Nov. 36, 1885.] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



8B5 



Aug. 14. Aanisquam.— G.A,Y.O. First claf?s, 6 starters: Black 

 Cloud 1, Ade'o 3, KettiwakeS. Second class, 4 starters: 

 Sassacus 1, Puritan 2. Third class, 3 starters: Owl 1, 

 Dione 2. 



U. Quincy.— Q.Y.C. Second Clhampionship. First class, 3 

 starters: Queen Mab 1 and pennant, fcieing Rrin. Second 

 class, U starters: Niobe 1 and pennant, tieio? Wddflre. 

 Mabel 3. Third class, 6 starters: Flora Lee 1 and holds 

 pennant, Elflu 2. 



15. Monument Beach.— B.Y.C. One hundred and second race. 

 Hiird for Buzzard's Bay pennant. First class, 3 starters: 

 Surprise 1, Mattie 3. Second class, Falka w.o. Third 

 class, Faunip 1 and holds pennant, Petrel 3. 



15 Bar Harbor.- Bar.n.Y.C. First class, 4 starters: Gwendolm 

 1. Second class, 4 starters: Little Nell 1, Lulu 3. Third 

 class, 4 starters: Amazon 1. 



15. Hull.— H.Y.C. Opeu Race. First class centerboards, 4 

 starters: Magic L.Y.O 1, Violet S.B.Y.C. 2; keels, 4 

 starters: Hera H.Y.C. 1, Maud J.C. 3. Second class 

 centerboards, 6 starters: Eva B.Y.C. 1 . Atalanta B.Y.C 2; 

 keels, 5 starters: Banneret D.Y.C. 1, Cricket B.Y.O. 2. 

 Tnird class, (•entt-rboards, 6 starters: Black Cloud C.A. 

 T.C, 1, Queen Mab H.Y.C. 2, Expert B.Y.O. 3,8eabird J.C 

 4; keels. starters: Kitty H.Y.C. 1, Thelga H.Y.C. 2, 

 Witch B.Y.C. 3, Stranraer H.Y.C, 4. Fourth class, 20 

 starters; Em Eli Eye S.B.Y.C. 1, Nettle Q.Y.C. 2, Tartar 

 D.Y.C. 3, Niobe D.V.C. J. Fifth class, 15 starters: Wild- 

 fire Q Y.O. 1. Hornet B.Y.C. 3, Flora Lee S.B.Y.C. 3, 

 Imogen H.Y.C. 4. 

 15. West Lynn.— W.L.Y.C. Second Championship. First class, 



3 starters: Marguerite 1. Second class, 3 starters: 

 Annie 1. 



17. Galveston.— 5 starters: Mayflower wins subject tx) protest. 

 17. New Bedford. -N.B.Y.C. and N.H.y.C. First class, 6 

 starters: Flight N.B.Y.C. 1. Peri N. B.Y.C. 2. Second class. 



4 starters: Louise N.H. Y.C. 1, Vixen N.Tl.Y.C 2. 

 18-22. Bay Shore Y.C. Cruise.— 5 starters; Aliee takes pennant. 



19. Wilminerton.— N.C.Y.C. 10 starters: Idler 1. 



31 Scotland Ijightship.— Twenty miles to windward and back. 



First trial race, 4 starters: Puritan 1. Match: Bedouin 



beats Gracie. 



32. Scotland Lightship —Triangular, 40 miles outside. Second 

 trial race, 4 starters: PrisciUa 1. Match: Gracie beats 

 Bedoliin. 



22. Marblehead.— Cor.Y.C, third championship. Fii-st class, 

 keels, 3 starters: Witch 1, holding pennant; centerboard, 3 

 starters: Expert 1, holding pennant. Second class center- 

 boards, 4 starters: Delphine 1, beating Dash and Psyche; 

 keels, 5 starters: Wraith 1, holding pennant. 



22. Whitestone.— Match: Bessie B. beats Jtm. 

 .23. Toronto.— Tor.Y.C. 3 starters: Iris 1. 



28. Bay St. Louis.— Match: Novice beats Carmen. 



23. Howards, Ala.— Mobile Y.C. 3 .starters: Sybyll. 



24. New York Y'^.C. Course.- Third trial race, 4 starters: Puritan 



1. Match : Gracie beats Bedouin. 



25. Cottage City.— fi starters: Quisset 1, Neptime 2, Nellie 



Vida 3. 



