130 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
I'Feb. 15, 
made with "the full strength of the company." 
I cannot at this late day quite understand how four of 
us managed to get a vacation at the same time — vacations 
were not by any means the rule, and you didn't get Satur- 
day afternoons, either. Somehow we all found ourselves 
able to go, and great were the preparations. Under the 
half deck forward were stowed the mattresses, two tin- 
lined trunks, the club stove, brought down from the 
palatial (?) quarters of the Whip-poor-will Club, blankets 
and a few other trifles. The cockpit being some lift, 
long and nearly 6ft. wide, a tent more ingenious than 
practical was devised to cover it at night ; the ends were 
made separate to lace in, so that the fly could be used as a 
square sail, a brilliant conception, which I fear must be 
laid to my door, and which was about as complete a 
failure as any I have ever designed. 
There was no compass and no chart (by some oversight 
there was an anchor), but we were well supplied with 
flags, and there was even a fair outfit of spare ropes. The 
provisions were in charge of Cheeksey, the Purser, and if 
my recollection serves me, that end of the affair was 
creditably managed. 
I don't remember what day it was, nor what month, and 
it was so long ago that T don't want to remember the 
year ; but we set sail and cast off with a favoring wind 
and tide, merrily bound for — well, we didn't quite know 
where. The yacht distinguished herself; the wind was 
fair, the water smooth and the tide with us, and we slid 
along in a way that surprised us, and I resolutely put 
aside all thought of the journey back. 
Near the Brothers we stopped long enough to pick up 
a floating boat's sail and mast, and then on again, making 
Vallejo in what seemed to us who knew the craft, phe- 
nomenal time. 
At Vallejo we dropped one of our party, who took the 
train to keep a "date" at Sacramento, then on we sailed 
for Napa. Now. the navigation of the Napa River is 
■•something to test the skill of the amateur, but we bowled 
along before the wind, as happy as clams, as innocent as 
children, "and never touched it once," proving for the 
millionth time that fools, drunken men and incompetents 
generally are the special care of Providence. 
I suppose we should have gone en sailing up Napa 
River to this day if we had not come to a bridge at Napa 
which forbade any further progress, so we tied up to a 
bulkhead, set the "tent, and prepared our first meal, much 
to the edification of the populace who had never in their 
lives seen just that kind of a circus before. 
We did the town a little after dinner, and Phantom 
and I bought a couple of pipes, not that we wanted them, 
as we already had many more than was good for us, and I 
think I've got mine yet; but the town seemed to hold little 
to interest us, so I fancy we must have been rather sleepy. 
We put in a very good night, and were awakened in the 
morning by the rain pattering, on our tent, but it was only 
a shower and soon cleared away. The tent was high 
enough to stand up in, and we dressed and got breakfast 
in great comfort, but as the tide was flood, there was 
nothing for it in a craft like ours but to wait until it 
turned before making a start back. 
It was well on in the afternoon before we got under 
way, and the first thing our yacht did was to drift slap 
into that bridge. There was no damage done .except to 
our lacerated feelings, but after several attempts to coax 
her away from it we abandoned the attempt to leave Napa 
under sail, and sending a line to the foremast head Cheek- 
sey took the other end up on the high bank, and for about 
a hundred and fifty miles patiently dragged her down 
the stream, while Phantom and I did our best to keep her 
from sticking on all the mud banks at the turns. Just 
before he died of exhaustion we got to a place where it 
seemed that we might venture to hope to sail, so we took 
him aboard. 
We sailed back and forth across the stream pretty well, 
but as we lost as much .in coming about as we made in 
sailing across, we figured out that we should either starve 
to death or die of old age, unless- some other plan was 
devised, so the other two stationed themselves forward 
with the boat hook and a sweep, and when we got into 
water shallow enough, poled her around while I tended 
sheets. As a result of this maneuver, we actually got 
below Soquel, only delaying a team waiting to cross on 
the ferry some half an hour or so, and began to think 
we might only be middle-aged men by the time we got 
home. 
But it was getting dark, the tide had turned against 
us, the wind was gone and we were hungry and pretty 
well fagged out. 
