58 ALONGSHORE t 



have been allowed to dry, for their paint to lie 

 upon them so long! Look at the rowlocks, solid 

 oak or elm, worn a couple of inches deep by 

 innumerable strokes of the oars. This was, this 

 is, the boat in which they rowed from Devon to 

 the East-country, digging at the oars all the way; 

 that, the boat in which old Hobbledy Bill rowed 

 for three hours to try and pass Steep Head against 

 a westerly wind, then broke a thole-pin, and before 

 he could whittle down another, was drifted back 

 again to where he started. He couldn't do it 

 now, nor could the old boat; but he'd be willing 

 to try, if he had his health and strength, and the 

 old boat had hers too. 



For in his day men expected little else except 

 toil at the oars. Those old boats, for all their 

 virtues, sailed badly to windward. They carried, 

 as a rule, only a small storm-sail for running before 

 the wind. 'Better to row than reef,' men used to 

 say. 'Drive her through It,' we say now. And 

 again they used to tell the youngsters: 'A man 

 what won't put out his win'ard oar Is a man too 

 lazy to be trusted wi' a sail at all. Let 'en row !' 

 Since then, jibs and mizzens have come Into use. 

 Drifters, the most conservative of boats, have 

 drop-keels to keep them up to the wind, and some 



