An Inland Cruise
[Appeared to HUNT'S YACHTIKQ MAOAZIOT for February ana March, 1887.] AN INLAND CRUISE, By W. A. CLARK, E»Q. CHAPTER I. HCMBIB, AND ANCIIOLME, ON the evening of the 7th July, 1886, Sheila and I departed from Dundee on board the s.s. London, and late on the following afternoon arrived at Hull. Sheila is a double-scull boat of the Dundee Rowing Club dimensions, viz., length 17ft. 6in., beam 3ft. 9in., and depth lft. 4in., built of yellow pine and weighing about HOlbs. She is fitted with swivel rowlocks and fixed seats. A spare pair of 9ft. 6in. sculls were carried in case of accident, and a waterproof boat tent with some not very elaborate camp furniture completed the equipment of the boat. July 9th.—At 7h. 80m. on the morning after my arrival in Hull, I set out for the steamer to get Sheila ashore. On reaching the wharf judge my horror and disgust on discovering that the boat was minus both stretchers, which had been removed by the brilliant boat building genius to whom the shipment of the craft had been entrusted at Dundee. After offering up prayers on his behalf, I returned to my hotel and had a lengthened council of war with the landlady and boots. Boots proved a man of resource, and fortunately knew of a boat builder close at hand, to whose shed we quickly carried the vessel, and in the space of half an hour a stretcher was fitted in a ship-shape fashion. I regret I do not recollect the name of this carpenter, as he was a good workman and withal, a civil and obliging fellow—a feature so unusual in a boat builder, that one would like to hand his name down to posterity.
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