Oct. 31, 1896. 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
SB8 
TRIAL TRIP OF THE DORY. 
This shall lue the true history of the trial trip of the dory. 
vShe was a home-made dory, begun upoa what the builder 
alleged to be the correct lines, but altered therefrom from 
time to time to oblige some interested friends. As completed 
she was rather a pretty boat, 18ft. over all, 4ft. 6in. wide 
from rail to rail amidships and 2ft. Sin. wide on the bottom, 
sharp at both ends, with an overhang, bow and stern, of 19in. 
Then she was decked over fore and aft, and taken altogether 
she looked like a very serviceable craft. K. built her. He 
told me some enormous stories about how staunch dories 
were in wind and sea, which I had to believe or laugh at; 
and as he was rather larger than 1, and of a somewhat warm 
temper, I of course believed the aforesaid stories. I some- 
times helped him in his work on the dory, aud the Saturday 
we completed her he invited me to take a little run up the 
lake over Sunday. In an evil moment I consented and de- 
parted to get my luggage. 
When I returned, about two hours later, the. dory"was in 
the water and equipped with a tall mast and a very large 
sail. I objected to that sail from the start, and told K. that 
it was too large, but had to defer to his overwhelming wis- 
dom; he knew all about dories, and I didn't know port. from 
gun'l. Consequently if I get names and things a little mixed 
in this narrative I ttust that my readers will pardon my ig- 
norance; it is really because I don't know any better. 
Having deposited our luggage in the bow we — that is, K. 
— shoved out into the river, eased off the sheet, and we pro- 
ceeded on our eventful voyage. Fo sooner had the sail 
filled than I began to feel uncomfortable and changed my 
position a trifle. Instantly the boat careened, and but for a 
lively maneuver on my part we had suffered shipwreck then 
and there. I at once received a long lesson, admirably ex- 
pressed, upon the art of sitting in a dory, at the end of 
which we had rounded the Oswego light and bore away for 
Fair Haven, fifteen miles up the lake. 
Off to the west a heavy bank of clouds obscured the hori- 
zon, and out of it came occasional flashes of lightning and 
muttered peals of thunder. The wind, which was zephyr- 
like on the river, began to come by strong puffs from the 
southeast, and at every puff I had to shuffle to windward to 
keep the dory from capsizing ; so koon as the puff eased, how- 
ever, I had to move again or dump her the other way. I 
asked K. if that was what he meant when he talked about 
"shifting ballast," but he only frowned darkly and I sub- 
sided. Before we had gone two miles I was lame and weary, 
but under the masterful seamanship of K. we kept afloat 
and sailed on. 
Sailed? We fairly sung thi'ough the water; in one re- 
spect, at least, K. had not overdone the merits of that little 
skimming-dish, for she went like a witch. Indeed, under 
the powerful influence of that big sail and the big wind, she 
had to go on like a demon or go down. The trouble I had 
predicted from that great spread of canvas soon material- 
ized; in spite of the alacrity of the "shifting ballast," K. 
had to keep lufling her^ Thus we lost time, and were over 
three hours in arriving off Fair Haven Harbor light. We 
made ready to come about for the run in. Then we made 
another discovery, and this time a startling one : the dory, 
so utterly different from most of her sex, refused to go in 
stays! We tried it a dozen times, and each time she would 
shove her nose within a point or two of the wind and then 
fall off and go tearing away up the lake. The wind had at 
this time hauled to the south, as though to get a better slant 
at us. Seeing that we could never make the harbor at that 
rate, I took command of my end of the boat for a moment, 
and the next that big sail lay flapping in the dory. K. was 
mad; but feeling comparatively safe, for the big f ellow dared 
not move about much, I rejoined with full vocabulary. I 
found the oars, shipped, them and straightened her up for the 
harbor. 
Now, Fair Haven Harbor is a natural bay running inland 
about three miles; the piers extend out from the shore due 
north for 1,800ft. I shall never forget that pull as long as I 
remember anything. The wind swept down the bay, carry- 
ing a big sea before it, and it fairly screamed out between 
those straight, long, high piers, which are only 200ft. apart. 
