JWMW'i AlMi fel-kEA 



iAIVI 



493 



Bd to row Harvard, chiefly because the Oxford 

 men thought they were getting a little more business in the 

 rowing lino (ban they felt inclined to take care of ; and unless 

 Harvard can change 'their date to an earlier period of the year 

 in all probability they will have to forego the sweets of re- 

 venge for many another year. With the Oxford race set 

 aside, Harvard disbands her present eight, and therefore will 

 not row Cornell. The latter college" has been entirely loo 

 " touchy " in its bearing since its challenge to the Cambridge 

 men went forth. That the latter should have shown anxiety 

 for a reply from Oxford before accei ting definitely any other 

 challenge on this side, was owing only to the fact that unless 

 an English race could be got the crew proposed to disband 

 and could not well compromise itself as long as its very ex- 

 istence was in doubt. Cornell has had no just grounds of 

 complaint, and has added nothing to her reputation for good 

 sense by taking offence at a silly article from the pen of an 

 amateur scribe. 



Thic American Hsni/y —Harvard has replied to a telegram 

 from Mr, Henry W Garfield, Secretary of the N. A. A. O,, 

 that they would not he able to enter a four or an eight for the 

 National Association race to meet Oxford or Cambridge, in 

 case one of the latter could be induced to cross the ocean. 

 We do not believe any English crew would consent to pull 

 in America without some very strong inducements, in the 

 present light which university and international racing is re- 

 garded abroad. 



Yal,e-11 wu-ABu.— A fresh crew will be formed to pull 

 Yale, which will be the only outside race Harvard proposes 

 to engage in. 



Waiaaok Ross. — This St. John sculler has failed to get on 

 i, Tarryer, of England, and has now challenged 

 Lumsden or Nicholson to row for £100 on the Thames. 

 Thames. Lumsden can pull Koss hull down. 



Harvard Freshmen. — The freshmen of Harvard arc trying 

 to arrange for a race with Yale or Columbia. 



EatENDSnrp Boat Olub.— At u recent meeting at their 

 boat-house. Twenty-eighth street and East River, the follow- 

 ing officers were elected : Pres., James S, Murray; Vice-Pres., 

 Albert G. Sauer ; Cor. Sec'y, James J. Fitzimmons ; Fin. 

 Sec'y, Eugene P. Moore; Treas.. Michael J. Murray; Capt., 

 Philip S. Biglin ; Delegates, William Frinke, William Hur- 

 ley, Philip S. Biglin. 



Nereid Boat Cldb. — At the annual meeting of the Nereid 

 B. C, of Brooklyn, the following officers were elected: 

 Ohas. R. Flint, Pres.; Louis H. Leonard, Vice-Pres.; A. C. 

 Bunce, Treas.; Heywood C. Brown, liec. Sec'y ; F. B. Fiske, 

 Cor. Sec'y; Joseph P. Earle, Capt.; Ohas. M. Bull, Lieut. 



Ariel Boat Clcb. — The Ariels, of Newark, have elected 

 the following officers for the year -. Com., John M. Koss ; 

 Pres., F. Freeman; Vice-Pres., Thomas Austin; Capt., J. 

 Bennett; Lieut., J. (Juiun ; Sec'y, Thomas Sweeny; Assist- 

 ant. Sec'y, Robert Cherry; Treas", W. S. Baine. 



Eooentiuo Boat Cdcb. — The Eccentric Club, of Newark, 

 N. J., elected the following officers for 1879 at their meeting 

 held Jan. 6.: Pres., S. C. Astley; Vice-Pres., R. Hilton; 

 Sec'y, E. B. Smith; Treas., W. 8. McLorinan ; Capt., G. R. 

 McCkII ; Lieut., 8. H. Day; Log-keeper, J. E. Evans; Com., 

 J. n. Jordon ; Board of Trustees, D. Van Volkenburg, F. 

 De Bow, W. Sohritber and F. Watts. 



N. A. A. O.— At the regular meeting of the Executive 

 Committee. Qf. the N. A. A. O., at the Metropolitan Hotel, N. 

