[April 10, 1884. 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



215 



GENEVA, N. Y., April 2.— The second annual shoot of the Lake 

 side Gun CUih took place this afternoon, It being a stormy day, the 

 tnce was not large. The following is the score: 



Cootest No. 1, JO glass balls, Card trap: 



Stapletou P Crawford., 8 



Fish 9 Dey 8 



Stacey f Stacey, Jr 



Geo llirchinson 5 Shot 8 



Grant liuiehiusou 4 Maunder B 



Contest No. 2, 10 glass balls, Card trap: 



Grant Hutchinson 3 Fish — 7 



Shot 8 Stacoy <* 



Stapletou 9 Geo Hutchinson jj 



Hoy, ,1 Stacev.Jr { 



Crawford . ... 4 Maunder •■*> 



Contest No, 3. 10 glass balls, Card trap: 



Grant Hutchinson 8 Fish [ 



Dey Geo. Hutchinson 6 



Stapletou « Crawford (21yds.) 8 



Stacey, Jr 6 Stacey (21yds.)... 8 



Maunder 7 



The club held its annual meeting in the evening. The treasurer's 

 report showed the club in a flourishing condition financially, and the 

 following officers were elected for the ensuing year: Presidents. 

 Coursey; Vice-President, J, S. Crawford; Secretary and Treasurer, 

 J. Geo. Stacey. 



TORONTO, April 1.— The pigeon match between A, Humphrey, 

 of Toronto, and .1. Bell, of Liruaroux. for $100 a side, came off at John 

 Ouieott's shooting grounds. Eglinton, t»-day. The weather was 

 rat Her cold for this time of year, still it did not mar the gathering of 

 sportsmen, who were numerous. The wind was favorable to the 

 bints'. Betting on the start was 2 to 1 on Bell. Bell won by 6 birds, 

 as follows : Match at 10 birds each. $100 a side, 81yds. rise ; Dominiou 

 rules: 



j Beii iioiiioiimiinnjmiiiiioooooiioi-26 



Humphrey,. J1011010100011031 101 111011011101000—90 



Mr. J. Wilson acted as referee and Mr. Oulcott trapped. 



MUNCY, Pa., April 5.— Our new club, the Keystone, of Muncy, had 



its first shoot to-day; out of thirteen members seven shot, and below 



is the score. Weather awful. 



C Guyer 20 S D Renn 18 



14 McMichael 19 H Corson W 



JPGuyer 10 Levi Hill 16 



W Crawford 19 



IttchUng. 



May 18, 

 -May 24. 

 May 24. 

 May 30. 

 May 80, 

 May 30, 

 May 30. 

 May 80. 

 May 81.- 

 June 9.- 

 June 10. 

 June 11. 

 June 12. 

 June 14. 

 June 1-1. 

 June 16. 

 June 16.- 

 June 19.- 

 •lune 38.- 

 Juue 28.- 

 June 30.- 

 June 30. 

 July 4.- 

 July 9. 

 July 12, 

 July 12, 

 July 26. 

 Aug. 9. 

 Aug. 9, 

 Aug. 1(1 

 Aug, 23. 

 Aug. 23, 

 Sept. 6. 

 Sept. 13 

 Sept. 18. 



FIXTURES. 



-Eclipse Y. C, Oppniug Cruise. 



-Oswego Y. C, Opening Cruise. 



-Boston Y. C, Opening Cruise. 



-Knickerbocker Y. C, Spring Matches. 

 Atlantic Y. C, Opening Cruise. 

 Newark Y. C, Spring Match. 



-South Boston Y. C, Spring Match. 



City Point Mosquito Fleet, 18 and 15ft. boats. 



•Boston Y.C., First Match, Connor and Commodore's cups. 

 -Portland Y. C, Challenge Cup. 



-Atlantic Y. C, Annual Match. 

 Hudson River Y. C, Annual Match. 



-New York Y. C, Annual Matches. 

 —Hull Y. C. Club Meet. 



— Seawanhaka Corinthian Y. C, Annual Matches. 

 —East River Y. C, Annual Matches. 

 —Newark Y. C, Open Match. 

 —New Jersey Y. C, Annual Match. 

 — New r ark Y. C. Open Matches. 

