516 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Juxt 24. 1884. 



AN ADVENTUROUS VOYAGER.— Captain W. Johnson, a Norweg- 

 ian, arrived at the Town Quay, Southarnption, on Saturday, in his 

 little craft Neptune, a boat somewhat of the whale-boat type, rigged 

 with two masts, carrying a jib, lugsa.il, and mizzen. Captain Johnson 

 early in last year sailed this boat from Drontheim, iu Norway, to 

 London Bridge, his narrative of the voyage afterward attracting 

 much attention. The Neptune was shown in the lake at the Horti- 

 cultural Gardens, South Kensington, during the time the Interna- 

 tional Fisheries Exhibition was on view, being in company with 

 many other curious craft. She is 36ft. long over all, with a beam of 

 5ft. 2in , and is decked in with waterproof weather cloth to cover up 

 the well. Captain Johnson sailed from the Thames on April i, his 

 only companion being a cat, and be has been cruising along the north 

 coast of France, and, crossing to Worthing, had his little boat hauled 

 ays on the beach, where she was an object of much curiosity, a 

 photograph being taken of her and her owner. The Neptune is now 

 hau'ed up in Stoekhain and Pickett's yard at West Quay, and is 

 having; an iron keel put on. Captain Johnson intends to cross the 

 Atlantic in her if possible, and will commence his voyape at the 

 Town Quay some time during to-day.— Land and Water,' July 12. 



- EASTERN Y. C— The prize which was won by Fortuna at the 

 annual regatta on the 27th of June last, has been returned as a cup, 

 by Commodore Ilovey, to the regatta committee, who have decided 

 to offer it to be sailed" for on the annual cruise of the club, at New 

 Bedford, on Monday, the 38lh July (or, if stormy, next day), open to 

 first and second class schooners of any club, E. Y. C. measurement 

 and allowances. The course will be notified to the boats hereafter. 

 The race will be sailed in cruising trim, with anchors and chains on 

 board, boats at davit=, etc., but sails allowed by E.' Y. C. rules may 

 be carried. There will also be sailed at the same time and place, a 

 race for first and second class sloops, for a cup offered by Commodore 

 Hovey, over the same course, and under the same conditions. These 

 races will be started as near to twelve o'clock as possible, and the 

 committee's boat maybe used asastakeboat at the beginning and 

 finish. Entries may be made to the fleet captain, at the flagship 

 Fortuna, ur> to eleven o'clock on the day of the race.— Daniel 

 Appleton, George A. Goddard. Edward B. Haven, Regatta Committee. 

 (Boston, July IS, 1884). 



TORONTO V, C .— A race for yachts of 7 tons and under was sailed 

 on Saturday, July 19, with three entries, Ins, Mischief and Kestrel. 

 The start wasmu.de at 3 P. M. from the club house, in a northwest 

 blow that put all under close reefed mainsails and storm jibs. Mis- 

 chief crossed first, with a good lead over Iris, Kestrel being delayed 

 considerably. The time at the first buoy was: Iris 3:16, Mischief 

 3:18:30, Kestrel 3:27:30. Iris having more than made up her loss. In 

 the run to the buoy off Gibraltar Point, Iris still held her place, round- 

 ing at 3:30:45, Mischief 3:31:15, Kestrel 3:40. Here Kestrel had a mis- 

 understanding with her spinnaker boom, which went overboard, one 

 of her crew going over as well, but both being picked up. So much 

 time was lost, however, that she withdrew. Iris rounded the nest 

 buoy at 4-08:15, and Mischief at 4:12:45, and started for a run down, 

 Iris with gafftopsail over close-reefed mainsail. Mischief could not 

 carry her spinnaker, though she tried. Iris finished at 41 :44, beating 

 Mischief 5min. on corrected time. Iris has to win once more before 

 owning the prize. 



HULL Y. 0. OREGON HOUSE MATCHES.-A match will be 

 sailed on Saturday, July 26, off the Hull Y. C. house, open to all 

 yachts of the club, for prizes given by the guests of the Oregon House, 

 near by. There will be four classes of yachts, as follows: First class, 

 keel sloops, measuring Sift,, and Under 88ft.; second class, center- 

 board yachts, measuring 30ft. and under 35ft.; third class, cat rigs, 

 measuring 18ft. aud under 30ft. ; fourth class, cat rigs, measuring 

 under 18ft. The prizes are: First, class, first prize §25, second 310; 

 second class, first, prize $36, second $10; third class, first, prize $20, 

 second $10, third $5; fourth class, first prize $15, second $10, third $5. 