I laid on blisters thick and fast; but it was a struggle for 
shore, with a disagreeable alternative, and I stuck to it. The 
wind howled in my ears: "No you don't, no you don't," but 
inch by inch I did it. I must have been a good hour pulling 
that 1800ft. ; it seemed like ten. 
As I passed the inner or shore light, I called to K. to get 
ready to take the oars. Before he could do so, however, we 
struck upon one of those abominable little shoals which in- 
fest Fair Haven Harbor, and for the second time that night 
we nearly came to a conclusion. Things looked squally. 
K. made some exasperating comments upon my skill as" a 
pilot, which only lack of breath prevented my replying to 
with vigor. The sea in that contemptible little bay was 
really wicked, and before we got off into deep water again 
we had shipped a goodly cargo of big rollers. At last K. 
got into shape to do some rowing, and I lay down in the 
stern a good deal the worse for wear. I hadn't seen much, 
fun in it yet. I soon revived, however, to witness the mag- 
nificent struggle K. was making against wind and wave. A 
weaker man never could have done it, but in an hour and a 
half he had us in easy water near the head of the bay, and 
at just midnight we landed to get supper and sleep. 
We carried the mast and sail to a sheltered nook and im- 
provised a tent, under which we put om- baggage. Stones 
for a fireplace and wood for a fire were plentiful, and in a 
short time we had stowed away a generous lunch, washed 
down with a cup of hot coffee. The full moon had smiled 
upon us for some time, and by her kindly light we spread our 
blankets under the little tent and composed ourselves to 
sleep. About 2 o'clock I was awakened by a tremendous 
peal of thunder and found it was raining in torrents. Never 
have I seen the lightning so vivid and seldom heard such 
stunning concussions of thunder as greeted my senses that 
night. A number of severe storms seemed to have centered 
in that vicinity and the uproar was fearful. I suppose it 
must all have been very sublime, but as nothing will stam- 
pede me quicker than a good healthy flash of lightning, I 
didn't appreciate it. This time I couldn't stampede; it was 
a plain case of lie and take it. I did, but trembled like an 
aspen leaf, expecting every moment to be my last. The only 
thing necessary to complete my discomfort would have been 
a stream of water running down under the tent; but we had 
unwittingly pitched our camp on just the spot to afford good 
drainage, and the new canvas protected us perfectly from 
the rain. We didn't take a drop — of rain. 
For two hours the storm raged with incessant violence. 
At every flash 1 could see a puzzling, dazzling blue fire close 
to my feetj and finally I called K.'s attention to it. He said, 
"Why, there's a piece of barbed wire from the fence lying 
there." How I enjoyed myself then! 
Sunday morning broke clear and cold, with the wind from 
the west and blowing half a gale. We spent the day until 8 
o'clock eating oiir limited supply of provender and tramping 
about to keep warm. At that hour the wind lulled a tiifle 
and we packed up, loaded our dutfle into the dory, and started 
down the harbor toward the piers to see what the prospects 
were for getting home that night. W e found them very 
poor. 
Now, there is a large bay just east of Fair Haven Harbor, 
separated from the lake by a narrow sand bar. Stirling 
Creek flows into this bay, and a small opening in the beach 
admits the passage of boats having considerable draft to and 
from the lake. This opening is in the lee of the piers, and is 
only a short disiance from the harbor. By hauling the dory 
across a narrow strip of beach between the piers and the 
mainland into the lake we could get up into the smaller bay, 
and this we did without having to go out through the piers. 
It is a pretty spot about there, plenty of woods and still 
water inviting ma.nj sportsmen every year to visit the place. 
We landed on the east shore of the bay and at once discov- 
ered a party camping in the woods. Our personal appear- 
ance was by this time somewhat against us, but neither of 
us were beauties anyhow, and we finally ventured to call on 
the campers. I fodnd them old friends of mine, and that 
was the first bit of good luck we had thus far had. We paid 
for it dearly before night. 