 Y-, Jan. ll, the Fairmount E. A. was recommended for rein- 

 statement. The time and place for holding the American 

 College Regatta was referred to a committee consisting of 

 Messrs. Keys, Watts and Buermeyer. The regatta will prob- 

 ably be tixed for July, only uudefgraduates who have taken 

 their degree during the year of the college race being eligible. 

 Mr. Smilh, Argonauta B. C, applied to have a rehearing of 

 the case in consequent; of which he was dropped from the 

 membership of the N. A. A. O. Referred to the above com- 

 mittee. 



Torned Professional. — Courtney has now found a second 

 dangerous rival in Mr. Geo. Lee, of the Triton Club, of New- 

 ark, N. J., who aunounces his intention of becoming a pro- 

 fessional oarsman. He will begin with the small fry first. 



CRUISING IN THE CHESAPEAKE. 



Washington, D. 0., Dec. 15, 1878. 



The days of sailing and summer aaunteringa having passed away 

 for a season, and the diabolical woather seeming to indicate that 

 old Boreas has given us the oold shoulder, it would seem to be- 

 hoove all bonost tars to be amiable, hie unto the comforts and re- 

 finements of their dena, and think over the pleasures of events 

 just gone, and recall to .mind the exhilarating breeze and dashing 

 spray of the last cruiao, revel in delightful recollections of solid 

 pleasure, mixed with ridioulona mishaps and exasperating accidents 

 that befall all sportsmen, and which only serve to Bpice and en- 

 liven. To this end I have been fighting the battle over again, and 

 grabbed my pen ta gossip about a cruise of 500 miles, made last 

 summer, and which may serve to revive aomepleaaant experience, 

 and save something from things forgot. 



The dumpy little ship, Fanny Butt, in which we traveled, has 

 won many races, and in her reduced rig is j list ihe thing for iuland 

 navigation— 22ft. long, 8>£ft. beam, and 30in. deep ; with 23ft, 

 boom, 12ft. gaff, and 2Jft. hoist in the mainsail, which can bo 

 reefed from the deck, and a jib large enough to keep the tiller 

 easy in a breeze, and small enough to carry a. weather helm, 

 with a single reef in the mainsail. A paep under the foot-boards 

 ehows 18 owt. of iron about her longitudinal centre, which holds 

 her down to biz in a blow, and forces .her in style through the 

 cboppy seas. She i8 all deoked except a small oockpit, which 

 allows plenty of breathing room on hot nights— and also a popular 

 resort for saucy waves. Any serious consequence from this pre 

 ddeotion of water, however, may be prevented when desired by a 

 oanvas oap, fitting snugly around the coaming, and covering the 

 cockpit, oxcept a small portion behind, for the accommodation of 

 the steersman. It is true, a cabin which must necessarily bo very 

 small, will keep out the water, but it will not let in the air ; aud 

 between a certain death from suffocation and the uncertainty of 

 drowning, I choose the latter, and thoroughly enjoy the delightful 

 uncertainties and Insurious inconveniences of a voyage in a par- 

 tially open craft. 



The dimensions of sails I have given are for cruising. At home 

 for racing and general purposes, X have heretofore carried about 

 twice the amount of oanvas, including my light sails. Except for 

 especial occasions, I shall not do so anymore, for the great incon- 

 venience of reefing every time it blows a sailing breeze, and the 



constant cam required for manipulating so ranch rag, is not com- 

 pensated for by ihe slightly increased spoed, which can only be at- 

 tained in light, airs ; for just ns soon as you begin to travel with 

 the lost six cloths of the mainsail, everything shaking from that 

 point to the mast is dead weight, eauaea the boat to labor, and 

 holds her back ; whoroaa your rival, with proportional sail, has 

 everything full, and walks right by you. Since I cut down my 

 sad, every small boat on the river has done the same, and univer- 

 sal satisfaction is the result. When I say cut down I do not mean 

 to advise any one to attempt sailing under almost bare poles, bnt 

 simply to cairy a boom, the outer end of which can bo reached, 

 and still keep a grip on the counter with your big too, and reef ; 

 and thereby avoid taking your bhin under your arm, and going 

 ashore to reduce sad, or dangling on the end of a stick running 

 as far beyond the stern as iuboard, and looking like an animated 

 frog on the oiid of a fishing polo. Aud nothing looks worse, and 

 sticks faster at the most inopportune time, than a complicated 

 reefing apparatus that forcibly reminds one of a full-rigged man- 

 of-war. Neither do 1 want a bowsprit that samples the bottom 

 every time a wave strikes the counter. It is, as iu all things, the 

 happy medium which gives the best results and most pleasure, 



The admiral and ornamental man of our ship is Frank MacAr- 

 thur, a well-known beau, and whose specialty, says knowing Dick 

 Marshall, the proprietor of a well-known summer hotel, is widows. 