 The courses will be 10 miles for first and second classes, and 6 miles 

 for the third and fourth. The first signal will be given at 3.30 P. M, , 

 the starting signal at 3:-i0 for first class, the others starting at 3:45, 

 :50and 3:55 respectively. The committee are Messrs. Harrington, 

 Dunne and Brown; judges, Messrs. L. J. and C. F. Harrington, and 

 31. J. Kiley. 



OPEN BOAT SAILING IN NEW YORK. -Our columns every week- 

 ear testimony to the popularity of smallboat sailing in Boston. 

 nd this week the Beverly, Lynn, Dorchester, Hull and Salem 

 clubs are on record with matches just sailed or about to be. In New 

 York the record is easily summed up: a race on Newark Bay on the 

 19th. in which the. capsize of one boat in a strong tideway placed the 

 lives of her crew, sixteen men, in great danger for a time; another 

 race on the following day in the Sound, with another capsize, the five 

 men being finally rescued, and an upset of a small, shoal sailboat, 

 with a party of six, half of thein women, in the Hudson. These last 

 also were save. I, but only by chance. How much longer are we £o 

 wait, and what emphatic warntug to come, before the advent of safe 

 boats, limited crews, and fixed ballast? 



HULL V. C. LADIES' DAY.— Thirteen yachts took part in the 

 ladies' day sail of the Hull Y. C. on July 10; the seboouers Silvie, 

 Com. Perkins; Yif, Vice-Corn. Crane; yawl White Cap, Rear-Coin. 

 Rice; schooners Geo. H. Warren, Alice, Marion Wentworth and Tem- 

 pest; sloops Anna, King Philip, Ella May. Ariel. Vishnu, and cat, 

 Rambler. With a fresh wind from southwest the fleet started off 

 under single and, in some cases, double reefs, the signal being given 

 at 2:15 P.M. The fleet sailed past the Silvie in review, then stood 

 out through Hull Gut, down almost as far as Minot's Light, then 

 turning sailed in, arriving at about 6 I'. M. The ladies were taken 

 ashore in the tug Wesley A. Gove to the club house, where supper 

 was served, after which a dance occupied the rest of the evening. 



BEVERLY Y. C. BOOK.— The Club Book for 1884 shows a member- 

 ship i&f 127 with 88 yachts, all being under 30ft., among which are 3 

 cutters, 2 yawls, 10 sloops, 1 schooner and 50 ealboats, Ss3 keel and 

 05 eenterboards. The success this club of small boats has met with 

 may he judged from the list of its matches last year, a full account 

 of which is given. The entries for the eleven matches sailed during 

 the season, were uo less than 303. nearly all the boats starting. The 

 grand occasion of the year was the open race in August, iu which 

 190 yachts entered, by far the largest fleet ever brought together in 

 a raee in American waters, while the arrangements were so perfect 

 that the large licet were started and timed with hardly any mishaps. 



NEW HAVEN V. C. UBTJISE,— A start was made on Saturday, 

 July 19, delay being occasioned at first by a violent thunder storm ai 

 the hour appointed The Beet includes the Minerva, Maseotte, Z°phyr, 

 Acme. Wild Pigeon. Vixen, Eudeavor, Rajah, Flora, Marguerite, 

 ,. and Wild Duck. On Monday at 7 A. M. the yachts left Stony 

 Creek, arriving at Greenport in the afternoon. Endeavor and Mas- 

 cotte put hack owing to the heavy weather on the Sound. On the 

 run across Rajah arrived first at Greenport. having been lost under 

 way ai Stony Creek. The fleet will proceed to New London, Newport. 

 and New Bedford, where, a race will be held. The start for home will 

 be made on the 28th. 



LAKE YACHT RACING ASSOCIATION.— The new Lake Yacht 

 Racing Association will hold their first matches at Oswego on July 

 30, aud a large number of boats will probably enter. The following 

 prizes are offered: First class, first $150, second $76, third $50; sec- 

 ond class, first $100, second $C5, third $35— a third prize only being 

 given if four boats start and a second if three start. The second 

 race for the championship pennant given by Commodore Mott will 

 be sailed by all yachts of the Oswego Y. C. over the second class 

 course. AH races' will be sailed under the rules of the L. Y. R. A. 

