THE LIBRARY
OF
THE UNIVERSITY
OF CALIFORNIA
LOS ANGELES
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PEN AND PENCIL SKETCHES
ov
Shipping and Craft
ALL ROUND THE WORLD
BY
R. T. PRITCHETT
Marine Painter to the Royal Thames Yacht Club
LONDON
EDWARD ARNOLD
jjublislm to the jinbia (Offirc
37, BEDFORD STREET, STRAND
1S99
DEDICATED
TO THE RICHT HON.
THE LORD BRASSEY, K.C.B.
IN PLEASANT RECOLLECTION OF MANY THOUSAND
MILES IN THE "SUNBEAM," R.V.S.
BY His GRATEFUL LIMNER
K. T. PRITCHETT.
v/vj
30 7
INTRODUCTION.
The Victorian period of the present century is characterised by rapid
evolution. The Red Indian is rapidly falling back before the white man
and the march of intellect. The brown fibre and mat sails of the craft in
savage countries are being supplanted by our well-beloved white canvas,
and already is our faithful old servant the picturesque canvas driven out by
the more powerful yet controllable motor " steam." Even the snow-white
sails of our beautiful "Britannias," " Ailsas," and "Valkyries" have to
give way to pole-master steam yachts, in spite of the misery of the dreadful
coaling.
How much we owe to canvas ! How well it served our early discoverers in
their little ships, those pioneers of England's future glory on the high seas,
Columbus, Magellan, Drake, Frobisher, Cook, Anson !
The canvas period was a grand period in England's history, recalling
glorious deeds of courage, daring, and patriotism, when our navy was
opening up the great highway for the development of commerce. What
associations were recalled when the British fleet sailed for the Russian
waters ! What a grand sight were the 50-gun frigates or 120-gun line-of-
battle ships under a crowd of canvas, every stitch set and drawing, with
wide-spreading studding sails on both sides ; or the noble teak-built East
Indiaman in full sail, or a China tea clipper cracking on in the Trades.
These are now bygones, and replaced by wonders of modern science, such
as our Atlantic greyhounds the ' ' Campania " or the steamers of the ' ' Orient "
line ; to say nothing of those features of this age, our grim signal-masted
ironclads or torpedo destroyers, of which the British Navy is now composed,
and of which every Englishman must be proud.
The opening of the Suez Canal tolled the knell of parting canvas and
opened the back-door of Eastern Europe to receive the rich products oi
India and China direct, instead of coming by long sea voyages in the stately
ships of our merchant princes round the Cape of Good Hope, or in our
celebrated China tea clippers, which were real racers. An instance of rapid
337625
vi INTRODUCTION.
and accelerated communication i^ shown by the fact that a letter posted at
Peshawur, North India, January 26th, arrived in due course at London on
February 10th — steam per mare et terras.
Again, rounding Cape Horn, the most southern point of South America,
against " the brave westerlies," was a trying time for sailing ships, some-
limes for weeks in snow- and hail-storms and gales of wind. Steamers now
avoid this l>y running through the Straits of Magellan to the west coast of
Smith America, Chili, and Peru, only to find that the steam-horse on land
has rut them out by a short overland route from Buenos Ayres on the east
ci iast.
Long voyages in the "Wanderer," R.Y.S., and "Sunbeam," R.Y.S.,
under 1 he white ensign, afforded me great opportunities of seeing fibre and
mat-sailed craft in the Far East, the Malay Archipelago, and South Seas,
and ol delighting in the balloon canvas in the Trades, whilst the auxiliary
steam was a luxury when wanted in flat calms in mid-ocean or entering
narrow harbours. Some of the subjects have been considered interesting
enough to be brought together to form the present volume, accompanied by
short descriptions, making " Ten and Pencil Sketches of Shipping and
Craft all round the World,'" commencing with the Royal yacht " Victoria
and Albert," and ending with Malay proas at the Murray Islands in the
Antipodes.
R. T. Pritchett.
CONTENTS
Kina Batangan River-boat
"Victoria and Albert'" .
"Britannia"
"Sunbeam," R.Y.S.
China Tea Clipper
Collier, Coal-whipping in the Thames
Yorkshire Cobles .
A Mkhwav Barge .
Manx and Penzance Fishing Boat:
and Brixham Trawler
The "Cork" Lightship and Turbine
Lifeboat off Harwich
Ice Boats on the Hudson and at st.
MORITZ ....
The America Cup, The "Vigilant
winning from the "valkyrie"
"Governor Ames," Five-masted Trad-
ing Schooner .
a gundalow and a maine plnkey
The Bermuda Rig .
Sydney Flying Squadron
Norwegian Jaegt and Fishing-boat
Norwegian Herring Boats
Danish Coaster at Roskilde
Zout Water Schip : Flushing .
SCHEVENINGEN : DUTCH " PlNK " COMING IN
.
Frontispiece
PACK
England
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. 26
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• 34
• 3«
Jnited States
4^
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. 4"
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5°
Bermuda
• 54
Australia
■ 58
Norway
. 62
•> j
. 66
Denmark
70
Holland
• 74
•> l
7S
Vlll
CONTENTS
Heligoland Boat .
Bl i.NKENBURG BRIG
Chasse-m VREE
A "Moleta" Fishing Boat
Spanish Coaster off Cape Villano
Algerine Craft: Coast of Barbary
Venetian Kisiiin(;-boats at Bergozzi
Smyrna Craft
A Constantinople Caique
The Khedive's Dahabeah
A Nile Nugger
A Nile GYASSl
Arm: Dhows
A Pirate of the Persian Gulf
Lateen Racers, Royal Bombay Yach
('fir ....
Outrigger Fishing-Boats, Colombo
Colombo Coaster .
Rice Boai on the Irrawaddv Riyer
River Boats, R ^ngoon
Sampans at Moulmein
Tien-sien Junks
A KOLEH
Pekalongan Fishing Boat
Pri >boi i\<.<> Fishing Boai
Macassar Craft
Pirate Crafi off North Point of Born-
Si ft Cr m i "ii SANDAKAU
( Ihinese Pira i f. Junk
I \r wf>f Fishing Boats .
Baiii \ River Craft
Tin "Bolsa" i »b Skin-Bo \ i
The I.ia i k \. I' in .
A ( \\< iE Ol i HE AR' >RIGINES
Heligoland
Belgium
France
Portugal
Spain
Barbary
Italy
Turkey and Egypt
[ndian Ocean
India and Ceylon
M
)>
Burmah
Singapore
»)
Java
> j
( lelebes
3 Borneo
China
Japan
Brazil
Chili
Fiji
The Antipodes
PAGE
82
86
90
94
98
102
106
no
114
118
122
126
130
134
138
142
146
150
154
158
162
166
170
174
178
182
186
190
194
198
202
206
210
SHIPPING AND CRAFT.
ENGLAND.
THE ROYAL YACHTS.
" VICTORIA AND ALBERT."
THE national pastime of yachting certainly deserves to take precedence of
most craft-history in matters maritime in British waters. Of the Royal
Yacht Squadron her Majesty the Queen has been the patroness ever since
1857. presenting annually a hundred guinea cup to be sailed for, members
only. Immediately after the war in 1815, the numerous large yachts then
in existence and frequenting Cowes were brought together by their
enthusiastic owners, and a club was organised at Cowes by the most
influential men of the day, and firmly established, with royal patronage
and wealth to back it. ("owes in fact has been the one great centre of
attraction, where, during the first week in August every year, the finest
yachts and cruisers are concentrated, not only the competing craft, but
the Royal Yacht of our own Royal Family, and the craft of other nations
also, American, German, and French.
When the Queen succeeded to the throne, the Royal Yacht was a
sailing vessel, shiprigged, laid down in Deptford in 1814, from the
design of Sir Henry I'eake. and launched in July, 1S17, as the
•• Royal George." She came therefore into the service of her fourth
Sovereign when Queen Victoria succeeded to the throne. It will be
interesting Lo compare the dimensions of this yacht for State progresses,
with those of II. R.I I. the Prince of Wales's Racing Cutter the
•• Britannia," in 1898.
1S17. 1898.
I'm. •• Royai George." " Britannia," R.Y.s.
lull Ship Rig. Racing Cutler.
Length, ioj ft. I..< >.A.. 121-5 ft.
Bn ... It h. 20 It. S in. L.W.L., 87-8 ft.
Depth of hold, 11 ft. 6 in. Breadth, 23*66 ft.
Burthen in tons, 330. Depth, 15 ft.
15115 Y. R.A. rating
1 sj_\ 500 I. ms).
Sail area, [0,328 square feet.
as
S3
2
THE ROYAL YACHTS 5
The Queen's visit to Scotland in 1842 sealed the fate of the "Royal
George." The time had come when the uncertainty of canvas had to
give way to the certainty of steam. Bad weather necessitated the Royal
yacht being taken in tow by H..M. steamer "Shearwater," and the
Admiralty yacht "Black Eagle": her Majesty returning south in the
" Trident," a steamship belonging to the General Steam Navigation
Company.
From this time the "Royal George" has been laid up in Portsmouth
Harbour, and attains this year the good age of eighty-two.
In 1842 a new steam yacht was laid down at Pembroke, November 9th,
from the design of Sir William Symonds. Extreme length, 225 ft. ; beam,
39 ft. ; ditto over paddle boxes, 59 ft. ; speed, unknots; commissioned
July 1, 1843. This was an early period of steamships; the right com-
binations had not been worked out ; great vibration was produced by
too much propelling force. 1855 produced a new "Victoria and
Albert," a grand specimen of naval architecture, designed by Oliver Lang,
master shipwright of Pembroke Dockyard. Length over all, 336'4 ft. ;
beam outside paddle boxes, d6"6 ft. ; tonnage, 2,342 ; speed, i6"8l3 and
17 knots.
But now it is paddle boxes, or "side boxes," that are doomed, and her
Majesty's new steam yacht, also built at Pembroke Dockyard, 1899,
is up to elate with twin screws, forced draught, telephones, and electric
appliances ; in fact a model of scientific construction and equipment,
having a length of 380 ft. between perpendiculars; beam, 50 ft. ; dis-
placement, 4,700 tons ; H.P. indicated, 11,000.
ENGLAND.
THE ROYAL YACHT SQUADRON.
" BRITANNIA''
The must celebrated yachts of bygone days were certainly the " Pearl,"
the "Arrow," and the "Alarm." The "Pearl" was a 120-ton
cutter, built in 1820 for the Marquis of Anglesey, by Santy the
Smuggler who sailed from the Colne, a staunch supporter and prime
mover at the foundation of the Royal Yacht Squadron. The "Arrow"
was designed by her owner, Joseph Weld, Esq., of Lulworth Castle.
She passed into the hands of Thomas Chamberlayne, Esq. The cele-
brated "Alarm" was built in 1830, also from the design of Joseph Weld.
Her tonnage as a cutter, her first rig, was 193 tons. After the visit of
the ••America" in 1S51, Mr. Weld lost no time in profiting thereby, and
;il once altered the bow of the "Alarm" by 20 ft., and gave her flat
canvas, the mainsail and staysail, including jib, both laced to the boom
lor windward work, in which our visitor excelled.
Coming to present days, we are proud to have amongst all the
cracks of the period one vessel whose name will be handed down
as the most perfect combination of racing and cruising qualities ever
achieved ; and what a good name she bears. It was a happy thought
lo christen her " Britannia," for she well deserves it, representing in
many details the best work that has been produced by the designer,
the builder, the sailmaker, the skipper, and the crew. Her original
owner, 1 1. R.I I. the Prince of Wales, by his practical interest in every
chis^ of yachting at home and abroad, has developed each phase of
the sport : even the small raters have had special patronage. When the
Princi gave a /ioo cup, in [898, to be sailed for by these famous little
Fellows, they sailed in nearly a gale of wind. Of the Solent One class,
iteen started from the R.Y. " Osborne," and gave a grand display oi
what amateurs can make of bad weather in a splendid race won by
" 1 ingerine."
The " Britannia" was designed by <'■. E. Watson, and came out in 1893.
Ever) "ne was anxious for her success, and she proved to be worthy oi
theii < onfideni e and hi 'pes.
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THE ROYAL YACHT SQUADRON 9
Measurements of the "Britannia"— L.O. A., 121-5 ft - 5 L.W.L.,
S7"S ft. ; breadth, 23-66 ft.; depth, 15 ft.; rating, 151-13 V.R.A. ;
sail area, 10,328 sq. ft. The years 1893 and l8 94 soon P llt her qualities
to a severe test, for the American "Navahoe" came over to challenge
for the Gold Cup of the Victoria Club. The challenge was taken up
by the "Britannia." who won three out of five races and retained the
trophy. The illustration shows "Britannia" running up off Ryde with
housed topmast, and leading "Navahoe." The latter was a beautiful
boat, designed by Herreshoff, and represented a remarkable blend of
American lines and the English cutter type. She was, however, very
tender, and not up to the weight of our English breezes. She started
eighteen times and won five prizes.
In 1893 the "Britannia" won the Queen's Cup at Plymouth, and the
Queen's Cup in the Clyde, taking in her first year, in addition to these,
twenty-seven prizes. Mr. William Jameson represented the Prince all
through her brilliant career, whilst Captain John Carter was her skipper,
a proud position to hold.
In 1894 came the tug-of-war for the America Cup. The defender, the
"Vigilant," came over after beating "Valkyrie" at Sandy Hook. She
was one of HerreshofFs designs, with a centre-board, but her experiences
during her visit here tolled the knell of centre-boards for big boats in this
country as well as in America. The "Vigilant" met the "Britannia,"
with the result that she was beaten twelve times in eighteen starts. She
was, however, a much more powerful boat than " Navahoe," even with her
centre-board down.
The race on the Clyde for the Queen's Cup in 1894 was a scene of
extraordinary excitement, and Scotch enthusiasm was at fever heat, the
shore black with spectators, and the water crowded with every kind of
boat. It was a grand and close race, and the visitor was allowed plenty of
room to round her last mark. The " Britannia" won, to the joy of all.
The only regret, however, was that the Prince was not there in propria
peisona, to see how " Britannia" " kept the goal."
In 1895 the Prince's cutter carried off all three cups given at Cowes,
Ryde, and Queenstown ; and now the " Britannia," having done credit to
all connected with her, stands forth as the grandest all-round cutter of
modern times — not as a racing machine, but as a delightful home and
wholesome craft in bad weather.
ENGLAND.
THE ROYAL YACHT SQUADRON.
THE " SUNBEAM!'
So well known is this yacht that her name is almost a household word, and
her doings and cruisings have given pleasure to thousands of people who
hardly know what a yacht really is. She claims prominent mention, in
thai when she first came out she founded a new class and period in
yachting.
In 1854 Lord Brassey, then Mr. Brassey, began his experiences with an
eight-ton cutter, which gave him a real /est for sailing: and in 1857
he won the Queen's Cup in the Mersey with " Cymba," a 50-ton cutter,
designed and built by Fife of Fairlie. From 50 tons the next step
u;is to the "Albatross," then to an auxiliary schooner of 164 tons,
the "Meteor." followed by "Muriel," Dan Hatcher's favourite 40-
tonner ; and the " Eothen " auxiliary, 340 tons. Based on his ex-
perience of twenty years, Lord Brassey decided to have an auxiliary
steam yacht after his own heart, to the design of Mr. Alexander
Richardson. The love acquired in early days with "Cymba" for canvas
had to he carefully considered, for the new yacht was not to be a steam-
boat, hut, as a model cruiser, she was to he last under canvas, with
auxiliary steam power only to help her in doldrums or dead calm, or
again, when she should he well in command, going into harbours or
through narrow passages with a head wind. Time has shown that these
qualities were well carried out, as proved by the "Sunbeam's" record
ol ocean cruising in 1S74. 12,747 knots; in 1S76-7, one cruise, 37,000
knots round the world: 1883, 13-545 knots in a cruise to the West
Indies. And then she started lor a second voyage round the world, a
voyage cut short by the sad death of the late Lady Brassey, whose travels,
and the bright way in which sin- related them, have delighted man}'.
Having given some idea ol the performance ol the "Sunbeam" as a
cruiser, let us turn to some of tin details of her construction and rig.
Material of hull : iron Frame with teak skin; built at Liverpool in 1 S 7 4 .
Length over all 170 ft. Engines by Laird of Birken-
Length on water line 1 59 ft . head.
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THE ROYAL YACHT SQUADRON 13
Beam 27 ft. Horse power, 70 nominal
Depth of hold 13 ft. 9 in. indicated, 380.
Tonnage Displacement 576 tons. Stowage of coal, 70 tons.
Draught 13-6 feet. ,, ,, water, 16 tons.
Original sail area ... 9,200 sq. ft. Lead ballast, 75 tons.
For the trade winds extra balloon canvas.
The success of the combination of good qualities in her led to the
"Chazalie" being built in 1875, followed by the "Czarina,"' for Mr.
Albert Brassey, in 1877. Then the "Lancashire Witch" in 1878,
which made some wonderfully long runs in ocean cruising. This
quartet settled the qualities required, and started auxiliary steam yachts on
a firm basis, the " Sunbeam " being the Madre of the fleet.
After this, riches and luxury went for bigger game, and now we have
steam yachts of immense size, like private hotels-de-luxe, or palatial mail
steamers. In America everything is on a large scale, and Mr. Vanderbilt
has a steam yacht, the "Valiant," 2,350 tons, brig-rig ; whilst in our own
home waters maybe seen Mr. Laycock's " Valhalia," 1,400 tons, ship-
rigged. It is hard to credit that she is a yacht when bearing down on you,
until perchance the white ensign may be seen flying at the peak or the
R.Y.S. burgee at the main. Burgees seem rather out of place in these
large craft.
For a long cruise there is no doubt that Lord Brassey\s " Sunbeam " has
been a great success ; and the owner has always been her navigator. She-
is large enough for any weather anywhere, for Lord Brassey \s experiences
vary from studding sails and skyscrapers to being battened down and laid
to, with canvas reduced to one jib headed main trysail.
On one occasion, in the West Indies in 1883, I remember the weather
bright and clear, temperature perfect, every stitch that could be carried
set, studding sails on both sides and jackyarders. Looking up with
admiration from the taffrail, Lord Brassey suggested a trip to the flying
jibboom so as to study the " Beauty " from that point of view. We were
well rewarded ; looking up we saw the clean white canvas splendidly
illumined by the bright sun shining through it, the graceful curves of
the sail, the tension of the sheets, the rich colour of the spars, and
suggestive bend of the studding sail-boom. That was above : below was
the grander sight by far, her white hull, ploughing with her fine how
through the deep blue waters of the Spanish main, was beautified by the
contrast of her bright copper, the colour of which was graduated from
the water-polished surface to the richer tones left from the last visit of the
copper punt.
