BRIGHTON TO NEWHAVEN 61 



turned out for well-deserved holiday, stand up 

 they must, as if they were unable to yell and 

 make other horrible noises while sitting down. 

 Nearing a landing-stage — and nice things those 

 are — they rise in a body. Body is the word I 

 am always thinking of for these, trying their level 

 best to convert themselves into demned, damp, 

 moist, unpleasant bodies. I never can make 

 out why they are not all drowned, or, if there 

 was one sensible person aboard, knocked into the 

 bottom of the skiff by means of the paddle-boat- 

 hook applied to the top of their heads, just to 

 show them the error of their ways. 



These navigators must be awfully disappoint- 

 ing people to the local coroner. If he understands 

 watermanship at all he must feel defrauded of 

 many fees quite his due, for they do play with 

 death most fearlessly or unthinkingly on the 

 river. River! I saw some of them the other 

 day going on in just the same way on the sea, 

 till they landed, and then, to give their skiff a 

 fair chance of reaching old age, they set to 

 jumping over her. As to personal regard for the 

 ship that carries you, I do not believe they know 

 what it means to care for your craft pretty much 

 in the same spirit as a ''merciful man" cares for 

 his horse, making it a friend rather than a mere 

 conveyance or conveyer, and being concerned in 

 its welfare. 



It was on the road from Newhaven to Lewes, 

 via Telscombe and Swanborough that at twilight 

 of a dull December day I found a black kitten — 

 or, rather, it found me. Here we are in co. 

 still, and are likely to be, for the critter shows no 

 intention of quitting, and as it is a good bit better 

 than me on a very public trial, I am not foolish 



