Learn English through classic literature • Five-line readings • Clear US narration
VELMORA ACADEMY
Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies
Menu Close
Nature and Human Nature
Nature and Human Nature

Chapter XII · Chapter 12

Chapter 12 of Nature and Human Nature is here in full — 307 sentences across 62 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Nature and Human Nature
Context Illustration Reading 1/61 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
A FOGGY NIGHT.
The wind, what there was of it, was off shore; it was a light north-wester, but after we made an offing of about ten miles, it failed us, being evidently nothing but a land breeze, and we were soon becalmed.
After tossing about for an hour or two, a light cat’s-paw gave notice that a fresh one was springing up, but it was from the east, and directly ahead.
We shall make poor work of this,” said the pilot, and I am afraid it will bring up a fog with it, which is a dangerous thing on this coast, I would advise therefore returning to Ship Harbour,” but the captain said, Business must be attended to, and as there was nothing more of the kind to be done there, we must only have patience and beat up for Port Liscomb, which is a great resort for fishermen.”
I proposed we should take the wind as we found it, and run for Chesencook, a French settlement, a short distance to the westward of us, and effect our object there, which I thought very probable, as no American vessels put in there if they can avoid it.
0:00 / 0:00
Speed 0.75x
AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Nature and Human Nature

Chapter XII · Chapter 12

Chapter 12 of Nature and Human Nature is here in full — 307 sentences across 62 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/61 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
A FOGGY NIGHT.
/ə ˈfɑːɡi naɪt/
Line 2
The wind, what there was of it, was off shore; it was a light north-wester, but after we made an offing of about ten miles, it failed us, being evidently nothing but a land breeze, and we were soon becalmed.
Line 3
After tossing about for an hour or two, a light cat’s-paw gave notice that a fresh one was springing up, but it was from the east, and directly ahead.
Line 4
We shall make poor work of this,” said the pilot, “and I am afraid it will bring up a fog with it, which is a dangerous thing on this coast, I would advise therefore returning to Ship Harbour,” but the captain said, “Business must be attended to, and as there was nothing more of the kind to be done there, we must only have patience and beat up for Port Liscomb, which is a great resort for fishermen.”
Line 5
I proposed we should take the wind as we found it, and run for Chesencook, a French settlement, a short distance to the westward of us, and effect our object there, which I thought very probable, as no American vessels put in there if they can avoid it.

Learner Dictionary

These definitions explain words found in the current reading and keep every example grounded in its original sentence.

Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, and audio.

becalmed adjective US /bɪˈkɑːmd/

rendered motionless for lack of wind

From this reading “The wind, what there was of it, was off shore; it was a light north-wester, but after we made an offing of about ten miles, it failed us, being evidently nothing but a land breeze, and we were soon becalmed.”

fishermen noun US /ˈfɪʃərmɪn/

plural of “fisherman” — someone whose occupation is catching fish

From this reading ““We shall make poor work of this,” said the pilot, “and I am afraid it will bring up a fog with it, which is a dangerous thing on this coast, I would advise therefore returning to Ship Harbour,” but the captain said, “Business must be attended to, and as there was nothing more of the kind to be done there, we must only have patience and beat up for Port Liscomb, which is a great resort for fishermen.””

foggy adjective US /ˈfɑːɡi/

stunned or confused and slow to react (as from blows or drunkenness or exhaustion)

From this reading “A FOGGY NIGHT.”

offing noun US /ˈɔːfɪŋ/

the near or foreseeable future

From this reading “The wind, what there was of it, was off shore; it was a light north-wester, but after we made an offing of about ten miles, it failed us, being evidently nothing but a land breeze, and we were soon becalmed.”

pilot verb US /ˈpaɪlət/

operate an airplane

From this reading ““We shall make poor work of this,” said the pilot, “and I am afraid it will bring up a fog with it, which is a dangerous thing on this coast, I would advise therefore returning to Ship Harbour,” but the captain said, “Business must be attended to, and as there was nothing more of the kind to be done there, we must only have patience and beat up for Port Liscomb, which is a great resort for fishermen.””

resort noun US /rɪˈzɔːrt/

a hotel located in a resort area

From this reading ““We shall make poor work of this,” said the pilot, “and I am afraid it will bring up a fog with it, which is a dangerous thing on this coast, I would advise therefore returning to Ship Harbour,” but the captain said, “Business must be attended to, and as there was nothing more of the kind to be done there, we must only have patience and beat up for Port Liscomb, which is a great resort for fishermen.””

tossing verb US /ˈtɔːsɪŋ/

-ing form of “toss” — throw or toss with a light motion

From this reading “After tossing about for an hour or two, a light cat’s-paw gave notice that a fresh one was springing up, but it was from the east, and directly ahead.”

westward adverb US /ˈwestwərd/

toward the west

From this reading “I proposed we should take the wind as we found it, and run for Chesencook, a French settlement, a short distance to the westward of us, and effect our object there, which I thought very probable, as no American vessels put in there if they can avoid it.”

All words in this reading · 122

Every word in these five lines is listed here, and every one of them can be played on its own.

Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

AdeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading A FOGGY NIGHT.