And then, on another occasion, between Cape Hatteras and Bermuda,
she laid to in a long gale like a duck, with reefed trysails, although
constantly luffed up to meet an unusually big comber.
s
ENGLAND.
OUR MERCANTILE MARINE.
TEA CLIPPERS.
OUR Mercantile Marine at the commencement of the present reign was
magnificent. The Honourable East India Company had created a class of
ships which were very properly described in the sailing notices as " Frigate
Teak-built East Indiamen." They were grand vessels, and the East India
Docks presented a sight worth going miles to see when the proud craft
rested in the basin, gathered in under the wing of the old deep red-
mast-house of Blackwall. In those days Messrs. Green were famous
builders: there was also Messrs. Wigram's yard, now converted into
a Midland Railway goods terminus. Blackwall, with the Trinity House
close by, was a centre of mercantile marine in " the forties."
The business transacted by the merchant princes of the city of London
was carried out smoothly, the mail days coming round in their regular
course, outward mails and home mails ; but the change was coming. The
Brazilian mails, which went out in man-of-war brigs from Falmouth to Rio
<f- faneiro and La Plata, were probably amongst the first to give way and
bow 1" the inevitable. In the early forties the Royal West India Mail
Steam Packet Company began to run two fasl schooners down to British
Guiana in South America. The Great Western Steamship was already
running from Bristol to America. That gave an impulse to shipbuilders,
whu L, r a\r up the frigate teak-built class, to produce fine lines and faster
\ essels.
The China tea trade gave a great spurt in the early fifties, and from a
inw source, the Clyde, John Elder & Co. turned out some of the fastest
Ira clippers thai ever had been designed anil built.
The race from China to bring the first of the new crop became a suit ol
Derby. Some fifty vessels might be ready to start as soon as the
iii, i crop was ready for shipment : the moment the early deliveries arrived
thej were pul on board the fastest clippers. Before the last rase ol tea
was on hoard the crew were alofl loosing sails, and two or three clippers
|)
-
THE BRITISH MERCANTILE MARINE 17
were waiting breathless to start for the homebound race oi some twenty
thousand and odd miles to the commercial centre of London.
The homeward course was down the China Sea to the islands otl the
most westerly province of Dutch Borneo, through the Caspar Straits
between Banka and Billiton islands, to the westward through the Straits of
Sunda. which divide Sumatra from Java, passing what remains of Krakatoa,
where the terrible volcanic eruption took place in 1883. Then open
water to the Cape, and the Cape pigeons will soon welcome them.
There the racing clippers may sight each other if very closely matched, if
not, possibly in the chops of the English Channel ; for after their 20,000
miles the rival ships have arrived within forty-eight hours of each other.
Tradition says the captain of the winner received .£500 reward for his
achievement, and well deserved it, after constant strain of cracking on
through all weathers, sleepless nights, and ceaseless anxiety.
About 1857 the curtain drops on the China clippers. The Suez Canal
was opened and the short cut soon left the Cape pigeons undisturbed by
their rush.
E N GLA N D.
COLLIERS.
( )NE of the sights on the River Thames used to he the colliers ; those dingy,
berimed brigs which crowded the pool and were closely packed in Bugsby
Hole, which lies between Blackwall and Woolwich. All the way down
the river, particularly on a flood tide, numbers of the colliers would be met,
in strong contrast to the very beautiful and bright-looking Gravesend
steamers, with their light green and white looking sides and paddle boxes,
which belonged to two rival companies, the Diamond and the Star, watch-
ing a competition ; for in those days many people went down the river, and
amongst them might often have been seen J. W. Turner, returning from
Gravesend, with his eyes fixed on the lurid effects of sunset behind the
I ,. indi m sm< ike. As the population of London increased so did the demand
for coal ; but railways came to the rescue, and eventually steam cleared out
the colliers, which had gradually increased in number through the forties.
About 1S56 steam was replacing the slow and sure old method of convey-
ance; and our old friends the dingey brigs are unknown to the present
generation, if they were not SO to the last.
In those days the steamboat travellers on the river must have inhaled a
good deal of fine coal-dusl as they passed down through an avenue of
colliers which were " whipping coals," a process of unloading which is shown
in the illustration. A stage was erected over the side of the hold on deck.
About live hands were employed, who ran up to lower the scoop into the
hold to be tilled, and then jumped down to bring up with a run. and shoot
the content- into the barge alongside. The East Coast trade was an
important nursery for seamen, although there was not much discipline on
board these craft : the crew were all sailors brought up and inured to
sea life under circumstances of hardship.
The calling of "coal whippers*" was so important in the city of London
that a "Coal Whippets' Board " was organised to protect the men employed
in unloading coals from the rapacity of the longshore publicans, and an Act
I" Parliament was passed in [843 for that purpose. There are frequent
1 1
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ENGLISH COLLIERS 21
occasions in daily life where "dryness" in the throat is complained of by
the operator; in this case there was the terrible combination of an atmos-
phere of coal-dust, combined with the violent exercise of a rapid treadmill,
which rather tempted the Whippers into the clutches of the publicans. In
1S56, however, the coalowners themselves established a " whipping
office for the men — it does not sound kind or complimentary until duly
understood— and soon afterwards " coal whipping " died a natural death
when the railways monopolised the carriage of coals to London. A dying
effort was made at Newcastle in 1844, when the old collier brig " Atalanta "
was cut in half and steam engines were put into her. The doom oi the
collier brigs was sealed ; half measures were of no use to compete with
steam, and in 1S52 the "John Bower " was the first steam collier built
of iron. This vessel went on running regularly until 1898, when she-
was broken up.
ENGLAND.
THE YORKSHIRE COBLE.
The coble is the light boat, typical of the east coast of England from Yar-
mouth right up north. The build of these boats is very peculiar, combin-
ing the two qualities of being well adapted for beaching and yet possessing
great power in working to windward. When seen broadside at sea, her
sail mast has a severe rake to an angle of about 70 ", her gunwale springing
towards the stern with a strong rise at the bow before coming to stem.
The boats are generally painted with broad bands of colour, light blue,
white, and green; the tall mast carrying a narrow lug, with an occasional
jib on a temporary bowsprit. The most curious feature is the broad square
stern, falling in above and terminating in a flat floor with two keels, locally
known as " skirvels," which run up about one third of the length from the
stern, making them easy to beach. Forward the entrance is very tine, so
in beach her she is put on stern first.
Examining forward, the keel is not one consecutive straight as ii conies
to the forefoot. Instead of being cut away like modern racing yachts, the
keel deepens, giving a great grip for windward, because the rudder goes
four feet below the keel, without which the extra depth ol forefoot would
be a detriment. What anomalies there appear to be in the construction of
boats, what play is given to fancy in some <>f the abortions produced !
Here are the dimensions of the classes in general use. The two larger
classes, capable of carrying three tons and nine tons, are proportioned :
Length 28 ft. Length 3375.
beam 5 ft. 5 in. Beam 10 ft.
Depth 2 ft. 3 in. Depth 475 ft.
These same lines are applied in the small boats carried by the North Sea
fishing smacks for cod, ling, and haddock. Each fishing boat, with a crew
of live men, carries two small 23-ft. footers, which are clinker built ; the
others are carvel.
2J
THE YORKSHIRE COBLE 25
Having endeavoured to describe these grand craft— in which the fishermen
prefer to go off, rather than in a lifeboat, so thoroughly do they know
them and how to handle them— we must leave the thoroughbreds and refer
to a recent innovation. At Filey or Scarborough these boats are now
built without the double keels or " skirvels," giving them whaler sterns,
and the appropriate name of " mules." We think, with the old fishermen,
that the "coble" pure is the better craft at sea, the long deep rudder
having immense leverage.
" Eheu Fugaces." The last two old cobles at Berwick-on-Tweed suffered
so severely in the recent gales that they have since gone to pieces, but there
are still some at North Sunderland and Beadnell.
It was in one of the square-sterned cobles that Grace Darling went off to
the wreck of the " Forfarshire " steamer from the Outer Farn Island Light-
house, with her father, the old lighthouse keeper— a feat of daring and dash
to save life, about sixty years ago, in 1838, but not yet forgotten ; for the
coble is still preserved, and was exhibited at the Fisheries Exhibition at
South Kensington, in 1886.
ENGLAND.
SAILING BARGES.
There is probably no class of vessel so familiar u> the eye of the Lon-
doner as a good old-fashioned Medway barge. Colliers have passed away,
but the Large holds her own and is still running. It is worth while to go
down the river and see the fleet come out of the Medway to catch the
young flood to go up the river. The variety of colour in the tanned sails,
varying from yellow ochre to deep vandyke brown and madder, offers a
grand scheme of colour either to a connoisseur in art or a casual observer.
Frequently a new untanned cloth may have been put in, or at other times
there may be gaff topsail much the worse for wear and ready for the paper
mill — still all picturesque. The pride the skipper takes in his vessel is
generally indicated by the art decoration, for barges are gaily painted.
The centre of the big sprit which supports the mainsail has generally
bands of bright colour, then forward the wash-board has a pattern to
match the pattern aft. Their chief characteristic is the lee board, without
which she would not be a Medway barge. When we take together the
lee board, the bright painting, and the shallowness of draught, we can but
come to the conclusion that there is close affinity to the Dutch, with whom
large sprit sails were in great favour, and still are. Considering the ton-
nage and size of a barge, the land lubber can hardly understand the
facility with which these craft are navigated, and with how few hands
some say a man and a boy, some a man and a dog.
The regular rig is a huge mainsail set with a sprit, so that the cam as is
brailed up in a twinkling, a gaff topsail, a mizen with occasionally a
mi/en staysail set on the long tiller, a foresail and jib this is the true
barge. Some years ago barge sailing matches were started, and to see
what these craft can do in a hard wind is not only instructive but as-
tonishing. The barges have surprising sea capabilities; they may be seen
thrashing through the Downs, battened down, with the deck all amast,
smothered in spindrift, just as if they liked it. Latterly some of them
come up the river without a bowsprit, setting a jib staysail over the fore-
26
SAILING BARGES 29
sail, but it is an innovation consequent on the ever-increasing traffic on the
Thames.
The average tonnage of sailing barges is about 40 register tons, carrying
capacity no tons ; length, 78 ft. ; beam, 17 ft. ; draught, 6 ft. : drop of lee
board below keel, 8 ft. ; the length of lee board being 12 ft. ; sail area,
400 square yards ; all tanned sails except jib staysail, which is duck.
There is another kind of sailing barge of inferior grade altogether,
undecorated and very grimy ; she has no topmast and is therefore called a
" dumpy barge."
Commercially the sailing Medway barge holds her own against the
railways from Rochester, so that there is much life in them yet. One very
picturesque phase is when they appear as hay barges : they are then a
lovely colour, but not quite so lively as when battened down and beating
up in the Lower Hope with a heavy cargo.
ENGLAND.
FISHING BOATS.
BRIXHAM TRAWLERS AXD PENZANCE LUGGERS.
WES'I ward Ho ! brings us to a very fine class of fishing vessels at Torbay.
Who has not heard of Brixham trawlers and Berryhead? Brixham is a
typical fishing centre, in a lovely situation, looking across Torbay towards
Torquay, which, like many other places, is frequently described as the
Madeira of England.
When the fleet, numbering some 200 vessels, goes out in the "dumpsey"
of the day (" dumpsey" being a Devonshire term for twilight) the crowd of
dark-coloured tanned sails produces a very grand effect, the intense depth
of tone in the hulls being relieved by the flicker of the fisherman's side-
lights, whilst the rich colour of the last crimson of the setting sun catches
the upper cirri, the wavelets in the foreground sharing its glory, and
throwing the dark mass of the fleet into deeper shade than ever.
The trawlers, when the trawl is hauled, generally get a considerable
variety of the finny tribe, large and small ; for Brixham supplies such fish as
cod. ling, dabs, maguams (a transparent sole with a large head), latchets
are large gurnards, without the dorsal fin, running up to olb. ; red mullet,
the woodcock of the sea; skate, rock salmon or bass, plaice, which so
frequently become filleted soles on the breakfast table at hotels; red
gurnards with spikey whiskers and dorsal fins; hake, a fish not much
thought of many years ago but now reviving in public estimation ; rock
whiting, sea bream. Torbay soles, lemon soles, the noble turbot, the
pleasant brill, the tierce conger. Conger and hake are the only fish that
induce the fisher to lake with him a policeman's truncheon with a little
lead in the end, to give the victim a quick and speedy vm\. To finish the
list, we conclude with the most curious, grotesque-looking fish that we have
ur coasts, tin- John Dory {Zeus fader). These fish sometimes run on
shore ; they are slothful and lazy. Tile writer was bathing at Bognor
some years ago and saw a John Dory in the water in a slothful frame ol
mind evidently. Having taken bearings, lie landed for a boat-hook, and
tftei a long stalk found " Mr. John," prodded him behind tlie gill, and
carried him home on the boat-hook. For the rest ofhisvisil the fishermen
were frequently heard to say, " There goes the 'John Dory' gent."
Bui the above named fish by no means represent the- whole contents of
30
ENGLISH FISHING BOATS 33
the trawl. Uog fish, sea mice, squids and creeping things innumerable
afford great scope for the deep-sea student and microscopic research.
The vessels themselves are very powerful boats of 60 tons ; crew of four ;
S. A. 900 square ft. ; length over all, 70 ft. ; beam, 18 ft. ; draught, 10 ft.
aft, forward 9 ft. ; length of trawl beam, 45 ft.
Their tan-coloured sails are always picturesque, and they never look
better than when, with the trawl down, they are regulating their speed with
a huge reaching stay-sail sheeted right aft. Brixham is certainly one of the
chief fishing towns of England.
Going further west beyond Plymouth, the Penzance luggers attract
attention from their beautiful lines and the great jigger which comes out
over the stern like a huge sting. We are now in the pilchard district, and
what a delicious fish it is, much richer than his close relation, the herring.
Although such thousands are taken, how few reach the metropolis, and how
seldom is it seen on a menu card ! A good pilchard season is a real boon
to the men of Cornwall. The pilchard itself is considered to be a full-
grown sardine : and, oddly enough, great quantities of these are prepared
(j la sardine in oil, and sent to the Mediterranean; for home use they are
simply salted. Directly the fish are expected great preparations are made.
The great seine is carefully examined : the huer, or lookout man, gets his
instructions where to go on the cliff to signal their arrival and direction.
The seine boat, with a second boat called the " Volyer," carry two lugs,
whilst a third boat, known as the " Lurker," is a handy little spritsail boat
which acts as galloper to the commander-in-chief. The " master seiner "
is a very high post indeed. At Penzance these fish are called " fair maids,"
and when one hears a visitor order a couple of "fair maids " for breakfast,
one's thoughts turn towards Fiji or the Solomon Islands. Before leaving
Penzance and turning our backs on the lovely object, St. Michael's Mount,
we must give the dimensions of the Penzance luggers, about 27 tons, the
iigger always to port ; length, 47 ft. ; beam, 13-5 ft. ; draught, 7 ft. To
see them racing is a splendid sight ; such spinnakers and contrivances to
sail their pets a bit harder.
In one of these yawl-rigged boats E. F. Knight started with a Corinthian
crew to go round the world in 1879.
The Isle of Man affords very good fishing off a " Bahama Bank," some
six or seven miles off Ramsey, not sufficient, however, to keep the Manx
fishermen in their own waters. Their boats run rather larger than the
Penzance craft. Some of the finest are most powerful boats, hailing from
Castletown, with " C. T." on the bow ; they are as much as 54 tons, with a
length of 56 ft. and 1475 ft. beam. The difference of their rig is that they
are very fond of a staysail, the stay leading from halfway up the main top-
mast to the foot of the foremast, otherwise they might be taken for Mount
Bay or Penzance boats, as their jiggers are in the same proportion.
ENGLAND.
LIGHTSHIPS AND LIFEBOATS.
To understand the value of lighthouses and lightships a glance should be
taken at a wreck chart — for a glance is quite enough- --to see the number of
wrecks which annually occur all round our coasts. Then we should
appreciate the benefit which the Trinity House has conferred on our
shipping interests, and the importance of that valuable institution, whilst
our thoughts must recur to the days when wreckers burnt false lights to
bring to destruction the unwary. The Trinity House was originally an
association for piloting ships, as early as 1512, and Henry VIII. did
much to encourage pilots at Newcastle, Hull, and Deptford, by estab-
lishing fraternities or guilds for them. In the present time a " Trinity
pilot " retains all the dignity of earlier days. He lias passed his exami-
nation, secured his licence, and thoroughly deserves his official position.
The earliest lights were probably cressets, the kind of light used on
shore to guide wayfarers ; one of these used to be in the church at I'.arnel.
Tynemouth Castle in Northumberland was well known as a lighthouse in
the lime of Charles I. The great light on the Eddystone rock off Ply-
mouth was the first important and real lighthouse, especiall) associated
with the name of Smeaton, who built it of stone about 1759. There are
the two celebrated lighthouses, the North and South Foreland, and the
" Lizard," especially important as the point from which ships take their
departure and lay their course : it is a magnificent light of great range.
and looms for miles beyond its true light-radius. For the last twenty years
the magneto-electric light lias been used w ith great success, after experi-
ments had been tried with earlier forms of it at Dungeness and the South
For land lighthouses.
The Trinity House on lower Mill has some interesting models ol early
lights and lighthouses and ships; and especially of the first Xorc light-
ship, onl) Soil. Ion- and about one hundred tons, of the dale 17.52. She-
was moored with huge hem]) cables, and the lights consisted of two
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LIGHTSHIPS AND LIFEBOATS 37
candles, one in each lanthorne at the end of the yard ; to lower, then
relight and hoist, requires a cunning arrangement, with an alteration in the
position of the shrouds. The starboard shrouds are before the mast
and the port ones abaft the mast, so that the yard can he hoisted quite
square to the mast and at right angles to the keel.