25. Detroit —Mich. Y.C. 6 starters: Partridge 1. 



25. Cooper's Point.— 7 starters: Wilkins 1. 



25 Fon du Lac —Match: Carrie Morgan beats Hattie. 



26. Yonkers.— Yon. Y.C. 4 starters: Crawford 1. 



26. Greenwich.— Green. Y.C. Open race. First class. 4 starters: 

 Schemer Larch. Y.C. 1, Second class, 4 starters: 

 Stranger N. H.Y.C. 1. Third class, 3 starters : AdeleK.Y.C. 

 1. Fourth class, 5 starters: Sophie K.Y.C. 1. 



26. Hull.- H.Y.C. First class, no entries. Second class center- 



boards: Atalanta vr.o. ; keels. Banneret w.o. Third 

 class centerboards: Queen Mab w.o.; keels. 2 starters: 

 Kitty 1. fourth class, 7 starters: Mobe 1. Fifth class, 4 

 starters: Em Ell Eye 1. Sixth class: Mirage w.o. 



27. Portchester.— First class: Venture 1. Grace Tingiie 2. 



Second class: F. D. Moulton 1, Village Belle 2. Third 

 class: Mamie N. 1, Florence T. 2. Fourth class: Sopkie 

 K. 1, Fannie M. 2. 



28. Larchmont.— Sweepstakes. Susie S.l. 



28 Larchmont.— Match: Katie Purtell beats Carrie Ross. 

 38. Montreal.— Mou. Y.C. 5 starters: Violet wins. Second class, 

 a starters: Galatea 1. 



29. South Boston.— S.B.Y.C. Fourth championship. Special 



class, 2 starters: Nimbus 1 holding cup. Violet 3. First 

 class, centerboards, 2 starters: Awdda 1 holding cup, 

 Thisbe 2; keels, 4 starters; Breeze 1, Altaire 2. Second 

 class, centerboards, 2 starters: Em Ell Eye 1, Seraphine 2; 

 keels, 3 starters: Monarch 1. Nydia 2. 



29. Portland.— P. Y.C. challenge cup. Willie beats Millie. 



29. Qumcy.— Q.Y.O. First class, no race in time. Second class, 

 10 starters: Wildfire 1. Thu-d class. 4 starters: Elfln 1, 

 Elsie 2. 



29. West Lynn.— W.L Y.C. Third championship. Second class, 



4 starters: Alice L. 1, tieing Inez and Marguerite. Third 

 class, 2 starters: A B C 1, tieing Imp and Annie. 



.29. Swampscott.— B.Y.C. One hundred and third race. Third 

 championship. First class, 6 starters: Witch 1, Expert 3, 

 Bessie takes pennant, tieing Expert and Atalanta. Second 

 class. Spider w.o. Third class, 3 starters: Mirage 1, 

 Psyche 2. 



29. Monument Beach,— B.Y.C. One hundred and fourth race 

 Open. First class, 13 starters: Surprise B.Y.C. 1; Alice, 

 Galveston. 2; Myrtle, Mon. Beach, 3. Second class, 11 

 starters; Good Luck, Dighton, 1; Nellie W., Wareham, 2. 

 Third class, 7 starters: Petrel B.Y.C. 1. Fannie B.Y.C. 2. 

 Fourth class, 3 starters: Island Belle 1, Wideawake 

 B.Y.C. 2. 



29. Swampscott.— B.Y.C. One hundred and fifth race. First 

 class, sail o£E for pennant, Atalanta beats Expert, Bessie 

 did not start. 



29. Toronto to Niagara. — ^Tor.Y.C, 7 starters: Oriole 1, Verve 

 R.C.Y.C. 2. 



29. Toronto.— Match : Meteor Tor.Y.C. beats Mischief Tor.Y.C. 

 31. Dorchester.— D Y.C. H6th regatta, 1st open cup race. First 



class, 7 starters: Tartar leg for cup and club pennant. 



Second class, 7 starters: Flora Lee S.B.Y.C. leg for cup. 



Hornet club peniiant. 

