[3] Shown by dotted lines in the sketch at p. 7. The Rob Roy is of about four tons’ burthen, but “tons,” we know well, mean one does not know what.[10] “Swinging for the compass” is thus performed. The vessel is moored in the bight at Greenhithe, and by means of warps to certain Government buoys she is placed with her head towards the various points of the compass. The bearing by the compass on board (influenced by the attraction of the iron she carries) is taken accurately by one observer in the vessel, and the true bearing is signalled to him by another observer on shore, who has a compass out of reach of the “local attraction” of the vessel. The error in each position due to the local attraction is thus ascertained, and the corrections for these errors are written on a card in a tabulated form, thus:—

And so on. A half point looks a small matter on the compass card, but in avoiding a shoal, or in finding a harbour, it makes all the difference.[14] The Reformatory ship ‘Cornwall’ is at Purfleet. The three vessels are within sight of each other. We shall sail back to each of them in a future page, and have a more leisurely look on board.[20] The after part of the well is rounded at each side, and it is all boarded up. In the middle is a seat on which a large cork cushion can rest, or this may be thrown over as a life-preserver or for a buoy, while the life-belt to be worn round the waist is stowed away under the seat, and an iron basin with a handle is placed alongside it just over the flooring, below which is seen, at p. 41, a wedge of lead-ballast, and in front of this the water-well, where water collecting from leakage or dashing spray is conveniently reached by the tube of vulcanised india-rubber represented as just in front. This pump hose has a brass union joint on the top, to which we can screw the nozzle of a pump with a copper cylinder (shown at the bottom), or a piston worked by hand (but without any lever), and when in use the cylinder rests obliquely, so that the water will flow out over the combing, and on the deck, and so into the sea.[22] Several important suggestions for the implement of the lifeboat liquid compass were obtained during my use of it in this voyage, and these have been duly appreciated by the Lifeboat Institution.[25] However good the glass, it is very difficult to make use of it for faint or distant objects on the horizon, and on the whole I found it easier to discern the first dim line of land far off by the unaided eye. A slight mark, that would not be observed while only a short piece of it is seen in the field of view, becomes decidedly manifest if a large scope is seen at once. The binocular glass was very valuable, however, when the words on a buoy, or the colour on the chequers of a beacon had to be deciphered.[26] See page 44 and Appendix.[32] In yet another, the fourth visit to this stupid shallow harbour (one of the most unpleasant to lie in anywhere), I fixed an oar out at each side as a leg, and could scarcely get rest from the fear that one or other of my beautiful oars would be snapped as they bent and groaned with remonstrances against supporting several tons of weight in the capacity of a wooden leg.[36] I had lessened her ton and a half of iron ballast by leaving two hundredweight on Dover quay; good advice agreeing with my own opinion that the Rob Roy was needlessly stiff.[42] The relative positions of all these articles had been maturely considered and carefully arranged, and they were much approved by the most experienced and critical of the many hundred visitors who inspected the Rob Roy.[44] In the sketch at page 41, the cook of the Rob Roy is represented as he works when rain compels him to shelter himself in the cabin under a tarpaulin, and the hatch inclined upwards. But usually—indeed, always but on two occasions—he sat in the well while he tended the caboose.[50] I have read numerous books, pamphlets, and discussions on this subject, some of which are wonderfully clear in explaining what is perfectly easy to understand, while they are exceedingly ingenious in overlooking the only difficulty, which is, how a man on one vessel is to know whither another vessel is steering to. (March 1880.)[52] “Caution.—During strong winds, between W.S.W., round westerly, and N.N.W., the coast to the eastward of Ailly Point is dangerous to be on, and shipwrecks are of frequent occurrence; vessels therefore of every description at that period should keep a good offing, and when obliged to approach it, must do so with great caution; for although the general mass of the above banks appear to be stationary, yet great attention must be paid to the lead, and in observing the confused state of the sea in the various eddies, so as to guard against suddenly meeting with dangers which may be of recent formation. The lights for the purpose of pointing out the position of the headlands and dangers between Capes Antifer and Gris-Nez at night, are so disposed that in clear weather two can always be seen at a time, and the greater number of the harbours have one or more tide lights shown during the time the harbour can be entered.