The rig of lightships varies, some of them having three, two, or one
mast, according to the number of lights displayed. The single masted are
most general. They are always painted red and coppered ; the light
which is round the mast is hoisted by very strong tackles, and every part
of the vessel is constructed for strength to resist the most severe storms
possible. They are generally moored with mushroom anchors ; it is very
seldom that a case occurs where they drag. Some two or three years ago
the "Warner" lightship dragged in a southerly gale, but fortunately it
was only a short distance to the Hampshire coast. All lightships are
rigged with a mizen, for the purpose of keeping their head to the wind,
and instead of the old gong and foghorn, a syren is now generally shipped,
whilst at stations like the Start Point, Lizard, and South Foreland, steam
syrens are separate establishments close to the light.
The steam lifeboat came out about 1889, with the great advantage of
being on the " turbine" principle, and of not having any propeller which
might get entangled with the rigging of floating topmasts or other cordage.
The turbine system was very successful also as to speed, getting nine knots
out of a boat when in sea-going trim on active service, with full com-
plement of crew on board and a sufficient coal supply. For canvas she
carries a trysail and staysail, also oars as a third motor if the others fail.
The boat represented was the " Duke of Northumberland," being named
after the president of The National Lifeboat Institution. She looks un-
mistakably a lifeboat all round, with her life lines all round her and the
usually distinctive colouring. Her length was about 50 ft., built by-
Messrs. Green of Blackwall, who describe her is a " hydraulic steam
lifeboat."
The National Lifeboat Institution was founded in 1S24, but as earl)- as
1790 there was a great stir made at South Shields to get a successful model
to adopt. Mr. Lukin had tried an iron keel to ballast them, and one was
launched at Bamborough Head and saved lives. South Shields, however,
was the first place to found lifeboats as a national requirement, and the
lifeboats of our present Institution saved as many as 1,048 lives from ship-
wreck in the year of grace 1877.
ICEBOATS.
The iceboats of Holland must be accepted as the doyennes of the family.
Holland is so generally acknowledged as an ice school, with its variety of
gorgeous sledges, fast skaters, " kermesses " on the ice. Even fishing is
added to the ice sports, when the enthusiastic piscator, having made a hole
in the ice, puts up a weather screen and settles down with plenty of
aniseed and milk, possibly a little Schnapps pocket pistol in case of more
severe weather coming on, and makes up his mind to simple enjoyment of
a piscatorial existence.
( >ur Knglish climate, thanks to the genial influence of the Gulf Stream,
does not favour the pastime of iceboat sailing, much less does it encourage
it. Windermere is a spot where the sport is in full force directly Jack
Frost gives a chance.
[ceboats are undoubtedly a specialty in North America. An [ceboat
Club was formed and known as the " I'oughkeepsie " Ice Yacht Club ot
America. Yacht club is a term which hardly coincides with our idea oi
the term yacht, as that implies a pleasure vessel in which the owner can
live and sleep, whereas the craft in which the owner cannot live and sleep
have been most appropriately named in America "day boats. ' The
modern iceboat is to all intents and purposes really a day boat.
Tin- day of small boats has passed away, and as speed develops with sail
area and sail area necessitates length. SOthe iceboats have increased in length
oi body to 68 ft., with 1.000 square feet of canvas. This seems a small
amount of canvas when we think that the Sydney boat in Australia is
only 24 feet in length, with 1,000 square feet. of canvas in fine weather.
The pace attained, however, is \erv different, consequent on the difference
oi resistance between water and the icy surface, from all accounts, the
pace of the ice yachts racing under favourable circumstances and close
hauled must be terrific, and practical comparisons are made liy racing with
the trains as they run down the side of the Hudson River. The body oi
the ice yacht is really a framework in the form oi across, travelling on
three steel runner-, one at each end of the cross piece to give stability, the
third right alt as a rudder. The mast is placed in hunt oi the cross piece
ICE BOATS ON" THE HUDSON AND AT ST. MORITZ.
ICEBOATS 41
and securely fixed by stays to the outer ends, port and starboard, oi the
runner plank.
Up to twenty years ago the Shrewsbury River boats had four runners
and were very fast going, free, and very safe. The Hudsons have the
honour of introducing pace to windward. Commodore Grinnell has
published a work, " Laws of Ice Navigation,'" from which the iceboat
enthusiast may learn much, especially on beating to windward, when the
greatest speed is attained. The following are the measurements oi an ice-
boat, first class, on Hudson River : —
Centre timber over all, 52 ft. ; rudder post to centre of runner plan Is.
27 ft. ; beam, 28 ft. ; sail area, 91 1 sq. ft. Sloop rig and under all cir-
cumstances "sheets flat aft." Season, December 1st to March 3 1st.
The exciting moment in these races is when the weather runner lilts,
then the balance is critical and more live ballast is wanted on that runner.
At St. Moritz the American Club boats are carefully imitated and very
successfully, so that the description of the American sport applies in a
smaller degree to the limited sport of St. Moritz, where there is no I [udson
River, no Shrewsbury River, to race over against " lightning express
trains."'
THE UNITED STATES.
YACHTS.
u
THE VIGILANT AND " VALKYRIE.
American centre-board boats have been for many years quite a national
feature. Started originally in consequence of the shallow coasts, where keel
boats would be handicapped, they were the outcome of the early form of
those primitive boxes or boats which the Tow Ier used to sink as a screen when
after wild fowl along the sandbanks on the coast of New York bay and the
New Jersey coasts. Adapting themselves to surrounding circumstances, which
Americans so readily do, the boxes were lengthened, finally becoming
what were called "scows,"' or floating blinds, very much like the wild fowl
"blinds"' used by the Dutch in the winter time on the sea. When the
corners were rounded off, these " scows " became boats; and to give
stability in deeper water a hand-board was dropped down through a well
slot : the board was not hinged in any way, and soon acquired the name
of "dagger boards." Such was the beginning, a hundred years ago,
of centre-boards, and now. in looking over the catalogue of models in
the New York Yacht Club, which numbers 289 specimens, 159 are
centre-board yachts. The numerous steam yachts included in the cata-
logue do not require them, and the crack racers for the America
Cup have now settled down to keel boats, the races being run in
deep water. The "Vigilant" and "Valkyrie" contest was one of the
most exciting races on record. Sailed in a hard wind, with every stitch of
canvas they could set, the marvel is that nothing was carried away, although
a big .sloop was dismasted just at the time which the sketch represents.
When we know that " Vigilant " had a sail area of 12.330 square feet on a
water line of 86'IQ. ft. our wonder must increase.
Lord Dunraven's "Valkyrie" was unfortunate at the start of the fust
race : the wind was so lighl that their spinnakers hardly drew, and at the
fust mark " Valkyrie" led, and at live o'clock the committee sent up the
recall flag, so that was no race. October is not a good month lor a
race of such interest, the wind being very lighl and flukey. A true wind of
good Strength is wanted lor the windward work.
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AMERICAN YACHTS 45
On the fifth day, October 13, 1893, there was a great change; the
weather became overcast and the wind S.E., blowing moderately when
they started from Sandy Hook. " Valkyrie " passed the line at 12 hours
27 minutes, off Long Island she was on " Vigilant's " weather, g"in^
well and standing well up to her canvas, both yachts starting with jib-
headers, " Valkyrie " leading at the mark, after rounding, " down
spinnaker booms " for the run home, " Valkyrie " setting her very biggest
balloon jib topsail, to which " Vigilant " responded with that excellent and
favourite sail in America, a balloon bowsprit spinnaker. The run home was
most exciting, and on board the " Vigilant " some fine canvas handling
was shown ; for instance, they began by shaking out the reef in the mainsail,
which was splendidly done. Finding she would stand being sailed a little
harder, they sent up their jack-yarder over the jib-headed gaff-topsail as
shewn in the sketch — in America they generally have double topsail
halyards. This extra canvas enabled them to run through "Valkyrie's"
lee and to win a race splendidly sailed by both yachts.
We mentioned that "Valkyrie" was unfortunate : when the "Vigilant's"
jack-yarder went up the "Valkyrie's" spinnaker burst. It was very
smartly handled, and another set, but only to share the same fate, and to
be replaced by a large jib topsail, which was not enough. In another eight
minutes the race was over, the wind increasing at the finish.
hrs. mins. sees.
■" Vigilant " finishing... ... 3 51 39 centre-board.
"Valkyrie'' ,, 3 53 52 keel.
" Vigilant " gaining before the wind and "Valkyrie" on the wind — the
latter considered the higher quality of the two.
Commodore Stevens with his little 51 -footer schooner "Gimcrack," was
the founder of the New York Yacht Club in July, 1844, and on a motion
" it was resolved that the club do make a cruise to Newport, Rhode Island,
under the command of the Commodore."
The American general rig has been schooners for yachts — and fine craft
they were ; but the evolution of yachting has displaced them for the facility
of locomotion afforded by steam. The same has occurred in this country,
where the noble schooners like " Xarifa " and " Kestrel " have been
replaced by steam yachts of larger tonnage, some of the later of them, such
as "Eros" and " Giralda," being almost like mail-steamers-de-luxe,
whilst the steam yachts on the other side run to much larger tonnage, Mr.
Howard Gould's steam yacht "Niagara" being 1,900 tons, and Mr.
Vanderbilt's steam yacht " Valiant *' 2.300 tons.
Although the English cutters have been taken up in America for racing,
still the schooner rig for large yachts, and cat boats for small ones have been
their natural features.
THE UNITED STATES.
COASTING SCHOONERS.
Before describing the very interesting and curious river barge, we must
say a few words about the American Mercantile Marine, which was so
ably represented by a large class, generally known as Baltimore clippers,
with flaring bows and any amount of extra sticks and twigs in the form of
"sliding gunters." They had a great day until the evil time when they
had to succumb to steam.
Down south for coasting purposes schooners were used of all dimensions.
The general idea of a schooner is that of a vessel with two masts, carrying
square sails on the fore, and a gaff topsail and mainsail on the main. In
America, fore and afters are the usually adopted rig : owners do not, however,
confine themselves to twp-masted schooners, or even as we d«>. They tried
and adopted four-masters, and some five-masters, the " Governor Ames"
for instance. The reason for this is the great saving in the number of hands
required to work the vessel, because all sheets work on horses across the
deck ; and when the schooner goesabout, over they go, without any helping
hand from the crew. A very bold, fine four-masted schooner was built in
1896 at 1'ort Glasgow, to go out to Honolulu in the Sandwich Islands,
intended for the timber trade. In a vessel of this kind the economj ol
labour is surprising with the sheets of the fore andaft canvas. Twoorthree
men tend the sheets ; these, with a man at the w heel, suffice to carry out all
the duties of a watch, whilst the heavy work, such as at the start, getting
the anchor, and setting the canvas, is done by the auxiliary power of a steam
w inch.
Someol the small schooners down to Bahamas and Nassau are verypretty
crafl indeed, and when the fleel ol sponge schooners starl off to their happj
hunting grounds at Klcuthcra it is a delightful sight. At Nassau, the
English Bishop went round his diocese in a hundred-ton schooner, which
looked a mosl inviting conveyance. He described to me some 1 if his flock
at Bernini, who were considered wreckers, as quite delightful togoamongst.
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AM ERIC AX COASTING SCHOONERS 49
They would do anything for him : others they would do for in the twinkling
of an eye.
Vessels of this kind are a novelty in this country, not so along the West
Coast of America, where they are to be seen running up to 2,000 tons.
The " Honolulu," built at Port Glasgow on the Clyde, was constructed of
steel, and during the process of building was an object of much interest, as
so large a schooner had never been previously built in thi> country. She
was built to the order of her owner in Honolulu by Messrs. Duncan and
Co., who imparted to her many American features of the schooner class of
her sisters away West, and at the same time the characteristics of the old
Yankee clippers, which were notorious for their fine sheer sharp bows, with
a flare above the fine water lines, tall masts, and a plentiful spread of canvas.
The Yankee clippers were in their prime in the forties, and our China tea
clippers flourished in the fifties of this century. Not only is the hull steel,
but the masts also are of the same material, standing all at the same length.
140 ft. to the truck, with a diameter of 27 ins. at the deck. The hull
has been constructed in the very strongest way possible, to carry the
immense weight of limber, of which her cargo will consist when on coast
work. It is difficult to realise a schooner, a fore-and-after, 225 ft. overall,
with a beam of 42 ft., depth of hold 18 ft. 6 in., which naturally gives her
high bulwarks. The two large ports in the stern are to receive the timber,
as seen in the Norwegian timber ships which come over to this country,
and generally have a windmill going to pump out the water. The
"Honolulu'" has not this appliance, being watertight, which the Nor-
wegian timber ships never are ; in fact, when their skippers come on shore
it is considered a compliment to place a shallow tub of water under the
dining table to make them feel quite cared for and welcome, as they sit
with their feet in it.
THE UNITED STATES.
RIVER BARGES.
THE GUNDALOW.
This odd looking barge is nearly ''the last of the Mohicans." Where
could its design have originated ? It is certainly a lateen sail, and, if the
end of the yard were hauled in close to the mast, it would be a Bermudian.
There is no doubt but that it is a bona fide sail set on a yard, which, being
heavily weighted at the lower end and balanced, can be "lowered on deck.
This yard reminds one at once of the balanced well-poles in Holland and
Belgium and Egypt : also of the well balanced masts in Dutch schuyhts,
which bow their heads so snugly to the bridges of Holland. For river
work it has done well in its day ; it has now become a curiosity, as only two
or three of them remain on active service.
So too the little " Pinkey," the local name of" srfiall off-shore fishing
schooners from Maine. She ton is almost extinct. Her high stern is very
characteristic ; in fact, thebow of the barge seems quite foreign to the United
States. Can it have any association with her local name, which oddly
enough is a "Gundalow"? The reef points too are in a very unusual
position for a lateen sail, so that the whole arrangement seems to he a
• " hi- >politan conglomeration.
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AM ERIC AX RIVER BARGES 53
The little boat in tow from the stern of the "Pinkey" is called a
" Dorey," a generic name of almost all boats used to go over to an
island. "Let us go in the Dorey." How large these Doreys are
depondent saith not, but my friend in Rhode Island, Lewis Ilerreshoff,
gave me these technicals, which are very interesting to record at this time,
when old things so rapidly pass away and new things crowd upon us, in
spite of the fact that there is nothing new under the sun, except in
combination.
BERMUDA.
THE BERMUDA RIG.
BERMUDA sailing boats have been long famous in their own habitat. They
do not seem to transplant to advantage — it may be for want oi proper
handling — as yet they are not a success in our home waters. They have
been tried on the Clyde, at Plymouth, and in the Solent without success.
The Bermudian rig is very noticeable ; first the extreme height of the
pole mast, to the head of which the mainsail tapers up: next the iong
boom passes before and past the mast with a tackle to haul it back
to flatten the sail, whilst the main sheet keeps it down till all is taut
—in fact, the mainsail gives the idea of a mainsail and jack-yarder
all in one. The true Bermuda type is generally about five tons:
length, 25 ft. ; beam, about 7 ft. : the mast, 44 ft. : the boom, 33 ft..
bowsprit, 19 ft. The hull is constructed of cellar: in Bermuda all is
cedar and onions. .Many are the cedar coffins exported, and if a Ber-
mudian wishes to pay you a great compliment you are called an " onion.'
Perhaps it was an ephemeral term and has since passed away; still, the
complimentary epithet had its day. and a long one too.
These boats mostly have a plate on the keel, not a centre-board, and are
fast on a wind. Fortunately the weather i> generally very moderate, so
much so that there is no chance of reefing her dow n, for the sail is generally
lashed to the mast-head, not hoisted. In case oi an untimely puff, the only
chance is to " luff her up " smartly before the squall catches, or over she
must
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When running they set a square-headed spinnaker, which is of enormous
size, almost rivalling the spread (if muslin shown in the Royal Sydney
yachts of 24 ft. in length. The best fun, however, for true " water babies "
is racing in the dinghey class, little open boats of 14 ft. in length, open ol
course, probably with a mast twice her own length. The canvas can be
imagined, to balance which live ballast is shipped, consisting ol five
enthusiasts, who are prepared to swim for their lives without any notice.
Once on board, all are carefully packed to balance the nutshell, and then
they are pushed off. Manoeuvring for the start creates great excitement
amongst the spectators, and if no more than one turns turtle it is voted
rather tame. For all that, it is rare fun, and the performers are generally
very accomplished in the art of dinghey-sailing with live ballast.
AUSTRALIA.
SYDNEY.
5 } 'DNE ) ' /•'/- 1 'ING SQ UADRi >X.
WHAT a change now from those early days when Botany Bay represented
all the British public knew of this vast continent, a bay christened with a
name so simple and peaceful that it seemed unnatural to associate it with
penal servitude and punishment fur crime. Discovered by Cook, he gave
it the name of Botany Bay from the number and variety of flowers which
were found growing on the shore. That was on April 28, 1770.
Some eighteen years afterwards our Government transplanted thither Soo
convicts, about 200 of whom were women, and settled them down in a
lovely climate at Port Jackson, deeming it a good site for future develop-
ment : and, indeed, most successful and remarkable has been its rapid
growth and prosperity. The descendants of the first settlers are now only
known as Government people, and the wild oats of their ancestors for-
gotten. Port Jackson is now Sydney, the capital of New South Wales, so
named after Lord Sydney, a Secretary for the Colonies.
Sydney is now the heart of Australia, and the only aborigines to be met
with are the Port lackson sharks, with their complicated dental construc-
tion : and even they are becoming less vicious than the}' Used to be.
In Sydney and the lovely bay yachting has taken linn root. In the
Colonies there must be a struggle before it can even get a looting, for
yachting is always an outcome oi prosperity, being a rather expensive
amusement, and Colonial life puts business before pleasure.
Sydney is the ('owes of Australia, and has two prominent yacht clubs,
founded thirty years ago the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron in 1863, and
the Prince Alfred Yacht Club in 1S67. boat sailing has naturally been
carried on to ;i great extent lor many years. What Englishman could
1 tlie- temptation of such a splendid cruising ground oi about twelve
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square miles lying inside the Port Jackson Heads? The enthusiasts have
backed their hobby well, with great thoroughness. Not content with local
talent, they sought the assistance of the best designers, G. L. Watson and
Fife, of English fame, and even Nat. G. Herreshoff has not been forgotten.
