The Sportswoman's Library.
Vol. II.
[Illustration: _From a Sketch by W. L. Wyllie, A.R.A._
_For The Sportswoman's Library._
_PUNTS RACING._
(_THE START._)]
THE
SPORTSWOMAN'S LIBRARY.
EDITED BY
FRANCES E. SLAUGHTER.
VOLUME II.
[Illustration]
WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY
W. L. WYLLIE, A.R.A., CUTHBERT BRADLEY,
AND FROM PHOTOGRAPHS.
WESTMINSTER:
ARCHIBALD CONSTABLE & CO.,
NEW YORK:
LONGMANS, GREEN, & CO.,
1898.
DEDICATED
BY PERMISSION TO THE
MARCHIONESS OF WORCESTER
A KEEN SPORTSWOMAN AND WIFE
OF ONE OF THE FOREMOST
SPORTSMEN OF THE AGE.
BIRMINGHAM:
PRINTED AT THE GUILD PRESS. 45, GREAT CHARLES STREET.
THE SPORTSWOMAN'S LIBRARY.
Vol. II.
Contents.
Preface.
1. Cruising and Small Yacht Racing on the Solent.
Miss Barbara Hughes.
2. Punt Racing. Mrs. W. L. Wyllie.
3. In Red Deer Land. Mrs. Penn-Curzon.
4. Chase of the Carted Deer. The Editor.
5. Women's Hunters. The Editor.
6. Otter Hunting. Mrs. Wardell.
7. Salmon Fishing, with Notes on Trout and Coarse Fishing.
Susan, Countess of Malmesbury.
8. Fly Fishing. The Editor.
9. Driving. Miss Massey-Mainwaring.
10. Cycling. Mrs. A. C. Hills.
11. Fancy Figures and Musical Rides. Miss Van Wart.
12. Tennis. Miss Maud Marshall.
Appendix A. Glossary of Nautical Terms.
Appendix B. Rules of Lawn Tennis.
PREFACE.
When I look at the completed MSS. of the first volumes of the
_Sportswoman's Library_, I feel deeply grateful to the many good
sportswomen who have aided me in my work, not only for the great
stores of practical knowledge they have brought to bear on the several
subjects of which we have treated, but for the way in which they have
collaborated with me. For this my warmest thanks are due to them one
and all.
The object we have placed before us, is to give women the information
and help they are not likely to find in those books, which are written
chiefly from a man's point of view, and we have therefore avoided, as
far as possible, trenching on ground that has been already adequately
covered by those who, to sportsmen and sportswomen alike, are the
best authorities on the various subjects. If, therefore, our writings
sometimes seem to be wanting in completeness, it is, I venture to
think, to be attributed to this cause.
When I first gathered round me the body of contributors, some of whom
were personally unknown to me, I could but feel that the many threads
I held in my hand might prove to be a very "tangled skein," before
the work was brought to completion. This foreboding, however, I am
glad to say, was entirely without foundation, for each writer threw
herself into her part with such genuine determination to do the best
she could for the _matter_ of her work, that the minor details as to
the _manner_ in which it should be given to the world, did not assume
undue proportions, and there has been nothing to throw the slightest
shadow over the harmony in which we have worked. That the effort we
have thus jointly made to give some help to our sister-sportswomen may
be successful, is to wish the writers the best reward they can have,
for the labour they have bestowed.
Besides my fellow workers, I have a debt of gratitude to discharge
to all who have so kindly assisted me. Foremost among these I must
acknowledge the valuable help given by Lady Gifford, Mrs. Pryse-Rice,
Mrs. Cheape, and Miss Lloyd, of Bronwydd, without whose assistance I
could not have ventured to write on the subject of Hare-Hunting: by
Mr. T. F. Dale, author of _The Game of Polo_, whose great practical
knowledge of sport has made him an invaluable referee on many important
questions: by another good sportsman, Captain the Hon. R. C. Drummond,
who generously gave me the benefit of his advice on matters which have
been a lifelong study to him: by Elizabeth, Lady Wilton; Lady Theodora
Guest, Lady Gerard, Lady Dorothy Coventry, Mrs. Wrangham, Mrs. T. E.
