I lodged in Fwn Deg, near where
Hugh Williams, Gatehouse, then kept a navigation school for young
sailors. I learnt navigation, and soon made considerable
progress. I also learnt a little arithmetic. At first nearly
all the young men were more advanced than myself; but before I
left matters were different, and the Scripture words became
verified-- "the last shall be first." I remained with Hugh
Williams six months and a half. During that time I went twice
through the 'Tutor's Assistant,' and a month before I left I was
taught mensuration. That is all the education I received, and
the greater part of it was during my by-hours.
"I got to know English pretty well, though Welsh was the language
of those about me. From easy books I went to those more
difficult. I was helped in my pronunciation of English by
comparing the words with the phonetic alphabet, as published by
Thomas Gee of Denbigh, in 1853. With my spare earnings I bought
books, especially when my wages began to rise. Mr. Wyatt, the
steward, was very kind, and raised my pay from time to time at
his pleasure. I suppose I was willing, correct, and faithful. I
improved my knowledge by reading books on astronomy. I got,
amongst others, 'The Mechanism of the Heavens,' by Denison
Olmstead, an American; a very understandable book. Learning
English, which was a foreign language to me, led me to learn
other languages.
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