The great water sport of Sydney is. however, sailing the open boats with
live ballast, plenty of canvas, plenty of ballast, and " never mind the
sharks." Experientia docet. With one class of boat, and continual practice
under similar conditions, it is surprising to see how the boats are handled,
how nippily the live ballast finds its place when gybing, how rapidly the
canvas is taken in or set — a very important function, for the winds in the
bay are treacherous and uncertain, the most favourable being hard north-
easters. Crossing the mouth of the harbour sometimes gives the adventurers
a very nasty shake up, and the baling is rapid, with great earnestness. To
get to the water to bale is a feat in itself in a boat 24 ft. long, with 22 men
as crew for ballast— 44 legs in the bottom of the boat. Here discipline
comes in, the crew sit double banked, and all lower extremities are stowed
close up to the gunwale on each side.
This description of the favourite boat in Sydney applies to a boat brought
over to the mother country in 1898 to challenge for a race against the same
length of boat; although the word challenge is scarcely applicable, the
owner coming from pure love of sport, carrying out everything connected
with the five races sailed in the same fine manly spirit of fairness. The
races were sailed in September, 1898, in the Medway, certainly not under
favourable conditions. In the first place, the visitors, Mr. M. Fay and
crew " Irex," were not accustomed to a tideway: secondly, the English
boat, Mr. \Yyllie"s " Maid of Kent,"' was a decked boat of shallow type,
designed by Linton Hope. There were no gentle zephyrs to woo the full
expanse of canvas, 1,000 square ft., with which " Irex " is generally garbed
in the home waters of her beautiful Bay of Sydney, consequently the " Maid
of Kent " won, but only with one result— that this contest became a new lie
of interest between Australia, with Sydney as head quarters, and the mother
country.
NORWAY.
JAEGTS AND FISHING CRAFT.
The vast seaboard of Norway naturally produces a class of men inured to
the hardships of the coast work of the country, where the whole line is. iron-
bound : even the fjords which run inland for a great distance afford poor
anchorage. Such is the depth of the water close up to the precipitous coast.
that iron rings may still be seen in some parts where the boats were literally
tied up to the rocks. Travelling by boat is much easier than conveying
weighty loads over the mountains from one village to theother, and Norway
has in this case the very great advantage of the warmth of the Gulf Stream
running up the whole length of the coast, with the comforting effect that in
the winter time no ice is seen at sea, although plenty can he found in view,
and on shore might} glaciers too. as the traveller looks up to Justerdal and
other snow ranges.
The Norwegian jaegt, the national type of vessel on the coast, is quite a
relic of bygone days, with her one big square sail ; her build with high stern,
the same as two hundred years ago : her high black stem, now without tin
figure or head of former days at the summit : her lines faithful to those
handed down from the Viking period. A perfect specimen of a boat of
that period was discovered some years ago, and is now treasured at Christiana.
This type of \es^el i> employed to bring the immense supply oi fish from
tin' Lofoden Islands where the coil fishery of Norway is concentrated -and
down the coast to Bergen, whence it is shipped off to the Mediterranean.
The vessels that bear away the fish generally return with cargoes of wine,
and this direct importation supplies a want, to the agreeable surprise "I
many a traveller. The tradition was, and may be still, that these \essels
i ame down to Bergen laden with dried fish, and on their return had a cargo
<.| elm plank- tor coffins, calling on their way up to distribute these memento
mori.
Tin- jaegt is not unfrequently in requesl lor a Norwegian bridal part}', as
shown in the illustration. Then are the fiddles and the tankards much in
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NORWEGIAN JAEGTS AND FISHING CRAFT 65
evidence. The high poop is rigged up as an arbour for the bride to sit in,
in gorgeous array in her national costume, with the old silver ornaments
and brooches and chains to lace the bodice, the whole surmounted by the
bridal crown of silver gilt. Some of these crowns are of great antiquity and
very beautiful design, most of them with hinges so that they can lie folded.
By her side the happy bridegroom generally looks somewhat demure,
although a little proud of his surroundings and the honours paid on the
occasion. Below, on the main deck, are constant sounds of " Skaal ! "
" Skaal ! " or health, for the tankards have not a minute's peace at these
times ; often and often are they filled and refilled. The tankards are
generally made of wood, carved with inscriptions: the favourite lion is
frequently introduced on the handle, and round the rim or base may be
words of good advice, such as, " Of me you must drink but swear not, nor
ever drink too much," " Drink me forthwith and be thankful, for I shall
soon be no more." At these times, the Norwegian songs are heard in
praise of " Hoje Fjelde " and the beautiful mountain scenery ; the words
frequently of Bjornson, and music by Kjerulf, a favourite composer. When
the shore is reached there is much powder expended, and the national
spring dance crowns the proceedings at rather a late hour for such simple
people. Such are the varied duties of these grand old craft ; stoutly built,
they last for years anil years, and as yet the\- are not being pushed into
oblivion by aggressive steamers.
NORWAY.
NORWEGIAN HERRING BOATS.
THE small boats of Norway were, till the last few years, the only means of
getting along this very iron-bound coast ; and those who really wish to see
the grandeur of the coast scenery would do well to remember how delightful
it is to start with one of these for an expedition, well provided with fladbrod,
smor, and that most important item for the four-oared crew, sundry bottles
of Ol, which is the welcome beer. It is surprising how the boatmen will
go on and on at their never-tiring, steady travelling stroke, now and then,
particularly after rations and ( >1. bursting out with some of their delightful
\< irwegian songs.
There is a good deal of the old sea-rover spirit still left amongst them.
In one long boat expedition we were making, suddenly, as we rounded a
bluff point, bow in great excitement jumped up, and exclaimed, "Sea
rovers ahead, there." pointing to the horizon, where we could see no foe,
then he banged his oar down into the rowlock, to represent "the first
shot " into them. Then the others look up the joke, and fought the ship all
round, and ere long announced that the sea rover was sunk, and we went
on our way rejoicing.
boat expeditions should nol he neglected, lor the Norwegians are natural
mariner^ ; living on such a rocky, precipitous coast they must master the
arts of the sea or submit to he landlocked. A good Norwegian herring
boat would he a good cruiser if lime were no object. This class of boat
varies much in size, although the rig is never altered, much less discarded ;
one of the smaller ones would he about 35 ft. in length, with a beam ol
9 ft., depth 3 ft. : the mast 25 ft. in height, with a yard for the mainsail.
probably 12 ft. The mainmast is placed halfwaj between perpendiculars,
and the sail has two rows ,,| reef points in the head of the sail, and one
,,,w at the tool. Reel lines run down the edge of the sail through cringles
in the bolt rope, and the foot ol the sail is held down by a crow-foot bridle
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NORWEGIAN HERRING BOATS 69
to prevent it roaching. The parrels round the mast from the yard are
unusual, being alternately long and short, so that the short one revolves as
the sail is hoisted or lowered, the long ones acting as guides. The tiller
is very long, with a downward spring to press in and remain fixed between
a line of pegs placed thwart ship.
The row boats are the same type all up the coast, and similar to the
one in Plate, where the two " pigers " are pulling their hardest to reach the
bridal party. Ships from Christiana Fjord often carry a small boat called
in this country a Norway punt, probably because the nose of the boat is
cut off square.
A great many timber ships come over to England, and are generally
easily picked out by the small windmill going round abaft the mainmast,
performing a duty very frequently imperative in these vessels, though
timber laden— that of pumping on a large scale. This trade of larger barge
sailing ships is giving way to steamers, which are frequently now seen
coming out of the North Sea with a tremendous list, enough to frighten
any landsman.
DENMARK.
DANISH COASTER.
THERE is a strong family likeness running all through the coasters of
Denmark, mostly of the sloop family; the sloop having one mast,
landing bowsprit, and a jibboom for head sails; a long yard carries a
flying square sail, whilst the yard for the topsail is generally sent up as
occasion may require; a boom mainsail and gaff topsail completes the rig.
These sloops are something between the Dutch and the Norwegian jaegt
build, with plenty of sheer and beam, consequently good sea boats, and
stand up well to their canvas in a hard wind.
In si/e and appearance they much resemble the billy-boys oi our east
coast. They, like other local craft, are rapidly giving way to the steam
"tramps," a modern name for cargo-carrying steamers.
All over the Baltic these sloops are found, carrying goods to small
places which have not yet developed to the Steamboal pier stage.
Although the Dogger bank is so near, very leu Danish craft are seen
their, the distance up round the Skaw or entrance to the Baltic being so
far. Most oi the "herringers" go to the island of Anholt, where the
shoals favour the fishing, and fishing boats assemble there from all parts "I
the Sound, starting early in AugUSl foi their season.
( openhagen has lately taken up yachting rather vehemently, stimulated
by the presence oi some residenl Englishmen. There is a splendid cruising
70
DANISH COASTER 73
ground for them, and the city itself is very attractive to the archaeologist,
especially as the collection of Scandinavian antiquities, for which Professor
Warsaae did such good work, is unrivalled. Thanks for this are due to
the preserving qualities of the peat beds, in which have been found all the
spoils of war buried to the honour of their gods, after their pagan manner.
Even the wood work has keen preserved in the form of chariot wheels,
textiles also ; and of course the bronze implements are in a perfect state of
preservation. The twin-spired cathedral beyond our sloop is that of
Roskilde, where the late Queen of Denmark was recently laid at rest.
HOLLAND.
ZOUT WATER SCHIP.
"A Sam water ship" seems almost an anomaly for the description of a
distinct class of trader. In Holland there is a particular industry of this
kind still going on. The object is for the manufacture of salt, as extracted
from sea water; and with such a boundless supply of material to work on,
there surely should be no lack of salt anywhere. The Red Sea should be
a good place for a /.out water schip to go, were it not for the distance,
for there the percentage of saline is very great, owing to the great
evaporation.
These vessels are still titled with big sprit-sails —a very favourite method
with the Hollanders— a foresail and jib: the mast being a pole-mast carries
no gaff topsail : the Dutchmen do not care much for cracking on, unless in
cases of dire necessity.
No country has such a variety of rig and distinct class of traders as
Holland. There is one particularly tine fishing boat hailing from blushing,
which is described in the notes on " Blankenberg " brigs of Belgium.
■■ Hooker" i> the general name for traders. Then there are hay vessels,
"bool ships." " turf tjalks," pronounced "challocks"; fish hookers, t"
luing tin.' herrings From the "buis" oi Vlaardingen when at sea; the
pinks von Scheveningen, " kof " ships, galliots, enkhuyzen.
"Buis" is a curious rig, rather like Norwegian jaegts, with one mast
midshij -, carrying a big square-sail, with a small mi/en to set when hove
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to, fishing. These are herring boats; they are al.=o used for the cod
fisheries, when they may he seen with their water sail anchors out to
windward. "Smaks" are traders also: "poons" are smaller, as a
passenger boat ; " kraaks" are like barges with a short mast — long timber
vessels; "boeyers," small yachts, with a gaff sail and foresail, no
bowsprit; " heynst," a small country market boat. " Sniks ' are the
same class larger; Friesland "praams." a small coaster, with every
possible variety of ferry boat or " veerpont," with a large sprit-sail and
jib, whilst on board may be seen a cart and horses, country chaises, ladies,
gentlefolk, and country folk, all packed together. The Dutch are full of
courtesy to those who visit their interesting country in a genial spirit,
which is always a good traveller's companion and useful adjunct to the
inevitable " Bredeker" or reliable " Murray."
HOLLAND.
DUTCH PINKS
The Dutch have always been great on the great waters. How keenly
we remember the names of De Ruytor and Van Tromp, and how successful
were the commercial adventures to the Spice Islands, as shown by the
Dutch Malay possessions in Java and the south part of Borneo, up to
Lit. 4 S. They were a great maritime people, and gave us a lesson, by
which we have profited in every sense of the word. Ex parvis magna :
from their small beginnings in the east we have taken up the running, and
have done great things. Their East Indiamen traders were fine vessels ;
they showed us what a navy could do. We have followed their good
example, and are much indebted to the brave little nation for the lead they
gave us in days long gone by.
There are so many kind of craft in Holland thai it is difficult to select
one particular type. Perhaps the most familiar is a Dutch galliot, a
vessel with ketch rig, that is the main-mast with gaff main-sail, living
square-sail, atul top-sail stowed on top-sail yard, and in very settled weather
a very narrow topgallant sail over that : stay-sail, jib, outer jib, and living
jib complete the head sail, whilst the mi/.en has just a high gaff-sail.
These craft were the traders and general conveyances for passengers between
Holland and this country before the introduction of .steamers. In the
Thames galliots were familiar from the days of our youth, and lately some-
built of steel have appeared, so now the Dutch are taking a lead from us.
Lei us say, " Imitation is next akin to (lattery.
Til,- nexl class well known, particularly to observant passengers, either
going over London Bridge, or passing down the river, is that ol the Dutch
eel SChuytS, which lie off billingsgate, and have had that privilege
ever sine,' the Spanish Armada, [588, "as heretofore accustomed '"—a
quotation from the Archives oi the City of London. Their build has not
in an) way since that time. Three must always he there lor the
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supply of eels to London town, and no vessels are allowed to moor or
bring up inside them on the north side. Greatly to the credit of these
good Hollanders, no case is known of any of them being up for misconduct
during the many years the schuyts have been coming, for four centuries
indeed. These craft are most typical, with a bent flag-staff rising from the
back of the rudder ; pole-mast with the conventional Dutch whiff; curved
gaff, the bluff bows half hidden by fenders, eel baskets, and technical
paraphernalia ; and, most characteristic of all, on each side the sweerds, or
lee boards of the old form, the same as in the days of Yandevelde.
Next akin to these schuyts, which come from Zealand in the north part
of the Zyder Zee, are the Scheveningen herring boats, called "pinks."
Their dimensions, like the laws of the Mecles and Persians, alter not.
Length 40 ft., beam 20 ft., depth 12 ft. Some years ago, when the builder
at Scheveningen was asked if he always built to those dimensions, he said,
" Yes, always. Would you believe, sir, that a man came to me wanting me
to build him a pink 40 ft. by 19 ft.?" "19 ft! No, sir, you are foppish,
you must go," answered the builder, and the new order was declined.
From the great interest taken, the builder wanted to know if we thought
of running a matscapay to build pinks in London ; if so he would like one
share, but they must be true, 40 ft. by 20 ft. beam, or he would not invest.
The rig of these boats is very simple, leaving them for the most part on
an even keel. In very fine weather they carry a narrow topsail, called a
" Mars" sail, which does not come lower than the head of the fore stay.
The hulls are picturesquely painted with a scroll pattern on the weather
boards forward ; the head of the " sweerd " or leeboard is ornamented with
some geometrical pattern ; the heads of the mast yard are painted various
colours, the whole topped by a gay vane when they start, and only a very
frayed bit of bunting when they return. These craft have no bulwark or
gunwale to protect the crew in bad weather, the wash-boards forward
being considered sufficient. Being flat on the floor, they come on the sand
of the beach, as directed by the flagman, sail set ; and once they touch they
settle down, with the sea breaking over them in the most unconcerned way,
and wait for the ebb tide to leave them high and dry. In the winter they
are hauled right up on shore. The herring carts are the same old build as
the pinks, with very high backs. Each cart will hold seven thousand
herrings, is painted green, and is drawn by three horses abreast. The
boats, the carts, and the costume of Scheveningen women form a most
picturesque tout ensemble.
HELIGOLAND.
HELIGOLAND (Anglice), Helgoland (German) is an island at the
entrance of the Eider, which has of late absorbed the attention of yachting
men and the yachting world, especially in the month of June.
On the occasion of her Majesty's Diamond Jubilee, 1897, the German
Emperor announced that a cup of the value of ,£500 would be given by
his -Majesty to be competed for by English yachts over 50 tons, the time
allowances to be according to the Royal Yacht Squadron rules ; course,
Dover to Heligoland, about 300 miles. Perfect arrangements were made
to welcome the English visitors, who were to be towed up after the race
through the canal to Kiel to join there in the Segelregatten des Kaiser-
lichen Yacht Clubs at Kiel. The whole thing was a great success, and so
satisfactory to his Imperial Majesty that again in 1 898 a similar prize was
given and more yachts entered, amongst them the new schooner yacht
" Rainbow," 317 tons. Although the race was only open to cruisers to
-ail in cruising trim, the ■'Rainbow" was to all intents and purposes a
racing schooner, with 12,600 square feet of canvas, a lead keel of about
HO tons, drawing 17 ft. of water. " Caress," being a forty rater, could
not be accepted. " Charmian," a recent schooner by bay. was entered
175 tons. Then " Latona," 175 ions, was a likely vessel to get the much
coveted prize in a long stretch of sea-way like the present course, one
condition being to keep outside all lightships on the German and Dutch
-. One schooner represented the old order of things, the "Egret,"
built in about 1S58. One entered, but a non-starter, which should have
done well had there been a heavy blow, was the "Goddess," true
Brixham trawler type but larger, being 1 76 tons T. M.. or Thames
measurement, instead of the usual tonnage, 60. She was originally
built for Mr. Schenley, and now is numbered in the fleet of Mr. F. W. 1..
Popham.
Eight yachts started from the Admiralty Pier at two p.m., all getting
away well together, with a four-knol tide under them and a grand breeze
behind them, some of the yachts carrying flying square-sails. The last
them from hover Pier was that " Rainbow " had a fine lead and
those aboard her were probably feeling rather confident ol receiving the
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cup from the hands of the German Emperor. The finish was to be between
the German man-of-war " Mars" and the black buoy with ball on staff on
the south side of Heligoland. The distance of 320 miles was run by
" Rainbow " in 24 hours ami 15 minutes, arriving the following day at 2. 12
p.m. off Heligoland. This, however, was not enough ; those alarming
time allowances were anxiously awaited ; it was a long suspense, for she
had to allow " Merry Thought," a yawl of 75 tons T.M., belonging in
Mr. Cecil Quentin, 10 hours, and she saved her time.
When they arrived the German Emperor was there on board the
Imperial white " Hohenzollern," a leviathan of a yacht of very imposing
appearance, well known at Cowes, still looking like a cruiser, for which
she was originally intended. The English yachts were towed through the
canal, passing Rendsburg, and soon the Marine Akademie at Kiel
resounded with the English tongue, which is spoken by all German naval
officers, to the great convenience of English yachtsmen generally.
Heligoland looms like a huge old red stone block of cliff, is much fre-
quented by navigatory birds, and must be a perfect paradise for the
ornithologist if he could only persuade these visitors to stay a little longer.