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading The wind, what there was of it, was off shore; it was a light north-wester, but after we made an offing of about ten miles, it failed us, being evidently nothing but a land breeze, and we were soon becalmed.

adviseverbUS /ædˈvaɪz/

give advice to

From this reading “We shall make poor work of this,” said the pilot, “and I am afraid it will bring up a fog with it, which is a dangerous thing on this coast, I would advise therefore returning to Ship Harbour,” but the captain said, “Business must be attended to, and as there was nothing more of the kind to be done there, we must only have patience and beat up for Port Liscomb, which is a great resort for fishermen.”

afraidadjectiveUS /əˈfreɪd/

filled with fear or apprehension

From this reading “We shall make poor work of this,” said the pilot, “and I am afraid it will bring up a fog with it, which is a dangerous thing on this coast, I would advise therefore returning to Ship Harbour,” but the captain said, “Business must be attended to, and as there was nothing more of the kind to be done there, we must only have patience and beat up for Port Liscomb, which is a great resort for fishermen.”

afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading The wind, what there was of it, was off shore; it was a light north-wester, but after we made an offing of about ten miles, it failed us, being evidently nothing but a land breeze, and we were soon becalmed.

aheadadverbUS /əˈhed/

at or in the front

From this reading After tossing about for an hour or two, a light cat’s-paw gave notice that a fresh one was springing up, but it was from the east, and directly ahead.

amauxiliary verbUS /æm/

the form of “be” used with “I”

From this reading “We shall make poor work of this,” said the pilot, “and I am afraid it will bring up a fog with it, which is a dangerous thing on this coast, I would advise therefore returning to Ship Harbour,” but the captain said, “Business must be attended to, and as there was nothing more of the kind to be done there, we must only have patience and beat up for Port Liscomb, which is a great resort for fishermen.”

AmericannounUS /əˈmerəkən/

a native or inhabitant of the United States

From this reading I proposed we should take the wind as we found it, and run for Chesencook, a French settlement, a short distance to the westward of us, and effect our object there, which I thought very probable, as no American vessels put in there if they can avoid it.

andeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading The wind, what there was of it, was off shore; it was a light north-wester, but after we made an offing of about ten miles, it failed us, being evidently nothing but a land breeze, and we were soon becalmed.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading The wind, what there was of it, was off shore; it was a light north-wester, but after we made an offing of about ten miles, it failed us, being evidently nothing but a land breeze, and we were soon becalmed.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading “We shall make poor work of this,” said the pilot, “and I am afraid it will bring up a fog with it, which is a dangerous thing on this coast, I would advise therefore returning to Ship Harbour,” but the captain said, “Business must be attended to, and as there was nothing more of the kind to be done there, we must only have patience and beat up for Port Liscomb, which is a great resort for fishermen.”

attendedadjectiveUS /əˈtendɪd/

playing or singing with instrumental or vocal accompaniment

From this reading “We shall make poor work of this,” said the pilot, “and I am afraid it will bring up a fog with it, which is a dangerous thing on this coast, I would advise therefore returning to Ship Harbour,” but the captain said, “Business must be attended to, and as there was nothing more of the kind to be done there, we must only have patience and beat up for Port Liscomb, which is a great resort for fishermen.”

avoidverbUS /əˈvɔɪd/

stay clear from; keep away from; keep out of the way of someone or something

From this reading I proposed we should take the wind as we found it, and run for Chesencook, a French settlement, a short distance to the westward of us, and effect our object there, which I thought very probable, as no American vessels put in there if they can avoid it.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading “We shall make poor work of this,” said the pilot, “and I am afraid it will bring up a fog with it, which is a dangerous thing on this coast, I would advise therefore returning to Ship Harbour,” but the captain said, “Business must be attended to, and as there was nothing more of the kind to be done there, we must only have patience and beat up for Port Liscomb, which is a great resort for fishermen.”

beatverbUS /biːt/

come out better in a competition, race, or conflict

From this reading “We shall make poor work of this,” said the pilot, “and I am afraid it will bring up a fog with it, which is a dangerous thing on this coast, I would advise therefore returning to Ship Harbour,” but the captain said, “Business must be attended to, and as there was nothing more of the kind to be done there, we must only have patience and beat up for Port Liscomb, which is a great resort for fishermen.”

becalmedadjectiveUS /bɪˈkɑːmd/

rendered motionless for lack of wind

From this reading The wind, what there was of it, was off shore; it was a light north-wester, but after we made an offing of about ten miles, it failed us, being evidently nothing but a land breeze, and we were soon becalmed.

beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/

the -ing form of “be”

From this reading The wind, what there was of it, was off shore; it was a light north-wester, but after we made an offing of about ten miles, it failed us, being evidently nothing but a land breeze, and we were soon becalmed.

breezenounUS /briːz/

a slight wind (usually refreshing)

From this reading The wind, what there was of it, was off shore; it was a light north-wester, but after we made an offing of about ten miles, it failed us, being evidently nothing but a land breeze, and we were soon becalmed.

bringverbUS /brɪŋ/

take something or somebody with oneself somewhere

From this reading “We shall make poor work of this,” said the pilot, “and I am afraid it will bring up a fog with it, which is a dangerous thing on this coast, I would advise therefore returning to Ship Harbour,” but the captain said, “Business must be attended to, and as there was nothing more of the kind to be done there, we must only have patience and beat up for Port Liscomb, which is a great resort for fishermen.”

