266 GENERAL REMARKS. 



advantage in plying to windward; in addition to this, the 

 ballast can be neatly floored over, which renders the boat much 

 more comfortable. Various kinds of bait are usually pro- 

 curable in most of our larger harbours, which have to be 

 fetched frequently from a distance for the use of the beachmen, 

 and consequently are not always to be had. In many of our 

 harbours a running mooring can be fixed, by help of which the 

 boat can be hauled in or out at pleasure, a great advantage for 

 which no one would object to pay a moderate yearly fee. For 

 harbour boating, the sprit or lugsail rigs are quite as well 

 adapted as for beach work, but as a carvel or smoothly-built 

 boat can here be used, it is preferable to clench-work, as it 

 can be kept clean with much greater facility. A' boat of 

 thirteen feet six inches to fifteen feet in length will allow of 

 more variety of fishing than a larger for the reasons before 

 mentioned ; but as many prefer sailing to fishing, they will find 

 no difficulty in suiting themselves in most of our larger ports 

 with any size they may fancy. In case of keeping a large boat for 

 offing-fishing, a smaller one will also be requisite for shore work, 

 General Remarks, Whilst sailing under high cliffs when 

 the wind is off shore caution is necessary, as in such localities 

 it is very uncertain, being a constant succession of flaws and 

 calms, and on passing any opening in these cliffs, as the 

 entrance of a valley or ravine, the flaws are felt with increased 

 violence, which is frequently perceived as far as a mile from 

 the shore. In a small boat the main sheet should always be 

 held in the hand, ready to let fly and take the pressure off the 

 boat if necessary ; but if the flaws should not be of extraordi- 

 nary violence, it will frequently suffice to put the helm down a 

 little and luff up into the wind, as it is called, by which time the 

 flaw will probably have passed. A moderate amount of sail 

 should always be carried in uncertain weather, and far more 

 accidents happen to amateurs in smooth water sailing with off- 

 shore winds than at any other time, generally from heedless- 

 ness and want of common precaution, from which even many 

 of those who get their livelihood on salt water are not alto- 

 gether exempt. Large deep-bodied boats are longer in feeling 

 the effect of a flaw of wind, as their form gives them great hold 