The island is now a German watering-place, where bathing is encouraged
by a fine sandbank island some distance off the town, which appears to be
the only place where a landing can be effected. The local craft give the
idea of being specially intended to meet anything in the way of bad
weather ; the reefs in the main-sail running half way up the leech, and
five in number. These look like bad weather. Then a balance reef runs up
at an angle of 45 from the cringle of the fifth reef. These balance reefs
are still to be seen in this country in some fishing smacks ; they were used
in yachting in the early days of Thames racing. Our alarm is eased down
by seeing only four reefs in the fore-sail. Still, these precautions are the
result of long experience and are good admonitions to new comers.
1S99, June 19. — The Kaiser's gold cup was given in honour of the
Oueen's 80th birthday, the course and general arrangements being the
same as on previous occasions. The " Charmian" schooner won.
BELGIUM.
BLANKENBURG BRIGS.
The sailor-man will naturally be somewhat surprised to see such a name
attached to such a lug-rigged craft as this ; but when it is explained that that
is the local name for her all will be well. Coming out of the Scheldt from
Flushing, when abreast of the West Hinder lightship several of these fisher-
men were in sight, and passing close to one, the pilot turning round to me,
pointed, saying, "There, sir, that's a real Blankenburg brig."" When
pilots are taken on board to impart useful knowledge as guides, councillors,
and Friends, it would be uncourteous to contradict them, particularly as an
explanation followed shortly after that they had two masts like brigs, only
the square sails were sideways. Were it not a generally acknowledged
term, the good pilot might have been maligned by our taking him for a sea-
dog wag. The short foremast leaning over the stem is an eccentricity
found in other parts of the world : it is shown in the " Bahia '* river craft
later on, where reference will be made to the lovely spot they frequent,
namely, the beautiful Reconcava of Bahia.
blankenburg is the favourite seaside resort of Belgians, who find
Ostende a little too much and too noisy for them. It is no rest to \bit a
-pit by the sea where all is competition for notoriety ; staring advertise-
ments mural and human, paining one's eyesight : extortionate charges ;
noise and glare, destroying repose of mind and body. To enjoy the sea-
side one must seek the peaceful comfort it offers when accepted in a simple
way, with the blessing of renewed vigour and health.
On the shore opposite to blankenburg. at the notable little fortified town
of Flushing, is a very unusual combinati in of pilotage talent. The Scheldt
divides Holland from Belgium ; and as the main channel favours Flushing
by passing nearer to it than to Belgium, an admirable arrangement has been
made, whereby the Dutch and Belgians have both their stations most
favourably placed at Flushing. The g l-natured rivalry is very keen.
Directlj ■< -oil is in sight both get read}' and away they go. oars, canvas, "t
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BLAN KEN BURG BRIGS 89
anything to get them along, whilst the struggle for mastery is anxiously
watched from the shore, where the inhabitants naturally come down to
encourage their compatriots, relations, and friends. This applies princi-
pally to sailing craft, as the steamers generally carry their own pilots.
Outside there are again other members of the pilot family, here in the
open, snugly getting about under easy canvas, with an unmistakable pilot
flag flying at the masthead.
Round the "Wielinger" lightship and the " West Hinder" lightship,
which is three hours out from Flushing by mail steamer, the Channel tides
sweep down with great force ; and should there be a strong wind from the
N.W. the water is driven up the Scheldt, sometimes with disastrous result,
the long line of rush being shown by a continuous line of white frothy
scum. The entrance to the Scheldt is well lighted ; but the lightships are
small, much lighter altogether than those on our coasts, and constructed of
steel, which must make them cold in winter and hot in summer for the
poor fellows on board. Those on board lightships have time to notice these
little items of everyday life so much more than any one employed at high
pressure.
Now a farewell word to the " Blankenburg brigs ! " They are very like
the Dutch pinks just described ; but, as the pilot remarked, they have two
masts. Then the brigs are not decked boats, and the sails are very small ;
the "sweerd," or leeboard, is very narrow and dropped on both sides
vertically ; the bridle on the luff of the mainsail should not escape notice.
The Flushing fishing boats are finer craft altogether, larger, and of better
workmanship ; in fact, a very powerful class, of great seaworthiness, such
that we could take up to the Baltic. The Dutch are very proud of their
" schokkers " — that being the name by which Hollanders distinguish them
— so much so that a Dutch gentleman had one built as a yacht and visited
Cowes in August, 1S97. She has great accommodation, and must be a fine
sea boat, with her bold high bow. Her length is 78 ft., her beam 22 ft.
with 5 ft. draught. She has a polemast, and is built as a model to
encourage yachting in Holland, which is a great compliment to my old
friends the "schokkers." My humble friends, "The Blankenburg brigs,"
although they have two masts like brigs, with the square sails sideways, will
never meet with such patronage.
FRANCE.
CHASSE-MAREES.
The national craft of the west coast of France is certainly the chasse-
maree, a name which is wonderfully twisted by our fishermen, and Angli-
cised until it can hardly be recognised without harking back to the original
name for the sequel. For instance, some call them " slash-marees " ; others,
to be more English, know them only as "Charles Marys." One of these
vessels is generally to be seen during the summer months lying oft South-
ampton, trading from Morlaix in Brittany with onions. The crew, with
their broad-brimmed velvet-bound felt hats, combine the commercial with
the maritime, and persevere from house to house until their cargo is sold.
The greater part of the fleet, however, is occupied in fishing.
n[) Boulogne at one of the Channel races we had a curious sight, a big
i hasse-maree pounding along between " Lverna '" and " Valkyrie," two of
our most beautiful yachts : they were not long together. The dingy, bluff-
bowed lugger was a great contrast to the snow-white, well-trimmed canvas
of our racers, whose racing (lags were neatness itself, whilst the French-
man ran up an enormous tricolour, for they love a big flag. '1 he cha>>c-
mareeisa big three-masted lugger, with a huge transverse crutch before
the mizenmast, so that the mainmast can be lowered on to it when fishing.
Three lugs and a jili i> their usual canvas, with an occasional outer jib, as
many of them have a jibboom. Havre de Grace i> a great port for them,
Boulogne having a large share of those fishermen, who work the English
I hi '-1.
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CHASSE-MAREES 93
It is from Havre and Bordeaux that the Newfoundland fishermen start
for the season on the Bank, having in the French colony the islands of
S. Pierre and Miguelon as their centre. These islands were ceded to the
French as shelters for their fishermen, with certain conditions as to fortifi-
cations and garrisons, at the time of the Treaty of Paris. For the New-
foundland cod fishery the French use schooners. The annual take of fish
is gigantic, although the seasons vary in productiveness ; still, the average
is maintained in spite of an occasional " short catch,"' for the codfish is oi
rather a migratory turn of mind, and there are no signs of a failure of
species.
PORTUGAL.
MOLETA FISHING CRAFT.
We now come to lateen sails, or a main lateen, in the fishing-boats which
sail out of the Tagus for the sea fish round the " Burlings,"a group of rocks
lying off the Portuguese coast shortly before rounding for the Bar of the
Tagus. These craft are the very quaintest-looking things imaginable.
Their black hulls ; the piercing eye, reminding us of junks in China : the
curious sunn with huge spikes supposed to carry creels offish, placed there
to keep them next door to their native element ; then the canvas, the
names and number of which are legion. Even water sails are there, and
the tremendous jigger, like the lowered mainmast of a chasse-marce. run
out aft. The Penzance fishing luggers have powerful jiggers, much the
same as Manx fishing-boats, but these are much larger.
These craft are called in Portuguese moletas. The principal sail is the
big lateen: then forward comes a stay-sail from the mast-head to the
extreme point of the stem, over that the jib from the mast to the bowsprit,
and a lower water sail under the bowsprit like our old men-of-war of the
seventeenth century. On the end of a lean-forward spar or foremast are
carried an upper water sail and an outer jib. Now we must go aft to inspect
the sails there. The main lateen comes down with two sheets : from its peak
the aft canvas comes down sheeted to the end of the jigger: first .1 Luge
fore-and-aft spinnaker, an upper spinnaker, and a third to lill up the open
space above the end of the jigger. but why so many sails? For this
u ; the moletas are trawlers, and tin- small sails are called " balance
~.iib," lo regulate the speed when the trawl is down. These vessels are
very curious in their midship section, which in form is like an inverted
I lid's bow, approaching the shape of a double boat : in fact, very much
like the section of .1 Seychelle double cocoanut, with the bottom oi the
keel not 'inn' 1 so low as the flooi oi the two sides. Off the " Burlings,"
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MO LET A FISHING CRAFT 97
their cruising ground, is the place to study them in everyday life, and
under their endless arrangement of canvas.
Over the head sails of the moleta rises before us the Castle of Penha,
crowning the wooded heights of Cintra, that lovely spot, where camelias
whiten the forest with their abundant blossom. Ahead of the fishing
craft we see St. Julien fort, with a peep of Cascaes Bay, where much
bathing goes on.
The official barge to the left in the illustration is a Custom House boat,
with the Portuguese beak bow surmounted by a huge knob. Nor is this
the only peculiarity. The national style of rowing is suited to photo-
graphy, as at the end of each stroke the crew come to a dead pause, very
pronounced, and this is the moment for the camera to seize its victim.
The crew pull another stroke, so that the pace is not killing, but slow and
dignified, as becomes officialdom.
SPAIN
SPANISH CRAFT.
The inland .sea of the Mediterranean affords a great variety of rigs,
lateen sails predominating, whilst its meteorology is eminently capricious :
what with dead calms ; the mistrals, which whip the sticks out of yachts if
not smartly handled ; the Levanters, which sweep down from the Ruck
at Gibraltar with such force that there is a standing order that no small
boats going off are to carry canvas. It is the Adriatic squalls that necessi-
tate a special rig for coasting craft called " polacca" rig, so that the whole
canvas can be lowered at once and sent down with a run, without any
mastheads in the way, although these vessels are brig-rig. Then there is
also the dead heavy Campsine wind, which is familiar to most people who
have visited the Holy Land. fortunately typhoons, monsoons, and
cyclones are confined to distant lands ; but mistrals are frequent.
To meet these various pressures of wind power many devices are used,
mosl craft being prepared with long sweeps for dead calms, when the
canvas will not draw. These considerations certainly impress one with the
greal advantages of steam power, whereby such regularity of progress is
secured, with one great advantage, that steaming in a dead calm, say
twelve knots, it is delightful to go forward and feel a comparatively
refreshing breeze instead of oppressive baking heat under an unventilated
awning.
The old feluccas or Maltese galleys must have been splendidl) workman-
like looking craft, with the high poop of the early period of the sixteenth
century: the poop, with its big lanterns emblazoned with the rich
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costumes of the Knights of Malta : the three huge lateens wafting the
deep red hull through the blue waters, the forty-four scarlet sweeps doing
good service to increase her speed, as each sweep had three stalwart
rowers. Imagine the change from this bright and exhilarating scene
to a heavy mistral off Galita Island, when the modern auxiliary schooner-
yacht is hove-to in a gale, with her topmasts housed, the result of careful
study of the yachtsman's best friend, the barometer.
Such incidents of the Mediterranean and experiences of many kinds
probably led to the Spanish rig of the coaster shown in the illustration.
The gaff mainsail may be considered an intrusion in the Mediterranean ;
but, reefed down, would be a comfort in bail weather, with her head sads
snug. Naturally sailors who all their lives have been accustomed to
lateens can handle them to the best advantage, but even when brailed
up they are very unwieldly in a seaway, and very long.
BARBARY.
ALGERINE CRAFT.
DIRECTLY the Strait of Gibraltar is past then comes the home of the
pirate, that blood-curdling word, which brings up visions of melodramatic
sea-ruffians of evil purpose, picturesque in colour, bristling with weapons,
and diabolical, perhaps murderous, intentions. Of course mail steamers
are safe enough, their speed soon leaves the good old-fashioned pirate a
long waj astern: the steam yacht can do likewise. The beautiful white-
canvased yacht caughl in a dead calm, her sails reflected so distinctly that
it is difficult to discriminate between the reflection and the reality, that
is what the pirates pray for.
It seems absurd at the present day to mention such a thing, but after
pa^sin^ tin- Rock there is a hornets* nest to the southward ; for who has not
heard of the Kill pirates? And beyond the Kill oast is the Algerine
pirate, and to the northward after passing Gibraltar the coast of Spain
fascinates the yachtsman as he sees the lovely sundown tinging the snows
of the Sierra Nevada. Beware I There, on this side, is the Spanish
pirate, the marine contrabandista. Even as late as KS94 he went for an
English lady's yacht off Cartagena. The Earl of Cavan in one of his
delightful Mediterranean books relates how on arriving at Vathy in Ithaca,
one of the Ionian Isles, he found the "Sirex,"an English yacht, lying there,
and when 1 he •• Sirex " party came on board the " Roseneath," Lord Cavan's
auxiliary screw sell »er, they gave a very graphic account ol theii escape
from pirates of] Cartagena. The breeze came just in time to waft them
awa) out of the horrible grasp of the Spanish buccaneers. Or the south
side on.' of our crack racers returning from the Riviera got becalmed and
ned. What ;i temptation to the wily Arabs to see [ 1,000 sq. It.
of lily white canvas ! Hut the breeze cameand the " Ailsa " gracefully bade
them adieu, [nside the Rock take the advice of the naval officer to Lord
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ALGERINE CRAFT 105
Cavan: "Along the coast of Rift' and the coast of Spain be wise and go
armed ! "
Two kinds of lateen craft used to be spoken of in the Mediterranean as
feluccas and xebecs, the former generally associated with Spanish, as in the
term Spanish " Felucca." The "xebecs'' were principally referred to in
Algerine piratical proceedings, for which sport the three-masted large
lateen-sailed craft, with numerous and powerful sweeps, were well adapted.
Doubtless as we improved our yachts, building them for speed, so these
nefarious gentlemen gradually got the hulls with finer lines and more sail
spread, using their big jibs as spinnakers.
There is something very romantic about the high peak of a big sail of
this form, and when they are cracking on goosewinged, every stitch
of canvas pulling hard, flying through the blue waters, leaving a roaring,
foaming wake, it is a sight to be seen and not forgotten.
Our Algerine vessel is a respectable member of the coasting trade at the
present time, probably carrying goods to Gibraltar, finding commercial
pursuits steadier and more regular in returns than the excitement of
piratical raids interlarded with periods of downright laziness, which the
climate tends to encourage. The high stem in this vessel is of the same
character as the Portuguese, which gets straighter till quite vertical at
Naples and Messina, and down the Italian coast.
ITALY.
VENETIAN FISHING-BOATS.
Venice must have been magnificent in the sixteenth century, particularly
towards the end. when the genius of such painters as Titian. Paul Veronese,
and Tinteretto flourished. What a grand sight the gorgeous ceremony of
wedding the Adriatic Sea must have been, a ceremony instituted in grati-
tude for the vast benefits she had conferred on the Venetian commerce and
navy in the twelfth century, and one that increased in splendour and
richness of colour as the wealth of the State developed. No wonder great
painters were born in such an atmosphere of prosperity and cultivated
tastes with such glorious surroundings. The old palaces and great canals
still give some idea of what Venice must have been in the zenith of her
glory, surrounded and nurtured by the riches of the whole world.
Some idea of the richness of the local colour is handed down to us in the
sails of the Bargozzi fishing-boats still existant. Take, for instance, the
mainsail in the boat of the illustration. The peak in the upper part in the
original is red, with a pale yellow crescent in the centre. At the base
of this colour is a fine curved line of yellow, nexl a hand of red, then a
line of white, terminating in squares of red on the alternate cloths of the
canvas. On the white central part of the mainsail St. George and the
Drag.. ii are boldl) emblasoned in an oval. The upper line oi reel points
is bright red with red squares, like battlements in the alternate cloths
p.. luting upwards in line to those at the base of the peak dec .ration.
I ii dei the upper reef line runs one of rich deep yellow, then inverted
battlement pattern of same colour leaving while interstices. The second
rv<:( line towards the foot of the sail is of a light, i yellow, with mauve-
coloured squares in line with the red ones, I. .11. .wing the same cloths. The
-ail is a fine weather-beaten mauve colour. The colour in the
foresail harmonises, bul is less elaborate in ornamentation. Some sails are
per in tone but richer in colour, with vandyke l.rowns. madders, deep
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VENETIAN FISHING-BOATS. 109
blues, orange chromes, burnt siennas, and purples blended and weather-
worn, to the grandest blends of luscious colour. The hulls are not very
symmetrical ; in fact, one would have expected finer lines and bolder form
when we think of the grandeur of the State barges of the Doges, those long
life potentates who were in vogue and power for eleven hundred years.
Venice still retains one very prominent feature, the "gondola," the
graceful gondola, the aquatic Venus of Venice, lovely in form and most
romantic in association, strongly associated with soft moonlight, soft music,
and lovely women, paddled by stalwart gondoliers in gay garments, yet
the gondolas themselves are so sombre. In the sixteenth century it
became compulsory to paint them all black. They have remained so ever
since; in fact, one cannot imagine these " water conveyances," as Evelyn
called them when he saw them, of any other colour. They seem hardly
to touch the water, so beautiful are their lines, and are propelled by one
gondolier generally, two being the exception. The oar is of considerable
length and purchase, of 13 ft., resting on a very curiously devised 21 -in.
crutch, which is always on the starboard side when the single gondolier
is in his usual position aft. The whole length of this dainty craft is 36 ft.,
beam, 4 ft. 5 in. A little abaft midships is the cabin or house for pas-
sengers, which is about 6 ft. and height 5 ft., the sides leaning inwards,
the roof ornamented with black knobs of silk. The stem-head is like a
Roman galley, bow rising much above the house, made of thin polished
steel and serrated forward, the stern terminating in a beautiful specimen of
steel work.
TURKEY AND EGYPT.
SMYRNA CRAFT.
BEARING up to the northward we soon find that we are getting away from
the lateen waters, and at Smyrna meet a new acquaintance of a very
different type. This vessel has a mast of the same length as the enormous
barge sprit by which the mainsail is supported, the end of the sprit being
held by a very strong stay from the masthead, where the standing rigging
and shrouds terminate. This strong stay acts as a curtain-rod, along which
,h c sail is run out on rings, so thai in India it would be a "purdah"
mainsail or curtain-sail, for such it is. The vessel has a hold sweep of high
and sudden sheer forward, with a bowsprit which " steeves " like an old
man-of-war's. A large staysail comesdown on the bowsprit outboard, with
outer and Hying jibs beyond. The square canvas consists of large flying
foresail and topsail over it. both being set on very long yards : at the stem
is a rather large deckhouse, with a large green flag with a crescent. All
the way up the Archipelago through the Dardanelles to Constantinople
these vessels will he met or overtaken.
