BOATIN& 
149 
Boating.— By J. Coles. 
When a traveller has to proceed for some distance overland before 
reaching the river or lake he purposes to navigate, he must of necessity 
provide himself with a boat constructed in such a manner as to be 
easily transported, either by being built in sections, that can be put 
together and taken to pieces at pleasure, or by taking one of the 
collapsible boats, such as Berthon’s. If the former, he cannot do better 
than to have one built of Spanish cedar, on the same plan as that which 
was constructed for Sir H. M. Stanley, by Mr. James Messenger, of 
Teddington, with such modifications as may be necessary, when the 
means of transport, and the nature of his journey, have been duly 
considered. Collapsible boats, though very useful for ferrying across 
lakes or rivers, cannot, where a boat of other construction is available, 
be recommended for a continued exploration; they are, however, con¬ 
structed of different sizes, and full particulars concerning them can 
be obtained from the Berthon Boat Co., 50, Holborn Viaduct, E.C. 
If the exploration is to be commenced at the mouth of a river, a whale¬ 
boat will be found to be the best form of boat, for the following reasons. 
Being steered by an oar, it is more easily handled in surf or a rapid ; it is 
generally faster than boats of the same size of ordinary build; it will 
carry a good cargo, sail well off the wind, and is the best boat built for 
crossing the bars of rivers, or landing through a surf. Such a boat can 
generally be purchased at foreign ports, with oars and sail, and should 
be well overhauled before starting. 
Boat-sailing cannot be taught by any book, and certainly not by a 
few short notes of this description. The traveller, therefore, who intends 
using a boat for exploration, should gather some experience before 
starting, which can be done at any fishing village on the coast. This 
will be the more necessary if he intends to use his boat on a lake, or for 
sailing along the coast, from the mouth of one river to another, and the 
following hints may, it is hoped, be useful to those who have had but 
small experience in boat-sailing. 
When under sail , never, under any circumstances , allow the sheet to be 
made fast; a turn should be taken round a cleat, and it should be held 
by one of the crew ready to let go at any moment. Do not let the crew 