 —Boston Y. C. Ladies' Day. 

 —Manhattan Y. C, Annual Cruise. 

 —Eclipse Y. C. Spring Match. 

 — Larchmont Y. 0., Annual Open Matches. 

 —Beverly Y. C, Marblehead, First Championship. 

 -HullY. C., Club Meet. 



-Boston Y. C. Second Club Match. 



-Beverly Y. C, Nahaut, Second Championship. 



-Hull V. C, Club Meet. 



-Boston Y. C, Open Matches, all clubs. 



-Beverly Y, O, Swampscott, Third Championship. 

 -Beverly Y. C, Marblehead, Open Matches. 



-Boston Y. C. . Third Club Match. 



-Beverly Y. C, Marblehead, Special Matches. 



-HullY. C, Club Meet. 



-Boston Y. C, Second Ladies' Day. 



THE LAKE Y. R. A. AND MEASUREMENT. 



A FULL report of the proceedings at the recent meeting at Toronto 

 is printed in this issue. It will be seen that the lake clubs, both 

 Canadian and American, have, after investigation, decided upon a 

 length and sail area rule. This conclusion is in harmony with the 

 general feeling prevailing in yachting circles on both sides of the 

 Atlantic. The fallacy of measuring by simple length, and the evil 

 tendencies of that rule, are fast becoming appreciated. The sail area 

 rule is making rapid strides, for the good reason that under it various 

 types can be raced with some approach to equity. But the chief 

 recommendation of the rule lies in the fact that small, economical 

 boats, reasonably sparred and of convenient draft, will not be driven 

 to the wall as under the comparison by simple length. The modern 

 Boston keel sloops and Itchen cutters, which are the direct outcome 

 of the latter custom, are the largest and most expensive boats to 

 build and sail, and draw more water than others of less extravagant 

 size on the length. Witness, for example, the keel sloop Cricket, of 

 Boston, which, on a loadline of 29ft., draws no less than 7J^ft.. or as 

 much as the cutter Muriel on 40ft. ; 2J^ft. more than the cutter Merlin 

 on 25ft., 2ft. more than the cutter Yolande on 26^ft., as much as the 

 cutter Madge on 33J4ft., and within 6in. as much as the cutter Maggie 

 on 45ft. 



A rule which forces the construction of an unhandy and expensive 

 type cannot long survive, and as fast as yachtsmen appreciate the 

 tendency to great expense and oversparring with no commensurate 

 returns for the outlay, there can be little doubt that simple length 

 rules will gradually give way to more intelligent modifications which 

 will allow all to build as they please, from the widest to the narrow- 

 est, the shoalest to the deepest, and so through competition promote 

 the survival of the fittest. Already, with one exception, the principal 

 ciubs in New York have given in adhesion to the sail area rule. In 

 the East the recently formed Y.R. A. have not as yet arrived at any 

 conclusion, and it is possible they will decree the same method. 

 Should this not be done, experience to come will show up the false 

 and pernicious workings of simple length, that at future convoca- 

 tions of the powders the desired perfection will be brought about 

 through the force of public opinion. In England the sail area rule 

 will he tried this year by several prominent clubs, and it has already 

 supplemented length in Itchen classes and Southampton waters gen- 

 erally. 



T nereis a firm conviction abroad that the time has come for abol- 

 ishing the old and prejudicial beam and length rule all around the 

 British coast and the substitution of the new system. As fast as "vested 

 interests" can be set. aside, the sail area rule is being accepted, and we 

 think that in another season or two it will become universal through- 

 out the yachting world as the best and most practicable substitute 

 by which the difficulties in the way of obtaining the actual bulk of 

 vessels will be overcome. 



The Lake clubs are to be congratulated for being In on the new tide. 