 He could generally be found reading in the shade of a sail, braced 

 up by pillows. The skipper is Oscar Woodward, an old stager, 

 who can go comfortably to sleep on Ihe edge of a three-cent piece, 

 and who always hold the tiller iu bad woather. The cook bears 

 the name of Wickus, and still live;). The rest of his name has 

 never been discovered, for fear of faring worse by going further, 

 He has reduced the whole science of cookery to one rule, and that 

 ia fat ; hence wo more usually call him the King of Greece. He 

 does alt the delicate work, such as frying cornmoal and peeling 

 potatoea. Ho has an assistant who does all the manual labor, 

 such aa washing dishes and watching him make the fire, 



The expedition was advertised to sail Saturday evening, but the 

 appearance of the wharf at that date indicated otherwise. A pile 

 of baggage, provisions and apparatus, apparently the accumula- 

 tion of years — and from its variety the result of much etndy — had 

 to bo disposed of aboard the jfanny. It was like putting a house 

 with all the domestic arrangements in a cart ; but the skipper. 

 remembering the classical pig that oat a bucketful of dinner and 

 then got into the bucket himself, went to work, and with the aid 

 of some darkies — assorted sizbs — incorporated everything in the 

 craft in its proper place. Finally everything was fixed, the last 

 rites performed, and we started. 



It was a beautiful night. The moon was full, and beamed down 

 so benignly that we oould not help feeling the gentle influence, 

 and from joking and talking became ailent, and watched its ever 

 chaugicg silvery hues, the grim old wharf, with its dark shadows 

 and pleasant recollections, and the serene, blue sky, witb its 

 sparkling lights. Then we thought of the dear old friends left be- 

 hind, and the long journey to come, with its many probabilities 

 and modest dangers ; and then very unaentimentady thought we 

 were sleepy, wrapped ourselves up, and soon old Morpheus had 

 us under his wing. 



We stopped at Alexandria till morning to get an anohor. It 

 being Sunday the blacksmith-shop was closed, and wo had to go to 

 the proprietor's house. He ceased operations on a sermon, aa he 

 was a minister later in the day, and sold us the article. It weighs 

 130 lbs., and is intended to bo used only on a lee shore in a gale. 

 It is carried in the bottom of the cockpit, with the stock folded, 

 the shank alongside, and the flukos on each side of the well. In 

 this position it was not at all in the way. We christened it Baby, 

 and the ship always staid when it was dropped over, which was 

 more than once. It is one of those articles that may never be 

 used, but when it ia wanted, is wanted like everything. 



Alter squaring away from Alexandria, we had headwinds all the 

 way to Piney Point, 93 miles, where we arrived without adventure. 

 Dick Marshall keeps a cosy little hotel here, and we stopped over 

 several daya. Dick iB jolly, and treats everybody just right. He 

 haa a little schooner, which he thinks can show anything inside 

 the capes over a course, and offered us champagne to beat him. 

 The race was an event, and everybody was excited. The wind was 

 off shore, and a big woods close to the water's edge kept the wind 

 off tbe little Fanny, but allowed the top and staysail of the 

 schooner to push her ahead. They said we were anchored, and to 

 come on ; we did so, and to such an extent that when the turn 

 was made Fanny was a mile ahoad. So jolly Dick came to the 

 conclusion that he could only beat us in rough weather, and as we 

 never denied it, everybody is happy, and the goose hangs high. 