 Entries must be made in writing to W, E. Lee. secretary, on or before 

 July 28. 



A NARROW ESCAPE— A party of six, three of whom were ladies, 

 were thrown into the Hudson on Sunday by the capsize, of the cat- 

 boat Edith, a trap of the usual model. In this case the presence 

 near by of the police boat, Patrol, prevented the customary tragedy 

 attendant on such accidents. If men choose to peril their own liv,-s 

 in such machines perhaps they have a right to do so, but risking the 

 lives of women who are ignorant of the danger and trust in their 

 superior knowledge is a different matter. 



A NEW YORK BOAT IN EASTERN WATERS.— The owner of the 

 open jib and mainsail boat Cruiser, well-known in the Seawanhaka 

 and Larehmont clubs, will take his boat to Boston next mouth, for a 

 series of races with Eastern boats. The following races have already 

 been arranged: Aug. IS, A. M., Thisbe: Aug. 18, P. M., Yiva; Aug. 19, 

 A. M.., Hornet; Aug. 10. P. M.. Hoiden; Aug. 20, Amy; Aug. 21, Queen 

 Mab: Aug. 22. Sea bird: Aug. .23. Black Cloud. The Cruiser will also 

 enter the matches of the Hull Y. C. on Aug. IS and Beverly, Aug. 23. 



BEVERLY Y. C— The second championship matches svill be sailed 

 on Jul pseott, at 12 M. The classes are: First, over 23ft. 



(iin. and under 8Qft., water-line; second, over 10ft. Gin. and not over 

 21ft : third. 19ft. 6in. and under. No change of ballast nay be made 

 on the day of the race. The time of the. race is limited to 2Jy miles 

 per hour for second and third classes. 2% miles for all others, A 

 special prize for first class schooners, and also one for second class 

 keels, will be given, provided two start in a class. 



OPEN BOAT RACK ON THE HOUND.- A race, was sailed on Wed- 

 nesday, July 10. from Bridgeport Light to Westport and return, 20 

 inilcs,"betweeri the open yachts Amtricus, Hugh Masterson, and Alice, 

 E. W. Smith, both of Bridgeport. The Amertcus won in 4.37, beating 

 the Alice 24 minutes, corrected time. The race was sailed uudcr the 

 rules of the Dorchester Y. C. 



LYNN Y. C— The Lynn Y. C. will hold their matches on Saturday 

 next, off their club house, starting at 1 P. M. There will be three 



WRECK OF A YACHT ON LAKE ERTE.-The Petrel, a schooner 

 yacht 30ft.xll.lft., parted her moorings on July 13 and went ashore 

 near Angola, proving a total wreck. Her crew were on shore at the 

 time. The Potrel w»i,s built in Buffalo, where she was owned, in 

 1879. 



QUAKER CITY Y. C— A sweepstakes race has been arranged be- 

 tween the fourth class yachts Minerva, Adelphia, Elwell, T. J. Pratt, 

 and Francis K. Pierson, to take place over the usual course from 

 Market street wharf. Camden, around Chester Buoy and return. 



SALEM BAY r Y. C— The matches of this club, postponed until 

 July 17. were not sailed on that day, owing to a heavy thunder storm 

 at the time of starting, so they were postponed for the third time, no 

 date being set. 



VIKING.— This steam yacht, built by Roach & Son in 1883, has been 

 sold by her owner, Mr. G. S. Scott, to Mr. Samuel J. Tilden. 



(^anoeing. 



Canoeists are invited to send us notes and full reports oj arwUeu, 

 club meets, information about eanoeable waters, and other commu- 

 nications of interest. 



FIXTURES. 



JiUy 24 to 26.— Lake George Meet, Lorna Island. 

 Aug. 1 to 15.— A. C. A. Meet, Grindstone Island. 



WEIGHT OF CENTERBOARDS. 



WHEREAS, The use of heavy eenterboards has made it desirable 

 to define the limit of weight at which it may be claimed aboard 

 is not used as ballast, 



Resolved, That to be eligible for races without ballast, the center- 

 board, with case complete, should not exceed 15 pounds in weight. 