BusinessnounUS /ˈbɪznəs/

a commercial or industrial enterprise and the people who constitute it

From this reading “We shall make poor work of this,” said the pilot, “and I am afraid it will bring up a fog with it, which is a dangerous thing on this coast, I would advise therefore returning to Ship Harbour,” but the captain said, “Business must be attended to, and as there was nothing more of the kind to be done there, we must only have patience and beat up for Port Liscomb, which is a great resort for fishermen.”

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading The wind, what there was of it, was off shore; it was a light north-wester, but after we made an offing of about ten miles, it failed us, being evidently nothing but a land breeze, and we were soon becalmed.

canmodal verbUS /kæn/

to be able to, or to be allowed to

From this reading I proposed we should take the wind as we found it, and run for Chesencook, a French settlement, a short distance to the westward of us, and effect our object there, which I thought very probable, as no American vessels put in there if they can avoid it.

captainnounUS /ˈkæptən/

an officer holding a rank below a major but above a lieutenant

From this reading “We shall make poor work of this,” said the pilot, “and I am afraid it will bring up a fog with it, which is a dangerous thing on this coast, I would advise therefore returning to Ship Harbour,” but the captain said, “Business must be attended to, and as there was nothing more of the kind to be done there, we must only have patience and beat up for Port Liscomb, which is a great resort for fishermen.”

cat's-pawnoun

a person used by another to gain an end

From this reading After tossing about for an hour or two, a light cat’s-paw gave notice that a fresh one was springing up, but it was from the east, and directly ahead.

Chesencook

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading I proposed we should take the wind as we found it, and run for Chesencook, a French settlement, a short distance to the westward of us, and effect our object there, which I thought very probable, as no American vessels put in there if they can avoid it.

coastnounUS /koʊst/

the shore of a sea or ocean

From this reading “We shall make poor work of this,” said the pilot, “and I am afraid it will bring up a fog with it, which is a dangerous thing on this coast, I would advise therefore returning to Ship Harbour,” but the captain said, “Business must be attended to, and as there was nothing more of the kind to be done there, we must only have patience and beat up for Port Liscomb, which is a great resort for fishermen.”

dangerousadjectiveUS /ˈdeɪndʒərəs/

involving or causing danger or risk; liable to hurt or harm

From this reading “We shall make poor work of this,” said the pilot, “and I am afraid it will bring up a fog with it, which is a dangerous thing on this coast, I would advise therefore returning to Ship Harbour,” but the captain said, “Business must be attended to, and as there was nothing more of the kind to be done there, we must only have patience and beat up for Port Liscomb, which is a great resort for fishermen.”

directlyadverbUS /dərˈektli/

without deviation

From this reading After tossing about for an hour or two, a light cat’s-paw gave notice that a fresh one was springing up, but it was from the east, and directly ahead.

distancenounUS /ˈdɪstəns/

the property created by the space between two objects or points

From this reading I proposed we should take the wind as we found it, and run for Chesencook, a French settlement, a short distance to the westward of us, and effect our object there, which I thought very probable, as no American vessels put in there if they can avoid it.

doneadjectiveUS /dʌn/

having finished or arrived at completion

From this reading “We shall make poor work of this,” said the pilot, “and I am afraid it will bring up a fog with it, which is a dangerous thing on this coast, I would advise therefore returning to Ship Harbour,” but the captain said, “Business must be attended to, and as there was nothing more of the kind to be done there, we must only have patience and beat up for Port Liscomb, which is a great resort for fishermen.”

eastnounUS /iːst/

the cardinal compass point that is at 90 degrees

From this reading After tossing about for an hour or two, a light cat’s-paw gave notice that a fresh one was springing up, but it was from the east, and directly ahead.

effectnounUS /ɪˈfekt/

a phenomenon that follows and is caused by some previous phenomenon

From this reading I proposed we should take the wind as we found it, and run for Chesencook, a French settlement, a short distance to the westward of us, and effect our object there, which I thought very probable, as no American vessels put in there if they can avoid it.

evidentlyadverbUS /ˈevədəntli/

unmistakably (“plain” is often used informally for “plainly”)

From this reading The wind, what there was of it, was off shore; it was a light north-wester, but after we made an offing of about ten miles, it failed us, being evidently nothing but a land breeze, and we were soon becalmed.

failedverbUS /feɪld/

past form of “fail” — fail to do something; leave something undone

From this reading The wind, what there was of it, was off shore; it was a light north-wester, but after we made an offing of about ten miles, it failed us, being evidently nothing but a land breeze, and we were soon becalmed.

fishermennounUS /ˈfɪʃərmɪn/

plural of “fisherman” — someone whose occupation is catching fish

From this reading “We shall make poor work of this,” said the pilot, “and I am afraid it will bring up a fog with it, which is a dangerous thing on this coast, I would advise therefore returning to Ship Harbour,” but the captain said, “Business must be attended to, and as there was nothing more of the kind to be done there, we must only have patience and beat up for Port Liscomb, which is a great resort for fishermen.”

fognounUS /fɑːɡ/

droplets of water vapor suspended in the air near the ground

From this reading “We shall make poor work of this,” said the pilot, “and I am afraid it will bring up a fog with it, which is a dangerous thing on this coast, I would advise therefore returning to Ship Harbour,” but the captain said, “Business must be attended to, and as there was nothing more of the kind to be done there, we must only have patience and beat up for Port Liscomb, which is a great resort for fishermen.”