Harrison, Miss Serrell, Mr. C. H. Bassett, late Master of the Devon and
Somerset Staghounds; Mr. Ian Heathcoat-Amory, Master of the Tiverton
Staghounds; Mr. W. L. Wyllie, A.R.A.; Miss Maud Earl, Miss Walrond, Mr.
Cuthbert Bradley, Dr. Lewis Mackenzie, Miss Florence Ritson, and Mrs.
Dudley Smith.
I must also acknowledge the help so readily given by Mr. Charles
Lancaster, and Messrs. Holland and Holland, on the sport with
which their names are so closely connected, and I must thank those
photographers who have exercised their skill on our behalf, viz.:
Messrs. Lombardi and Co., who, from the first, have helped us largely;
Messrs. Lambert Weston, J. Weston and Son, Stuart, Becken, and A.
Debenham.
My thanks are also due to the Proprietors of _Baily's Magazine_, _The
Field_, _The Gentlewoman_, and _The Lady's Pictorial_.
Lastly, I must discharge the debt of gratitude I owe Messrs. A.
Constable and Co., for the unfailing courtesy I have met with at their
hands, and for the hearty way in which they have thrown themselves into
the interests of the book.
Whether we have all succeeded in our object, viz., to give clear,
practical directions to women in the several outdoor recreations of
which we have written, it is for our readers to determine, and on their
verdict will depend the extension of our plan to other branches of
sports and pastimes.
To the great body of sportsmen, who so far have held almost undisputed
sway in the realm of sporting literature, I would plead:
"Softly, my Masters!
Do me this right--hear me with patience."
The Editor.
Beeding,
March 31st, 1898.
[Illustration: _MISS BARBARA HUGHES._
_Debenham and Smith._ _Southampton._]
CRUISING AND SMALL YACHT RACING ON THE SOLENT.
How can I with my poor pen do justice to all the delights of yachting
as practised on the Solent? We need a nautical Whyte Melville to
describe the joys of yacht-racing, and the real good sport which is its
chief characteristic.
What an exciting game it is, how enthralling, how interesting, and more
important still, how wholesome. What a benefit for city men to get
right away to the sea, and enjoy such a complete change and relaxation
as this racing affords. And how much they do appreciate it is shown by
the number of little boats owned by stockbrokers and others who can
only get down occasionally, but, nevertheless, keep their boats out
the whole season through, so as not to lose the chance of a sail when
their opportunity comes. Not on the principle that race-horses are
kept, either, as every one knows there is no chance of a racing boat
doing more than pay her own way at best, for the prizes are barely
adequate to meet the expenses.
Yacht-racing makes quite a new interest in life. The clever
mathematician can find a large field for his energies in the designing
line, and the keen sailor a never-wearying delight in developing to the
utmost the powers of the boat confided to him.
How much better than the London drawing-room's close atmosphere is the
fresh sea air, and the delightful freedom of bounding over the waves in
a well-equipped craft, with the additional pinch of excitement afforded
by racing. Let me assure you no fear of sea-sickness need deter any.
Many of us would not be proof against a long Channel swell in a large
steamer, but the motion of our little boats over the diminished waves
inside the Wight, is not likely to upset any but the most pronounced
bad sailor.
Besides, the excitement of racing drives away all qualms of that sort,
sea-sickness being, I believe, in most cases the result of boredom
and nervous anticipation as much as anything else. No one could hate
"yachting" as generally accepted more than I do. Anything so boring
as a long sea voyage in a great lumbering schooner, I cannot imagine.
The fact of "being taken," in nine cases out of ten, "where one would
not," without having a hand in the matter, with a large crew of slow
men to do all the work and take all the fun off one's hands, is to me
nothing but an aggravation. The deliberate "cut and dried" way in which
everything is done, the foresail being lowered and the peak eased when
about two miles from the moorings, and such cautious measures, fidget
me to death. There is this about racing, that one can never enjoy
cruising in the same way after one has experienced its far superior
joys. I must say, however, it is rather nice after the scrimmage of
a long day's racing, to get on board a solid old cruiser and bundle
peacefully home. But woe betide you if the wind is ahead, for you won't
get home that night. No, you must be of a very leisurely disposition,
and a great lover of Nature, for you to appreciate stereotyped
cruising. This kind of thing is about as different from our Solent
yachting, as the Derby is from a Margate donkey ride.