 — . Fon Du Lac— Carrie Osh.Y.C. beats Hattie Osh.Y.C. 

 Sept. 1. Pawtuxet.— Cats. Fir.st class, 2 starters: race off, owing to 



error of judges. Second class, 6 starters: Alice 1, Ideal 2. 



Third class, 8 starters: Rarus 1, Zara2. Sloors, first class, 



5 starters; Lydia C.White 1. Peri N.B.Y.C. 2. Second 

 class. 4 starters; Diamond 1, Myrtle 3. 



1. Salem.— S.Bay Y.C. First championship. First class, 2 start- 



ers: Cygnet 1. Second class, 4 starters: Expert 1, Tnird 

 class, 2 starters: Comus 1. 



2. Bridgeport.- First class, — starters: Arrow, Stratford, 1. 



Second class, — starters: Americus 1. Third class, — 

 starters: Reindeer 1 



2. Mai-blehead.— Cor.Y.C. Second class centerboard sail off: 



Dash beats Delphine. 



3. Dorchester.- D.Y.C. 89th open. First class, 8 starters: 



Queen Mab 1, tieing Tartar. Second class, 7 starters; Hor- 

 net B.Y.C. 1, tieing Flora Lee. 



4. Oshkosh.— Osh.Y.C. Second class, 8 starters: Hattie 1, 



Carrie Morgan 2. Pinafore 3. Third class, 8 starters: Syl- 

 via 1, Ma^y 2. 



5. Larchmont.- Larch.Y C. Pennant race. Class rv.: Gan- 



net beat Nora, Class V. : Minnie w.o. Class VHI. , 5 start- 

 ers: Fairy 1. 



5. Monument Beach.— Sweepstakes for B.Y.C. cats. First 

 class; Mattie beat Surprise. Second class, 4 starters: Pe- 

 trel 1. 



5. Wilmington.— N.C. Y.C. 4 starters: Vixen 1. 



5. Lake Geneva.— 7 starters: Whisper 1. Blossom 2, Ethel 3. 



5. Toronto.— Tor.Y.C. Cosgrove Cup; Gypsy 1. 



6. Gloucester, Del.— "Tuckup" race. First class, 12 starters: 



Chas. Benton 1, Thos. Sparks 3, T. Ledyard 3. Second 

 class, 6 starters: J. L. Noble 1, Amand AC. 2, Geo. Bosler 3, 



7. Scotland Lightship.— 20 miles to windward and back. First 



attempt to sail for America Cup. Race postponed for 

 want of wind. Puritan well ahead, 



8. Scotland Lightship.— Second attempt to race for America 



Cup. Puritan fouled Genesta before start. Race post- 

 poned. 



8. Ne-v York.— A.Y.C. Class E pennant race. Romeyn beats 

 Ilderan. 



9 San Francisco.— Pac.Y.C. Schooners, 5 startef-s: Nellie 1 

 and champion pennant. Sloops, 2 starters: Annie 1. 

 Lurline takes cup for best time yet made over course. 

 II. Toronto —R.C.Y.C. 3 starters : Aileenl, taking Wales, Lome 

 and Anderson cups. 



11 , Scotland Lightship.— 20 miles to windward and back. Third 



attempt to sail for America Cup. Race postponed for 

 want of wind. Puritan far ahead. 

 13. Scotland Lightship.— Fourth^attempt. No wind. Boats not 

 started. 



12. Toronto.— Tor.Y.C. Race for Murray Cup and cbampioa 



flag. 2 starters: Wenona 1. 



12. West Lynn.— W.L.Y.C. Fourth championsliip. Second class. 

 2 starters: Marguerite 1, holding pennant. Third class, 2 

 starters; A B C 1. holding pennant. 



12. Marblehead.— Cor Y.C. Fall race. Keels, first class, 3 start- 



ers: Bessie 1, Mavis 2. Second class, Thelga w.o. Third 

 clast^, 4 starters: Carniila l,Vera 2, Mona ;i Centerboards, 

 first clsss, 3 starters: Atalaura 1. Wecoud class: Expert 

 w.o. Third class, 5 starters: Joker 1, Peri 3, Uoaius 8. 

 Dash 4. 