At this juncture a small creek appeared, so we came to 
anchor there, set up the tent and had a good dinner, and 
over our pipes discussed our future movements. As owing 
to the fact that that part of the crew which had gone to 
Sacramento had informed us that he would strike Benecia 
on the next evening flat broke, it became absolutely 
necessary for us to be there to meet him, or he would 
have no dinner and no bed. This meant the utilization of 
all the ebb tide we could get if we did not want to find him 
a haggard and wasted skeleton ; so we set up a box in the 
middle of the cockpit and by the light of a solitary dip 
played cards until midnight, when the tide turned. 
There wasn't a breath of wind, and we got out a couple 
of sweeps — all we had— and swept that boat to Vallejo. 
For a time we relieved the toil with song and story, but 
as the night wore on those sweeps got to weigh about a 
hundred pounds apiece, and we had to stop and let the 
boat drift -with the current to convince ourselves that the 
tide had not turned against us; but we did get to Vallejo 
at last in the early morning, just as the workmen were 
pulling over to the Navy Yard to begin their labors, and 
having about life enough left to pick out a place where 
we shouldn't ground at low water, Phantom and I slid un- 
der the cuddy and went fast asleep in two winks. Cheek- 
sey foolishly stayed awake and cooked breakfast. 
We spent the greater part of that day getting rested, and 
in the afternoon, with a soldier's wind, got under way 
for Benecia. In the straits it was blowing for keeps, and 
the sea was booming ; but when we squared away be- 
fore it the Tunie showed she had one merit at least, and 
except that we had to kick Cheeksey when we wanted him 
to wake up and slack the fore sheet, we had nothing to 
complain of, and racng with the big combers was great 
fun, 
As an anchorage, Benecia left a good deal to be desired. 
and by the time we had found a place where we could 
float at low Witter and yet not be run down by steamers 
making a landing, it was high time to< set the lent, start 
dinner and look out for the man from Sacramento. 
Pretty soon he came and we got him aboard, a task 
of some little difficulty in an 8ft. dinghy in that sea, and 
he got out of his store clothes in short order and packed 
them away in one of those tin-lined trunks, carefully shut- 
ting the latch through the sleeve of his best coat ; but he 
didn't know it then, and was hungry and happy. 
Our tent proved to have been built on scientific, but 
mistaken, principles, and Phantom and I were compelled 
to go out on deck and with sail needles and palms stitch 
the forward, end of the thing in. As it was dark, cold and 
blowing half a gale, and our only light a candle in a 
lantern, our progress was slow enough ; but we got it done 
after a while, and after a fashion, and crawled in to' get 
warm and get some dinner, only to find that the other two 
fiends had got away with all the milk in their coffee, and 
we had to put up with a half-cold dinner, and milkless 
coffee. I fear that the opinions we expressed of the 
other chaps were far from complimentary. 
That night was a somewhat uncomfortable one, for by 
a singular caprice of fortune I Jiad managed to anchor 
exactly on the edge of the channel. The consequence was 
that everything that made a landing at the wharf that 
night, and up to that time I had had no idea how ex- 
tensive the commerce of Benecia was. sent in a swell 
which broke just alongside and banged us on the bank, un- 
til every pot and kettle in our menage set up a separate 
clatter, and woke us up in a fright. By the time we got 
settled down again another would come, and so it went 
on all through the night. 
Morning found us pretty well used up, apd when we 
attempted to cook breakfast nothing would induce the 
stove to draw. Asa last resort, we got under way under 
the jib alone, and then the stove did very well — to this 
day I don't understand the vagaries of that stove. 
It came on to blow quite early, and we decided to 
make a harbor as soon as we could, putting in the rest 
of the day doing as near nothing as possible. Sailing 
along, still under the jib only, we made the mouth of the 
creek wdiich in those days ran through the town of Mar- 
tinez, and which was usually called the Alhambra — it 
should really have been "El Hambre," the Hungry, since 
it was so designated by the friars who discovered it, and 
who so called it in commemoration of their short com- 
mons at the time — and hoisting the mainsail shot in 
among the tall tules. The boat held on under the strong 
breeze, and flew over the water that was as smooth as 
glass, until we brought up at the bridge, which carried the 
principal street of the city across the stream. 
We did not realize that we were in the heart of a me- 
tropolis, and without stopping to set up the tent, proceeded 
to get into our shore togs. While thus engaged, we were 
startled by a subdued titter, and looking up discovered a 
young ladies' seminary filing over the bridge. 
