BOATING. 21 



the landlord of the Ferry House for his annual 

 games. These games are a regular institution 

 throughout the district. Most of the inns, in the 

 more remote places, have them annually. They 

 consist of wrestlingj running races, and other ath- 

 letic sports. "Aunt Sally" and similar amuse- 

 ments are provided for the entertainment of the 

 less active. On these occasions the usually quiet 

 inn garden puts on the appearance of a fair. A 

 detailed account of this local custom may be found 

 in Mr. Paynes "Leaves from Lakeland." 



There are plenty of boats to be had at Water- 

 head and Bowness, and watermen who are practised 

 and skilful. The stranger should be 

 warned, however, against two dangers 

 which it is rash to encounter. Nothing should 

 induce him to sail on Windermere, or on any lake 

 surrounded by mountains. There is no calculating 

 on, or accounting for, the gusts that come down 

 between the hills ; and no slcill and practice ob- 

 tained by boating on rivers, or the waters of a 

 flat country, are any sure protection here. No- 

 thing should induce him to go out in one of the 

 little skiffs which are too easily attainable, and too 

 tempting, from the ease of rowing them. The 

 surface may become rough at any minute, and those 

 skiffs are unsafe in all states of the water but the 

 calmest. The long list of deaths occasioned in 

 this way, — deaths both of residents and strangers, 

 — should have put an end to the use of these light 

 skiffs long ago. The larger boats are safe enough, 

 and most skilfully managed by their rowers : and 

 the stranger can enjoy no better treat than gliding 

 along, for hours of the summer day, peeping into 

 B 3 