The curtain arrangement strikes an English yachtsman as very domestic,
clumsy, and old womanish: slid. " every man to his trade, sir!" The
natives describe it as I icing so simple. When you w ish to use it, you haul it
out along the curtain-pole in this case a strong stay ; and when you no
longer want it you can haul in as much as is required, especially should
a squall he imminent, and you are snugly canvased at once.
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SMYRNA CRAFT 113
Some lateen craft come up from the Mediterranean with merchandise.
It cannot long be so, for the aggressive commercial tramp is on the war-
path, and steam communication is increasing everywhere, we may say to
the ends of the world, happily carrying the English language, or, at any rate,
a Scotch engineer.
Smyrna is grandly situated, with a bold hill rising at the back, crowned
by old fortifications. The harbour is good, with a fine quay, but the town
requires some equivalent to Eau de Cologne unfortunately, so that on
landing one of the first questions is, When do we get on board again, or
go off ?
TURKEY AND EGYPT.
CONSTANTINOPLE CAIQUE.
'■ Experientia docet," at least so it ought. Directly a yacht approaches
the Dardanelles the only way to save much trouble, anxiety, and annoyance,
is tu hoist a red ensign, that being the commercial flag that passes the boat
comfortably. Still, the owner of a Royal Yacht Squadron vessel, after
having been round the world, perhaps, must either do that or wait at
Chanak until a firman arrives from the Sultan, and the Governor has the
order to let him pass or no. White ensigns, the privilege of the R.Y.S..
and the blue ensign as a Naval Reserve flag, are tabooed ; and should
either of these flags pass the forts of Chanak without the necessary permit,
two blank shots are tired across their bow ; should the hint not be taken,
then the third is shot, and as one may suppose, the third one is not often
required. Constantinople is more beautiful from without than from within.
The Golden Horn is very striking, the picturesque boats flitting about with
sturdy Turks rowing caiques, highly decorated State caiques, with drapery
richly embroidered hanging over the gunwale of the stern sheets: all is
fine in colour but a little solemn.
The Turks are, as a rule, a fine, sturdy race, as shown by their soldiers at
Plevna, and not less by the rowers and boatmen generally in the Bos-
phorous. The oars have a special peculiarity. Inside the rowlock there
is a balance of a large egg-shaped piece of wood, which the rowers
consider a very great help, as taking off the weight of the length of oar
outside the gunwale of the caique. The dress of the rowers is very dandy-
like and showy : the voluminous baggy trousers or knickerbockers, very full
d, generally dark blue : .1 crimson kummerbund or sash, and crimson
tarboosh with blue tassel ; a thin white shirt, over which is worn a Zouave
jacket embroidered according t" the station or dignity oi the owner oi the
caique, who usually reclines rather than sits in the stem sheets under some
rative awning. The more truly Kastcrn scene is when Youth and
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CONS TA X TINOPLE CA 10 UE 117
Beauty are seen reclining in gorgeous caiques, with light robes of dia-
phanous muslins richly embroidered, dainty slippers of marvellous
workmanship and finish ; an air of lazy luxury pervades the whole picture,
which is heightened by the remarkable contrast of a Nubian or Ethiopian
attendant in gorgeous attire right aft.
The city of Constantinople presents an especially beautiful effect as the
morning sun first catches the tops of the slender minarets, and, gradually
descending, illumines the sleeping city. It is not, however, under these
circumstances that the most impressive view is obtained, although the lovely
delicate tints of the morn appeal to the artistic mind ; it is the approach to
Constantinople by moonlight which most forcibly appeals to the poetical
mind, and deep must be the impression made, for it is a scene which can
never be effaced. Much has been written about the simple grandeur and
soothing beauty of the Taj-Mahal at Agra, ''the glory of the world," as
the white marble is softly illuminated by a young moon, the full moon
being almost too strong. Others again prefer the frowning grandeur of the
Colosseum at Rome as seen by moonlight ; but beyond the beauty of these
the approach to Constantinople on a moonlight night is impressive and
beautiful, the reflections on the waters of the Bosphorus adding greatly to
the charm of the scene, whilst the dark hulls of the shipping intensify the
chiaroscuro with their lone; shadows and flickering reflections.
TURKEY AND EGYPT.
THE KHEDIVE'S " DAHABEAH."
So many visitors have been attracted to the Nile of late years that the most
familiar name of passenger and pleasure boats is that of "dahabeah."
As the visitors increased in numbers so did the number of luxuries
obtainable on board these craft, till at last they had tout ce qu'il Jallait
and a little more. Although steam has made its mark from the delta oi
the Nile to Fashoda in various forms, and steam navigation been applied
to war and peace purposes, it is gratifying to the lovers of canvas that the
Khedive remains faithful to the old river favourite "the dahabeah " as a
pleasure craft.
There is one feature very peculiar, and confined to the river Nile, about
the way in which the huge yard of these boats IS carried. Most lateen
sails are hoisted so that the upper part of the mast is seen above the
hoisting point on halyard blocks. In the Nile boats there is no part of the
mast above the yard, which rests in a saddle on the mast head. To get
that yard into that saddle does not seem an easy thing, and even when
there to keep it there. The yard is fitted with two single halyards, one on
each side of the yard, just below where the saddle would come. Each
halyard passes through a single sheaved block on each side ol the mast-
head, so that when the yard is hoisted home it will be found in position,
read) to be lowered into the saddle, to do which, check the tack and a very
gentle pull at one of the upper brails or downhaul, and the yard is on active
service in the saddle. The appearance to an Englishman is flat-headed
and ugly, b seems to meet all the requirements oi the inhabitants of those
parts; nothing short of the general use of steam and abolition of lateen will
terminate its career.
I precursor of the later dahabeah period was the sternwheeler
mer for the Upper Nile, built by Varrow for shallow waters. Soon
after the Khedive had a steam yacht the " Safa-el-Bahr," built by Messrs.
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THE KHEDIVE'S "DAHABEAH" 121
A. & I. Inglis, of Glasgow, a beautiful vesssel constructed of steel,
schooner rig, with two decks for ventilation.
Her length 221ft.
Beam 27 ft. 1 in.
Depth at side 17 ft. 3 in.
Draught 12 ft.
1,200 H.P. indicated. Speed 14' I knots per hour.
Tonnage, Thames measurement, 677 tons.
The dahabeah of the Khedive is certainly a very beautiful vessel, with
fine lines, a very refined " nugger-de-luxe.*' Having two masts, she belongs
to that class. The after-part is carefully constructed for every possible
chance of ventilation, there being a large commodious cabin with poop,
over which is stretched a double awning. Between the end of the cabin
and the mast are the rowers, fourteen in number ; they too are protected
by an awning stretched over them. The bow finishes very gracefully with
a short bowsprit, which is more for ornament than use, there being no
hoist for the jib with the Nile conformation of masthead. The dog-tooth
finish to the end of each cloth is as usually seen in all lateen sails,
whether in the Mediterranean, Red Sea, or Indian Ocean.
TURKEY AND EGYPT.
"NUGGERS" ON THE NILE.
■• NuGGER " is the native name for Nile boats carrying two lateen sails,
one very large on the foremast, the after one much smaller. They are the
commercial river conveyances, and carry good cargoes. In these boats the
stem rises up abruptly, probably as a precaution against the broken water
knocked up by sand-storm squalls, which so suddenly burst over them. If
such precaution be necessary, why should the}- carry lateen sails of such
unproportionate height? Simply because they are required of that size for
average weather, and when the unusual occurs their canvas is brailed and
shortened with that rapidity which only experts can carry out under such
trying circumstances.
These nuggers have been doing good service for us aboul Omdurman
and Khartoum, especially in carrying grain; and in the construction of the
railway they carried tons of iron rails for us. In these boats there is a
short bowsprit, from which the light kedge or anchor is generally strung,
with a sheet oi the foresail t" the end oi the bowsprit, as the foremast is
placed very far forward, most likely to allow more space for the cargo.
A NILE NUGGER.
Coming down with grain.
"NUGGERS" ON THE KILE 125
These boats were very useful to us, and the owners rejoiced in the justice
and fair dealing meted out by the military visitors, ft must have been a
new life to them to have ••plenty work and plenty." with too much or
rather without any " backsheeshing/' Doubtless the inertness of their
previous life must have received rather a shock when first they were
introduced to the work and energy of the campaigning of a British force, in
full swin>' on the advance to a goal they were bent on reaching.
TURKEY AND EGYPT.
THE "GYASSI" NILE BOATS.
THIS native name is not known far from the banks of the Nile, as it is
the local name for cargo and passenger boats on the upper part of that
great river. Carrying only one enormous lateen sail, about the largest
ever seen on a boat of her length of water-line, even with a lead keel of
proportionate weight, the rapidity with which the crew will take in this
large surface of canvas astonishes any watching the performance for the
first time certainly.
The mast is about two thirds of the length of the water-line, and the
yard twice the length of the mast, consequently the distance to the tack is
the same as the peak of the sail is from the masthead. Tile boat itself is
constructed in the most lumbering, rough way, resulting, nevertheless, in
great strength, and the usual number of the crew, like French bread at a
restauranl is a discretion. The stays are thick and heavy, naturally, to
support the tall mast and the large spread of canvas. The lofty lateen
sail represents a very curious sight when ii lias to be furled, for instead oi
brailing up only, as the yard cannot he lowered, a very unusual sight is
rded by the sudden appearance of the hands "away aloft," lying out on
126
THE "GYASSI" NILE BOATS 129
the yard, even to the tapering peak end, to accomplish which a lad leads
oft", and after a few more lads of gradually increased weight, then come the
men. The agility of Arabs is quite familiar to us in this country, from
seeing the performances of Arab acrobats, who have from time to time
favoured us with a visit. The function rather reminds one of "up the
main rigging and riding down " the main halyards in a racing cutter here
at home.
IO
INDIAN OCEAN.
THE ARAB DHOW.
The Arab dhow is widely spread and a splendid sea boat. In different
localities it bears different names ; for instance, at Bombay they are called
" pattamars," then on the Coast of Cutch they become " buglas," and on
the Indian Ocean coast generally "bugalla," or " baggalas " on the
North-East coast of Africa. They are really the old traders, working
between the Red Sea to the westward, and Bombay and the Indian coast
to the eastward. They are powerful vessels, of some two hundred tons
burden, mostly 85 ft. to 90 ft. in length, with a beam of one quarter of
length, and would draw 13 ft. to 14 ft.
A dhow belongs in the " Nugger" family, but of a much finer growth :
being a deep-sea trader, her stem is lung and projecting, with a prow head
<>r scrowl. This is technically called "grab built" when the cutwater is at
an angle of 45 or 50' from the water-line : her mainmast is half her length
overall, and the yard rather more than her full length. The mainmast
leans towards the low, at an angle of So ; the hull has a line bold sheer
towards the how. The mizen on the poop is about half the size of the
mainsail, as far as one can judge at sea. The Arabs are very much given to
a broad while line painted with a lew ports like our sailing ships. There
is no mistaking a dhow it the main halyard Mock is noticed, which comes
down in a line with the keel an enormous square blocl< with lour sheeves
in it. When Arabs work they do work, and are very keen. Dhows do
not carry a fixed bowsprit, using a jury mast or spar on an emergency.
Their is another craft which in design reminds one much of what we
have lately arrived al a. the resull of applied science. It is rather difficult
lo describe it without a diagram. Our last racing yachts in profile an'
tremendously cut away at the fore loot, and with a very raking stem post :
the two lines if carried on would soon bisect each other. That is the
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THE ARAB DHOW 133
profile of this particular kind of dhow which used to be known as a
" batello," with about one third of the triangle cut off above the point
where the two lines meet. Another feature is that these craft have no
submerged rudder post, a balance rudder being fixed on a timber at the
stern above the water-line, and, coming down deep into the water, has
tremendous leverage. This timber for the rudder is like a rudder-post,
proposed by Mr. Read of Port Glasgow in 1873, and called the dog-legged
or angle stern-post by G. L. Watson in his admirable chapter in the
Badminton volume. Another point is that the deck plan of these craft is
quite like that of the old " America,"" having greatest beam a little abaft
the mainmast, but the dhow is much narrowed in at the taff-rail. Her
entrance lines are very fine, so the old Arabs had a keen idea long years
ago " of what the water liked " best to allow of high speech
INDIAN OCEAN.
ARMED VESSEL IN PERSIAN
GULF.
Modern naval architecture has not penetrated far into this part of the
world, and evidently the shipbuilders and ship-men cling religiously to the
manners and customs which their forefathers have handed down to them
with full instructions to be like the law of the Medes and Persians, which
altereth not. Certainly this craft does not show any signs of having yielded
to the flirtations of modern times and inventions. The Malays were great
rovers, and this craft, although on the coast of the Persian Gulf, carries
much Malay character with it. The double outside rudders almost remind
us nf the twin screws in home waters at the present day. Still, the dhow
character predominates, with the two masts and high stern, more encrusted
than the Mohammedan dhow, yet with a square transom ; the mast-head is
Malay in form, hut the gong is not at all a Malay instrument of music.
The armament oi this w-^sd musl have shaken her pretty well if
frequently discharged, unless the charges used were small and the powder
weak a safeguard often thoughtfully arranged by the purveyor.
Many years ago a line trade was carried on from London and Birmingham
in supplying ' ; Bonny" muskets to the West Coast of Africa: they were
curiosities in those days, say sixty years ago. The stocks of beech-wood
with the comb oi the butt uncut, were painted the brightest scarlet ; the
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ARMED VESSEL IN PERSIAN GULF [37
barrels very long, with the scarlet-painted wood running up to the end of
the long barrels, producing a very telling effect ; the locks were of an old
flint pattern. Tradition says the price of these "articles de vertu" was
seven shillings and sixpence. One of the merchants in Birmingham at
that time was a Quaker, who on being remonstrated with for engaging in
such business replied, " Friend, thee doth not know that / supply the
powder."
INDIA AND CEYLON,
BOMBAY YACHTS.
The Royal Bombay Yacht Club is an admirable organisation, favoured by
a combination of circumstances which makes it quite unique in its social
standing. Of course the first object was yachting, which was well taken
up by the officers of both services and leading Europeans, producing a very
good little fleet, composed of eleven lateen rigged yachts, three steam
yachts, four schooners, four cutters, two yawls; the largest craft being the
•• Zingara " schooner of 268 tons.
The great race of the year is that of the lateen class, which under
racing canvas look very large and above their real tonnage, requiring big
crews. The starts are very exciting, and the manoeuvring causes a mixed
feeling of anxiety and merriment— anxiety on board the competing craft, the
merriment principally amongst the spectators, who crowd down to the
Apollo Bunder or Wellington landing stage, over which stands the very
line building of the Club House of the Royal Bombay Yacht Club, whose
hospitality and welcome is well known ami well remembered by all who
have had the pleasure of receiving it.
1 he course at Bombay is not a long one. not more than twelve miles, so
that the racer-, can be watched all through from the balcony of the Club,
whence the) start and whither they return. After leaving Quarantine buoy
on the port hand, they pass South Carenjo black buoy with globe on star-
board hand, rounding the mark boal off Cull Island, mail but code flag
W. on starboard hand, the Sunrock light and Dolphin light- to port, and
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BOMBAY YACHTS 141
finish at the Apollo Bunder. The rules of the Y.R.A. have been adopted
in all matters of regulations and time allowances, giving general satisfaction.
Here it is very pleasant to find how the enjoyment of yacht racing is en-
hanced by having no protests, no professional jealousies. They sail for the
pleasure and fun of the sport, and the spectators enjoy it in the same spirit.
Jib topsails are supposed to be spar destroyers. In these waters the novel
adjunct of a topsail over the big lateen sometimes brings trouble and
disaster even to a turn-turtle function, which is " caviare" to the multitude
on shore.
INDIA AND CEYLON.
CEYLON OUTRIGGERS.
No class of boat has ever been more popularised by a large circulation of
small models than these Colombo fishermen's craft, which, although really
an outrigged narrow hull, are mostly called "catamaran." A true cata-
maran has no gunwale. The catamaran of Bahia in brazil, composed of
round timbers, usually three on either side of the central long piece, has no
gunwale. Again, in others at Madras and on the China coast the bamboos
are all awash. We find this is the case on all surf coasts.
The Colombo craft have oddly-shaped hulls, the midship being very
globose, suddenly falling in to form a gunwale, so that a relation is at once
created with the deck plan (.fan iceboat, which is a trough. The outrigger
is very large and strong braced, so large that were it a little bigger these
craft would be in the category of double-hulled boats. They are not
heavily canvased, carrying a very moderate-sized spritsail, set in a peculiar
way ; the tack is broughl down to the bow, the bamboo mast equidistant
from stem and stern, about the length of the hull on the water-line, the
sprit always resting at the fool of the mast. The huge outrigger is always
on the starboard hand, supported by two very powerful outrigger lateral
bumpkins. It is a fine sight to see these craft running lor the harbour at
the break of the S.W. monsoon, their tanned sails pulling hard, sheets taut
like .Koliaii hail) strings, the bamboo masts curving to the force ol the
blast; sometimes onlya part of a sail may he seen, the crew and hull being
hidden in the trough of the sea. beyond is the greal breakwater of
Colombo, engineered by Sir John Coode, defying the strength of the great
combers as they hound in. sending them off at different angles in cumuli ol
S p ra y and spindrift. Within the breakwater all is peace and calm :
fishing boats hauled upon the beach, the picturesque natives grouping in
bright col,, us on the yellow sand, which harmonises with their rich dark
i omplexions and coal black hair. The background of this picture is quite
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CEYLON OUTRIGGERS 145
Cingalese, the untidy but useful cocoa-nut trees growing down to the water
edge, backed by dense jungle such as Sir Samuel Baker loved when he
described his experiences in his wild sport book of " The Kifle and the
Hound'" in Ceylon.
The fauna and flora of Ceylon have an immense range, from wild
elephants in the former, and in the latter to the magnificent "Talipot"
palm when in flower as the last grand flicker of vegetable life, for thus its
grandeur culminates in beauty at its death. A visit to Kandy shows the
wonders of this botanical paradise, for wild elephant sport can only be
obtained at its best farther north.
II
INDIA AND CEYLON.