The above resolution was unanimously agreed to at a regular meet- 

 ing of the Mohican C. C. There are no heavy eenterboards in the 

 club, and none of the members use ballast; but an expression of opin- 

 ion was made with a view to directing attention to an important sub- 

 ject. The captain or some other M. 0. C. man will move as above at 

 the next- A. C. A. meet in order to put an end to the vague terms 

 "light" and "heavy," as applied to boards, and for tne guidance of 

 future regatta committees. 



The Mohicans recognize the heavy board as a legitimate appliance, 

 and ballast as an advantageous aid'under certain circumstances; but 

 they like to keep their boats light, because they paddle as well as sail, 

 they travel by rail and by steamer quite frequently, and they like to 

 float in a few inches of water as they explore creeks and streams near 

 home and rifts and rocky rivers away from home, and they like a 

 buoyant boat, because they have lively squalls and pretty rough 

 water, and not inf requen capsizes (which are, under the circumstances, 

 very good fim). 



And the Mohicans believe that quite a number of other canoeists 

 agree with them. Therefore, they desire in their own club, and in 

 the Association, to have races wherein the light all-round canoes can 

 compete apart from racing sailboats, although they are not afraid to 

 try conclusions with the veriest racing machines in any weather, in 

 other races. 



And this resolution is published in order that proper consideration 

 may be given to the question before it is put to the vote. 



[There would probably be some difficulty in limiting the weight of 

 board and trunk, as the latter is a fixture in the canoe, and in many 

 cases its weight, if not ascertained when building, could not be after- 

 ward determined. Would it not be best to limit weight of board only, 

 as the board can, in almost all cases, be detached and weighed 



ROYAL C. C. ANNUAL REGATTA-JUNE 28. 



aM3E Royal C. C. were again favored with glorious weather for their 

 . interesting and popular annual meeting. The entries for the 

 paddling races were not perhaps as numerous as on some previous 

 occasions, but the events were for the most part hotly contested, and 

 afforded considerable amusement to the spectators. The entries for 

 the sailing race were good, and much interest was centered in Mr. 

 Baden-Powell's new Nautilus. Unfortunately, however, he was un- 

 able to get a suit of sails made for ber in time, and was therefore 

 compelled to stand out from this event, in the running race, how- 

 ever, the new boat showed considerable speed, and won, after a good 

 race with the old Pearl, now Violet. During the day the band of the 

 H. A. C performed a selection from their repertoire, and greatly 

 aided to the enjoyment of the meeting. The results of the various 

 events were as follows: 



Half-mile paddling race, any canoes. — C laud ScOto, 1; S. Futcher, 

 2. A splendid race, Futcher leading at I he start,, Scon, passing him 

 at the half distance, and winning by a hare five feet. 



Paddling and sailing race; sail before wind, and paddle hack.— A, 

 B. Ingram, 1; J. V. Vesey- Fitzgerald, 2. Fitzgerald led in the run 

 down, but got in a mess with his sails on rounding, Ingram winning 

 easily 



Mile Paddling iu Rob Roys.— Claud Scott, 1 ; P. Nisbet. Won any- 

 how, Nisbet giving up at half distance. 



Half-mile double canoe race, lady and gentleman in each canoe.— 

 F. W. Lewis-Farrar and lady, 1; P. Nisbet and lady; E, L P. Nisbet 

 and lady, 0. Won easily. 



Sailing race, four times round. — T. F. Knowles, Gladys, 1; E.A. Leach, 

 Wave, 2; W. Watney, Violet, 0; H Church, Imogene, 0. Violet got 

 away first, but was passed by Gladys. In the second round, how- 

 ever, Violet got away again and had a good lead, when her skipper 

 got literally "up a tree," and extinguished his chance. Imogene got 

 an unlucky puff, which nearly tilled her, so the Wave was left to walk 

 in for second place. 



Mile paddling challenge cup.— M. A. Ord-Mackenzie, the holder, did 

 not put in an appearance, and the race lay between Claud Scott and 

 Futcher. the former whining, after a good race, by about three 

 lengths. Both men steered miserably. 