“It is important to notice that along the coast, between Cape de la HÈve and the town of Ault (a space of 67 miles), the wind, when it blows in a direction perpendicular, or nearly so, to the direction of the coast, is reflected by the high cliffs, neutralizing in great measure its original action to a certain extent in the offing, depending upon the strength of the wind. It follows from this, that a zone is formed off the coast and parallel to it (except in front of the wide valleys, where the direct wind meets with no obstacle), where the wind is light, the sea much agitated, and the waves run towards the shore. On the contrary, when the wind forms an acute angle with the coast, the reflected wind contributes to increase the direct wind near the shore.”[55] As a precaution, I always put on the life-belt when I had to reef, as one is liable then to be jerked overboard; also in strong winds when we ran before them, because in case of getting over board then, it would be difficult to catch the yawl by swimming; also at night when sailing, or when, sleeping on deck, as one might then be suddenly run down. But with all this prudence it happened that on each of the three occasions when I did fall into the water, I had not the life-belt on. The Life-Boat Institution had presented to me one of their life-jackets—an invaluable companion if a long immersion in the water is to be undergone. But for convenience in working the ropes and sails I was content to use the less bulky life-belt. It is conveniently arranged, and you soon forget it as an encumbrance. Indeed on one occasion I walked up to a house without recollecting that my life-belt was upon me when ashore![60] The account of these paddlings has been published in ‘A Thousand Miles in the Rob Roy Canoe,’ 10th edition, and in ‘The Rob Roy in the Baltic,’ 6th edition, both works being profusely illustrated (Low, Marston and Co., Crown Buildings, Fleet Street).[77] “FÉcamp Harbour is difficult to enter at all times, and dangerous to attempt when it blows hard from the westward on account of the heavy sea at the entrance; for should a vessel at that time miss the harbour and ground upon the rocks off Fagnet Point, she would be totally lost.”[78] A mysterious shell-fish delicacy.[85] Thick paper round my parcels of books within happily kept them dry.[98] Very few authors can write books suitable for men with weary bodies and sleepy minds. It is remarkable to see how much attention these men will pay to the words of the Bible and the ‘Pilgrim’s Progress.’ No doubt such readers often read but the surface-sense of both these books; but then even that sense is good, and the deeper meaning is better, while the language of both is superb.[102] If men’s vices are matched by dogs’ failings, several of our best virtues are at least equalled by those in canine characters; especially courage, fidelity, patience, and forgiveness. It is hard to believe (even if indeed we are at all warranted in believing) that these noble animals are done with existence when they die. It is harder still to see a man cruel to a dog, without feeling pretty sure that the man is not the better of the two. The dog life to be seen at the “Home for lost dogs” is a study for any thoughtful man.

Six empty collars hang in my own room. Each of them belonged to successive dogs called ‘Rob,’ who cruised with me until they were lost or killed.[110] The soldiers liked these so much that it was the fashion to place the “Emperor’s” picture over each man’s bed. On one occasion His Majesty happened to notice this when visiting a guard-room, and he had the whole story explained to him. The late Prince Imperial also came for a ‘British Workman,’ and probably it was pinned behind His Royal Highness’ four-poster. He was a member of the Royal Canoe Club, and one of his canoes was saved from the fire at the palace of St. Cloud.[112] A friend of mine stated that a French, gentleman of good education called upon him one day, and happened to look at a French Testament which lay open on the chimney-piece. “Tiens!” he said, “Paternoster in the Bible?” when he saw the Lord’s Prayer in the printed page.[117] A similar Society has begun operations in France by publishing translations of English papers on Sanitary and Domestic Management.[119] In this one particular the canoeist has to trust to the boat-builder. In others, and in those relating to the rigging and sails especially, I regret to say that I do not find any builder fulfils those requirements of strength, lightness, neatness, and simplicity combined in due proportions, upon which so much of the safety of a canoe depends, as well as comfort and pleasure in using it during the many days’ constant work of a long voyage. The proper rigging of a canoe, so as to be neither fragile like a toy nor clumsy in its small details, is well attended to at the Model Dockyard in Fleet Street.[121] This hankering after Egypt once more ripened into the cruise of the “Rob Roy on the Jordan,” of which the sixth edition appears in April, 1880.[128] These four gentlemen, admitted to the amateur contests declined to row against four English watermen.