Anecdotes & Incidents Of The Deaf And Dumb Part 10

At Victoria Dock. A boy named Charles Blair, 8 years of age.

At Alexandra Dock. Richard Harrison, 8 years old.

At Earl Grey's Dock, Dundee. Peter Band, 8 years of age.

At Teignmouth Dock. Edgar Thorpe, 8 years of age.

At Alnwick Dock. Caesar Franklin, 10 years old.

A brave man. The last official act of the late Mayor of Great Yarmouth was to present the silver medal of the Humane Society to Alexander Ferguson, mason, of Dundee, for having saved the life of Charles Cullen, a private in the 55th Regiment, who fell overboard the steamer "Juno" on returning to Inverness. Ferguson dived and saved him, but ran great risk of being drowned, Cullen having fallen under the paddle wheel, which was in motion.

Gallant rescue from drowning in the River Mersey, off Garston, near Liverpool. On Thursday afternoon four young lads had an exceedingly narrow escape from drowning in the ferry harbour; they were amusing themselves with a boat, when they overbalanced and fell into the water; this was noticed by Alexander Ferguson, mason, who was standing on the jetty, and he, without divesting himself of any of his clothes, swam to their rescue. Having succeeded in getting hold of three lads, he landed them ash.o.r.e, and then struck out for the other, who by this time had almost disappeared, his hands only being visible above the water.

Ferguson landed him ash.o.r.e also. After some time all the four were able to walk home to Liverpool. A large crowd was on the jetty at the time, and great excitement prevailed. Ferguson deserves great credit for the courage and presence of mind he displayed, and it is believed that but for his efforts the lads would have been drowned.--_Liverpool Mercury_, 1872.

GREAT SWIMMING FEATS.

1. Fourteen miles down the river with the rapid ebb tide, from the middle buoys opposite the Tay ferries to far buoy at the mouth of the river Tay, in 5-1/2 hours (1859.)

2. Across the Frith of Clyde from Carrought, Ayrshire, to Ailsa Rock; 8 miles in 3 hours, through strong currents.

3. Across the Frith of Forth, from Buckhaven, in Fifeshire, to North Berwick; 18 miles in 7 hours (1862.)

4. Across the Bay of Leece, from the Mull of Galloway Lighthouse to Barrowhead; 10 miles in 4 hours.

5. Across the mouth of Loch Ryan, from Ronmach, in Ayrshire, to Kirkcolm Point in Gallowayshire; 4 miles in 2 hours.

6. From John O'Groat's House to Stoma; 8 miles in 2-1/2 hours, through dangerous currents (1873.)

7. Across the strong-currented river to Cardell Point, on the east of Cantyre, from Penrioch, on the coast of Arran; 11 miles in 3-1/2 hours (1874.)

8. Across the Frith of Clyde from West Kilbride, in Ayrshire, to Grombe, on the east coast of Arran, a distance of 12-1/2 miles in 4-1/2 hours (1874.)

9. Across the Frith of the Clyde from Port Glasgow to Cardross; 9 miles in 2-1/2 hours (1874.)

In all these instances he was followed by persons in boats.

We are informed that he has received presents for rescuing lives of the value of 300, besides twenty suits of clothes, and has also won many cups and other prizes in swimming and diving matches, and has also received several gold and silver medals.

Alexander Ferguson has on several occasions been present at the services for the adult deaf and dumb held at the Inst.i.tution at Derby.

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A DEAF MUTE'S GRAt.i.tUDE.

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M. Felix Martin, an artist, deaf and dumb from his birth, has just executed a group representing the Abbe de L'Epee teaching a deaf and dumb youth. He desires it to be placed in the Court of the Sourds et Muets Inst.i.tution at Paris, to which he gives it in recognition of the debt of grat.i.tude which he and his deaf mute brethren in misfortune owe to the Abbe for their moral and intellectual emanc.i.p.ation.

SIR WALTER SCOTT ON THE DEAF & DUMB.