Of course I can understand the pleasure of cruising if the owner is
also master of his vessel, but such a state of things is the exception,
the owners mostly passing their time in standing about deck, or having
large meals below, utterly oblivious of their course, their compass,
or anything else. This must be a very stagnant amusement at the
best, impossible to an energetic disposition, and only suited to an
invalid, or man in his declining years. To people who lack any sporting
instincts, racing, I suppose, seems ridiculous, but if they love the
sea let them learn all about it, and navigate their own vessels like
men, instead of being mere passengers on board their own craft, while
their skipper is getting all the fun. Some women have taken their own
line in this matter, and having mastered the science of navigation,
are most enthusiastic on the subject, realising how it enhances a
hundred-fold the pleasures of a sea voyage.
The news of a large schooner being on the stocks now-a-days comes as
a surprise, as this type of vessel has almost entirely gone out of
fashion in this country. That is to say, though there are still several
to be seen about, the old ones being used because they are too good
to throw away, so to speak, no new ones have been built for years.
The advantages of steam are so great for cruising and travel, that
they outweigh the more pleasant sensation of sailing, which is the
schooner's only claim to superiority. The difference in the expense is
not very great after all, as you require double the crew in a sailing
craft, and at least double the time to accomplish your distance. So if
you want to get--say to Gibraltar--the chances are, that the extra time
for which you are paying your crew, would easily cover your coal bill
on the steamer. The auxiliary in nine cases out of ten proves a simple
farce. Many, I know, have never once set their sails. It requires all
the crew of an "out-and-out" sailing boat, and also the great unwieldly
spars, which make it a bad sea boat when not under canvas. I would only
recommend an auxiliary to a real wanderer, a born "man of the sea" like
Lord Brassey, for whom of course there is nothing like it. The variety
afforded in sailing and steaming on a lengthened sea trip, must be
attractive and resting, and when both courses are open, you would not
need to carry so much coal as in a steamer, or endure the wearisome
hours becalmed in a heavy swell, which are such a drawback to sailing.
The discomfort people will endure in the name of yachting, has always
been a marvel to me. The less they know about the life on board, the
more you will find they patiently put up with. They seem to think
because they are on a yacht, cleanliness, _cuisine_, even elbow-room
itself, should be entirely abjured. The miseries that rational,
civilised human beings will suffer in this respect, is a constant
source of wonder, to those who know how unnecessary they are. Not that
these sufferers do not like yachting, for they are even persuaded to
put their foot on board a yacht a second time after such experiences.
It is only novices in the game, however, that you will find suffering
these deprivations, for, believe me, there is no need for them. Do not
overcrowd your vessel, or cut her accommodation up into about a dozen
little cabins, into which you would not put a dog on land. You really
require double the room for living afloat that you do ashore, as even
your exercise has to be taken on board. There is nothing to prevent
your having most home comforts, a boiling hot sea-water bath every
morning, for example, and your meals served as well as they are in your
own house. Neither need you have a bed only two feet wide, so that
it is impossible to turn over without parting with the bedclothes. It
is no longer necessary to go about on all fours, even in a 20-tonner,
any size below which I would not recommend for a night's lodging.
[Illustration: _DAPHNE AND LIL._
_West and Son._ _Southsea._]
It is the custom of builders to furnish a small saloon with gigantic
sideboards, or lockers, as they are called. These are ugly, clumsy,
superfluous impediments, which are only made into receptacles for
every sort of rubbish, and take up an immense amount of room. There
is no need to have your store cupboard in the drawing-room, as by a
little ingenuity ample room can be devised in the pantry, and in a
safe on deck. Another plan is to have a passage down the side from
forward right away aft, which obviates the perpetual disturbance of
the stewards passing through your sitting-room. There is then only
one door, which necessarily makes a much cosier room. Unless you are
an assured good sailor, do not be beguiled into occupying the "after
cabin," which is likewise called the "ladies' cabin." How it earned
this appellation I am at a loss to explain, as I was always brought up
to suppose ladies came first, and if they are relegated to the after
cabin they very decidedly come off second-best. There is twice the
motion aft that there is in the middle of the vessel, and in a steamer
you feel twice the vibration, beside being right over the screw.