Sailing race, running only.— W. Baden-Powell. Nautilus, 1; W. Wat- 

 ney, Violet. 3; J. Vesey Fitzgerald, Zoedone, 3; H. Church, Imogene, 

 0. The new Nautilus, with a small sail borrowed for the. occasion, 

 sailed a good race and won. 



Four-paddle race.— Claud Scott, E. L. P, Nisbet, H. K. Bridger, P, 

 Nisbet, 1 ; S. Futcher, W. E. Graham, G. V. Gaskell, A. B. Ingram, 0. A 

 splendid race, the boats being neck-and neck all. the way, Scott's crew 

 just winning by half a length. 



Chase over land and water.— P. Nisbet, 1; S. Futcher. 0. Futcher 

 was first across the river, but hurried too much on getting his canoe 

 out, of the water and in again; Nisbet taking matters more coolly, got 

 ids canoe in right side up and won easily. 



Scratch fours, half mile.— First heat ; H. Davenport, G. V. Gaskell. 

 W. O'Mally, aud P. Hart 1 : E. L. P. Nisbet, Carpenter, P. Nisbet, and 

 W. Scott, 0. Won by three lengths —Second heat: H. Tuppin, C. L. 

 O'Mally, Chancellor, and Claud Scott. 1; G. J. B. Porter, E. Morley, 

 H. Church and G. Ingram, 0.— Final heat: C. Scott's crew, 1 j Daven- 

 port's crew 0. A splendid race, resulting in favor of Scott's crew by a 

 length. — London Field, July 5. 



CRUISING CANOES AND THE A. C. A. RULES. 



SLNCE the publication of the official programme of the annual 

 races, the attention of canoeists generally has been drawn to a 

 most important feature of the present racing rules, their influence 

 on canoe models. It will be admitted without question that the main 

 end iu view in all canoe legislation is the encouragement of legitimate 

 cruising, and to that end the development of the best possible model 

 for general cruising work and the limitation of extreme types and 

 racing machines. 



The value of canoe races in the development and promotion of the 

 sport is beyond dispute. They add greatly to the interest of canoe- 

 ing. They can be held at all times, on any afternoon through the 

 season, and so are open to many who cannot spare time for cruising. 

 To their influence we owe many of the most valuable improvements 

 in boats and gear, and they occupy deservedly a prominent place in 

 our meets; but with them comes the necessity for fixed and carefully 

 prepared rules. Even without racing some limit or definition of a 

 canoe would be necessary, but to class the boats property for the 

 races is the first requisite. Those most interested in such work would 

 naturally be racing men, and the chances are that in their eagerness 

 to provide sport, for all they will forget the medium boats and favor 

 the racers, both sailing and paddling. 



In criticising any set of rules, the tost question is. "What is their 



influence on canoe models," or what classes of canoes will be built 



under them, and in connection with this, it must be considered thai 



, Is of all sports prove, that wiiere, a limit is set, competition 



will always force the contestants to build up to it in Time. 



The history of the present rules is known to all canoeists; in 1881 

 a committee of three was appointed by the A. C. A. to draw up rules 

 and sailing regulations; their work was submitted to seven other 

 canoeists, representatives of various clubs, aud the work amended in 

 -e with their suggestions, after which the rules were dis- 

 tributed among canoeists for their opinions, before being finally sub- 

 mitted to the Association and beiug adopted. After a limited trial in 

 one regatta, the regatta committee of 1882 and 3 rejected them, in 



favor of those at present in use. which have thus far had also one 

 season's trial. 