 The Toronto and Kingston clubs had already given the Seawanhaka 

 rule a season's trial with great satisfaction, and at the recent meet- 

 ing the whole matter was thoroughly canvassed and examined 

 through application to actual boats whose relative performance is 

 known. Hence future prosperity under the sail area rule can be con- 

 sidered assured. The Chicago Y. C. is also debating in an informal 

 manner a similar measure, and we learn that Colin Archer is working 

 among Swedish organizations to the same purpose. So the coast 

 seems clear at last to a universal rule in which all interests will ac- 

 quiesce. Nearer home, old prejudices still have some influence and 

 strength, but that the errors of length measurement are fully under- 

 stood by intelligent observers elsewhere appears from the following, 

 taken from Le Yacht, of Paris: 



"To sum up: The English Y. R. A. has decreed three classes of 

 boats, of certain defined lengths, and applies to these classes time 

 allowance based upon sail area and length. * * * It appears, then, 

 that the division of boats in classes by length maintains the princi- 

 ples of measurement by length, but at the bottom the allowance upon 

 sail area and length has, as a direct consequence, the abandonment 

 of measurement by length. * * * Experience has demonstrated the 

 fallacy of simple length; for among boats of same length it gives the 

 advantage to the largest and most powerful, and as between boats of 

 different type it hinders all fair comparison. The introduction of sail 

 area oilers more equitable conditions for comparison, because the 

 beam and depth [Here appears the intuitive desire to measure actual 

 bulks for fair comparison.— Editor Forest and Stream] are the 

 sources of sail carrying, and the new rule takes them into account. 



This must give results in racing at least fairer, if not perfectly fair, 

 because of the accounting for the bulk on the length. r,: * * This cure, 

 practically put to test in America under various forms, will be from 

 the present, through the Y. R. A , or perhaps In spite of it, engrafted 

 upon English rules for the racing of yachts and for small boats." 



Twaddle about '■patriotism" and the slushy scribbling of "penny-a- 

 liners" with no higher aim lhan pocketing their pay for the filling of 

 a certain amount of space, may find it easier to get along without 

 any exertion of their brain, but wherever critics ot experience ven- 

 ture an expression, it is in strong condemnation of simple length. It 

 remains to be seen whether the New Eugland Y. R, A. will have the 

 insight to deal courageously with this question or whether it pro- 

 poses to shirk by shouldering the vices of a bad rule winch chokes 

 off all further experiment and progress in its crass prejudice for the 

 largest displacement and greatest expense in yacht building to the 

 exclusion of all fresh ideas and the rapid development of the sport. 

 A rule which forbids anything but the* largest on the length cannot 

 be fair, ami that is not the worst of it. The expense of large boats 

 frightens the public from building. The New England Y. R. A. must 

 not look to the past only, but to the future. What may have been 

 good enough iu the old days, when all yachts were shoal draft traps, 

 is not necessarily good enough for an enlightened policy applicable 

 to the future, which should give all a fair show and favor none in 

 particular. We are aware of the powerful prestige of old customs, 

 and that the snares of "simplicity" are bound to exert great influence 

 upon the coming deliberations, But we believe the. New England 

 Y. R. A. may be trusted to commit no hasty blunder, and that it will 

 face the music without regard to vested interests, and permit no 

 narrow local issues or provincial prejudice to sheer it off the path of 

 dtity. That duty demands a rule free from favor to any type, in the 

 light of experience abroad and at home, where there has been suffi- 

 cient opportunity to observe the workings of rules adhered to for a 

 long time. 