CINGALESE COASTING VESSEL.
This vessel, when I pictured her, was lying in Colombo harbour, a perfect
blaze of colour in the strong sunlight. She was painted red, and the
reflection in the water was beautiful and bright, the whole toned down by
the dense vegetation on shore in the background. She was a true Moham-
medan, from the decoration round her gunwale, backed by the appearance
of the crew on board.
The dhow character is shown by the main-halyard block, which always
looks so unwieldy, whilst the anchors are stowed in the bows, after the
Chinese manner, but the mizen has a touch of European method about it
by being a gaff sail and not a lateen like the mainsail ; the standing bow-
sprit is also another feature, evidently suggesting an extra jib in favourable
weather. A still greater innovation occurs in the presence of the outrigger
to port ; truly in ships and coasters we find strange mixtures of neighbour-
ing countries most incongruously mixed up in the same craft. In this
vessel we had a fine entrance with a counter and stem full and round like
the "billyboys" on the east coast of England.
Another point is very noticeable — that the mast-head tapers and curves
forward, like a Dutch pink coining to a point. Whatever her private life
may have been, the sketch faithfully shows hei external appearance as she
lay in the harbour of Colombo, and the description given there was that she
i 4 6
CINGALESE COASTING VESSEL 149
was a trading coaster. The thatch covering may have been put up tem-
porarily to protect the crew whilst in the harbour from the sun's
perpendicular rays, which in Ceylon are as powerful as anywhere in the
tropics, only tempered by the wise provision of the universal sea breeze.
It is the friend of the traveller as well as of the native, who gets so
accustomed to its regularity, that when referred to by any one visiting, he
only remarks, "All right," which explains everything.
BURMAH.
BURMESE RICE BOATS.
The rice boat of Burmah is a very striking object, and once seen not likely
to be forgotten, with its huge curved yard bent like a bow, high sweeping
stern, and swelling canvas, all under the command and will of the high-
throned potentate at the tiller. This arrangement of rudder strikes the
uninitiated as unwieldy and clumsy, but leverage is wanted, with power,
and they both are practically obtained.
There seems to he one great advantage in the navigation of the
Irrawady productive of ease and comfort to all availing themselves of
its facilities. It is simply that the prevailing winds carry the craft with
merchandise up the river, and on the return journey the stream brings
them down, having the one resort to fall back upon, namely, to anchor
till the weather moderates.
The firs! glance at these craft makes us think how useless they must be
on a close reach. The double mast gives great strength, hut for such Iighl
canvas it seems hardly necessary. The great sheer of the hull seems to
herald the approach of the Chinese junk architecture. The entrance of
these craft is very fine indeed. When in cargo the freeboard is very limited,
whilst the high stern seems enough to turn the vessel over. The Burmese
cannot do without little Hags at all points, at the mast-head, even at the
yard aims, and at the stem. In this again we notice a Chinese influence,
via Mandalay, most liki 1\.
Some o| i he canvas t-- sel in a very curious way, so that when they wish
to reduce it there IS no reeling: instead of doing that, every alternate
'loth, or as many as may he necessary, is taken out. giving a very droll
appearance, SO that there are vertical strips of alternate sail cloth and
landscape. Again, to our European ideas it seems such a very left-handed
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BURMESE RICE BOATS 153
arrangement to have the rudder on the port hand some feet away from the
side of the vessel, instead of being in a line with the keel. They consider
that their system gives greater purchase, so we how, retire, and say.
Sic sit.
The North of Burmah is the great teak district, producing huge supplies,
which we hope will be kept up by careful forestry, a science of great
importance in a case like this, where Nature, bountiful as she is, is likely
to be worked out, strained by the constant demand on her production.
The vessel on the left-hand middle distance is an upper river rice boat,
known by the native name of " Hnau," with three masts and eight paddles
—a much lighter craft than that with the curved yard and heavy stern.
BURMAH.
RIVER BOATS, RANGOON.
The approach to Rangoon, situated on a branch of the Irrawady known
as the Rangoon river, at once impresses the traveller with a vivid idea of
Burmah. Rangoon has of late risen rapidly into importance, and now is
blessed with public buildings, hospitals, and lovely gardens, principally the
result of a great trade in rice. The true Burmese character of the town
remains unchanged, the people equally picturesque, the natives just as fond
of a choice flower coquettishly placed on one side of their shining black
hair, and the pagodas with bells and little gilt crowns are still being erected
regardless of cost, whilst the great pagoda Shway Dagohn rears his proud
and gilded head to nearly the height of 400 ft. Around it is clustered a
dense forest of minor and still more elaborate pagodas, the tenants of this
forest being innumerable Buddhist priests clothed in yellow. The entrance
is guarded by two immense stone monsters with open mouths, tusks, and
teeth; these are supposed to deter the evil spirits from intruding on such
holy ground. In 1S52 the Irrawady river was blockaded by Captain
Lambert, and Rangoon was captured by the English under General ( iodwin
in the month of May of that year.
Teak and rice are the features of commerce on the Irrawady, which runs
up country for a thousand miles. Teak, which used to be so valuable lor
our teak-buill Easl [ndiamen, lias now been applied to so many other uses
thai it- importance and value is still maintained: besides, this prophet IS
well apprei iated in his own country, for all the river boats are constructed
of it. The Rangoon elephants, which are leading features in the lumber
yards where the timber is stored, evince an intelligence in moving the huge
i, locks of teak oid> exceeded 1 >y their docility. They not only move a
log bul m I it, first lifting one end up on to the pile, then going to the
other end to push it up to the balance, and then to it- final position. Now
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RIVER BOATS, RANGOON 157
all this is taught by kindness ; there is no " unca " or steel prod in the hand
of the mahout or driver; a little touch with his heel is quite enough to
steer the huge animal, who understands his work and does it. In one part
of the yards the logs have to be placed on a platform to he run up to the
circular saws to plank. As the elephant pushes the mass on the platform,
he will just step back to be sure that it is going straight and square.
Heredity is a factor, as it is found that in the elephant family a good father
and mother have good sons and daughters to follow on. One thing has to
be remembered about these intelligent creatures — they never forgive if their
attendant gives them short measure or offends them.
The boats on the river are most beautiful in their lines and curves, yet
with all that, strong and well balanced. The very fine, thin counter or stern
can hardly be accounted for, except for the beauty of line. The row boats
have this as their special feature, the sterns of the larger craft being much
higher. Then their ornamentation is quaint ; no colour catches the eye on
the boat itself ; the beauty of colour is centred in the garments and head-
gear of those on board. They are fond of peacocks as an ornament, and
the steersman is always in a state chair of elaborate carving, whilst his
deep-toned complexion is usually protected by a kind of Japanese parasol.
Fortunately in this warm climate of lat. 17 N. the tiller does not require
either much exertion or much locomotion ; it is an exalted position, com-
bined in most cases with repose.
Here the Chinese sampan is now generally adopted as a sort of knock-
about dinghey, with its swallow-winged stern, the rower always standing
with his face to the bow.
BURMAH.
MOULMEIN SAMPAMS.
MOULMEIN is the next important town to Rangoon in Burmah, lying a
short distance from Rangoon to the south-west. The city is finely situated
on rising ground on the banks of the River Salwen, an important river
running far up into the teak country, which accounts for the great trade
carried on in this valuable timber. There again we find our intelligent
friends the elephants bard at work as at Rangoon. It is a new view to
take of animal creation to look upon quadrupeds as labour-saving machines,
which these elephants really are, when we see the heavy work they do and
bow they think of the work in which they are engaged, stepping back to see
if their work is straight and square. The foreman particularly mentioned
that they are most earnest at their regular routine, more than when put on
just to exhibit their power before visitors, because in that case they are not
sure what the next function will be.
The population here seemed to contain a great many Cliine.se, who had
imported their favourite and national water conveyance, the sampan, as at
Rangoon, whilst the natives keep to their beautiful light river boats, with
a small thatched cover midships, formed like small models oi the Burmese
boats in the rice trade, which have been referred to as "hnaus." The
bright and rich colours of the river folk blending splendidly with the dark
i the teak of which the hulls are constructed, fortunately innocent
oi misplaced coats of paint. The picturesqueness of these groups oi boats
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MOULMEIN SAMPANS 161
is much enhanced by the way in which they are moored ; not having arrived
at the useful little hedge, they content themselves with the ever-present
bamboo, which is stuck into the sand for a mooring, and these lines or
poles break up the repeated forms of the gunwales of the boats when
clustered together— the whole crowned by the indispensable little Burmese
flags and weathercocks.
12
THE STRAITS SETTLEMENTS.
SINGAPORE.
Here we arrive at a Chinese influence which pervades everything. Pig-
tails everywhere, whilst the ofting presents a spectacle of special interest,
namely the great lumbering Chinese junks which come down with the
north-east monsoon from Tien-sien with produce from the north of China,
and then wait at Singapore for the south-west monsoon to waft them back
again. Surely they must be the last of a race of commercial coasting
giants, and steam will wipe them out very shortly. The monsoon arrange-
ments were convenient for the pirates oi Formosa and the Chinese coast
generally, as affording a well defined season biennially for their sport, about
the same time as March and October brewing in the good old houses in
England. < >ne of these huge Tien-sien monsters came over to this country
for the Great Exhibition of 1851, and lay in the West India Docks. The
marvel was that she ever got here.
The Island of Singapore is the Centre of the Straits Settlements, forming a
very important and prosperous Crown colon}-, with a delightful climate,
which is blessed with showers of rain such as can hardly be expected when
we remember that Singapore is in lal. I \. The regular cool wind at
night is always refreshing after the heat of the day. The city is very
cosmopolitan in appearance, from the curious assortment of Chinese joss-
houses, Hindu temples, Mohammedan mosques, and government buildings,
yet with all that there is a prevailing stamp of British energy and prosperity
on all sides.
The immense extent of wharfage at once stamps it as a centre of English
commerce, and tin' whole is crowned by the White Ensign flying on the
range from the signal station, and with the Union Flag over the fort.
Sii Stamford Raffles was the founder of this important colony about 1S20,
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SI NG A PORE 165
so that it was secured just at the right time. His name is coupled with a
very beautiful pitcher plant, Nepenthes Rafflesiansis, from Borneo, and
other botanical discoveries, one of which was an enormous vine growth
from the same country.
Another Chinese characteristic very prominent are the small rowing boats,
partially covered. These are generally known as " sampans," very light to
pull and handle. They are frequently rowed by women, sometimes a mother
with her picaninny on her back plying for hire at the landing places.
Many of these celestials form quite a water population, although nothing to
compare with such cities as Canton, where half the inhabitants are like
water fowl.
THE STRAITS SETTLEMENTS.
SINGAPORE KOLEHS.
Sailing Boats. — "Kolehs," " Koleh Panjail" Malay name. These fish-
ing boats are full of character, very long and narrow, rigged with a large
sprit-sail and jib or staysail, and frequently a small mizen is .set with a leg-
of-mutton or jib head ; the bow comes up to a heavy head with a corre-
sponding stem post. The European fashion of regattas is warmly taken up
wherever Englishmen go, and as a Crown colony Singapore must have a
regatta, and that is the time to see " kolehs"' at their best.
The English in their hive of water and anything in the way of water
sports not only encourage their own idea of what boats should he, hut do
all in their power to mature the native ideas and models, by giving prizes
to the local craft, an encouragement of which the Malays very readily avail
themselves, whilst they are quick in taking up any improvement they see
either in handling or tuning up a boat for racing purposes. Probably, for
instance, they have seen some Englishman in his one rater at Singapore
leaning over on the weather side with his feet under the " stringer " and
his body over the gunwale to windward, as outside ballast ; the)' adopt it at
once, with this difference, that putting their feet on the gunwale and
hanging on to the runners or shrouds the whole weight of the body becomes
outside ballast to windward as shown in the illustration. How quickly
lashioiis spread. In America the crew will lie out on boards ; the "stringer"
method to hold and support die legs comes from Sydney, and the Bourne
End week in England of small raters affords many details of the same
principle applied to obtain outside weather ballast.
This i- nol the only sympton of native teachableness. Me likes plenty
invas, and i;.ubs his pet to profusion. I [e loves the rush oi waters with
a roaring wake, with spray well over the bow , and he gets it : and if they do
turn turtle, lie ran swim, and he like. it. being fairly amphibious and
SI XG A PORE KOLEHS 169
thoroughly game. All this does good ; it shows the natives the English
character in a sympathetic phase of kindliness and wholesome fraternity.
When racing these boats carry about fourteen hands, and are now so
advanced in their suits of canvas that they carry huge spinnakers. They
are very proud of having their own racing colours flying at the end of the
sprit ; it is a small thing, but encourages self-respect amongst them. The
English encourage sport in a wide sense, not confining the racing to the
Malays. There are so many Chinese in the colony that they must not be
forgotten, as the Chinese are given to sailing. Prizes are given to
"sampans" or rowing boats, and this notice of them is highly appre-
ciated, creating a vast amount of good feeling towards the ' ' outer barbarian ''
from the heathen Chinee.
JAVA.
PKKALONGAN FISHING BOAT.
EVERYTHING in Java seems interesting, even to the moderately observant
eye : the contrast of the invading Dutch to the natives is so pronounced in
every way. The Malay with bright colours, so opposite to the sombre,
almost funereal black cloth of the Hollander, who still continues to wear the
tall chimney-pot hat of his native land, and never omits to take his " pite"
or schnapps in the most orthodox manner. The bright and gaily coloured
sarongs worn by the women, picturesque with dark hair beautifully dressed,
and their graceful figures. Then the scenery is grand and impressive, and
craters in the mountain range fume from time to time, many of them visible
from an}" eminence ; for Java contained in 1SS7 twenty-one live volcanoes.
The Pekalongan fishing boat suggests a straight lineage from the old
Roman galley, with high prow painted and the quaint stern with a rudder
oar. The_\- are about 48 It. in length, with a narrow long sail with a
very high peak to it, a crew some fourteen in all. whilst elaborately carved
upright standards support the odd gear composed of spare bamboos, water
jars, chatties, rugs, sarongs. Above ibis again run several bamboos to enable
(he skippei io descry any signs of fish, at the same time taking a bird's eye
\i'\\ ol his crew and how the) are working. This is very important , as the
Mala) ■ f i s j .1 . 1 \ -, U\\ traits ol energy. The sail is made of a coarse fibre
and grown lor this work particularly; the whole sail is rolled up in a
most simple way.
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PEKALONGAN FISHING BOAT 173
There are a number of sharks about this part, and yet a native generally
swims round the boat. The only way that the natives account for his safety
is that the splashing of seven paddles on either side frightens them. Some
of the sails have broad terra-cotta coloured stripes, which are very effective.
The rich coloured garments hanging from the superstructure add very much
to the pictorial beauty of the scene.
JAVA.
PROBOLINGO FISHING BOAT.
The Probolingo boats of this class carry the native name of " sukung," and
are in the hull much Like those of the Sulu Archipelago up to the north,
whilst the sail is quite different to those at Pekalongan, which are of thicker
fibre and rolled up when furled, whereas this description of craft is more
of the Fiji type, with the mast very differently placed, and much lighter
in substance, the lower end of the yard going into a bucket forward and,
resting in that, takes the weight off the mast. Another striking feature is
the different arrangement of the outrigger supports, the one forward being
hiw down and that aft curving up pronouncedly, to allow the wash to
pass under freely when the vessel is at her high speed. This is the same
mi both sides, as this boat is a double outrigger. The ornamentation along
the gunwale gives a very picturesque appearance, and the anchor, Heathen
Chinee pattern, is very eastern.
('dining away from Celebes to visit Java, the island of Madoera is left on
I he starboard hand to arrive at Soerabaje. So travelling we pass some
fishing craft which have come out of the bight from Probolingo, on the
north side of the island and near the eastern extremity. This is the
grandest approach to Java, and the two live volcanoes, •'Semeroe,"
^.070 ft., and •• Bromo," 2,100 ft., partly enveloped in cloud vapour
and smoke gradually loom and finally tower over US. This is in reality a
Terra del Fuego, with nineteen live volcanoes in the island. With so many
vents for volcanic fury it seems extraordinary that such a submarine out-
burst should have occurred at Krakatoa in the Straits of Sunma in 1883.
None of die nineteen were in eruption when we were there, only fuming
will) a suggestion that they had "'hanked"' fires. When visiting the
celebrated botanical gardens at Buitenzorg, tamed lor its epidendrons amongst
other wonders, we frequently looked up at the volcano "Salak ' just
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PROBOLINGO FISHING BOAT 177
over our heads, as we heard during the morning that he had been rather
restless for the last few days, and the temperature of the water in the wells
had risen.
The white hats of the crew were very like Chinese head protectors. The
Chinese coolies are found pretty well everywhere, especially in recently
developed countries, but as a sea-going people they have done nothing to
be compared with roving Malays and pirates of that ilk. Perhaps they
would object to the title of pirates ; but armed yachtsmen who cruise about
helping themselves to anything they may fancy, on sea or shore, such were
and still are the sea gipsies or Rajaus of North-East Borneo and the Sulu
Archipelago.
13
CELEBES.
MACASSAR CRAFT.
These vessels should be included in the ark or house-boat class, as we
live in an age of classification. Celebes runs from the Equator o". in a long
slip of an island down to 5° south, lying to the eastward of the lower pari
of Borneo, so that it is rather out of the way and not much frequented by
Europeans, save a few Dutchmen who come up from Java.
The craft here are the most villagey looking vessels we know : it would
have been very interesting to have gone over the establishment to see how
they were arranged. The large parallelogrammic sail with the wide band
of colour running through it is quite Malay in form and character, so also
the outside rudder and inverted beak stern; the Derrick masts and heavy
mast-head belong to the same school. The houses represent the local
I" uliarity, and very odd they are. the only reason one can give to account
lor all the thatching resorted to is that in these equatorial latitudes the
smaller boats adopted the same protection against the sun's perpendicular
rays, and as it is s, , successful in the smaller essays the Celebes people
thought liny would show the world what the) could do in their own
watei .
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sails going before the wind goosewinged : she too has a thatched roof in a
more moderate degree. The rig is very picturesque, and much more
pleasing to the eye than the Celebes sail rolled up in the vessel in the
centre. Quaint as they appear, they were carefully drawn and are faithful
to the originals. The heaviness of the hulls is admirably relieved by the
ornamentation round the gunwale, which is a Mohammedan green pattern
on a white ground, the Malays being mostly Moslems.