13 . Mattapoisett. —First class, 7 starters: Surprise B, Y,0. 1 . Quis- 



set, Matta. 2. Second class, Sstarters: Zillah, Marioni, Tan- 

 trum, Mon. Beach, 2. Third class, 5 starters: Mystic, Matta. 

 1 , Spray, "ilatta. 2. Fourth class, 3 starters: J. T. Sampson 



1, L. Bacon 2. 



12. Quincy — Q Y.C. First class, 5 starters: Amy 1, Posy 2. 

 Second class, 8 starters: Wildfire 1, winning champion- 

 ship; Tartar 3. Third c\aSs, 4 starters: Elsie 1, Mis- 

 chief 3. 



12. South Boston.— S.B.Y.C. Fifth championship race. Fir.st 

 class keels, 4 starters: Breeze 1, Altaire 2; centerboards, H 

 starters: Em El Eye 1, Thisbe 3. Second class keels, 4 

 starters: Nydia 1, Monarch 2. Prizes awarded as follows 

 on an average of the 5 races. Special class: Nimbus 1. 

 Violet 2, Keels, flist class, Altaire 1. Breeze 2. Second 

 class, Nydia 1, Monarch 3. Centerboards, Awildal,Em 

 Ell Eye 2. 



12. San Francisco. Mosquito race. First class, 5 starter.-; 

 Rambler 1, Dawn 3. Second class, 4 starters: Thetis 1, 

 Restless 2. Third class, 5 starters: Rose 1, L'Esperance 



2. Fourth class, 2 starters; Sadie 1. Fifth class, Idlewild 

 w.o. 



14. Hull.— H.Y.C. Second Championship. Fii-st class, no 



starters. Second class, keels, 2 starters: L F. Daly 1 

 tieing Banneret; centerboards, 2 starters: Atalanta 1 

 taking j^ennant. Third class, centerboards, 3 starters: 

 Queen Mab 1 taking pennant; keels, 3 starters: Kitty 1 

 tieing Thelga. Fourth class, 3 starters: Amy 1 tieing 

 Joker. Fifth class, 6 starters: Em Ell Eye 1 holding 

 pennant. Sixth class, 2 starters: Mirage 1 tieing Elsie. 



14. New York. — N.Y.Y.C. Course. First Race for America Cup. 



Wind lierht to moderate. Puritan E.Y.C. beats Genesta 

 R.Y.S. Kim. 47s. actual time, 16m. 10s. corrected time. 



15. Dorchester.— D.Y.C, open to B.Y.C. First class, no entries. 



Second class,2 starters: Atalanta B.Y.C. 1. Third class, cen- 

 terboards. Queen Mab D. Y. C. w.o. , no prize awarded ; keels, 

 3 si«irters: Kiur D. V.C. 1, Gem B.Y.O. 2. Fourth class, 

 5 starters: Scanin D.Y.C. 1, Tartar D.Y.C, 2. Fifl,h class, 

 3 starters: Mirage B.Y.C. i; Nora D.Y.C. 2. 



16. Scotland Lightship.— Twenty miles to leeward and back, 



wind very strong. Second race for America Cup. Puri- 

 tan E.Y.C. beats Genesta R.Y'.S. 2m. 9s. actual time, Im. 

 38s. corrected time. 



17. Oak Point.- HarlemY'.C. First class: Peerless 1, Crescent 



2. Second class; Nettie Thorpe w.o. Third class: 

 Little Deanl, Comet 1. Fourth class; Captain 1, Ram- 

 bler 3. 



18. Scotland light. -N.Y.Y.C. Bennett and Douglass cups. 



Schooners, 3 starters: Grayling N.Y.Y.C. 1. Sloops and 

 cutters, 7 starters: Genesta R.Y.S. 1. Sweepstakes be- 

 tween Athlon, Iris, Daphne and Clara: won by Clara 

 N.Y.Y.C. 



19. Lake Minnetoiika.—Min. Y.C. 6 starters: Ida 1. 



19. Oshkosh.— Osh.Y.C. Steam yacht handicap race, 5 starters: 

 Albania 1. Annie made best time. 