The two leading clubs in the country, the N. Y, Y. C. and Seawan- 

 haka Corinthian Y. C, in view of the constantly widening divergence 

 iu the type of the vessels comuosing their fleet, have, after deliberate 

 consideration, resisted the pleadings of vested interests, and to their 

 credit, refused to formulate a ukase against those whose experience 

 or choice leads to deviation from the ancient typical trap. The sail 

 area ride as a correction to the notorious unfairness of measuring by 

 simple length has been introduced with good effect and satisfaction 

 in New York, whatever this or that growlor with an oversparred 

 trap may have to the contrary. It is received with increasing favor 

 .abroad and indeed is destined to take precedence of all other 

 methods. The Y. R. A. council of Great Britain has positively de- 

 clared length an inequitable gauge. The Lake Y. R. A., in full pos- 

 session of all that has been said and reported upon the subject, has 

 seen fit to reject simple length. Those journals making a specialty 

 of yachting from a technical standpoint, are unanimous in the con- 

 demnation of simple length. It is not our purpose to further or 

 force any selected rule. But we wish the issue to be put before the 

 New England Y r . R. A. in its true light. Are we to have in the East 

 the liberty to build and rig as we like, or is the future to be rammed 

 into a Btraight-jncket at the outset, only to have all hands wake up 

 again some day and find our cousins abroad have stolen another 

 long march on our practices and experiences? Will the New England 

 Y. R. A. bear hi mind that the evils of length measurement were only 

 just beginning to show themselves, because builders are slow to 

 recognize the loophole iu the rule? That, if a sloop ou 29ft. draws 

 7,t£ft. and has 30ft. Hoist to-day, the future, forced by the artificial 

 stimulant of prejudicial measurement, will develop vessels drawing 

 10ft. on the length with 35ft. hoist, displacement and cost corres- 

 ponding? 



Can the association overlook tue boat with '5ft. draft and 22ft. hoist, 

 supplied at half the cost and equally as well fitted to the general 

 objects of yachting? Is reason to be' dumped overboard and riot in 

 size the consummation to be sought? Are we to see all the troubles 

 and tribulations of racing abroad transplanted to our own shores, 

 only augmented in their interference with sport and the erection of 

 false standards? 



This is the sequence length measurement is bouud to bring about 

 should the New England Y. B. A. perpetuate its follies and emphasize 

 them by official indorsement. The largest and most expensive and 

 most undesirable type will raise its head and tower above others, a 

 fright to the pockets of all but a small number of rich people, and of 

 a draft and general unwieldiness wholly unsuited to the promotion 

 of yachting interests. We will see on this side of the Atlantic the 

 same harrassing and regretable split between racers and cruisers, aud 

 years will not efface the evil wrought. The past is not a sufficient 

 criterion, as the sport was in a general state of chaos. Now that pil- 

 ing up records is becoming the fashion, measurement rules will be 

 sw hid led to the utmost possible. 



Already the influence of length can be detected in the huge Eastern 

 sloops as the first step iu the direction we fear. Let every one desir- 

 ing a boat ask himself whether he cares for 8ft. draft, 10 tons weight 

 on the keel and 32ft. hoist for general yachting purposes on 80ft. 

 loadline? Yet precisely such a boat was planned three years ago and 

 made her appearance in last year's matches about Boston. "She is 

 the product of length measurement, and not a boat representing the 

 most advantageous or economical disposition of size. But for the 

 fact that length refuses to consider size and permits it to race un- 

 taxed, such monsters w r ould never enter any one's head. The length 

 rule quashes the delicate play of reason and sets up as a fetish the 

 brute force of bigness. Cruisers will refuse to bow to such a false 

 idol, and as fast as they discover it a losing game to pit small boats 

 on a length against large ones they will retire from the line and re- 

 lapse in public estimate to the lower order composed "only of 

 cruisers." The most excellent and talented designs will be spoken of 

 slightingly as "cruisers," and that only because a false standard has 

 warped just comparison. 



The danger lies herein. If the New England Y. B. A. seeks its 



fuide by the past, it will fail to receive the true course for the future, 

 ecause the past has scarcely afforded a chance for the, poison to ap- 

 pear on the surface. Wise counsel peers ahead and a warning against 

 official indorsement looking to the perpetuation of a proscriptive 

 rule, simply because its vices have lain dormant in the past, cannot 

 go unheeded, unless at serious sacrifices in the future and the com- 

 plete miscarriage of the chief purpose for which yachting associa- 

 tions are instituted. Once vested interests are permitted to grow 

 strong under a fallacious rule, then neither reasou nor example may 

 be able to put affairs round again on the other tack. 



LOO OF THE WATERSNAKE. 



[From "Cruises in Small Yachts,''' by H. Fiennes Speed.] 