How one gets spoilt! I remember sailing about as proud as Punch in
an old Itchen ferry boat, with ragged sails and tarred topsides. The
distances we used to cover, and the weather we went through in this
old _Zephyr_ are a wonder to look back upon. The whole day, from nine
in the morning till nine at night, used to be spent on board, and the
experience never palled, as far as I remember. Large lunches were
always provided, in case of our getting becalmed, or stuck on the mud,
both very frequent occurrences. We were always out to tea, and to boil
the kettle in a choppy sea was the great excitement. There was only
a kind of dog-hole place forward, where this important function took
place. It was a severe test for the best "sailor" to balance a hot
lamp, head over ears in methylated spirits, the hot fumes of which
inundated the small cabin, while she patiently waited till the water
boiled.
It was even worse at night, when a smelly paraffin lamp which would
have made the atmosphere almost unbearable ashore, had to be endured,
and in a small and lively boat was certainly trying. When we were
"caught out" on our way home from some long expedition, the unfortunate
women of the party used to be thrust into this salubrious resort,
ostensibly for their own comfort, really and truly, to get them out
of the way. That _was_ a place, when there were half a dozen women in
there, a paraffin lamp, and the door shut! If one of us ventured so
much as to open a chink of door, it was instantly shut again, with
such exclamations from our male tyrants as--"Whatever you want to come
out for, into all this wet and cold, when you can be warm and cosy in
there, I can't think," upon which the brow-beaten female crawled back
disconsolate into her lair, muttering rebelliously. And yet we were
nothing daunted. Out we would be again with the dawn, to go through all
the same thing without a dissenting thought.
We had not even the luxury of a paid hand in those days, my brother,
and my sisters and myself doing all the work, which was a splendid
education in more ways than one. I reluctantly confess I am spoilt for
this sort of thing now, though I shall always look back upon the time
with pleasure, and I very much doubt if it was not one of the most
enjoyable experiences in my life. It was all so new, so different from
inland amusements, and I then learnt that a sea life has a charm all
its own.
In 1888 we hired a 40-ton old-fashioned yawl called the _Fox_, with
which we went in for the regular stereotyped cruising, as generally
accepted. It was not a success, and I cannot say I enjoyed it. My back
was always aching from stooping, and there was a permanent bruise on my
head from constant impact with the beams. Besides, we were always being
thwarted in our most urgent desires by the weather--as the skipper
said--_really_ by the incompetence of the vessel to cope with the
elements. It was never worth while for instance starting with a head
wind, as the time the yawl would take in accomplishing any distance,
would have worn even Job's patience to a shadow.
Of course we share the sailor's love of fishing, and two large trawlers
have been built at Brixham, by my brother and brother-in-law, for the
special purpose. The _Goddess_ was a huge great yawl, most comfortable
below, and a grand sea boat. We did plenty of trawling in her, miles
outside the Eddystone, and made some grand hauls. She had an enormous
great trawl-beam, and steam to get it with. Night was the best time
for fishing, and we were not spared if we happened to be enjoying our
beauty sleep, when the momentous four hours were up. The row of course
would have awaked the dead, and so we scrimmaged into our clothes and
rushed on deck ready to claw the great net on board. A waterproof
overall and indiarubber boots were essential for this performance,
and old gauntlet gloves were a precaution against stinging fish,
advisable for the uninitiated. What a grand sight it was. Picture a
bright moonlight night, when you were alone on the great rolling ocean,
nothing in sight except perhaps the fitful gleam of the Eddystone in
the far distance. The great vessel with shortened sail, dipping and
curtseying to the proud billows which toyed with her bulky form, as
though it was nothing more than a feather. Then amidst great shouting
and racket, the huge trawl-beam was brought slowly alongside, and the
heavy net was clawed on board full of treasures from "the hallowed
precincts of the deep." What a flippering was there, from whiting,
soles, red mullet, etc., etc. What wonderful curiosities do live in
Davey Jones' locker. All kinds of leggy, finny, and jelly mollusca,
none of them very appetising in appearance, and most of them imbued
with some formidable means of defence, such as a sting or a prickle.
Once we got two enormous dog-fish, measuring five foot long, they were
a great nuisance, as they cut the net all to pieces and were no good to
man or beast.
One of the best hauls we ever made was in the _Wayfarer_, my brother's
trawler, between Torquay and Dartmouth, when we had the whole deck full
of fish, mostly whiting and soles, and the trouble was to get rid of
them, even though we supplied every one in Dartmouth, and that in the
time of the regatta.