FOGGYadjectiveUS /ˈfɑːɡi/

stunned or confused and slow to react (as from blows or drunkenness or exhaustion)

From this reading A FOGGY NIGHT.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading After tossing about for an hour or two, a light cat’s-paw gave notice that a fresh one was springing up, but it was from the east, and directly ahead.

foundverbUS /faʊnd/

set up or found

From this reading I proposed we should take the wind as we found it, and run for Chesencook, a French settlement, a short distance to the westward of us, and effect our object there, which I thought very probable, as no American vessels put in there if they can avoid it.

FrenchnounUS /frentʃ/

the Romance language spoken in France and in countries colonized by France

From this reading I proposed we should take the wind as we found it, and run for Chesencook, a French settlement, a short distance to the westward of us, and effect our object there, which I thought very probable, as no American vessels put in there if they can avoid it.

freshadjectiveUS /freʃ/

recently made, produced, or harvested

From this reading After tossing about for an hour or two, a light cat’s-paw gave notice that a fresh one was springing up, but it was from the east, and directly ahead.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading After tossing about for an hour or two, a light cat’s-paw gave notice that a fresh one was springing up, but it was from the east, and directly ahead.

gaveverbUS /ɡeɪv/

inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense

From this reading After tossing about for an hour or two, a light cat’s-paw gave notice that a fresh one was springing up, but it was from the east, and directly ahead.

greatadjectiveUS /ɡreɪt/

relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind

From this reading “We shall make poor work of this,” said the pilot, “and I am afraid it will bring up a fog with it, which is a dangerous thing on this coast, I would advise therefore returning to Ship Harbour,” but the captain said, “Business must be attended to, and as there was nothing more of the kind to be done there, we must only have patience and beat up for Port Liscomb, which is a great resort for fishermen.”

HarbourverbUS /ˈhɑːrbər/

secretly shelter (as of fugitives or criminals)

From this reading “We shall make poor work of this,” said the pilot, “and I am afraid it will bring up a fog with it, which is a dangerous thing on this coast, I would advise therefore returning to Ship Harbour,” but the captain said, “Business must be attended to, and as there was nothing more of the kind to be done there, we must only have patience and beat up for Port Liscomb, which is a great resort for fishermen.”

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading “We shall make poor work of this,” said the pilot, “and I am afraid it will bring up a fog with it, which is a dangerous thing on this coast, I would advise therefore returning to Ship Harbour,” but the captain said, “Business must be attended to, and as there was nothing more of the kind to be done there, we must only have patience and beat up for Port Liscomb, which is a great resort for fishermen.”

hournounUS /ˈaʊər/

a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day

From this reading After tossing about for an hour or two, a light cat’s-paw gave notice that a fresh one was springing up, but it was from the east, and directly ahead.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading “We shall make poor work of this,” said the pilot, “and I am afraid it will bring up a fog with it, which is a dangerous thing on this coast, I would advise therefore returning to Ship Harbour,” but the captain said, “Business must be attended to, and as there was nothing more of the kind to be done there, we must only have patience and beat up for Port Liscomb, which is a great resort for fishermen.”

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading I proposed we should take the wind as we found it, and run for Chesencook, a French settlement, a short distance to the westward of us, and effect our object there, which I thought very probable, as no American vessels put in there if they can avoid it.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading I proposed we should take the wind as we found it, and run for Chesencook, a French settlement, a short distance to the westward of us, and effect our object there, which I thought very probable, as no American vessels put in there if they can avoid it.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading “We shall make poor work of this,” said the pilot, “and I am afraid it will bring up a fog with it, which is a dangerous thing on this coast, I would advise therefore returning to Ship Harbour,” but the captain said, “Business must be attended to, and as there was nothing more of the kind to be done there, we must only have patience and beat up for Port Liscomb, which is a great resort for fishermen.”

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading The wind, what there was of it, was off shore; it was a light north-wester, but after we made an offing of about ten miles, it failed us, being evidently nothing but a land breeze, and we were soon becalmed.

kindadjectiveUS /kaɪnd/

having or showing a tender and considerate and helpful nature; used especially of persons and their behavior

From this reading “We shall make poor work of this,” said the pilot, “and I am afraid it will bring up a fog with it, which is a dangerous thing on this coast, I would advise therefore returning to Ship Harbour,” but the captain said, “Business must be attended to, and as there was nothing more of the kind to be done there, we must only have patience and beat up for Port Liscomb, which is a great resort for fishermen.”

landnounUS /lænd/

the land on which real estate is located

From this reading The wind, what there was of it, was off shore; it was a light north-wester, but after we made an offing of about ten miles, it failed us, being evidently nothing but a land breeze, and we were soon becalmed.

lightadjectiveUS /laɪt/

of comparatively little physical weight or density

From this reading The wind, what there was of it, was off shore; it was a light north-wester, but after we made an offing of about ten miles, it failed us, being evidently nothing but a land breeze, and we were soon becalmed.