But our journey must be completed, and so we bade all good 

 bye, oast off the laBt mooring rope, hoisted sail, and slowly moved 

 out toward the groat Chesapeake, with the good wishes of all the 

 people, and the predictions of the wise ones that they were taking 

 their last farewelk We reached the bay, and were delighted. It 

 is true we could only faintly see land, aud that only iu one direc- 

 tion ; and the oook remarked that Fanny was small for the occa- 

 sion, and the assistant cook said nothing, but his usual blank 

 countenance indicated a heap of thinking ; and the Admiral said it 

 was the most beautiful sunset he ever saw ; aud the skipper said 

 to give him his blanket and pillow to sleep on, aud if the wind 

 changed to wake him up ; and that waa all tbat was said for some 

 time. In the oourse of an hour a promontory extending away out 

 into the water was approached, and the scene waa one long to be 

 remembered. My aingle blanket and the hard deok I would not 

 have traded for the moat gorgeous bed of a palaoe, and an old pair 

 of breeches, resting on tho fluke of the anohor, was softer to me 

 as a pillow than tbe finest feathers. Oh, what a lovely night it 

 was, and how happy I felt ! I shall never forget it, and shall 

 always long to again dnu into the shadow of tho great bluff that 

 loomed up with such grand, calm dignity from the depths of night, 

 and listen to the sad pinea fated to sigh and moan forever. And 

 well do I remember tho dark, mysterious holea in the mountain 

 side, and tho fantastic, ever-changing shadows, that aeemod like 

 evil Bpirita playing hide and seek with the jutting reeks andaturdy 

 bushes. And how lazily did the little, good-natured wavoa play 

 with tho glistening pebbles along the sandy beach, and how cheery 

 the sweet muaio of their voices, and how strange they could be 

 aDgered by a storm and rival the thunders of hoaven ! And then 

 I saw the twinkling stars, aud the deep, pure blue above, and the 

 moon slowly rise from behind the wooing trees and oast its gentli 



light o er all nature, which seemed contented and at rest. Then 1 

 wished I could livo forever, leave all humanity, and drift for an 

 eternity on the crystal water, in the shadows of night, and watch 

 the moon nso— and just then a Bpider bit me on the end of the 

 nose, and I wished I had them all in a row under a knife ton miles 

 long, so that I could cut off all their hoada at once ; and with this 

 pious wish I innocently went to sleep. 



The next day wo had the first serious accident, Wo lost one of 

 our men overboard, and he must have boon drowned, for we never 

 saw him any more. Wo were sitting quietly on tbe forward deck, 

 when we heard tbe startling splash, and saw him come to tho sur- 

 face twice, but before we could get to him he had disappeared, 

 and that waa the last we ever saw of the unfortunate man. 

 Drowning is Baid to bo an easy death, aud ao it proved to be in 

 this case ; for ho never made a sound, or we could no doubt have 

 saved him, as we hove to and waited for him to come up or make 

 a noise, but nothing was heard but the murmuring water that 

 seemed utterly indifferent to the shrieking tragedy it had commit- 

 ted. Poor inan, though the king of fellows ho whs a blockhead 

 and always iu the way, but nevertheless indispensable ; and so we 

 cut another one out of cork, and oontinued our game, aa he was, 

 after all, only a King iu our set of chessmen! 



In the course of time we concluded we should like to catch aome 

 sheupsbcad, and so we went ashore in Great Wieoinico Kiver to 

 find a man to get the bait and show us the most likely place to try 

 our luck— and patience. We wore told the very man we wanted 

 lived threo milea back in the country; the only way to get to him 

 was to walk, and the proper road waa pointed out. Two of us 

 Btarted, walked four miles an hour for three hours and a half in a 

 bee Une in the right direction before we scraped together those 

 original threo miles. We came back in a wagon, and it took four 

 hours. Such is the Virginia " idea" in regard to distance. Such 

 economy would be laudablo in a Rhode Islander, but in a Virginian 

 it seema entirely unnecessary. 



We finally had our fish, and fine sport it was. There are a great 

 many in tho bay, but a guide ia indispensable, as Ihe fish oDly bite 

 in particular spots, which are uaually far from land, and can only 

 be found by a system of triangulation on marks ashore, known 

 only to the initiated. 



We sailed up the York River aa far as Yorktown, and stopped 

 a day at that memorable place where the Revolution was Bettlod. 