Brixham and Bosham fishermen are much pleasanter to deal with than
the self-styled "Yachtsmen," and they give much less trouble, do more
work and require less wage. The custom of making a friend of the
"Captain" is a huge mistake, as these individuals are usually the most
wholesale extortioners that exist. The exorbitant wages they demand
for filling a luxurious billet would stagger a longshoreman, and the
petty pilferings, nominally perquisites, in which they indulge are
what really make yachting so expensive. The familiar manner of some of
these brass-bound autocrats is simply atrocious. They seem to consider
themselves complete masters of the situation, and treat the owner and
his friends as so much superfluous cargo to be ordered about at their
desire. This, without any exaggeration, is the state of things on
numerous yachts I could name, more especially those with lady-owners.
To turn now to clothes, that all important point to members of my sex.
I can only venture to suggest the merest hints, as really it is not a
subject on which I am an authority, that is to say, if one is supposed
to practise what one preaches. Brown in any form is to be avoided on
the water, it is unspeakably ugly, and a number of people dressed in
brown on a boat would destroy its appearance, be it never so smart.
Nothing looks so well as white and red, or dark blue, but not black.
Blue gauze veils are useful, but not ornamental, though a broad-brimmed
sailor hat embraces both these virtues.
I have been twice to the Mediterranean, once in a sailing boat, the
_Goddess_, and once in a steam yacht, the _Normania_. So I will close
my cruising yarns with a description of what we experienced at the
hands of a Greek pilot. We were between the Piræus and Corfu one
evening when it came on suddenly very dark and dirty. Being a very
determined party of women on board, we made a stand for taking shelter
behind one of the islands. We all "held a board" on the chart, but
could see no harbour of refuge equal to sheltering our sumptuous craft.
The little Greek pilot however proved equal to the occasion. Pointing
out a small indentation in the coast, he urged us to confide in him,
and he would guarantee us a peaceful night. Accordingly we slowed down
the engines, and made for a faint red light. The chart, by the bye,
said this light should be green, but that was neither here nor there.
There was a rocky promontory sticking out with a lighthouse on the end,
where was the aforesaid red light that should have been _green_. This
our valiant pilot steered straight for. It was blowing a sirocco, with
thick rain and a heavy sea, nevertheless we all stood on the bridge to
watch the hazardous venture. On we went, straight for the rocks where
the rollers were breaking. It was becoming decidedly interesting, and
as the chart evidently did not consider the place worth its serious
attention, we could no longer look to that for guidance. Very soon
the darkness and hurly-burly of the storm lifted for a second, and
displayed a most disorganizing prospect. We were almost on the beach on
the starboard side, and could have thrown a biscuit into the lighthouse
window on the port, and there was land right ahead. We were in a little
pocket, a neck of rocks which ran parallel to the coast, taking the
fury of the waves, and affording a good shelter. But a tighter place
for a five hundred ton vessel could not be imagined. When we looked
out of our ports in the morning, we were still more astonished, for
without exaggeration we could have held easy converse with the people
ashore all round the vessel, while our bow positively overshadowed the
small quay. It was a place into which one would have hesitated to take
a 50-tonner with twin screws in broad daylight, and for a 500-tonner to
get in safely in a howling hurricane, and when it was pitch dark, was
indeed a feat of ingenuity.
Of course it entailed backing out, but as the yacht fortunately was a
very handy vessel, this was safely accomplished. Such little incidents,
which lend a piquancy to cruising dispel the monotony, and while they
keep up the interest in the manipulation of your vessel, also serve to
entertain your friends on getting home.
Yacht-racing is in every respect a sport suited to our sex. No unseemly
gymnastics, no over-straining or over-tiring, no cruelty can be laid
to its charge, in fact nothing to offend the most exacting upholder of
the feminine. Yet Yacht-racing is open to abuse, though even here in a
lesser degree, perhaps, than other amusements. Where it stands alone,
is that in it a woman can compete on equal terms with man.
Yacht-racing needs much study, and should not be attempted till the
ordinary art of sailing is thoroughly understood. It is the most
delightful education in the world, the most interesting and healthful.
It becomes so engrossing you will not rest till you understand the
whole thing, and know the why and wherefore of all the different moves.
It is not advisable to order a boat of your own till you have served
an apprenticeship as "hand." Very few people are now contented to go
as "hand" or "crew," every one preferring to "paddle his own canoe."