[142] I recollect that old Westminster Bridge was a very dangerous one for a boat to sail through, because the joints between the voussoirs, or lines of stones under the arch, were not horizontal as in most other bridges, but in an oblique direction, and several times when my mast has touched one of these it was borne downwards with all the power of a screw.[150] I found that a common Scotch plaid, if it was in an inclined position, resisted wet longer than any other material permeable to air, and it could be readily dried by hanging it from the mast in the wind.[151] There was another method of cooking under shelter, and we employed it on the only other occasion when this had to be done, namely, to shut up the cabin and to cook inside it, using the portable “canoe cuisine,” which is described in the Appendix. But as this is meant to be employed only on shore, it does not answer well on board, except in a calm; and, moreover, the heat generated by the lamp was too much in a small cabin. Even a single candle heats a small apartment, and it is well known that a man can get a very good vapour-bath by sitting over a rushlight, with blankets fastened all round.[152] The best, according to my taste, were those of “Irish stew,” “Stewed steak,” “Mulligatawny,” “Oxtail,” and “Vegetable soup,” all in the order named. “Preserved peas” were not quite so good; but the other viands were all far better than can be had at any culinary hotel, and were entirely without that metallic or other “preserved” flavour so soon discovered in such eatables, and even by a palate not fastidious. This experience was fully confirmed afterwards in my Canoe Cruises in Holland, in the Orkneys and Shetland, and in the Red Sea, Jordan, Nile, Abana, Pharpar, and Lake of Galilee.[156] Frenchmen have a trick of anchoring thus to escape a breeze. We have seen them anchor on the African coast merely to avoid a hard-looking cloud, whereas the real danger was in anchoring there at all.[159a] See Frontispiece.[159b] We shall hear of this pinch again further on.[160] This latter construction is found to be very convenient, because the cargo is at one end of the vessel and the machinery, and paddle-wheels, and steering apparatus are all at the other end, so that orders can be readily given to both by the captain. The “Express” Company on the Seine has sixty of these steamers.[161] It was, however, only an adaptation of the same principle I had used in Swedish lakes, when my course was towards a bright sun so dazzling in the water that I invented the plan of covering my eyes with my straw hat, and steering the canoe by the bright reflection of the sun on its cedar deck, which was of course by no means so unpleasant as the beams of light glancing from the water itself. Surely it would not be impossible to make the needle of a mariner’s compass itself steer the ship at least within half a point. The motion of the needle could connect one or the other of two electro currents, and so set in instant action a powerful purchase to act on the tiller.[171] First thoughts of people and of countries are more striking, they are only by chance at all true. I recollect asking an American, after his visit to the English House of Lords, what struck his attention most; and he said, “Their lordships don’t seem to brush their hair.” Another clever traveller, from the same land of our cousins, was asked what he noticed of our manners in London, and he replied, “I observe it is the fashion here, when a gentleman sees his friend on the other side of Pall Mall, he shakes his umbrella at him and calls out, ‘D’ye do, old fellow?’”[188] The Rob Roy came there again next summer, up the Thames, and by the canal, and the river Wey and the Arun, and so to Southsea, with fifteen canoes, five dogs and a cockatoo—such fun.[192] After so much experience of the yawl, tried in all points in all kinds of wind and weather, it may well be supposed that numerous improvements had been noted in my book as desirable. These, however, we need not here particularise, as the various descriptions given at intervals through this book shew what the Rob Roy is in her latest and best arrangements.[195a] The fall of each halyard was coiled and put under the taut part. A small coil looks neatest, but the fall of it is sure to kink if coiled close, being wet and dry ten times in a day. Before nearing harbour, or in preparation to lower sail “handsomely,” I found it well to cast the coil loose on the hatch, else a kink would catch in the leading sheave.[195b] This was forthwith invented and used and shewn to hundreds of people. After some time the very identical thing was patented, and it is now used by thousands. Most of our canoes have these “tumbling cleats,” and they are used for the cords of blinds, &c., in many houses, including my own.[197] This is shewn in the sketch on the preceding page; the bar presented a very smooth surface for the bottom of the dingey to run over when it was shipped under the hatch, or hauled out in a hurry. Moreover, the wood was convenient to stride across in getting from the well to the cabin, and it was far more pleasant and warmer than metal to hold on by during violent lurches of the sea.[206] A foreign sailor, examined as to a shipwreck case in Court, was asked, “How did you know it was the coast of England?” He said, “Because a lifeboat came out to us.” Rule Britannia![208] Three hundredweight of ballast was thrown off at Cowes, besides what we took out at Dover, and still the yawl was stiff.