Nat the Navigator. A Life of Nathaniel Bowditch. For Young Persons

A modest New England cottage and a tiny schoolhouse set the stage for Nat’s early years. Born into a large, hard‑pressed family, he spent his childhood listening to his mother’s gentle lessons about truth and kindness while tracing maps in an old family Bible with his brother. Even as his father was away at sea, the boy’s curiosity sparked over spelling lessons, moonlit windows, and the simple joys of playing with classmates on the grass‑covered lot.

Those humble beginnings sowed the roots of a lifelong love of learning and a steadfast moral compass. Nat’s earnestness in study earned the affection of his schoolmistress, and his mother’s encouragement of honesty and perseverance stayed with him as he grew. The narrative follows how this bright, good‑natured child begins to turn his fascination with the world into the drive that will later make him a respected navigator and a model of integrity.