At about 4:30 K. suggested that we rig the sail on the 
dory again and venture out into the. still water to try and 
discover, if possible, why the confounded boat wouldn't go 
in stays. We did so. Our first reach was a long leg out by 
the opening in the bar, end just as we got. abreast of it K., 
by some inspiration of fool judgment, suddenly straightened 
her for that opening. In five seconds we were through it, 
in five seconds more we were running like lightning before 
the wind for Oswego, and in five more we were both scared 
half to death. I don't even yet believe that K. had the re- 
motest idea of trying the run home until just an instant be- 
fore he ran her out into the lake. The sea was very heavy 
and the wind had begun to freshen again. Had I only 
known what he would do, one minute before he did it, he 
would have gone it alone. But in sixty seconds after we 
had passed the bar all the horses in York State could not 
have pulled us back into Stirling Bay again. That is just it: 
one never realizes the full meaning of a step until tie has 
taken it. We were, as I have stated, running free. 
The tiny little dory fairly flew through the water, for all 
that the enormous pressure of her big sail almost buried her 
in the waves. The further we went the further we passed 
fi'om the friendly lee of the piers, and the sea, as we both 
saw, must soon prove too much for her. She steered wildly 
too, and even all K.'s great strength was hardly equal to the 
task of keeping her on her course. All at once the long 
boom struck the top of a particularly big wave. The next 
instant something gave way overhead, there was a general 
mix-up of ropes and canvas, and then a great crested roller 
over-topped the dory and fairly swamped her. The next 
thing I knew I was slashing those ropes with my pocket- 
knife, and in a little less than no time the sail was down and 
the ropes cleared. 
Grabbing the oars, I headed for shore without waiting to 
select a suitable spot to land. K, bailed for dear life. We 
were half a mile out, but this time I had wind and sea with 
me and we were soon close in. Then we saw a sight which 
made our hair stand straight up. Breakers were rolling in on 
the shore, big enough to kill us if we happened to be thrown 
on the rocks. Nottiing for it though; in we went, and the 
first breaker wrenched the oars from my grasp without half 
trying and cast us broadside to the sea. The second came 
toppling clean over us. I had to laugh, even at that serious 
moment, to see how imploringly K. threw his hand back, as 
though to push ott' that great wall of green water wbich 
hung for one-half second right over our heads, and the next 
buried us out of sight. The thu'd breaker threw us up, with 
a sickening bang, upon the beach. There was some pretty 
tall scrambling done then; by efforts which taxed our com- 
bined strength to the utmost, we succeeded in getting the 
boat out of water ; sorry the day she ever went into it ! Our 
blankets were soaking wet, our food all ruined and unfit to 
use, while K. and I were sopping. 
A large piece of woods about a quarter of a mile down the 
beach offered us some shelter from the driving wind, and to 
it we plodded over the stones, pretty well discouraged. The 
catastrophe meant a night, at least, on shore with no grub. 
Fortunately our matches were dry, and selecting a spot in 
the woods which had evidently been used as a camping 
ground before, we soon had a rousing fire going. Three 
long and weary trips to and from the boat for our baggage 
followed ; the sail was again utilized for a tent, and stripping 
off our wet clothes, we hung them around the fire todry out. 
Ugb, but that was a chilly evening! 
About •7:30 we heard somebody driving a cart through the 
woods a little below us, and shortly a small boy put in an 
appearance. He said that he had seen us go ashore, and 
with his mother had driven down to learn what they could 
do for us, if anything. After a few minutes' talk the lad 
called for his mother. Being en deshabille, I sloped into a 
thicket and waited, shivering. K. seized a wet blanket, 
wrapped himself in its folds and stood his ground. He soon 
made an arrangement for something to eat and at 9 o'clock 
two boys brought us a big basketful of supper. Ohl but it 
was a delicious feast, everything being steaming hot, and 
plenty of it. We handed back nothing but empty dishes. 
The lads then urged us strongly to go to the house and spend 
the night. We reflected, but finally decided to stay by our 
camp. 
As our visitors rose to leave us one said, ' 'Well, I hope the 
bull won't bother you." 
"Bull!" exclaimed I, "what bull?" 