We hastily ducked for shelter, and as soon as the coast 
was clear got the tent up. And right here was where we 
all missed the opportunity of our lives; one of those girls 
was the daughter of a man who owned no end of land and 
orchards and things in the neighborhood, and not so very 
long after this a fellow, nothing like such a good fellow 
as we were, I am sure, came along and married her. If 
we had only known — but we didn't, until too late to pre- 
vent the catastrophe. 
Here the Pursef applied for shore leave, and made a 
trip to Mount Diablo, and I think we put in two days 
waiting for him. 
At some unearthly hour in the night (about 4 A. M., I 
think) we were routed out the morning after his return 
by a big scow schooner bumping her way in to tie up at a 
warehouse close by, so we concluded it was time for us 
to move. 
Getting out of that creek was a picnic. We tried sail- 
ing out, and promptly drifted on to the mud flats before 
we could get steerage way. We made several attempts 
before we hit upon the plan of hauling her up to some 
piles on the windward side of the channel, just where the 
tules ended. We made fast fore and aft and set all sail, 
then when a good strong puff came we let her go. 
The first attempt was a failure, but the second time we 
got headway enough on to slide her over the mud after 
we drifted out of the channel, and with a fair tide and a 
wind that we Could carry all sail to (it must have been 
made on purpose), beat our way down through the straits 
and San Pablo Bay without accident. I remember trying* 
to shave as we sailed, and succeeding after a fashion, but 
shaving in a breeze in an open boat is open to criticism, 
and I have never tried it since. 
Phantom and I made another cruise later, before we 
got rid of the craft, but the other two could never be 
induced to try her again, and for my part I can hardly 
blame them. 
Our English Letter. 
Both Kariad and Sybarita have sailed for the Mediter- 
ranean, which happy hunting ground ought to be more 
extensively patronized by American owners of large rac- 
ing yachts. Sybarita will probably show up in her very 
best form there, as she is particularly good in light 
weather. Kariad was built to suit our new rule, and she 
is of a better type, than that to which we have been 
used of late years. She is a handsome vessel, and in her 
short racing career last season she gave great promise. 
Her great race was with Sybarita round Ailsa Craig, at 
the mouth of the Clyde, in a whole tear of wind. The 
yawl was of course favored on such a day — all reaching — 
by her light rig, yet she could barely beat the cutter, and 
could not have done so without her allowance for "in- 
feriority of rig." This sounds funny after being told for 
so long that the pure champagne-glass section is essential 
for the highest speed. Both boats were sailed with grim 
determination, and had a rare dusting out in the channel. 
Apropos of the launch of the Emperor's yacht, it may 
be interesting to mention that His Majesty has this year 
added another inducement to foreigners to visit Kiel 
regatta. He is presenting a handsome cup' to be raced 
for by small boats with no paid hands. The rule for the 
boats is, length, beam and extreme draft not to exceed 
32ft. when added together; displacement not to be less 
than 36c\vt., and sail not to exceed 500 square feet. The 
cost is not t« be more than £250, and certain restrictions 
as to construction are imposed with a view to securing 
serviceable knockabout boats. The idea is an admirable 
one, but so far as we Britishers are concerned it is to 
be feared we have very few boats to suit. Nene of the 
boats now being built for our new rule would stand a 
chance, for no doubt a bulb-fin craft will prove the neces - 
sary type. 
The new 52-footer designed and building by Mr. Fife 
will have a mixture of steel, cut oak and steamed frames. 
She is said to be a very powerful looking vessel. This 
class is sometimes called "the twenties," in affectionate 
remembrance of the old Thames ao^ton class out of which 
a fostering legislation has gradually evolved it. The old 
twenties were passing large on 46ft. waterline and 10ft. 
beam, and the new 52-footers are about fifty feet on the 
loadline with huge overhangs, and 13ft. beam. Unfor- 
tunately there is a gap between this class and the 36- 
footers. 
No doubt there will be a large number of yachtsmen 
over here this season for the Coronation ceremonies. It 
will well repay a visit to witness the review of the Fleet 
at Spithead. Those who were over here at the Diamond 
Jubilee review will not readily forget the spectacle, and 
it is said that the forthcoming gathering will be con- 
siderably more imposing. A steam yacht is an ideal point 
of vantage from which to view the sight, and I noticed 
last time that the United States naval men fraternized 
more freely with their countrymen than was the case with 
other nationalities. 