NOW for the little ship which was to be our home for three months 

 on salt water and fresh, aud which usually lay either at anchor 

 or at her moorings a little below Erith Pier, in what is very com- 

 monly called the "London River." She was a small cutter of about 

 seven tons, built at Portsmouth in lSra, but redecked, sparred, can- 

 vassed and thoroughly overhauled and refitted by MeWhirter at 

 Erith in 1878, of pretty smart appearance and not overdone with 

 sail. Dimensions as follows: Length overall 34ft. 6 in., beam 8ft„ 

 draft of water 5ft. She had iron ballast inside and a small lead 

 keel of half a ton. Of course carvel built and with considerable rise 

 of floor. Sternpost not much raked, and clew of mainsail plumb 

 with taffrail. Main cabin 10ft. 3iu. long, a good forecastle with room 

 in it for a bed bunk, with which, however, it never was fitted. Her 

 fittings below were 'mostly of teak and maple French polished, which 

 looked very well. The little after cabin was entered by a ladder 

 through the cabin top on starboard side, and had a washstand on 

 starboard side and a 6ft. berth on port side, which was carried along 

 under the deck and passed along one side of the steering well. The 

 latter was 2ft. 7in, long, and completely shut off from the main cabin 

 by a bulkhead which had fitted on it a small shelf to take the bin- 

 nacle in a handy position. In most small yachts one enters the 

 cabin through folding or sliding doors, and the question is usually, 

 Where ou earth is the binnacle to go? 



The whole crew of the Watersnake numbered three. We were 

 therefore an amateur crew. No hand, no boy. no dog, not even a cat 

 to curl up in front of the forecastle stove aiidmake things look home- 

 like when the kettle was on the boil and sang merrily" over the red 

 hot coke. 



Provisioning for three months required some consideration, but of 

 course we were to get fresh things when and where we could. But 

 that pile, a second great pyramid of tins from Hugh Wood & Co,, 

 heaped up on the cabin carpet. How are we going to stow all that 

 lot in the lockers. 



Before we warp off, a word about one's toggery on board a small 

 craft. What is best to wear? Now, we all had pilot cloth, and blue 

 jerseys, and flannel shirts, and blue worsted caps, and India rubber 

 soled shoes. All of which sounds professional, of course, but still 

 there are drawbacks even to professional costume, e. </., a thick pilot 

 cloth pair of trousers are not nice to go aloft in to cast off the topsaii 

 lacing in a hurry, and get the fid out of the toomast, till they grow 

 pliant with sheer old age. Tkey are too stiff and thick. Whereas 

 flannels are charming and allow perfect freedom of action; but these 

 again are not warm enough on many a summer night, and get to 

 look dreadful after a little brasswork cleaning has been got through, 

 and they have a plentiful modicum of brickdust aud oil daubed upon 

 their soft surface. In one short week their pristine beauty is gone 

 forever, and we all know the washerwoman's hands don't improve 

 them. 



The question lies between pilot cloth, white flannel and blue serge 

 no doubt. The first is heavy and stiff, and when wet won't dry. The 

 second ia easily wet through, but dries easily and is supple, but spoils 



in appearance, with the least thing The I hird Is a kind of go between 

 aud perhaps is best of all, as it dries soon, aud allows one to bend 

 One's knees, and yet is fairly warm. It should lie of good substauce, 

 otherwise it soon perishes. 



But now we warp off at last aud drop down to moorings below the 

 pier tb W&it for next day aud get things squared below, wash, the 

 decks down and feel we have done with Erith Hard for a lime. That 

 night, having done a fair day's work on board, we sat up late and 

 made merry; but I made luy crew clearly understand that it was 

 only for a treat, and thai the Watersnake always kept good hours as 

 a general rule. My brother slept in the forecastle, I bad the after 

 cabin to myself, where I could pop up and down the ladder at pleas- 

 ure aud at a moment's notice while at anchor, aud not intcrfcr 

 anybody; though my apartment, was, I must confess, somewhat 

 limited in area. Pen slept iu the berth on port side of main cabin aud 

 F. in the starboard. 



Next day, August it), there was a nice hreeze from S, W. (the usual 

 quarter). Slipped moorings about mid-day and reaching down a [ft 

 tie beyond Heme Bay, brought up somew here in the neighborhood 

 of the Pudding Pan. We had a good sail, but nothing of much inter- 

 est happened. 