19. Nahant.— B.Y.C. Open to N.E.Y.R.A. First class, 10 

 starters: Atalanta B.Y.C. 1, Seabird H.Y'.C. 2. Second 

 class, 10 starters: Thisbe D.Y.C, 1, Zantho B Y.C. 2. Third 

 class, 5 starters: Flora Lee S.B.Y.C. 1, Flirt Win.Y.C, 3, 



19 Gloucester, Mass.— C.A. Y.C. 5 starters: Kitti wake 1. 



19. Hull.— B.Y.C. Third champion-ship. First class keels: Hera 

 w.o. Second class keels, 2 starters: Banneret 1. Third 

 class keels. 2 starters: Kitty 1. Fourth class, 3 starters: 

 Amy 1. Sixth class: Elsie w.o. >Vinners all take pen- 

 nants. 



21 Belleville.— Steam yacht match. Ometa beats Annie Gilbert, 

 21-23. Sandy Hook Light.— Round Brenton's Reef light and return. 



N.Y.Y 0. Bennett challenge cup: Genesta, R.Y.S., beats 



Dauntless, N.Y.Y.C. 

 34. Toledo.— Tol. Y.C. 3 starters: Kate Graham 1. 

 35 8. Sandy Hc^k light, round Cape iilay light and return. N.Y''. 



Y.C. Bennett, challenge cup. Genesta, R.Y.S., beat 



Dauntless. Ts.Y'. Y.C. 

 26. Toronto.— Tor.Y.C. and R CY^C. Handicap. 7 starters: 



Oriole R.C.Y.C. 1. 

 26 EasL Boston Y^C. -Keels. 4 starters: Zstta 1, Judith 8. 



Centerboards, 5 starters: Sfjabird 1, Phallas 2 

 28. Mattapoisett.— Match; Atalanta B.Y.C. beats Myth B.Y.C. 

 38. Taunton.— Fifteen starters: First class. Ideal, Dighton 1, 



Surprise, Fall River 3. Hope, Fall River 3. Second class 



Florrie, Somerset 1, Bertha, Somerset 2, Romp, Fall 



River 3. 



38. Newark.— Newark Y.C. Open race. Cabin sloops. 3 

 starters: Vixen, Newark Y. C. 1. Jib and mainsails, first 

 class, 5 starters: Just Woke Up, Newark Y.C. 1. Second 

 class. Maggie P., Newark Y.C. w.o. Cats, first class, 5 

 starters: Teaser, Oceanic Y.C.I. Second class, 4 starters: 

 Fieetwing 1. 



30. New York.- K.Y.C. Open race. Cabin sloops, first class, 6 

 starters: Surf S Y.C. 1. Second class, Lena K Y.C. w.o 

 Jib and mainsails, first class Lizzie R. K.Y'.C. w.o. Sec- 

 ond class, 2 starters: Rosetta A. K.Y''.C. 1. Third class, 3 

 starters: Dandy K.Y.C. 1. Cats, first class. Hornet Larch. 

 Y.C. 1. Second class, 3 starters: Bon Ton K,Y'.C, 1. Thml 

 class, 3 starters: Vaddie K.Y.C. 1. Steam launches, 3 

 starters: Mystic K.Y.C. 1. 



30. Lake City, Minn.— Three starters: Narragansett 1. 

 Oct. 3. Dorchester.— D.Y^C. Thirty-first Race. Open Cup Race. 



First class, 2 starters: tjueen Mab D.Y.C. wins holding 

 Cup. Second class, 2 starters: Flora Lee S.B.Y.C. 1 

 holding Cup. 



7. New Haven.-N.H.Y.C. Class C, 3 starters: Wild Duck 1. 



Class D, 5 starters: Stranger 1. Class E, 2 starters: 

 Alice 1. 



8. Detroit,— Mich. Y.C. Pennant Race. Second class, 5 



starters: Petrel 1 tieing Partridge. Third class, 3 starters; 

 Nuna 1 taking pennant. Fourth class: Flush 1. 

 10. Toronto.— Tor.Y.C. Third class Handicap, 8 starters; Mis- 

 chief 1. 



10. Oak Point.-Sweepstakes, 3 starters: Adele K.Y.C. 1. 

 10. Buffalo.— Buf.Y'.C. 4 starters: Ripple 1, Edgar B. Jewett 2, 

 Turk 3. 