There is a new 36-footer being laid down by Fife for, 
it is said, Capt. J. Orr-Ewing, who last year had two 
boats built for this class, one by Gibbick and one by Fife, 
The Fife boat did fairly well, though she came out late 
and had to meet well tuned-up boats. The Gibbick boat 
was a failure, but might have been better sailed, perhaps. 
A new class (handicap) is being formed on the Thames. 
It is composed of ex-52ft. boats, and will include Gaunt- 
let, Balaena, and Senga. These three will not need much 
to divide them, but quite a variety of older boats are on 
this station which could not be included in such a class 
by any ingenuity. A well-known German handicapper 
informed the writer the other day that a handicapper must 
needs be an elephant, and there is much truth in the 
remark. E. H. Hamilton. 
Chicago Yachts. 
Activity Follows Cabin Class Decision. 
Chicago, 111,, Feb. 8.— The decision of the Lake Michi- 
gan Yachting Association, to admit the new cabin type to 
at least an equal position under the rules with the old 
knockabout class, has been a good thing for yachting in- 
terests in this port. This will admit the cabin boat to the 
competitions in all the lake clubs holding memberships in 
the Lake Michigan Yachting Association, so that the type 
will be adopted not only by the Columbia Y. C. for the 
Lipton cup, but practically accepted in this part of the 
Great Lakes. The decision seems to be a very wise one, 
making as it does for a practical and seaworthy naval 
construction for waters which are admittedly rough and 
risky. 
The adoption of the new class produced something 
better than a languid interest, and it is stated that six 
new boats will be built for the coming season. Mr. T. H. 
Webb, of Peoria, is conferring with Hanley for a new 
boat; Mr. H. B. Simonton, of Columbia Y. C, will go 
East for a 21-footer; a syndicate of three gentlemen will 
buy yet another; Dr. Pinkard orders one of Cuthbert; 
Vice-Corn. McGuire will have H. Davis design one for 
him, and Mr. F. H. Osborne, says he will go East to buy 
yet another. Given a fair and well-worked-out set of 
rules, it would seem that this innovation will be a de- 
sirable one. E, H. 
Seawanhaka Cup Notes. 
The boat building by Mr. Thomas Smith at Bayonne 
for Messrs. Mower and Hunt, from the former's design, 
is now in frame, and the work of planking has com- 
menced. Mr. Smith has made a wonderfully fine job on 
the boat thus far, and she is very fair throughout. The 
boat is being built upside down, and as soon as she is 
planked will be turned over and the deck frames put in. 
The boat is 39ft. 6in. over all, 22ft. waterline, 8ft. 6in. 
breadth, and sin. draft. The frames are spaced ~3ih. 
apart and every possible detail of the boat's construction 
has been thoroughly done, so that the hull will be very 
strong and rigid. The spars will be hollow, and are now 
being made by the Spaulding St. Lawrence Boat Co., 
Ogdensburg, N. Y. This firm will make all the masthead 
fittings, goose neck on boom, etc. The sails will be made 
by Messrs. Wilson & Silsby, of Boston. 
Word is received from Bridgeport that Mr. Thomas 
MacDonald, instead of being sole owner of one boat, will 
be interested in two boats, one of which is to be built by 
Hanley, of Quincy Point. It is not stated who the builder 
and designer of the other boat will be, 
Larry Huntington, of New Rochelle, still has a pos- 
sible customer for a trial boat, and White Bear Lake and 
Chicago yachtsmen are in correspondence with Mr. Mac- 
Donald in regard to sending on a boat from the West. As 
the season progresses more interest is manifested in the 
races, and there are now brighter prospects for a fair 
number of competitors in the trial races. 
Yacht Club Notes. 
The annual meeting and dinner of the Riverside Y. C. 
was held at the Arena on West Thirty-first street. New 
York City, on Friday evening, Feb. 7. About fifty of the 
members dined together before the meeting. " The fol- 
lowing officers were elected for the coming year: Com., 
George G. Tyson, schooner Nirvana; Vice-Corn., William 
A. Hamilton; Rear Com., George J. Bascom; Treas., 
George T. Higgons; Sec'y, John G. Porter; Meas., T. E. 
Ferris. Trustees for term ending February, 1905: O. R. 
Houghton, W. J. L. Davids. Regatta Committee :Charles 
P. Tower, C. T. Pierce, Edwin Binney. Membership 
Committee: Robert Rutter, J. H. McKenna, George E. 