 It ia a hot, mean little placo, with a few frame houses, and one 

 brick one, including shot perforations, that existed at the time of 

 the famous surrender. We put aome corn dodgers in our pock- 

 ets, passed up back of tho town , and from thinking of the great 

 historical event, of what might have happened had the siege ter- 

 minated otherwise, of the patriotic Americana dying in I he onuee 

 they thought right— giving their lile blood for principles, we he- 

 came filled with emotion— and corn dodgers, and felt like shedding 

 a tear on those hallowed grounds ; for, as usual, Wickus had used 

 too little meal in the fat, and no one knows how much we suffered 

 while thiukiug o" the miseries of the brave men who made our 

 country. After a few moments of agony my friend produced an 

 electrical apparatus to be used on suoh occasions. It was hollow, 

 made of dark glaea, and had a detachable top. It was operated 

 by removing the top, placing the exposed aperture to tho lips, 

 aud giving the device a slow, OBcillating movement in a vortical 

 plane, at right anglea to the axis of the shoulder. The theory ia 

 that if tho device ia in prime order, and not been tested too much 

 by tho skeptical, that sufficient electric fluid will be developed by 

 the described movement to ran down the throat, and assimilate 

 with the B.vatem in an advantageous way. I cannot speak from 

 experience, but think there must bo something in it, as my friend's 

 eyes indicated a result different from the ordinary run. Havin» 

 finished this place, which nearly finished us, we once mora em- 

 barked, and arrived at Norfolk, saw what was to be seen, and 

 started on the back trip. 



While Fanny ia quietly sailing along with an occasional reefing 

 breezo and sharp squall, I will observe one observation in regard 

 to provender. Canned meata and.soups were in abundance, but 

 not satisfactory for the main staple, aa they were too delicate, and 

 do not "fill up" right. They aome way or other do not seem to 

 afford sufficient sustenance to compensate for the energy expend- 

 ed in eating them. Boston baked beaua, that simply require 

 warming, are the thing, and are palatable every day. A mau can 

 put himself on the outside of three boned ohickens, and just feel 

 hke sitting down to dinner ; but lot him take a couple of table- 

 spoonfuls of beans, browned just right, and he feels that holme 

 something to depend on. 



Tho Groat Wicomico River ia honored with the moat extensive 

 fish-oil and guano establishments we came across. Their odor is 

 fearful, and they became very evident about threo milea off. This 

 odor oan tack half a mile dead to windward without effort. VVe 

 had expected to make harbor in thia place, butaheadwind delayed 

 us untd after dark, when a very heavy storm arose. Tho channel 

 is narrow but straight, and if you can only strike it oil ia well; bnt 

 as there are no lights, the question; ia how to strike the out at 

 night, aa each Bidois^full of shallows. It, waa dark as pitch, the sea 

 waa running very ugly/.aud we had been running and bumping 

 around a good wbde when the ekipper said he waa going to rim iD, 

 to look aharp, stand by the halliard8, and if she atruck, hoaae sail 

 and strike for the shore. A thrill went through every man for 

 although it was tough work where we were, and the gale increae- 

 ing every minute, it aoemed perfect folly to dash stem on into the 

 breakers which we could not see but hear so plain. There ia not- 

 one ohance in a thousand of hitting the right plaoo, we thought 

 and if it's missed, we'll be churned into eternity. Bnt with human 

 thoughts like these the actions are like heroes. Not a word is 

 said, bnt everything ia doue. Every .rope is manned. The tough 

 little ship ia turned for shore, and fairly leaps in the darkness, the 

 quicker to end the suspense. ,AU ia dark. Not a thing can be 

 aeen, but, oh! what fearful sounds can be heard. The wind 

 howls, the rigging shrieks, and the mast groana. The brave little 

 craft fliea to her fate, aud the maddened water fairly hiasea aa it 

 rushes by. Every man peers into the baffling darkness with the 

 fierconosB of desperation, but sees nothing. A few momenta moro 

 and all will be known ; but time has ceased its flight, or become 

 entangled in our heart-atringa, and drags out life to gain a second - 

 But, hark ! The breakers are near ! They come ; and the sullen 

 throb and methodical roar fall with painful exactness on the soul, 

 and bode destruction. But, thoughta away ! for none bo vivid as 

 leality, and the breakers, those insatiable tyrants, are quite near. 