Liscomb

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading “We shall make poor work of this,” said the pilot, “and I am afraid it will bring up a fog with it, which is a dangerous thing on this coast, I would advise therefore returning to Ship Harbour,” but the captain said, “Business must be attended to, and as there was nothing more of the kind to be done there, we must only have patience and beat up for Port Liscomb, which is a great resort for fishermen.”

madeadjectiveUS /meɪd/

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading The wind, what there was of it, was off shore; it was a light north-wester, but after we made an offing of about ten miles, it failed us, being evidently nothing but a land breeze, and we were soon becalmed.

makeverbUS /meɪk/

engage in

From this reading “We shall make poor work of this,” said the pilot, “and I am afraid it will bring up a fog with it, which is a dangerous thing on this coast, I would advise therefore returning to Ship Harbour,” but the captain said, “Business must be attended to, and as there was nothing more of the kind to be done there, we must only have patience and beat up for Port Liscomb, which is a great resort for fishermen.”

milesnounUS /maɪlz/

plural of “mile” — a unit of length equal to 1,760 yards or 5,280 feet; exactly 1609.344 meters

From this reading The wind, what there was of it, was off shore; it was a light north-wester, but after we made an offing of about ten miles, it failed us, being evidently nothing but a land breeze, and we were soon becalmed.

moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading “We shall make poor work of this,” said the pilot, “and I am afraid it will bring up a fog with it, which is a dangerous thing on this coast, I would advise therefore returning to Ship Harbour,” but the captain said, “Business must be attended to, and as there was nothing more of the kind to be done there, we must only have patience and beat up for Port Liscomb, which is a great resort for fishermen.”

mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading “We shall make poor work of this,” said the pilot, “and I am afraid it will bring up a fog with it, which is a dangerous thing on this coast, I would advise therefore returning to Ship Harbour,” but the captain said, “Business must be attended to, and as there was nothing more of the kind to be done there, we must only have patience and beat up for Port Liscomb, which is a great resort for fishermen.”

NIGHTnounUS /naɪt/

the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside

From this reading A FOGGY NIGHT.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading I proposed we should take the wind as we found it, and run for Chesencook, a French settlement, a short distance to the westward of us, and effect our object there, which I thought very probable, as no American vessels put in there if they can avoid it.

north-wester

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The wind, what there was of it, was off shore; it was a light north-wester, but after we made an offing of about ten miles, it failed us, being evidently nothing but a land breeze, and we were soon becalmed.

nothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/

not one thing; not anything

From this reading The wind, what there was of it, was off shore; it was a light north-wester, but after we made an offing of about ten miles, it failed us, being evidently nothing but a land breeze, and we were soon becalmed.

noticenounUS /ˈnoʊtəs/

an announcement containing information about an event

From this reading After tossing about for an hour or two, a light cat’s-paw gave notice that a fresh one was springing up, but it was from the east, and directly ahead.

objectnounUS /ˈɑːbdʒekt/

a tangible and visible entity; an entity that can cast a shadow

From this reading I proposed we should take the wind as we found it, and run for Chesencook, a French settlement, a short distance to the westward of us, and effect our object there, which I thought very probable, as no American vessels put in there if they can avoid it.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading The wind, what there was of it, was off shore; it was a light north-wester, but after we made an offing of about ten miles, it failed us, being evidently nothing but a land breeze, and we were soon becalmed.

offadverbUS /ɔːf/

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading The wind, what there was of it, was off shore; it was a light north-wester, but after we made an offing of about ten miles, it failed us, being evidently nothing but a land breeze, and we were soon becalmed.

offingnounUS /ˈɔːfɪŋ/

the near or foreseeable future

From this reading The wind, what there was of it, was off shore; it was a light north-wester, but after we made an offing of about ten miles, it failed us, being evidently nothing but a land breeze, and we were soon becalmed.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading “We shall make poor work of this,” said the pilot, “and I am afraid it will bring up a fog with it, which is a dangerous thing on this coast, I would advise therefore returning to Ship Harbour,” but the captain said, “Business must be attended to, and as there was nothing more of the kind to be done there, we must only have patience and beat up for Port Liscomb, which is a great resort for fishermen.”

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading After tossing about for an hour or two, a light cat’s-paw gave notice that a fresh one was springing up, but it was from the east, and directly ahead.

onlyadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/

and nothing more

From this reading “We shall make poor work of this,” said the pilot, “and I am afraid it will bring up a fog with it, which is a dangerous thing on this coast, I would advise therefore returning to Ship Harbour,” but the captain said, “Business must be attended to, and as there was nothing more of the kind to be done there, we must only have patience and beat up for Port Liscomb, which is a great resort for fishermen.”