"Well, we have got a bad bull here in the woods, and the 
last time a party camped here he attacked their tent and drove 
the boys up a tree." 
That was news of an important character. 
"But," he added, "maybe he won't disturb you; if he 
does, knock him down with a stone." When the boys had 
gone I said to K., "That bull racket was only a scare to get 
us to go to the house; I am short of money, and it would 
probably cost us all we have in case we are compelled to 
stay there two or three days." K. a.gi'eed with me. As pre- 
caution, however, we stretched a rope around one side of the 
tent and barricaded the other side with rails. We also laid 
some clubs and stones handy, and I loaded my revolver and 
small rifle, and we concluded that if any bull put in an ap- 
pearance we could make it interesting for him. Then we 
turned in and went to sleep, thoroughly tired out. 
At 2:30 the full moon had sailed over into the west, and 
^hining through the open tent into our faces woke us up. In 
a few moments I heard a sound that I recognized. It was a 
deep-toned roar which filled the woods. I dove out through 
the tent, crying to E., "Get out of that; that d— bttU is 
here." 
K. hadn't heard it, and thought that I was only nervous, 
"B-o o o-o!" again sounded through the recesses of the 
woods. 
"Don't you hear that?" I demanded. No, he did 'nt hear 
it; the breakers were booming on the beach, and that im- 
mense roar of our bovine friend so nearly resembled the 
noise that K.'s unpracticed ear couldn't detect the difference. 
Now K, knows a lot about dories that I don't; but when 
it comes to bulls I am away ahead; I had been ahead of 
bulls on several occasions, and not any too far ahead either. 
It was the curious "boo" of a surly bull that had startled me, 
and no mistake. I got K. out of the tent. Again the deep 
roar. K. became convinced. We armed ourselves with 
clubs and stones, and I laid the revolver where I could get 
it quick. The woods were dark in spite of the fact that the 
moon was full and the sky unclouded; but I knew that the 
critter was coming head on, and coming fast. I also knew 
from the volume of sound that he emitted that he was a big 
one. I told K, that as long as the bull only "booed" we 
were all right; but that if he bellowed out it showed anger, 
and in that ease I was going to take no chances, but should 
make for the bluff and go right over it regardless. K. said 
he should not stay to face him alone, and should go along 
with me. I applauded his discretion. We yelled at the bull 
and fired the gun and pistol in his direction, but he only 
stopped for an instant, and then came on again; we couldn't 
see him, but we heard him. At the critical moment, just as 
my courage had all run out at ray toes, K. got another inspi- 
ration: he whistled, and cried to some imaginary dog, "Sick 
him !" That did the business ; we heard a tremendous stamp- 
ing and snorting, and then old Boo Hoo trotted away. . 
We didn't sleep any more that night, and at 4:30 o'clock, 
the wind having subsided, we broke camp for home. This 
time that mighty sail was rolled up and snugly stowed away, 
and K. seated himself at the oars. We had not beeen afloat 
ten minutes when the wind again sprang up, the sea com- 
menced its old monotonous boom upon the distant beach, 
the dory began to pitch and toss, making rowing almost im- 
possible, and in a few minutes we decided to go ashore again. 
The same circus was gone through in getting to land that 
had amused us on the previous evening; we got wet, and so 
did everything in the boat. We began to grow anxious. At 
this rate it would take about ten days to return to Oswego; 
and our families would worry. We began to think about 
breakfast, and seeing a house far up in the country con- 
cluded to go and ask for something to eat. K. knocked at 
the door and dodged around the corner of the house; he was 
always supersensitive on the grub question. A young farm- 
er opened the door and inquired what he could do for me. 
I told him, and we were invited in to breakfast. The mo- 
ment K. showed himself he Was welcomed with open arms; 
he was well acquainted with the family, and we were 
warmly entertained. All that day we hung about the house 
waiting for the wind to change; it didn't. But the next 
morning was perfect, and bidding good-by to our friendsj 
we got under way for home. 
This time we fetched it. It was only a little row of twelve 
miles, but the way we made that dory spin was creditable. 