Sir Walter Scott in his novel "Peveril of the Peak," uses the following language as to the deaf and dumb of his day:--"All knowledge is gained by communication, either with the dead through books, or more pleasingly through the conversation of the living. The deaf and dumb above are excluded from improvement, and surely their inst.i.tution is not enviable that we should imitate them." Aristotle considered the deaf and dumb as incapable of acquiring knowledge; while St. Augustine insisted that they could not be instructed in the holy faith of the Catholic Church. Could the worthies come back to this world they would be slightly amazed at the practical refutation of their prophecies.

UNEDUCATED.

What would any of us be without education? By education, I mean not book-learning only, but the training in good habits which is given in well-ordered homes and schools.

Can any one read the following true story of a deaf and dumb man without feelings of the deepest pity for the poor fellow left untaught and untrained, to wander at will over the wild though beautiful country of his birth. Was he happy? Read the story, and judge for yourselves.

A few years since an artist visited Ireland to sketch the wild and rocky scenery for which parts of the coast are celebrated. One of the places he went to was so poor and uncivilized that there was no house better than a cabin to be found in the whole district. In a cabin, therefore, he took up his abode.

One day he was busily engaged sketching some high cliffs, at the bottom of which the wild waves dashed in fury. His seat was in a position as perilous as it was grand.

Presently he observed a creature approach, whose appearance at first puzzled him exceedingly. A nearer view showed him that it was a man clothed in a goatskin, but with the gait and manners of one wholly unused to civilized society.

The artist thought that he was about to encounter an escaped lunatic, and, although no coward, he confessed to a feeling somewhat akin to fear pa.s.sing through him as he looked down at the depths below, and calculated how small a push might launch him into eternity. Then he remembered something about the advantage of being civil to madmen, and determined to try and ward off his impending fate by a show of civility. Beckoning the poor creature to him, he commenced to talk to him, to show him his drawings, and to offer him a share of his lunch.

The man made no reply, but apparently a.s.sured by the artist's manner came up close, sat down beside him, and was soon deeply absorbed in devouring his portion of the lunch and in admiring the pictures. Still he never spoke, only uttered some unintelligible sounds.

The artist congratulated himself on the success of his experiments; but, nevertheless, he thought that on the whole "discretion was the better part of valour," and after a little he got up and returned to his lodging, the man following him at a distance.

On arriving at the cabin he related his adventure, when the people exclaimed, "Ah! it's only poor dummy!" and a.s.sured him the poor fellow was perfectly harmless, but he was wholly untaught, had received no training in a Deaf and Dumb Inst.i.tution, and lived in this wild neglected manner. He was never asked to work, but roamed about at will, being fed by the neighbours, who would give bits to him as they would to a dog.

The artist was greatly touched by what he heard, and continued to be kind to the poor deaf and dumb man, who, on his part, attached himself to his patron in the most docile manner. Every morning he went to carry the artist's drawing materials, waited on him during the day, and only seemed too delighted if he could perform any little service for him. In return the artist could only reward him by kind looks and a share of his sandwiches. Once he offered him money, but it was received in such a manner that showed plainly he did not understand its value. And the neighbours said it was no use to give him money: _food_ was the only thing he seemed to care for.

At last the time came for the artist to return home. When it dawned upon the poor deaf mute he was about to lose his friend, he set up the most piteous wailing, and refused to be comforted, not even by the choicest morsels of food.

The artist, when relating it afterwards, said "that he was never more moved in his life than to see this unfeigned sorrow, and to feel himself unable (owing to the man not having been trained in a Deaf and Dumb Inst.i.tution) to convey one single idea of suggestive consolation."

TRADES OF THE DEAF & DUMB IN ENGLAND AND WALES.

The following particulars showing the trades of the Deaf and Dumb are taken from the last Government Census of 1883:--

FEMALES:--

315 domestic servants, 12 teachers of the deaf and dumb, 74 charwomen, 158 washing and bathing service, 22 bookbinders, 21 cloth manufacturers, 146 manufacturers of silk and cotton goods, 62 making lace, carpets or tr.i.m.m.i.n.gs, 580 milliners and dressmakers, 75 tailoresses, 28 straw hat and bonnet makers, 99 seamstresses, 12 glove makers, 19 baby shoe makers, 6 brush makers, 15 paper bag makers, 9 workers of porcelain, &c., &c.