10. Newburyport.- Am.Y.C. First class, 4 starters: Torment 1, 



Vici 2. Second class, 3 starters: Banneret 1, J. S. Poyen, 

 Jr., 2. Third class, 4 starters: White Cloud 1, Jumbo 2, 

 Fourth class. 7 starters: Pert 1, Ivory Soap 2, 



11. Jamaica Bay. Trembly Challenge Cup, 11 starters; Kate 1. 



CRUISE OF THE COOT. 



IT was blowing and it was cold. The air was raw. People had red 

 noses and rubbed their hands with vim as I fought a passage up 

 Broadway one dreary afternoon near the close of October. It was 

 laborious, breasting the blasts uptown, for they sought the nether- 

 most garments with a directness uncongenial to one only recently 

 returned from the mild and balmy climes in the heart of the 

 world's sreat tobacco belt. Corkscrewing along the pavements, 

 turning first one side, then the other, to the chilly puffs, there was a 

 sudden flash of light which caught my eye and riveted attention. 

 Horrors! The gleam shot out from highly polished steel. Ugh. the 

 mockery of that burnished metal as it turned about and drove forth 

 dart upon dart of cold, unsympathetic sheen! It sent a shiver down 

 my back. 



it was a skate twirling in a shop window. 



Up at a bound rose visions of ice and snow and inclement seasons, 

 of slushy streets and hail and sleet, of clumsy coals and uncouth 

 arctics, frozen eai's, colds in the head, rheumatic twinges, and fret 

 ting life caged up six months iu a stuify office redolent wit;h Vitiated 

 coal-gas atmosphere upon which the lungs were to feebly feed a 

 constitution craving oxygen untainted and the robust expansion of 

 exercise unfettered. Blinking snappishly at my shivering figure, 

 that wretched skate seemed to enjoy the predicament: ''What are 

 you going ui do about it?" 



I must get out of this and I must get out iu a hurry. 



One more button tightened the coat about the throat, and with 

 collar turned up fresh headway was made as I cogitated with myself 

 and fouled the passers-by. absorbed in m.y reflections. Get out? 

 Yes, but how? Railroad? No, I had enough of that Iciud of travel 

 with thousands of miles to my credit cuffed and jolted in huiTy and 

 scm-ry, in du§t and grime, all over the country from the East to the 

 Rockies and back, from the North to the South, and several times 

 diagonally across. In palace cars whirled through space over level 

 oceans of prairie land. In narrow gauges, pulling, snorting up the 

 mountain ranges, winding and twining about the brows of nature's 

 rocky pyramids, whose heads pierced the cloud lands above. In 

 brake vans slowly hobbhng over the rude irons of "huckleberry" 



roads, backing and filling to pick up stray freights by the wayside, 

 RailJoads enough for me with sleepless nights, stiff limbs, tired back- 

 bone, experienced sandwiches and fossilized pie. Nor did travel by 

 steamship offer induceojents. Any man's money can buy a ticket 

 and there was no special attraction in the damp, ill-smening sheets 

 and sea-sick surroundings. Bycicliog calls for j,ood roads, and these 

 were wanting. Canoeing is good enough in its sphere, hut life is too 

 short, and besides the weather was unpropitious for snail-paced loco- 

 motion. Only one suitable means of quitting the country appeared 

 to be left, ana that appealed ardently to my fancy. 



I concluded to sail my own boat. I would fit her out with all that 

 was needful for a life of six months afloat, bid adieu to the inhospit- 

 able regions of the rigoious North and drive away with a flowing 

 sheet, a hght heart and a full larder, as inclination prompted. Hither 

 and thither would I cruise In congenial waters, explore imknown 

 grounds, tarry when and where I list, na events should unfold them- 

 selves. No rigid rules, no routine, do fixed plans to mar the ease of 

 perfect freedom, no worry and fretabout reaching a spot in appointed 

 time, no concern about the date of turning home and nothing to 

 mind but the management of yourself and your boat to the best in- 

 terests of both. What I did, what I saw, what I found out, I would 

 jot down iu stindiT letters to Forest .4kd Stream for the benefit of 

 many who might profit by the information collected, and possibly 

 some day follow the course undertaken. 