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading After tossing about for an hour or two, a light cat’s-paw gave notice that a fresh one was springing up, but it was from the east, and directly ahead.

ourdeterminerUS /ˈaʊər/

belonging to the speaker and others

From this reading I proposed we should take the wind as we found it, and run for Chesencook, a French settlement, a short distance to the westward of us, and effect our object there, which I thought very probable, as no American vessels put in there if they can avoid it.

patiencenounUS /ˈpeɪʃəns/

good-natured tolerance of delay or incompetence

From this reading “We shall make poor work of this,” said the pilot, “and I am afraid it will bring up a fog with it, which is a dangerous thing on this coast, I would advise therefore returning to Ship Harbour,” but the captain said, “Business must be attended to, and as there was nothing more of the kind to be done there, we must only have patience and beat up for Port Liscomb, which is a great resort for fishermen.”

pilotverbUS /ˈpaɪlət/

operate an airplane

From this reading “We shall make poor work of this,” said the pilot, “and I am afraid it will bring up a fog with it, which is a dangerous thing on this coast, I would advise therefore returning to Ship Harbour,” but the captain said, “Business must be attended to, and as there was nothing more of the kind to be done there, we must only have patience and beat up for Port Liscomb, which is a great resort for fishermen.”

pooradjectiveUS /puːr/

deserving or inciting pity

From this reading “We shall make poor work of this,” said the pilot, “and I am afraid it will bring up a fog with it, which is a dangerous thing on this coast, I would advise therefore returning to Ship Harbour,” but the captain said, “Business must be attended to, and as there was nothing more of the kind to be done there, we must only have patience and beat up for Port Liscomb, which is a great resort for fishermen.”

PortnounUS /pɔːrt/

a place (seaport or airport) where people and merchandise can enter or leave a country

From this reading “We shall make poor work of this,” said the pilot, “and I am afraid it will bring up a fog with it, which is a dangerous thing on this coast, I would advise therefore returning to Ship Harbour,” but the captain said, “Business must be attended to, and as there was nothing more of the kind to be done there, we must only have patience and beat up for Port Liscomb, which is a great resort for fishermen.”

probableadjectiveUS /ˈprɑːbəbəl/

likely but not certain to be or become true or real

From this reading I proposed we should take the wind as we found it, and run for Chesencook, a French settlement, a short distance to the westward of us, and effect our object there, which I thought very probable, as no American vessels put in there if they can avoid it.

proposedverbUS /prəˈpoʊzd/

past form of “propose” — make a proposal, declare a plan for something

From this reading I proposed we should take the wind as we found it, and run for Chesencook, a French settlement, a short distance to the westward of us, and effect our object there, which I thought very probable, as no American vessels put in there if they can avoid it.

putverbUS /pʊt/

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading I proposed we should take the wind as we found it, and run for Chesencook, a French settlement, a short distance to the westward of us, and effect our object there, which I thought very probable, as no American vessels put in there if they can avoid it.

resortnounUS /rɪˈzɔːrt/

a hotel located in a resort area

From this reading “We shall make poor work of this,” said the pilot, “and I am afraid it will bring up a fog with it, which is a dangerous thing on this coast, I would advise therefore returning to Ship Harbour,” but the captain said, “Business must be attended to, and as there was nothing more of the kind to be done there, we must only have patience and beat up for Port Liscomb, which is a great resort for fishermen.”

returningadjectiveUS /rɪˈtɜːrnɪŋ/

tending to return to an earlier state

From this reading “We shall make poor work of this,” said the pilot, “and I am afraid it will bring up a fog with it, which is a dangerous thing on this coast, I would advise therefore returning to Ship Harbour,” but the captain said, “Business must be attended to, and as there was nothing more of the kind to be done there, we must only have patience and beat up for Port Liscomb, which is a great resort for fishermen.”

runverbUS /rʌn/

move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time

From this reading I proposed we should take the wind as we found it, and run for Chesencook, a French settlement, a short distance to the westward of us, and effect our object there, which I thought very probable, as no American vessels put in there if they can avoid it.

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading “We shall make poor work of this,” said the pilot, “and I am afraid it will bring up a fog with it, which is a dangerous thing on this coast, I would advise therefore returning to Ship Harbour,” but the captain said, “Business must be attended to, and as there was nothing more of the kind to be done there, we must only have patience and beat up for Port Liscomb, which is a great resort for fishermen.”

settlementnounUS /ˈsetəlmənt/

a body of people who settle far from home but maintain ties with their homeland; inhabitants remain nationals of their home state but are not literally under the home state's system of government

From this reading I proposed we should take the wind as we found it, and run for Chesencook, a French settlement, a short distance to the westward of us, and effect our object there, which I thought very probable, as no American vessels put in there if they can avoid it.

shallmodal verbUS /ʃæl/

used with I and we for the future, or to offer and suggest

From this reading “We shall make poor work of this,” said the pilot, “and I am afraid it will bring up a fog with it, which is a dangerous thing on this coast, I would advise therefore returning to Ship Harbour,” but the captain said, “Business must be attended to, and as there was nothing more of the kind to be done there, we must only have patience and beat up for Port Liscomb, which is a great resort for fishermen.”