August 11.— During the night: the wind freshened a good deai on the 

 flood tide, and the old Snake rolled dreadfully, rolled in fact so much 

 that each rail dipped, first on side then ttie other, and it lakes a very 

 heavy roll indeed to effect this, iu fact, 1 never have had it happen in 

 any craft. Breakfast while at anchor was impossible. Only two of 

 us were left sound, and a hard job it was for us to get the anchor, as 

 the motion was so extremely violent with the fresh W. wind. When 

 we had succeeded, and it was only a question of time and patience, 

 and steering and holding on, and" when the foresail was rim up she 

 was quieter, and we rau comfortablv under a reefed mainsail past 

 the Pan Sand Red Buoy and T'ougne Light, taking this channel in- 

 stead of the favorite old Gore channel bv war of a change. Altera 

 bit it was "Gybe 01" for the North Foreland, and with a, good I: 

 we ran into Ramsgate Outer Harbor till 10 P. M.; then warped into 

 dock and slept peacefully. 



THE GLEAM'S RECORD. 



rpHE amount of ballast at present carried by this sloop amounts to 

 JL 6,2001b6., something over J,?001bs.of which has recently been put 

 on the keel. Considering the boat is only 23ft. leadline, these figures 

 patently illustrate the tendency toward an expensive and unwieldy 

 type which length measurement fosters. What has been done in the 

 Gleam on a small scale is only the forerunner to what we may expect 

 in large vessels as soon as the weak side of that rule is taken advan- 

 tage of. Indeed, the new compromise, Thetis, building in Boston, 

 gives a gauge of the tendencies of the times toward the enormous. 

 The record of the Gleam for last year, put in tabular form, is as fol- 

 lows: 

 June 9— Larchmont Y. 0. First Pennant Match, sloops, third class. 



2 starters, Gleam 1 



June 19— Atlantic Y. C. Regatta, sloops. Class G, 3 starters, oie.im'. '. 1 

 June 23— Seawanhaka Y. C. Corinthian Matches, fourth class, 5 



starters, Gleam ] 



July 4— Larchmont Y. C. Regatta, third class, 3 starters, Amazon"! 1 

 July 14— Larchmont Y. C. Pennant Race, third class, 2 starters. 



Gleam __ i 



From the list of races in our issue of Nov. 22. 1883, it appears that 

 for the past season the Gleam's record of four firsts is the best among 

 the sioops, which started five times, with the exception of Dr. Bry- 

 ant's Shadow. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



I notice an error in to-day's paper iu your account of the perform- 

 ance of the Gleam last season, In the A. Y. C. race. Gleam won very 

 handily, with several minutes to spare, from the Lois, and Amazon 

 was third that day. While I am at it, it is as well to say, that Amazon 

 carried away the throat halliard block hook within two minute-: after 

 crossing the line, aud although damages were repaired uuiekly yet 

 Amazon could not in the light and baffling wind regain the distance 

 lost. I pride myself upon never carrying awav any tiling ou my boat. 

 but this accident was caused by bad ironwork well hidden, by the 

 galvanizing, something no one can guard against. 



In the Seawanhaka Corinthian race I tried an experiment on the 

 silly rule of measurement now in vogue, viz.: sailed without a top- 

 mast, and thus gained about six minutes in time. Of course, 1 had to 

 take my chances on the weather, and this time got: left, Iliad the 

 satisfaction of beating the whole class down to the S.W. Spit buov. 

 but there the wind died out entirely. 



I also had the satisfaction of showing there was a hole in that sys- 

 tem of measurement, and the result is. I understand, that yachts will 

 hereafter be measured for topmasts about the length of the gaff, 

 whether they carry them or not. 



At Larchmont we had the only racing day of the season ; a good 

 topsail breeze, true and steady as a clock. Gleam and Amazon 

 crossed the line side by side. Amazou beat Gleam, in round numbers 

 fourteen minutes, or nine minutes with her time deducted. 



Amazon is 2ft. 4in. longer on the water line thau Gleam. 



Regarding the Lois, she is one of Mr. Ellsworth's boats, formerly 

 the Kangaroo. Although she is not now in racing hands, and is 

 under-rigged, so as to be a comfortab'e boat in which a gentleman 

 can and does safely take his wife and family with him. yet if there is 

 any cutter or any sloop, carrying fixed weight, of her length, that 

 thinks Lois can't go, I will try to convince them of the error for n 

 $100 cup, A. Y. C. course and rules. FeAnkuh Reamhs. 