Nevertheless it is delightful to go in a well managed boat where you
have full confidence in the skipper, and a beginner should certainly
not be above it. She will then see how much there is in "handling,"
and realize how many races are won solely by clever management and
attention to small details. At any rate do not attempt to have a boat
of your own for the first time until you have secured an experienced
racing skipper. When you have done this be guided by him entirely to
start with, only you will do well to be still more particular than
he is in adhering to the Yacht Racing Association Rules, which of
course you should know by heart. If you are racing do what the skipper
tells you instantly, and do not wait to ask the reason first, do that
afterwards.
The great secret of racing is to keep your wits about you, do
everything "smartly," never hesitate or waver between two opinions at
a critical moment, for that will merely lose you the race. The need of
prompt decision is one of the most exciting features of racing, now it
has been brought to such perfection. One _faux pas_ and you are done if
the wind stops true, but on the other hand it seldom answers to give
up, as you need never despair of the wind veering round and coming to
the rescue, even if you have made a blunder. To be really good in a
boat you should have done some single-handed work, but this is not to
be recommended until you are well grounded in the rudiments of sailing,
or you will very shortly be "well grounded" on something harder still.
The single-handed matches in one-raters which were witnessed in 1895
and 1896 were excellent trials of skill, as was shown by the results.
It is impossible to exaggerate the difficulty of sailing those boats
single-handed in rough weather, for it is a task worthy of a Sandow and
a Carter rolled into one, and the greatest _kudos_ is therefore due to
those sportsmen who brought their boats safely across the winning line.
There were some "lame ducks" too, through no fault of their own, and
many I regret to say made but a poor show of their prowess. There is
plenty of variety, however, in racing without going to any extremes,
or attempting impossibilities like those single-handed matches. A
half-rater would be quite as much as one man could manage properly in
rough weather.
[Illustration: _Becken._ _Cowes._
_ONE-RATERS AT COWES._]
Every year affords fresh interests, as the type of boat alters, for
there is skill required to get them into trim and learn their ways.
Each individual boat, too, wants different handling, and it will often
be a surprise to an adept in one boat, to find himself quite adrift in
another. Steering has been steadily becoming more difficult hitherto,
but now I fancy there will be a return to the fixed rudders we began
with, which are much easier to handle than the balanced ones of later
years. The business will not then be as fidgety, or require such close
attention, as with balanced rudders your boat which may be ever so
light on her helm, will be constantly veering about and getting off her
course, if you do not keep an undeviating watch on your steering. Of
course it all makes it more interesting, because more difficult, but in
a way it is not an advantage for the helmsman to be entirely engrossed
with his steering, unless he can conscientiously rely on his "crew" to
do the rest.
To enjoy racing to the full you should have it all in your own hands
with no one to say you "nay," otherwise that spirit of independence--so
rarely enjoyed by our sex--is lost. The sensation of being master of
your own vessel, with the helm in your hand and a willing crew to
do your commands, unquestionably, these are elements which should
be experienced to be enjoyed. As a man is dependent on his eye for
shooting, his hands for driving, his pocket for betting, so does he
depend on his wits for sailing. To be a good skipper you must above all
things have a clear head and plenty in it, for there is much to learn
and to keep up. Yacht racing has now attained to a pitch of perfection
verging on science, and to succeed in it you must have observation,
self-control, perseverance, good ready judgment and self-reliance,
besides many other qualities too numerous to mention, such as patience
and cheerfulness. There is nothing to compare to yacht-racing in my
opinion for a woman's sport, calling into play as it does all these
qualities, besides giving the wholesome enjoyment of an ocean life.
I began my racing career practically in 1886, though I had had some
experience with a little boat called _Fairy_, which my father had
bought from Picket of Southampton. This boat had been built for letting
out to pleasure-parties, and was nearly as broad as she was long. Some
years before this he--my father--had built the 60-tonner _Vanguard_,
and as he was a great connoisseur on boats he made a good hit in buying
the little pleasure-boat, _Fairy_. She and the _Bird o' Freedom_ were
the pioneers of that now famous body the Solent classes. With some
slight alterations to the keel, and with the addition of a large jib to
the sail plan, little _Fairy_ proved herself capable of beating the
_Bird o' Freedom_, which was then the greatest flyer of the day. This
caused some surprise to the faculty--who were few in those days--and
some of them decided to try and beat her the following season.