The season was fast slipping by, and I must be up and doing. I 

 had no boat. Where could I get one— just what I wanted? A nice 

 little cutter or keel sloop, as a matter of course, and there ought to 

 be plenty in the .market. I would profit by mine enemies' own con- 

 ceit. Since the Puritan "conclusively proved," etc., it would be the 

 easiest thing in the world to pick up just what I had set my heart 

 upon. Indeed cutters and keel yachts had no doubt so fallen in the 

 good public's estimation that such boars would be freely .given away, 

 and glad to have any one take them for a gift. They would be 

 thrown at me. Owners would beg ine to relieve them of articles 

 wliich the Puritan's races had jiresumably -boycotted"' lor all time 

 iu American waters. Tlieir loss in confidence would be my gain. 

 The customary channels of reaching the public were worked. In place 

 of a bushel of' letters only a few replies awaited my expectations. So- 

 and-so had a cutter, but he liked tier so much that he would not part 

 for le.ss than original cost. He sold oul.y because he longed for another 

 of the same kind, but larger. The next man was in the market, pro- 

 viding T would give him a bonus on first cost. He did not care to let 

 his favorite go e.Kcept as a profitable deal. No. 3 had another cutter, 

 the particular one I had hoped for as a gift, but on the whole he did 

 not thiuk he would sell anyway. The Genesta had done well enough 

 for him. Mr Z. wrote to say that I might have jumped into posses- 

 sion of his little keel sloop before the internatiou.al matches for very 

 little money, but since be had seen the Genesta m "the races" he had 

 concluded to adopt the cutter rig and his price would probably not 

 suit me. But he had a friend who had a cutter, wlio, he thought, 

 was willing to hand her over for a song. His friend said "goto 

 blazes." That ended the category of emitters and keels ra the market 

 and I sat down disconsolate. Somehow owners of these sturdy little 

 vessels were not in the least disgusted. The estimate placed upon 

 able, little cruisers seemed to be quite exalted, Now, since Captain 

 J. W. Saunders, of New York, ha,s testified, in the Herald. Nov. 15, to 

 the marvelous sailing powers of Genesta during her homeward 

 passage, and added his conviction that in point of ability, dryness 

 and speed in a heavy Atlantic swell, the modern cutter is without a 

 peer, I suppose neither lucre nor the wiles of boating diplomacy 

 would suffice to part owners and small keel craft. The barometer of 

 expectations took a downward turn and I feared my plans were to 

 end in snow and sleet for lack of a suitable vessel. The idea of a 

 southeru cruise had been afl but abandoned. It grew colder day by 

 day. Hal What; was that? A flash: 



That skate again! 



I must get out of this. It matter.? little how— go I must, if I have 

 to go in a sandbageer or balance along on my eyebrows in a trap. 

 Anything is better than nothing. To work again. And this time 

 such an array of flatirous, with scaly clothespin rigs, .such wretched 

 boxes, flung together with tenpenny nails and putryl Scores of 

 them! Your choioe along the whole line, from the utterly wretched 

 to the absolutely woithless. Never before did I reahze the mass of 

 trash that has been put afloat under the hallucluati(m that inefficient 

 style and shabbiness in build are the chief requisites of vessels meant 

 for sport' instead of trade. As though real service under canvas 

 were not a ,w(e 5!t« «o)i to all that float, regardless of their .sTJecial 

 spheres of usetidness, A had a Sb'ft. maciiiue. Hat as a sheet of 

 paper, broad as she was loug, "The liuest seaboat of her length, sir." 

 I thought 1 might call again. B pulled me out to a skipjack whose 

 rail was all the freeboard she could boast. "Could go to windward 

 in a heavy sea with the best of them." I was sorry, I wanted some- 

 thing that would run well, C skippered an uptown still. He took 

 me for a mild youth fi'om the country. He was whole-souled and 

 "set them up," a-s the slang phrase has it, several times while he 

 dilated upon the virtues of the Boomerang. Strong, able, 

 beat everything out of sight from Harlem to Go wan us 

 and round to Hoboken. Knew she would fill the hill. 

