seen from the Steamship “Arctic,” on the Voyage from New 
York to Liverpool, April 6, 1851. 

Four Positions of an Iceberg, seen 6th of April. Estimated Height, 300 
feet. Lat. 43.04; long. 53.11; at Noon. 

are thoroughly accomplished men, and, wherever they go, will reflect 
credit upon their country. In no country, perhaps, do young men assume 
important trusts in commercial life at so early a period as in America. 
I have heard one or two Englishmen on board express their surprise at 
finding large business operations intrusted to young men of twenty and 
twenty-one; and yet there are some such with us who are making their 
second and third trips to Manchester, Leeds, Paisley, and Paris, for the 
selection of goods.
I ought to tell you that, on the last day of the voyage, we had a 
great meeting in the cabin, Mr. Goodrich in the chair, for the purpose 
of expressing the satisfaction of the passengers with the Arctic, her captain, officers, and engineer. Several good speeches were made, and some 
resolutions passed. This has become so ordinary an affair at the termination of a passage, as to have lost much of its original value; but as this 
ship had an unusual number of passengers, many of them well known to 
their fellow-countrymen, and as great opposition had been displayed, on 
both sides of the ocean, to this line of steamers, it was thought suitable 
to express our views in relation to this particular ship and the great undertaking with which she is identified. Every man on board was satisfied 
that, in safety, these ships are equal to the Cunard line; while in comfort, 
accommodation, size, and splendor they far surpass their rivals. It really 
seems strange to us that Americans should think of making the ocean 
trip in an English steamship, when their own country has a noble experiment in trial, the success of which alone depends upon the patriotism 
and spirit of her citizens. The English on board are forced to confess that 
our ship and the line are all that can be asked, and I think that pretty 
strong prejudices have been conquered by this voyage. Every one left 
the ship with sentiments of respect to Captain Luce, who, I assure you, 
we found to be a very kind friend, and we shall all of us be glad to meet 
him again on ship or shore.
On Monday, the 14th, at three o’clock, we took our pilot, and at 
eight o’clock we anchored off Liverpool, and a dark-looking steamtug 
came off to us for the mails, foreign ministers, and bearers of despatches. 
As we came under the wing of one of the last-named class of favored 
individuals, we took our luggage, and proceeded straight to the Adelphi Hotel. I ought to say that James was the first to quit the ship and 
plant his foot on Old England. It was quite strange to see it so light at 
half past eight o’clock, although it was a rainy evening. I shall not soon 

forget the cheerful appearance of the Adelphi, which, in all its provisions 
for comfort, both in the coffee-room and our chambers, struck me more 
favorably than any hotel I had ever seen. Although our state-room on 
board the Arctic was one of the extra size and every thing that was nice, 
yet I longed for the conveniences of a bed-chamber and a warm bath. I 
am quite disposed to join with the poor Irish woman who had made a 
steerage passage from New York to Liverpool on a packet ship; and when 
landed at St. George’s pier, and seated on her trunk, a lady who had also 
landed, when getting into her carriage, said, “Well, my good woman, I 
suppose you are very glad to get out of the ship?” Her reply was, “And 
indeed, my lady, every bone in my body cries out feathers!”

Yours truly,

WELD.