Consequently 1886 saw the _Minima_ and _Tootsie_ added to the list, and
some jealous competitions ensued.
[Illustration: _West and Son._ _Southsea._
_READY FOR THE START._
(_MYNAH, HOOPOO, STORK, AND MOLLY._)]
The Royal Southampton and Portsmouth Corinthian Yacht Clubs came to the
rescue and gave fortnightly matches for the small craft, as well as
for the 25 and 30 footers. Then the fun grew fast and furious, for the
small boat racing having been given the necessary fillip, the designers
put their best foot foremost and the sport was fairly started. A
motley crew it was that assembled off the Town Quay every Saturday
fortnight. Most of the boats were of the nice little cruiser type,
slow as a country dinner party, nevertheless so enshrouded in canvas
as to present a most sporting appearance. Any deficiency in design was
balanced by unlimited additions in canvas, no expense being spared
in sailcloth to make up the necessary speed. And how zealous was the
competition! Life and death might have hung on the issue, judging by
the ardour and agility displayed in the management of the boats.
"Every dog has his day," and this was the heyday of the Dauntless
Amateur. An eager, perspiring, undefeated creature was he! Minus hat
and socks, having shed all superfluities in clothing, he gallantly
plied his task before the mast. Any effort to persuade him further
aft, or into the "well," were unavailing. He loved to stand boldly
up forward, the wind running riot through his hair, the poor boat
shoving along all out of trim, owing to his misplaced weight, while he
gallantly stood at attention, eager to signify that he was "ready for
anything." However we shall see our hatless, sockless friend no more,
his place being now filled by the peerless Itchen ferryman at thirty
shillings a week.
The richest man now has the best boat, and if he does not get it the
first time he goes on building till he succeeds. The same with the
crew, the man with well-lined pockets gets all the best men by paying
the best wages. But still even the designers are not wholly responsible
for what their craft will turn out, as was proved by Sibbick building
the unsuccessful _White Rose_ for the Duke of York. Other cases I could
also mention where money was no object, and boat after boat untiringly
turned out for the same owner, yet without success. Then some lucky
man may get a boat from the same designer which will clear the board
for two or three seasons, her capacities having been all unknown to the
designer himself.
How we managed in those days of unlimited canvas with only two hands
remains a mystery. What with the enormous topsail and all the extra
gear it entailed, the long spinnaker, boom, etc., and the largest
mainsail that could be crammed on, the wonder is that we ever gybed
round a mark at all, without capsizing the whole lot overboard. The
gear of course was very much stouter and the boats slower on their
helms than they are now, or it could not have been done. We have the
same crew on a one-rater now that we used to have on the 25-footer
_Lil_, which is most astonishing to think of when we compare the two
boats. True they are practically the same _length_, but with what a
difference in build. The _Lil_ was a regular ship with her enormous
spars and canvas, and her well timbered heavy hull and large cabin,
whereas these little one-raters are mere cockle shells without half
the amount of gear, nor are they nearly so hard on it. Nevertheless,
anyone will tell you it is impossible now-a-days to manage a one-rater
properly with less than two hands, and _that_ with only two sails
instead of four.
The first race I think ever sailed by women was between us--my sisters
and myself--in the _Fairy_, and the Miss Coxes in their sister ship
_Colinette_, I believe the Miss Hammersleys also formed part of the
rival crew. I have but a vague recollection of the whole thing, being
too young at the time really to grasp the situation in its full value,
or for it to make any great impression on my mind, as I was always
being taken racing in some boat or other. In 1885, we were again
rivals in _Verena_ and _Lil_, one of the Miss Coxes always going in
the former, and one of us in the _Lil_. These were great wholesome
boats with enormous sails, and we managed to do a lot of cruising
between the races, which in those days only took place once a week. The
_Lil_ had quite a nice deep cabin which was the pride of our lives,
pictures being hung in every available space, and little curtains and
cushions to match. Little _Fairy_ meanwhile was "not quite dead yet,"
and in 1888 "came up smiling" to fight the battle and the breeze in
a resuscitated form. That year she proved herself no mean opponent,
and succeeded in making the same figure of merit as _Thalassa_, the
champion of the previous year. This success was due to a fin keel, an
experiment of my father's which has since been through almost every
imaginable variation, and still holds sway in a modified form among the
smaller classes.