[211] Other inventors, knowing the experimental turn of my crew, had sent me several instruments and things of various sorts to try in practice, and to report on. One of these was a beautiful little anchor made of bronze, and in form very peculiar and apparently an improvement, indeed an admirable novelty to look at. This, too, I heaved overboard for trial, but it simply dragged through the soft mud, and proved quite useless.[240] He had wisely fitted a centre-board in his 14-feet canoe at my suggestion. This sliding keel answered well for sailing, and all our large canoes are now thus fitted. Mr. Berthons’ portable canoe can be carried flat under one arm. Canoe sails are dangerous unless they can be lowered in an instant. So are the sails of a frigate in a sudden squall. The ‘Eurydice,’ which I saw in Portsmouth harbour, is a warning for ever.[242] To anchor for the night, riding by tide or stream, is not pleasant; for then the wind may cross your hatch, and blow the rain in sideways, whereas if you ride at anchor to the wind alone, the draught comes always from the front, and so it can be better provided for, and the boat does not roll much even if she pitches.[244] Revelation xix. 7.[246] It was hung on the port mizen shroud. To hang it in front of you is simply to cut off two of your three chances of possibly seeing ahead.[250] I think that in a port like Newhaven the look-out man in charge ought to come to the pier-head when he sees a yacht entering in rough weather, and certainly there is more attention to such matters in France than with us.[260] The singular volcanic eruptions in Iceland occurred also on that day.[261] The numerous vessels met now were some of those we had been with in the morning, and they looked even more in number, for we crossed and recrossed each other frequently, and this part of the Channel is a highway for nations.[267] In the winter this old sailor was drowned, the last of six brothers, all of whom were drowned.[268] This event is depicted on the cover of our book, being a copy of the illustration in the excellent penny periodical, ‘The Boy’s Own Paper’ (October, 1879), one of a score of serials and a thousand books at the ‘Pure Literature Society,’ 11, Buckingham Street, Strand.[270] One of the pranks to be prepared for in a boat is this jibing of the boom, and until by practice you know the exact range of safety for your head in relation to that swinging spar, caution should be the rule. Long ago I had learned the exact length of the Rob Roy’s boom in relation to my nose; for even in the Thames, soon after starting, it had once caught the back of my head, and knocked my face down on the deck, where a bloody nose (but no worse result) speedily settled the question as to which must yield when the boom and the captain are at loggerheads. I learned more lessons of this sort when, in 1871, I had a lonely voyage in a “yawl canoe” through Holland and the Zuyder Zee, and Friesland and the Texel. An account of it was published in the ‘Graphic’ for November of that year.[272] At a southern watering place lately there were forty ladies each in a canoe on one afternoon.[275] Bravely they worked to save life on the Goodwin in the fearful gale that came soon afterwards.[280] The recent legislation for the proper care of the women and the education of the children on barges was much needed, and it was successfully accomplished by our late excellent Home Secretary, who was himself one of the best “oars” at Cambridge, when the late Foreign Secretary of France was another.[284] The use of the word “bloody” is now general among the lowest classes all over England. The meaning intended by this is not what scholars would agree to. Hundreds of times the word is employed only for “very,” and it is strange how soon one’s first shudders at the sound become faint, and even die.[287] The Royal Canoe Club has elected about 600 Members, including several ladies. Some of the Members are in Australia, India, Japan, China, Canada, and North and South America. H.R.H. the Prince of Wales is our Commodore, and he has several canoes. There are also several branches of the Club besides other Canoe Clubs on the Mersey, the Clyde, the Forth, the Trent, the Humber, and four Clubs in America. The Office of the R.C. Club is at 11, Buckingham Street, Adelphi, London, where also is “The Pure Literature Society,” with 3600 books and 42 periodicals all good to read and to choose from.[291] We need not he surprised that sharks should get entangled in the Bay of Biscay. Even at Margate one was caught a short time after I had swam in the water there, and six more sharks were captured in the summer on the English south coast.[296] As this was being urged upon friends, a telegram came from the Admiralty for “Twenty-five boys from the ‘Chichester.’”[297] A description of these vessels will be found in the Appendix.[325] The late Professor J. D. Forbes, who used this lamp, says it was introduced into this country from Russia by Dr. Samuel Brown, and that “the jet of burning spirit has such force as to resist the blast of a hurricane.”

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