In the former rules, every canoe was placed definitely in a fixed 

 '/lass, according to its leading dimensions, races being arranged for 

 thai class, both paddling and sailing, the consequence being that the 

 same boats came together in each race, and if one improved his ad 

 vantages as a sailing boat by an undue sacrifice, of paddling requis- 

 ites, he paid for it, by being at a disadvantage in paddling, and vice 

 versa. Of course there will always be some boats difficult to place 

 in any one class under any rules, but the difficulties arising under 

 the former rules, owing to diversity of size, there never having been 

 any standard or limit previously, would disappear inafewseasi 

 as, the rules were built up to. The new rules were based on an en- 

 tirely different plan, the primary distinction being saihng canoes, 

 and paddling canoes, or two totally distinct classes, the bruit of size 

 for each beiug widely different. The immediate tendency of such a 

 rule is evidently to develop special boats, some fast under paddle, 

 and others only fast for sailing, and while one vear is hardly long 

 enough to test the matter conclusively, the coming meet will prob- 

 ably prove the truth of the above, bybringiug out boats built l ■ 

 limit hi one class, but useless in the o'ther, such boats of course tak- 

 ing the prizes, to the exclusion of the all-around canoe ■ 



For instance, taking a canoe of 14x28. it is called upon to paddle 

 against, a canoe of 17x28, a handicap of 3ft. in favor of he latter boat, 

 certainly an immense advantage, other things being equal. In sail- 

 ing it is brought against a boat 16X88, or 3ft, against it. The smaller 

 or Rob Roys, 36in., must paddle against, a boat 2ft. longer, and their 

 only chance for a sailing race is with a canoe 18x28, in which their 

 Chances are decidedly poor. The 14x30 canoes must also give 2ft. of 

 length, and even then there is but one paddling race that they can 

 enter, while in saihng, in the three races they can enter they are 

 heavily handicapped. The entire pressure of the rides then." is to 

 boats either 16x28in. or 16x30, both of which sizes are but little used, 

 and by the general practice, of canoeists are far from the best, aud 

 while, at present, the small intrinsic value of the prizes makes the 

 pressure comparatively light, as races increase in the clubs, as they 

 are rapidly doing, canoes of other dimensions must withdraw almost 

 entirely from them. 



It will be easier to say after the present season how far this evil 

 will extend, but we would call the attention of all canoeists to the 

 rules, as worthy of their most careful consideration, with a view to 

 their improvement. One of the first requisites of a measurement 

 rule is stability, that it should remain as fur as possible unchanged, 

 in order that boats built under it may not be outclassed in a year or 

 so, and we would not advise another ill-considered and radical change, 

 but, a careful effort on the part of all for the removal of the present 

 difficulties. 



THE A. C. A. RACES. 



JEditar Forest and Stream ; 



Mr. Whitlock's letter and the editorial note following it give a dif- 

 ferent aspect, to the programme question, but there is still an uncer- 

 tainty about some points. First let roe say that the Mohican resolu 

 tions were prompted by the programme published in Forest AND 

 Stream, which Mr. Whitloek has declared incorrect, but which was 

 nearly the same as a proof which he offered for ray perusal some 

 time previous, and against which I protested, without effect, as I sup- 

 posed, since the chairman of the Regatta Committee wrote to me un- 

 favorably and then published a letter defending outside ballast (which 

 Mr. Tyson has ably met). Therefore we had every reason to believe 

 that the programme in Forest and Stream was authentic, but re- 

 ferring to Canoeist, 1 find: 



12. Sailing light race, 3 P. M., 1% miles 



(a) t'anoes without ballast. 



(6) Canoes with heavy board only. 



1 infer from Mr. Whitlock's last letter that the a and b do not refer 

 to classes. The use of these letters is somewhat misleading, there- 

 fore, but, this docs not matter much if it is clearly explained/ 



But the next inference [or rather consequence) is that in light races 

 (.'lasses A aud B are to compete together, in fact, Mr. Whitloek writes 

 that in that race, "which has always been for any canoe, the divi- 

 sions into A and B classes becomes unnecessary." Now, referring to 

 the no ballast race in last year's programme. I find classes A aud B 

 mentioned, and I remember that, although sailed together, they were 

 separate races with separate prizes, and it seems to me that the idea 

 of cutting down the programme is not furthered by adding a light 

 raee for canoes with heavy racing appliances, if it has to be done by 

 crowding the real light boats into a single race where Class A boats 

 have no chance against their bigger opponents. It simply alters our 

 complaint that there was no light race for Class B to one that there 

 is none for Class A, and as I have not, from the commencement of 

 this discussion, wished to obtain advantages for my own boat but 

 have only asked for an equitable arrangement, I think the situation 

 is not improved. 



Only one Class A Mohican canoe is likely to be at the next meet, 

 the Marion, and it was her owner who offered the resolution petition- 

 ing in favor of Class B. Now it is her turn to be advocated. She was 

 proved at Newhurgh to be a good boat and skillfully cornnianded, yet 

 it is well known that against three inches more beam "she has 'no 

 chance worth speaking of, and that too, in her proper and favorite 

 trim of no ballast. There are many canoes of the same type : I speak 

 of the Marion only as an instance of ber class. 