ShipverbUS /ʃɪp/

transport commercially

From this reading “We shall make poor work of this,” said the pilot, “and I am afraid it will bring up a fog with it, which is a dangerous thing on this coast, I would advise therefore returning to Ship Harbour,” but the captain said, “Business must be attended to, and as there was nothing more of the kind to be done there, we must only have patience and beat up for Port Liscomb, which is a great resort for fishermen.”

shorenounUS /ʃɔːr/

the land along the edge of a body of water

From this reading The wind, what there was of it, was off shore; it was a light north-wester, but after we made an offing of about ten miles, it failed us, being evidently nothing but a land breeze, and we were soon becalmed.

shortadjectiveUS /ʃɔːrt/

primarily temporal sense; indicating or being or seeming to be limited in duration

From this reading I proposed we should take the wind as we found it, and run for Chesencook, a French settlement, a short distance to the westward of us, and effect our object there, which I thought very probable, as no American vessels put in there if they can avoid it.

shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/

used to say what is right, expected, or advisable

From this reading I proposed we should take the wind as we found it, and run for Chesencook, a French settlement, a short distance to the westward of us, and effect our object there, which I thought very probable, as no American vessels put in there if they can avoid it.

soonadverbUS /suːn/

in the near future

From this reading The wind, what there was of it, was off shore; it was a light north-wester, but after we made an offing of about ten miles, it failed us, being evidently nothing but a land breeze, and we were soon becalmed.

springingverbUS /ˈsprɪŋɪŋ/

-ing form of “spring” — move forward by leaps and bounds

From this reading After tossing about for an hour or two, a light cat’s-paw gave notice that a fresh one was springing up, but it was from the east, and directly ahead.

takeverbUS /teɪk/

carry out

From this reading I proposed we should take the wind as we found it, and run for Chesencook, a French settlement, a short distance to the westward of us, and effect our object there, which I thought very probable, as no American vessels put in there if they can avoid it.

tennounUS /ten/

the cardinal number that is the sum of nine and one; the base of the decimal system

From this reading The wind, what there was of it, was off shore; it was a light north-wester, but after we made an offing of about ten miles, it failed us, being evidently nothing but a land breeze, and we were soon becalmed.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading After tossing about for an hour or two, a light cat’s-paw gave notice that a fresh one was springing up, but it was from the east, and directly ahead.

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading The wind, what there was of it, was off shore; it was a light north-wester, but after we made an offing of about ten miles, it failed us, being evidently nothing but a land breeze, and we were soon becalmed.

thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading The wind, what there was of it, was off shore; it was a light north-wester, but after we made an offing of about ten miles, it failed us, being evidently nothing but a land breeze, and we were soon becalmed.

thereforeadverbUS /ˈðerfɔːr/

for that reason; as a result

From this reading “We shall make poor work of this,” said the pilot, “and I am afraid it will bring up a fog with it, which is a dangerous thing on this coast, I would advise therefore returning to Ship Harbour,” but the captain said, “Business must be attended to, and as there was nothing more of the kind to be done there, we must only have patience and beat up for Port Liscomb, which is a great resort for fishermen.”

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading I proposed we should take the wind as we found it, and run for Chesencook, a French settlement, a short distance to the westward of us, and effect our object there, which I thought very probable, as no American vessels put in there if they can avoid it.

thingnounUS /θɪŋ/

a special situation

From this reading “We shall make poor work of this,” said the pilot, “and I am afraid it will bring up a fog with it, which is a dangerous thing on this coast, I would advise therefore returning to Ship Harbour,” but the captain said, “Business must be attended to, and as there was nothing more of the kind to be done there, we must only have patience and beat up for Port Liscomb, which is a great resort for fishermen.”

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading “We shall make poor work of this,” said the pilot, “and I am afraid it will bring up a fog with it, which is a dangerous thing on this coast, I would advise therefore returning to Ship Harbour,” but the captain said, “Business must be attended to, and as there was nothing more of the kind to be done there, we must only have patience and beat up for Port Liscomb, which is a great resort for fishermen.”

thoughtnounUS /θɔːt/

the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about

From this reading I proposed we should take the wind as we found it, and run for Chesencook, a French settlement, a short distance to the westward of us, and effect our object there, which I thought very probable, as no American vessels put in there if they can avoid it.

toparticleUS /tuː/

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading “We shall make poor work of this,” said the pilot, “and I am afraid it will bring up a fog with it, which is a dangerous thing on this coast, I would advise therefore returning to Ship Harbour,” but the captain said, “Business must be attended to, and as there was nothing more of the kind to be done there, we must only have patience and beat up for Port Liscomb, which is a great resort for fishermen.”

tossingverbUS /ˈtɔːsɪŋ/

-ing form of “toss” — throw or toss with a light motion

From this reading After tossing about for an hour or two, a light cat’s-paw gave notice that a fresh one was springing up, but it was from the east, and directly ahead.

twonounUS /tuː/

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number

From this reading After tossing about for an hour or two, a light cat’s-paw gave notice that a fresh one was springing up, but it was from the east, and directly ahead.

upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading After tossing about for an hour or two, a light cat’s-paw gave notice that a fresh one was springing up, but it was from the east, and directly ahead.

uspronounUS /ʌs/

the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading The wind, what there was of it, was off shore; it was a light north-wester, but after we made an offing of about ten miles, it failed us, being evidently nothing but a land breeze, and we were soon becalmed.

veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/

precisely as stated

From this reading I proposed we should take the wind as we found it, and run for Chesencook, a French settlement, a short distance to the westward of us, and effect our object there, which I thought very probable, as no American vessels put in there if they can avoid it.

vesselsnounUS /ˈvesəlz/

plural of “vessel” — a tube in which a body fluid circulates

From this reading I proposed we should take the wind as we found it, and run for Chesencook, a French settlement, a short distance to the westward of us, and effect our object there, which I thought very probable, as no American vessels put in there if they can avoid it.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading The wind, what there was of it, was off shore; it was a light north-wester, but after we made an offing of about ten miles, it failed us, being evidently nothing but a land breeze, and we were soon becalmed.

wepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading The wind, what there was of it, was off shore; it was a light north-wester, but after we made an offing of about ten miles, it failed us, being evidently nothing but a land breeze, and we were soon becalmed.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading The wind, what there was of it, was off shore; it was a light north-wester, but after we made an offing of about ten miles, it failed us, being evidently nothing but a land breeze, and we were soon becalmed.

westwardadverbUS /ˈwestwərd/

toward the west

From this reading I proposed we should take the wind as we found it, and run for Chesencook, a French settlement, a short distance to the westward of us, and effect our object there, which I thought very probable, as no American vessels put in there if they can avoid it.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading The wind, what there was of it, was off shore; it was a light north-wester, but after we made an offing of about ten miles, it failed us, being evidently nothing but a land breeze, and we were soon becalmed.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading “We shall make poor work of this,” said the pilot, “and I am afraid it will bring up a fog with it, which is a dangerous thing on this coast, I would advise therefore returning to Ship Harbour,” but the captain said, “Business must be attended to, and as there was nothing more of the kind to be done there, we must only have patience and beat up for Port Liscomb, which is a great resort for fishermen.”

willmodal verbUS /wɪl/

used to talk about the future, or about willingness

From this reading “We shall make poor work of this,” said the pilot, “and I am afraid it will bring up a fog with it, which is a dangerous thing on this coast, I would advise therefore returning to Ship Harbour,” but the captain said, “Business must be attended to, and as there was nothing more of the kind to be done there, we must only have patience and beat up for Port Liscomb, which is a great resort for fishermen.”

windnounUS /waɪnd/

air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure

From this reading The wind, what there was of it, was off shore; it was a light north-wester, but after we made an offing of about ten miles, it failed us, being evidently nothing but a land breeze, and we were soon becalmed.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading “We shall make poor work of this,” said the pilot, “and I am afraid it will bring up a fog with it, which is a dangerous thing on this coast, I would advise therefore returning to Ship Harbour,” but the captain said, “Business must be attended to, and as there was nothing more of the kind to be done there, we must only have patience and beat up for Port Liscomb, which is a great resort for fishermen.”

workverbUS /wɜːrk/

exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity

From this reading “We shall make poor work of this,” said the pilot, “and I am afraid it will bring up a fog with it, which is a dangerous thing on this coast, I would advise therefore returning to Ship Harbour,” but the captain said, “Business must be attended to, and as there was nothing more of the kind to be done there, we must only have patience and beat up for Port Liscomb, which is a great resort for fishermen.”

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading “We shall make poor work of this,” said the pilot, “and I am afraid it will bring up a fog with it, which is a dangerous thing on this coast, I would advise therefore returning to Ship Harbour,” but the captain said, “Business must be attended to, and as there was nothing more of the kind to be done there, we must only have patience and beat up for Port Liscomb, which is a great resort for fishermen.”

Chapter 12 of Nature and Human Nature by Thomas Chandler Haliburton holds 307 sentences, grouped into 62 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the source edition, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.

What does chapter 12 of Nature and Human Nature contain?

Chapter 12 holds 307 sentences of Nature and Human Nature, unabridged, divided into 62 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 12 of Nature and Human Nature by Thomas Chandler Haliburton exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 307 sentences, grouped into 62 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.

How do I study chapter 12 of Nature and Human Nature?

Work through the 62 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 62 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.

Can chapter 12 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 12 can be played aloud in United States English.

Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.

Questions about reading Nature and Human Nature

Common questions about reading Nature and Human Nature by Thomas Chandler Haliburton on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Nature and Human Nature?

Yes. All 7262 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #6112 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Nature and Human Nature is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #6112, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Nature and Human Nature take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 1453 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Nature and Human Nature section by section

How to work through Nature and Human Nature section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 24 chapters of Nature and Human Nature to begin.

  2. Read one section

    Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.

  3. Listen and tap

    Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.

Vocabulary met early in Nature and Human Nature

Words and structures a reader meets early in Nature and Human Nature, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Clippers
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Nature and Human Nature; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Steamers
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Nature and Human Nature; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Whoever
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Nature and Human Nature; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Taken
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Nature and Human Nature; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.