[We gladly make the correction mentioned in the record of Gleam 

 published last week, and regret that a misprint in the times of finish 

 on our page 433 of Volume XX,, should have led to ihe error. In 

 reference to the Lois, we confounded that boat-with another of the 

 same name. The Lois, ex-Kangaroo, is no doubt a fast boat on length 

 measurement in light weather with enough rig, but like all of her 

 kind, not to be depended upon in rough water.] 



CRUISING IN A SLOOP. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



I do not know if I am at all singular in my experiences ou the 

 water, but I do know I have had some nasty ones. The scene of the. 

 following was the harbor of Halifax, N. S.,'some fifteen years ago I 

 had just returned there from Lake Ainslie, Cape Breton, where I had 

 been sent on business, expecting to find certain letters, one of which 

 I thought sure would direct me back again to Lake Ainslie for a six 

 month's visit. In order to prepare for such a mandate when it came. 

 Hooked up certain yachtsmen aud fishermen to find a staunch, 

 fairly fast, seagoing. 25 or 30ft. keel boat to take with me. Among 

 many I saw was one in particular that took my fancy. Her sizo. build 

 and price just suited me. She had no nice fixings below, so that I 

 could fit her out to my fancy aud pocket. The bargain .1 made was. 

 thatl should pay a forfeit in two weeks of a stipulated sum. in case I 

 did not want to purchase. After closing the agreement it did not 

 take me long to throw aboard some bread and cheese, and prepare 

 for a short cruise into the Atlantic. A fine breeze aud tide tempted 

 my haste, and soon I had mainsail ou her, with the only jio she car- 

 ried, Iniade my dingey fast to the anchor buoy, aud slipped my 

 moorings. Off we bounded, my heart and Joy keeping pace with the 

 occasion. About one-half of the mainsheet was aboard, and the jib- 

 sheet was belayed in my hand. I handled and felt her as I would a 

 colt just out of the stable, and soon gained great confidence in her 

 abilities and qualities. This did not last long. I found I had been 

 greatly mistaken in the wind, and that it was merely luck that had 

 attended mcthus far, as squalls of great fierceness became the «>i 

 of the day. My yacnt suddenly righted, her mambodra came 

 aboard just as if I were passing under the lee of some 

 great elevator, then down came the wind again with awful force and 

 so quickly that my determination to reef had no time to be put into 

 effect, I tried to bring her to, but another burst of aerial passion so 

 buried her that I had to bring her helm up again and a .wait, a more- 

 peaceful moment. All this time the city was fast being shut out and 

 the Atlantic opening. The quiet moments I waited did not come. 

 Aeolus, on. the contrary, appeared determined to make the most of 

 his opportunity and hurled his imprecations at my audasity iu at- 

 tempting alone to gain the mastery over one elemeiil in .suite of the 

 other. I forget just now who wrote "Tempara mui«,i'h'r, < i 

 mntamur in illis" but I do not forget how forcibly those words came 

 to me. The time was changed and I must change with it. So here 

 goes. Down with the helm in spite of everything." I did some lively 

 handling of that mainsheet, and if the jib whips hito ribbons I can- 

 not help it. It was an awful moment. My sloop of that date was a 

 very different article to the cutter of to-day There was no grip to 

 her, she sat ou the water like John Gilpin in the saddle. When a 

 puff came she went, when a sea rolled under her she rolled off, and 

 here she was on her beam ends. A regular Minuie-iia-b\t in the cock- 

 pit, having it all its own way. We carried no boarding nettircs, and 

 thus the briny enemy found no difficulty in comihg aboard I 

 thought nothing could save me. The strong t ide and wind prevented 

 our coming up any more, and although the time seemed very long to 

 me it could only have been a few seconds. I took my bearings for 

 a swim, I might just as welt have done SO for o fly. or a walk, when 

 crash went something. It was the jaw of the boom giving way with 

 the weight of the water and wind. Then some of the masthoop seiz- 

 ing parted, and the yacht actually Sifted her lee rail out of the water, 

 Doubtless a lull helped her. Now was my chance. I manned the 

 downhaul and stowed the jib. Then for the main hallni rds. But oh! 

 no, not yet. I must first fight and conquer that wild maniac of a 

 boom or be struck down with it, Pat never wielded his sriila'ah mora 