BORNEO.
PIRATE CRAFT.
INDIVIDUAL energy and foresight have often sprung a mine of wealth in
starting the small end of the commercial wedge for the ultimate benefit of
the Mother Country. A prominent case is that of Rajah Brooke of
Sarawak. Borneo is an immense island, next in size to Australia, and
now held by the Dutch in the lower half and by the English in the upper
and better half. Pirates infested the whole coast, particularly on the
Eastern side, and inland the Dyaks were equally troublesome. Sir James
Brooke formed a settlement at Sarawak, which is really difficult of access,
up a very narrow river, the channel of which is indicated by linger boards.
" Keep close to right bank," \c, &C, and in 1S41 he was appointed Rajah
of Sarawak.
In 1843 Captain II. Keppel was on the coast and tackled the pirates to
his heart's content and their great discomfort, but in fact the}' are not yet
cleared out. Borneo, at that time, 1844, was little known in this country,
in fact hardly heard of. One morning the master of our class at school
alarmed us by ordering couplets to be written by every boy present "on
Borneo." Some of us wondered who it was, where it was, and when it
was. One lad, however, was up to date, and his stanza has frequently
recurred to my mind ever since. It ran thus: —
" Rajah Brooke the pirate took
In the war of Borneo,
And Captain Keppel wrote a 1 k
All about that war, ye know."
The Dyaks are gnat he. id hunters, a proclivity still carried on in the
interior. Rajah Brooke o.,t them well in hand, and now the Comparatively
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gentle Dyak uses his " Eilean Pareng " for more domestic purposes than
the decapitation of his neighbours or enemies. The weapon >till remains
general amongst them; the blade is about 22 in. long. 1^ in. wide at the
end, and only § in. at the handle, which is made of Sambur deer horn,
elaborately carved and ornamented, as well as the scabbard, with tufts of
black and red hair.
The pirate craft are very narrow, with two large outriggers, so that when
seen stem on they have the appearance of vast water spiders. The huge
sail is made of fibre ; to furl it it is rolled up ; round the bulwarks are
numerous bamboos to form a kind of balustrade instead of a life-line. The
pirates used to be armed with heavy " parengs," interspersed with a great
variety of bills and catchpoles, instruments shown by the warders in the
Tower of London. The accommodation on board is very much limited,
in fact hardly required in such a lovely climate as lat. 5 X.
The north part of this vast island is known as British North Borneo,
now rapidly developing under a royal charter, with Sandaken for its capital,
under the Protectorate of Great Britain. This was obtained in 1S88. The
natives are indolent, but the proximity of Chinese supply many who are
too glad to settle down under peaceful English rule and grow vegetables,
and John Chinaman does that admirably anywhere, wherever he may be.
BORNEO.
SULU CRAFT AT SANDAKAU.
This schooner-rigged craft was rather a surprise when she loomed in the
distance, heading for Sandakau Bay and Harbour. When she brought up
she presented a very home-made hut foreign appearance, for her masts
were comparatively untrimmed sticks with bowsprit en suite. She was
carrying Mahommedans on a pilgrimage to Mecca, with the ladies in the
thatched house midships ; poor things, would they ever get there? did they
ever get there? Deponent sayeth not.
She is not a had craft in design, and has lines very like an Arah dhow,
which can go anywhere, with the Indian Ocean for its natural habitat,
with Bombay at one end and the Red Sea and Berbera tor the oilier.
Were they converted Sea Bajaus, determined to atone lor all their past
sins by this little yachting expedition across the Indian Ocean? They
ought to he all right up to Acheen Head. when, if the pirates of that lively
locality did not stop them, they would have then to face the dangers of the
deep. That is not all; when they arrive at the sacred object of that
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pilgrimage the great event of their lives is not completed—there is the
return.
Fanaticism is a powerful master, and there is something very grand in
their faith that "Allah is almighty, all graciousness." So they will, with
all patience and resignation, start back with bright hopes, having a full
conviction that they have only fulfilled what they conceived to be their
religious duty ; and duty is a better master than fanaticism.
CHINA.
CHINESE PIRATE JUNK.
The Chinese junks in their ponderous class, the Tien-sien annual traders,
have been already shown and referred to at Singapore. This is one of a
very different class, and for a less pacific purpose. Built for speed if
required, it resembles the fishing craft type seen off Hong Kong when
making for the Lymoon Channel.
As we came up from Java to the Straits of Banka under the lee of the
island we saw an English barque becalmed, at the same time we saw two
pirate junks hound on visiting her, and getting out their long sweeps after
we had passed them. Being on hoard a foreign mail boat hound for
Singapore, we could do nothing. The captain, when we noticed the
incident, only remarked that "' those junks do very good business always
about here." ' M course at the north point of Sumatra the pirates are [heir
friends, and the Dutch Government have a small man-of-war frequently
cruising about there to protect any strangers coming to or passing that
part.
These two junks were crowded with men, and although everything in
the way of armament was secreted there is no doubt hut that they had
plenty on board, besides which every Chinaman would have in this case
his dagger fan. The Chinese carry their fans down at the hack in the nape
of thi neck, so that the) are entirely hidden. When, therefore, you see a
Chinaman pull out rather .1 longer fan than the tibial size, you mav he sure
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that it is a dagger fan with a very nasty blade inside. Nefarious as is the
life of these fellows, the joss-house on the poop is always made very
prominent, and the whole appointments of the ship are good. The heavy
anchors carried in the bow on those strong timbers only avert the attention
from the fine lines and enhance the national character of these craft, as
shown when coming in a breeze through the crest of a wave. They are
splendid sea boats and steer well, although their rudders have long slots in
them to lighten them, as they are very large. The China coast during thu
monsoons is a fine school for them to learn seamanship in.
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JAPAN.
JAPANESE FISHING CRAFT.
J VPAN, till lately, was a sealed country. China always resisted the outer
barbarian and does so still, but not now Japan. To Nagasaki, a very
small island, the Dutch traders used to be confined. Only once a year
were they permitted to land, SO that the Japs did not encourage foreign
trade in the days of James I. In fact, so determined were they to
keep to themselves that all boats and vessels were built on one model,
which is seen still, and fulfils the purpose for which it was first intended —
to be a coaster only, but not a sea-going craft to reach a foreign shore.
It was old}' in iS56that Nagasaki and the extreme northern port of
Japan Hakodadi were opened to European commerce. Hut since that time
developments have been rapid. In 1X77 an ironclad was built and
launched for them in the Thames. A railway was opened in 1870. Light-
bouses, a second railway, post offices, national costume doomed, religious
freedom established in this land of magnificent temples, all crowned by that
best "i civilisers, free trade, a really open door for the good influence ol
other countries more advanced than themselves— all this followed. Their
navy is now composed of up-to-date vessels with every modern appliance,
as proved by their display against their neighbours the slow Chinese, whose
lack of discipline was their ruin, and the admirable discipline ol the Japs
their irresistible strength. Even their mercy during the war astonished
their enemies, who all expected to be murdered when taken, instead ol
which the Jap-, who are never cruel, treated with ever}' consideration all
their pris 5.
Meeting the Japanese Minister of Marine at the Mayor's banquet, al
Liver] 1, after inspecting 11. M. torpedo catcher "Rattlesnake," our
conversation turned to the vasl seaboard of Japan. This afforded a good
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opportunity to recommend our admirable system of lifeboats all round our
own coasts. The offer to supply his Excellency with details from our
National Lifeboat Institution was readily accepted, and just lately some
Japanese naval officers who were visiting Thorneycroft's works at Chiswick,
to inspect some torpedo catchers in course of construction for their
Government, informed me that several lifeboat stations have been success-
fully established and have done much good.
There is one class of fishing which is very curious, to our minds certainly,
and we, coming upon it unexpectedly, were thoroughly surprised. Who
would expect to see whales taken in nets? Still, having seen it we believe it,
and the Japanese officers confirmed it as being still in vogue. The mesh
of the net is about two feet or more of stout rope. No little dexterity is
required to get into the net these monsters of the deep ; they are, however,
to use a yachting expression, not sixty footers when once netted. The
fishers roll them round and round until they are almost dead when brought
alongside. The next function is to tow the prize home in its net shroud.
The fisher boats form a very imposing sight as they come out of Yoko-
hama, in number about two hundred, each sail marked with some black
hieroglyphic with fusihama, their sacred mountain coming in the back-
ground as naturally as if the boats were on a Japanese tea tray. Surely
this model will soon be outclassed ; they hardly harmonise with the modern
war craft now rapidly imported. Their tonnage is about 100 tons.
Length, 84 ft. Beam, 24 ft. Depth, 6 ft. to 7 ft. What a contrast to
the Prince of Wales' racing cutter " Britannia," she being all below, and
the Jap all above the water line. It is worth while to repeat the figures of
these two crafts : —
The English Yacht. Japanese Vessel.
L. Water line ... 87-8 ft. ... "... 84 ft.
Beam ... ... 23-66 ft. ... ... 24 ft.
Draught 15 ft. ... 6 ft. to 8 ft.
Sail area 10,328 square ft. Probably 2, coo square ft.
The excellence and thoroughness of all Japanese manufacture is quite
maintained in the workmanship of the boat-builders. All their joinery is
so accurate, that we tremble lest in competition they should lower their
standard of quality, which is a strong national feature. Much of this
excellency of finish is due to the daimios or feudal lords, who strove
for quality from their artificers.
BRAZIL.
BAH I A RIVER CRAFT.
BAHIA is a lively spot in a delightful climate about lat. 13 S. Enter-
ing a fine bay, a beautiful view opens up ; the whole well-known Reconcava
of Bahia lies before us, and on the right, on a high cliff, is built the bright
looking town of Bahia, where Brazilian hospitality awaits every genial
visitor. The whole country here is rich in production of tobacco, sugar,
and Brazil nuts. Off Para the numerous tributary rivers otter great facility
of communication by water conveyance- a system already yielding to steam
ami railways -which bringdown in profusion every variety ol tropical pro-
duce, pine-apple^, bread-fruit, bananas, tapioca, yams. sago, coffee, ami
many more beside. The long name for this interesting place is Bahia dos
Todos OS Santo.; Anglice. the Hay of All Saints. The inhabitants are
o rtainly furiously enthusiastic, with the ringing of bells, endless serviceSj
continuous firing of rockets in the daytime to announce the elevation of
the Host: squibs, crackers, in honour and respect for priests and nuns.
Then the market is quite a feature, the gaily ribboned negresses from the
sugar plantations, the costumes oi the people horn the country, hall
Portuguese, and the resl Indian, in ponchos, the most comfortable oi gar-
ments, some from l.ii.i Santos Anna, like Chilian [Iuassos, with heavy
silver spurs and brown leather hats and coats -these are the daring horse
men of the district, [t was a wonderful sight altogether, particularly the
198
BAH I A RIVER CRAFT 201
jubilant negresses in a blaze of bright coloured petticoats and such bedecked
bonnets as they returned from Mass.
The tributary rivers have made Bahia a large central station of
commerce, and for that reason the sailing craft, of which but few remain,
should be carefully recorded. It will be remarked that there is evidently a
palpable impress of Portuguese character ; in fact, a distant relation of the
hay boat on the Tagus, ere long to give way to river steamers and local
" tramps," the name we have for steam coasting cargo boats. The canvas
of these vessels is very limited, and the curious little foremast in the bow
seems hardly more workmanlike than a staysail. But so it has been handed
down to them ami faithfully adhered to, doing good work in its day, which
will have been rather a long one ere it shall be totally discarded.
CHILI
THE BOLSA OR SKIN BOAT AT
COQUIMBO.
The Bay of Coquimbo in Chili, above Valparaiso, is the habitat of this
particular kind of bullock-skin raft, for it cannot be dignified by the name
of boat, although it carries canvas, yet it does good service to the natives
who have no boats. The Chilians are not aquatic in any way. Horses,
ponchos, good cuchillios, horse furniture, large wooden richly carved
stirrups to protect the boots going through the low scrub with which Chili
abounds : these are more like the Penates of the Chilian than boats or sea
life.
It is remarkable that in going all along the Chilian and west coast oi
South America there is no local kind of rig or craft to be seen, and this
not for want of a lead. For instance, Coquimbo is rather a favourite harbour,
where British men-of-war are frequently seen. Then during the Peruvian
and Chilian war boats of all kinds were constantly cruising and sailing
about from English, French, German, Italian. Russian. Spanish men-of-
war which were lying at Callao Bay for a length "I time.
The simple construction of this bolsa is seen at once. It is formed by two
bullock skins inflated, lashed together with a kind of platform, a very
simple superstructure for the voyager to be sealed on. A small sail walls
him along when he gets a fair wind, which is most desirable, for with a
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THE HOLS A OR SKIN BOAT AT COQUIMBO 205
head wind she would sag to leeward, like a Portuguese man-of-war or a
haystack, in spite of paddles or anything else. The Portuguese man-of-war,
or madusa, has wonderful power below her water-line, whilst the bolsa is
quite on the surface ; and as she has to be beached after her little trips, a
lead keel would be rather a superfluity. They might try a centre-board
between the tw^o skins, but they prefer to live and die simple Coquimbo
bolsas. One step towards improvement would destroy the individuality of
what now stands alone to meet the simple wants and ideas of the natives in
that locality.
FIJI.
THE LEVUKA.
Fiji is a word that recalls at once marvellous stories of South Sea
adventure, of pagan rites, of sacrificial altars composed of huge blocks of
tufa, with a few skulls lying about, old cocoa-nut hammocks slung from
forked poles, with a taboo cocoa-nut pendant, a warning to strangers,
should any visit the sacred spot. Each plaited hammock contains a body :
it is the mode of burial, if that term may be applied in this case of al fresco
cemeteries. The natives are most superstitious, having a great objection
to going out after dark. The most convenient and very best time there-
fore, to visit such an interesting locality is by moonlight alone. Step
softly, and should you pick up a skull, do not | IL - surprised if a harmless
lizard runs (nit of it ; it is only anxious to escape from unwarrantable
intrusion.
The King, Thakombau (spelt " Cakobau), was an imposing figure,
\\ rapped in tapa of line quality. ( )ver eighty years of age, he stood six feel
two inches, dignified in the extreme, whilst his son " Kalu " (Tim), of the
same height and general appearance, stood by him. He has now passed
away, and the royal gift of a human meat-dish is greatly treasured by me,
especially as the king's favourite carver was presented to us, instead of our
being presented to him. Ratu Ambarosa, the king's nephew, told us
that the carver's official duties ceased in 1876, but from old association
they retained the stone arrangement where the long pig was cooked, and
he showed it to us with considerable /est, as he described the details oi the
old ceremonies. King Thakombau assured us that he was very glad to be
under "Marama" (Queen Victoria), but it disturbed all his good old-
fashioned habits. Judging from the stately appearance of the royal father
and his two sons, the diet oi former days had agreed with them.
The natives are a very fine race, theii precision of drill admirable, as
shown in their war dances, or " mekimekis," of which we saw many under
the most favourable circumstances, having arrived just before the flying
Squadron, in September, t88i. War canoes had rendezvoused there from
all the surrounding islands. Fetes were prepared, and a royal "angona,"
or 1 tival. It was really a revival of the old habits, customs, and
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ceremonies, without carniverous luxuries, of bygone days. Special efforts
were made, even by the missionaries, as the squadron brought " Marama's "
1 w < 1 grandsons, who, though only "middies'' on board II. M.S. "Bacchante."
were really the H.R.H. Prince Albert Victor and his brother, Prince-
George.
The squadron consisted of H.M.S. "Inconstant," flagship of Admiral
the Earl of Clanwilliam; H.M.S. "Tourmaline." H.M.S. "Bacchante."
with the princes on board : H.M.S. " Cleopatra," and H.M.S. " Carysfort."
It was a grand sight as they approached under canvas, taking it in as they
approached, finally coming in under easy steam. King Thakombau went
out in his double canoe beyond the reef to welcome them. He was
accompanied by his two sons, and we were told that the four flags
indicated that his Majesty had his four wives on board his double-bodied
canoe. This detail we do not vouch for, as it might have emanated from
a reporter for the Levuka society paper, so soon do converted savages
take on the evils of what we call civilisation.
The canoes here are naturally wonderfully handled, and we had a
delightful cruise with Katu Ambarosa. We went out to pick up crab pots,
which was a surprising performance, for after just looking round to take
his bearings, over he went, and came up with the crab pot ; Ratu, radiant
like bright copper in the sunshine, with huge head of hair of golden colour,
dripping in cascades on to his shoulders. The Somalis of North Africa
have strong heads of hair, but nothing to a Fiji native. To produce the
fashionable old gold colour, " chinam," or calcined coral, is applied for a
week.
IS
THE ANTIPODES.
A CANOE OF THE ABORIGINES.
So many now run to and fro, and knowledge has been so much increased
by the facility of communication between the north and south, east and
west, that we cannot but be convinced that our globe is not so immense as
we thought it was when it took in many cases six months for a letter to
reach its destination: say from India to England. What a change from
the beginning of the present century to the present day, especially in
rapid water conveyances. The sketch shown here in conclusion gives an
idea of what Australia was in uSoi, when Port Jackson had only canoes
manned by the aborigines. It is one of a series of drawings taken by
William Westall, A.K.A., landscape painter to the celebrated expedition
of discovery and survey on the coast of Australia, commanded by Captain
M. Flinders, of II. M.S. " Investigator," in the years 1S01, 1S02, 1803.
1 he whole collection is of the greatesl historical interest, comprising the
entire series of sketches made by Westall during tin- expedition. Before
he accepted the appointment he Stipulated that his original drawings
should he returned to him alter the requirements of the Admiralty had
been fulfilled. The Admiralty relumed them accordingly, and they have
i„ en in the possession of the family up to the time of their acquirement by
Hi,- Royal Colonial Institute in Northumberland Avenue, who are to be
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heartily congratulated on having become possessed of such a valuable
historical colonial treasure, which will in their hands be safely preserved
and carefully nurtured.
The canoe shown here is one of the Murray Isles (lat. 10 S.) craft. The
sketch was made when the canoes came alongside H.M.S. " Investigator,"
offering cocoa-nuts and bows for barter, and is reproduced by the kind
permission of the Council of the Institute.
Zhc Oresbam ipvcse :
UNWIN BROTHERS,
WOKING AND LONDON
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY
Los Angeles
This book is DUE on the last date stamped below.
JRARY UiftNS
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