It seems to me to be evident without argument that each of the 

 classes. A and B, should have a race without ballast. I think they 

 were the most valuable races on the programme and the ones most 

 likely to encourage good canoeing in fair boats not over-rigged. At. the 

 same time I personally, and the Mohicans as a club, are sorry to be 

 thus at variance with the chairman of the Regatta Committee, know- 

 ing how able and beneficial his previous services to the A. C. A. have 

 been. For my part I WOUld withdraw everything and say no more 

 rather than assume the responsibility of being a useless critic. I 

 commenced as a petitioner, circumstances have since put rae in the 

 attitude, of a critic. 1 have no more to say on this question unless it 

 is the opinion of the A. C A. that enough is not yet said. 



Robert W. Gibson. 



[As stated last week, the error alluded to was in the original copy 

 sent to us by the Regatta Committee. It would be very easy to divide 

 the canoes in the first division of race No. 12 into A and B classes, 

 starting all together, of course. The main difficulty, as we have 

 pointed out elsewhere, lies in the basis of the present rules."! 



THE LOG BOOK. 



IX.-A CRUISE ON THE MERRIMACK. 



LEAVING Salem by th'e first train on the Fourth of July, the canoe 

 Joie started for a cruise down the Merrimack, from Lawrence 

 and through to Ipswich. The Joie is a canvas canoe of the Hot 

 style, decked over, and is a home-made craft. Leaving the canoe at 

 North Andover, being nearer the river ihan Lawrence. I went into 

 the city, my object being to see if 1 could get a friend, who is a canoe- 

 ist of some'note, to accompany me a short distance down the river; 

 but on reaching his house I learned that he had left early in the morn- 

 ing to go up the river, so I returned to North Andover alone. 



With a little assistance I got the canoe into the water and started 

 down the river. There was a slight, breeze up the river, so the 

 was obliged to take to the paddle. Moving slowly down, and stop- 

 ping occasionally to go ashore, it was nearly noon before the Joie 

 reached St. Mitehel's Falls, which she ran in safety luckily, as they 

 were her first rapids. A short distance below I met a couple of b< Kits. 

 whose occupants were camping further down for the day. They 

 kindly invited me to stop and take dinner with them, which invita 

 I accepted, and remained there until 3 o'clock, when, bidding them 

 good-by, I continued on my journey. 



Passuig by Haverhill and Groveland, I reached a good camping 

 ground about a mile and a half or two miles below Groveland biidge 

 on the right hand side of the river. It is around a curve that bides a 

 picnic ground below the bridge from sight, on a grassy bunk amid a 

 large group of trees. There, is plenty oL wood and a farmhouse near 

 by, where you can obtain milk, etc. Laudmg there I pulled the Joie 

 on ti>e bank and "put up my canoe tent and prepared for the night. 



About eleven o'clock I was awakened by the sound of rai 



tent, but as that was waterproof it did not trouble inc. it rained 

 until seven o'clock the next morning, so the Joie did not gel 

 until nine. 



During the night the wind had shifted and was blowing down the 

 river, so I hoisted my two "leg of mutton" sails aud bid my friends 

 of tile farmhouse good-bye. and the Joie bore away down i 

 for Newburyport. 



She had a hard struggle through Rock's bridge, as the tide was 

 running up strong, but she made it all right at last; at Amesbury the 

 wind died away and she finished the distance to Newburyport under 

 a "spruce breeze." 



The crew stopped there awhile for luncheon, and tried to get some 

 information concerning Plum Island River, which be aid net under- 

 stand very well. Leaving there under full, sail again, the Joie sailed 

 i |y to Woodbriuge Island, where I asked some men if that 

 was Plum Island River; they told me it was, BO I star-led through . 

 The tide was running out strong and the water was getting shallow, 

 inu supposing that the channel was just ahead! kept ou until the 

 Joie 'v as high and dry on the mud flats about three-quarters of a 

 mile from either shore. A man who was shooting tolu m<: 

 tide would not be in until rix o'clock, so I propped the canoe up on 

 the mud and took a nap and read until the tide rose. 



At a quarter past 6 o'clock I started for Ipswich Little Neck. There 