 Might pay for her right then and there. Look at her 

 afterward. I went downtown to get the money. D did not care, 

 whether 1 took her or not. She was good enough for him. Merefy 

 wanted to accommodate a nice young man. I started. He thought 

 he might take less. 1 got to the door. He woidd almost give her 

 away. Had I hesitated I might have bad to take the thing for nothing, 

 just to oblige him. E thought his lath and plaster contrivance would 

 do. He was honest. She needed a new rig perhaps; would be better 

 with a new keel; frame might be doubled up; board ought to be 

 longer; fresh sidmg would not hurt her either ; wanted more ballast; 

 leaked a little, but never troubled him; just bailed her out with a 

 cask. Fkept his magnificent singlehand yacht, 35ft. Ions', habituaUy 

 on the mud. The shrewd custom had grown on him, for the boat 

 was sure not to sink at her moorings. G had a libel of some kind or 

 other on a yacht. But why tire the reader with my fruitless search 

 and endless wanderings looking for a boat which was really a boat and 

 not its counterfeit presentment. Shoe leather, car fare and patience 

 were exhausted. Disconsolately I twirled my thumbs, while my heart 

 sank as I thought of that which might have been, of gloriousbouts to 

 windward in the lower Chesapeake, of sunshine, sparkling wavelets 

 and westerly breezes, laden with the odor of the pine, while my trusty 

 little vesfcel tunied in and out the reaches of Albemarle and Pimlico ; 

 of the maze of silvery streaks which thread their way twixt waving 

 reeds and tassling rushes of the isles which fringe the lower coast. 



Then a friend dropped m, 



"I have found a boat." 



"Indeed: a real boat?" 



"Yes." 



"Can she float?" 

 "Yes " 



"Is she nailed or glued?" 

 "Nailed." 



"Got a rig on her?" 

 "A very fair rig." 



"And a model that won't make you sick to look at?" 

 "A very good model for one of her kind." 

 "Oh, pray what kind?" 



"Not exactly your kind, btit a flrst-rate Sotith Bay cat." 

 ".4nd she won't blow over in a breath ?" 

 "She IS quite stiff." 



"And she is not so eternally fast that her plank has been worn thin 

 on the bottom?" 

 "No, but she is a good sailer for all that," 



"And she does not leak faster than it will run out through the 

 seams?" 

 "No, she is tight as a bottle." 

 Then I thought of that skate, 

 "that boat is mine." 



She proved to possess all the virtues enumerated, and others besides. 

 She was truly a good boat— of her kind. As for the kind, I had been 

 brought to that submissive frame of mind through disappointment, 

 that any kind at all was welcome enough, and 1 accepted the South 

 Bay cat for better or for worse, hoping that a small sail and diligent 

 attention to the sheet, with conservative views as to the weather, 

 would see me safely through the long voyage in strange waters 1 con- 

 templated. Thus it was that I fell in with the centerboard catboat 

 "Coot." of fair fame, though not quite as young as she used to be iu 

 ages whereof yachting memory runneth not to the contrary. 



The Coot posed well on the water. She was shapely, moi-e so than 

 a dozen other boats of similar origin anchored near. She was rough 

 and neglected for reasons best understood by a fair lady who was 

 soon to change her name. Coot rejoiced in a nice easy bow, sharp, 

 but not cut away at the expense of good bearings. She had a plump, 

 roimoish middle of good length and a clean run, well tucked up into 

 an overhanging counter, The sheer was graceful and quite moderate. 

 This gave enough side without being topheavy. The bilge was low 

 and full, but easy, so that stiffness might be expected, while internal 

 capacity was enlarged. The quarters were light and the sweep of the 

 sheerplank a fair curve from stem to stern. The gripe was cut away, 

 while a strong drag gave a draft of 28in. at the sternpost. which had 

 a slight rake. The cockpit was square aft, the forward half being 

 housed in with a light summer cabin having canvas sides after the 

 usual fashion. The Coot bad a mean length of 3lft, Sin. bv common 

 repute, which made her about 20ft. on waterline, and a beam of 8ft. 

 Gin., rather uncongenial proportions, but for the clean way m which 

 her model had been cut. As a result, there was considerable floor on 

 each side of the centerboard casing, which, if roofed over with a 

 permanent cabin trunk, would afford vei^y reasonable accommoda- 

 tions for one or two hands and their traps, the wings being utillzeij 