We reached the landing from which we had departed so full 
of vigor somewhat crestfallen. Friends helped us to get the 
boat out of water, and then K. seated himself alongside of 
her and propounded the query, "Well, what do you think of 
her?" 
I replied, "If what you told me about the performances of 
dories was all true, then this craft is not a dory." K. got 
hot right oft'. "She is a dory," he snapped out. 
The next time I saw the boat he had painted a name on 
her stern, Isadore. 
But I don't believe it even yet. D. F. H. 
Oswego, N. Y. 
The British Y. B. A. 
A MEETING ol the council of the Tacht Racing Association was held 
at the Langham Hotel, Oct. 12. There were present Sir Gr. O. Lamp- 
son (in the chair), Major Percy Hewitt, Baron von Knoop, nir. W. B. 
Paget, Mr. Herbert Orossley, Mr. W. Baden Powell, the Hon. G. C. 
Colville, Mr. Peter Donaldson, Mr. T. B. C. West, Mr. Fred Cox, Mr. G. 
E, Lake, Mr. A. Manning, Mr. R. E. Froude, Mr. Frank B. Jameson, 
Ool. Villiers Bagot, Mr. Philip Perceval, Mr. C. Newton-Robinson, Mr. 
W. Q. Jameson, Col. Fitzroy Clayton and Mr. G. B. Thompson. 
The meeting was mainly held to consider suggested alterations to 
the rating rule. After a very long discussion the council decided to 
recommend that the rule remain as it is for the classes above SGft. 
rating, and that for ratings of 36ft. and under it be altered in ac- 
cordance with a suggestion of the yacht designers to length plus 1,2 
beam plus whole girth plus half square root of sail area, a suitable 
constant /3i visor to be chosen, and readjustment of the classes of 36ft. 
tfnd under to be left to the rating rule committee, who will meet forth- 
with. 
L, -I- 1.3 B. -I- Girth -ir 0.5 V Sail area. 
It was decided to recommend that ceuterboards should in future be 
measured as fixed keels, and that the time allowances from 90ft. rating 
upward be increased 10 per cent, for every foot of linear rating. Also 
that the lowest rating for flrst-class yachts be 79ft. 
Some correspondence was read from Mr. Howard Gould relating to 
the action of the council with regard to the water tanks of his yacht 
Niagara. The secretary was directed to reply as follows: 
"Your letter of Sept. 28 is hereby acknowledged. I am to reply 
that the visit of the committee to the Niagara was made in the usual 
course solely in consequence of the official measurer having in May 
last, in the execution of his duty, reported to the council that her 
water tanks were connected in such a manner that they might be 
used for shifting ballast. Notice of the visit was not given, as the 
committee expected to find you on board, but hearing from your 
captain that you had left for London only a few minutes previously 
they requested permission to inspect the tanks, which permission 
was readily given. The observation of the committee confirmed the 
report of the measurer, and they recommended to you in writing that 
the tanks should be disconnected, at the same time expressly dis- 
claimmg any Imputation that the tanks had actually been put to an 
improper use. The council fail to perceive that any discourtesy was 
displayed toward you; certainly none was mtended. It is not consid- 
ered necessary to enter into a discussion of other points raised in 
your letter, but as you have thought fit to make your grievance pub- 
lic, this reply will pass through the same channel." 
The council next considered a protest referred by the Castle Y. 0. 
relating to the entry of Audrey in a race in August. The club dis- 
qualified Audrey, and the council now upheld the decision, so Niagara 
will get the prize. 
The Royal Albert Y. C. addressed a letter to the council, stating 
they did not intend to refer the case of the Meteor-Isolde collision for 
adjudication.— rTie Field, 
In the storm of Oct. 11 the small yacht Elsa, with her owners 
George Leonard and Frank Freeman, was anchored off Squantum' 
Mass. The tender broke away and the men could not reach the 
shore, and they ran short of food. They were found by fHends on 
Monday night, Oct. 13, both lying on the floor of the yacht and com- 
pletely exhausted. 
Mon Reve, schr., formerly the sloop Thetis, has been sold by E. P. 
Baugh, Jr., to Dr. Chamberlain, of Boston. 
