The Modern Thames 



strings ready for the hirer disconcerted me. There 

 were so many I could not choose ; the whole together 

 looked like a broad raft. Others were hauled on the 

 shore. Over on the eyot, a little island, there were 

 more boats, boats launched, boats being launched, 

 boats being carried by gentlemen in coloured flannels 

 as carefully as mothers handle their youngest infants, 

 boats covered in canvas mummy-cases, and dim boats 

 under roofs, their sharp prows projecting like croco- 

 diles' snouts. Tricksy outriggers, ready to upset on 

 narrow keel, were held firmly for the sculler to step 

 daintily into his place. A strong eight shot by up 

 the stream, the men all pulling together as if they 

 had been one animal. A strong sculler shot by down 

 the stream, his giant arms bare and the muscles 

 visible as they rose, knotting and unknotting with the 

 stroke. Every one on the bank and eyot stopped to 

 watch him they knew him, he was training. How 

 could an amateur venture out and make an exhibition 

 of himself after such splendid rowing! Still it was 

 noticeable that plenty of amateurs did venture out, 

 till the waterway was almost concealed boated over 

 instead of bridged and how they managed to escape 

 locking their oars together, I could not understand. 



I looked again at the boats. Some were outriggers. 

 I could not get into an outrigger after seeing the great 

 sculler. The rest were one and all after the same 

 pattern, i.e. with the stern cushioned and prepared 

 for a lady. Some were larger, and could carry three 

 or four ladies, but they were all intended for the same 

 purpose. If the sculler went out in such a boat by 

 himself he must either sit too forward and so depress 

 the stem and dig himself, as it were, into the water 

 at each stroke, or he must sit too much to the rear 

 and depress the stern, and row with the stem lifted 

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