In 1887, Miss Cox built the _Madcap_ at Payne's, and divided the honour
with _Thalassa_, also a two-and-a-half-rater by Payne. The latter
belonged to Colonel Bucknill, whose daughters are now so well known on
the Solent. Miss Bucknill is indeed much sought after as a helmswoman,
and with good cause, as she has learnt the work thoroughly and is as
proficient at the helm as she is on the jib sheet. Her father has raced
steadily every season since 1886, and she has almost always accompanied
him and shared in the work most gallantly. I cannot be quite sure if we
sailed _Fairy_ or _Lil_ that year, 1887, but I think both went to the
line, my brother also designed a five-rater with but little success,
being young he had to buy his experience of course, and learnt the
advisability of going to Arthur Payne in future.
The year 1889 was a memorable one for us, as we were fortunate enough
to possess the champion two-and-a-half-rater by Payne. _Hummingbird_
was a charming boat in every respect, comparatively roomy, a good sea
boat, and a wonderful performer to windward. She gained twenty-five
firsts and four seconds, out of thirty-eight starts, and succeeded
in routing three creations of the famous G. L. Watson. It was one of
these, the _Thief_, which my sister, Mrs. Schenley, had the misfortune
to possess. A most uncomfortable little craft it was. Only about five
foot beam, with decks like sieves, and we were all crammed into little
holes or cockpit places with only our head and shoulders out, for
all the world like chickens coming out of an egg. That was really my
introduction to racing. I had to work hard, as it was not the boat to
take people in who did nothing. We were fortunate in securing Charlie
Devis, who is now considered almost if not quite the best skipper on
the Solent. He was then little more than a boy, so we were all young
and enthusiastic together, and despite the many drawbacks I think
we all enjoyed that season thoroughly. At any rate we were nothing
daunted, and only waited till the next year to renew our efforts in a
five-rater of the same type.
[Illustration: _West and Son._ _Southsea._
_THIEF._]
This was also Lord Dunraven's début on the Solent, and he was not
much better off than we were, having a sister ship to ours, by name
_Cosette_. Therefore, with the _Queen Mab_, _G.G._, _Lady Nan_ (Mrs.
Rudstan Reid), _Thalassa_ and _Madcap_ (Miss Cox), we had to be content
to compete for second honours, the _Hummer_ always carrying off the
first.
I might here put in a word in season, on the evils resulting from
keeping rival boats in the family. The battles are bound to be
re-fought over the domestic board again in the evening, and of the
two the wordy war is by far the most bitter and lasting. The envy and
jealousy of the defeated cannot fail to show itself, and even the
conqueror owes the other a grudge, for having so much as dared to get
in his way at the start! We learnt the lesson in 1887, and have kept
studiously clear of each other's hunting grounds ever since, even
counselling our friends not to put our fidelity to so severe a test as
to join the same class. It was this year that Mr. Philip Perceval made
his début with the _Lollypop_, a boat he bought from Mr. St. Julien
Arabin. Since that time Mr. Perceval has been an enthusiastic member of
yacht-racing circles, and is now almost as well known on the Solent as
Calshot Castle. Most lucky in his boats, whatever he touches must turn
to gold, and besides this phenomenal luck, he has unrivalled skill at
the helm and in the general manipulation of the craft. So his racing
record must be indeed a remarkable one. Perhaps some day he will be
persuaded to publish it, in all its branches.
At the end of this season, a ladies' match was sailed in the sister
ships _Cosette_ and _Queen Mab_. Miss Bucknill was at the helm of the
former, and Miss Harvey had the _Queen Mab_. It is much to be regretted
that Miss Harvey did not persevere in her racing career, as she showed
much ability and came of a nautical family. Her father, Mr. E. Harvey,
was well known as one of the original members of the squadron. The race
was very interesting and well managed, but far be it from me to say
which proved herself the better steerer. Lord Dunraven and Mr. Perceval
who now had the racing fever, had both built five-raters at Payne's
and divided the honours in that class. Mrs. Schenley determined to
make another experiment with Mr. Watson's design in the five-raters.
The _Valentine_, however, was a worse failure than the _Thief_ had
been, _Glycera_ and _Alwida_ being always first and second. The stern
chase became rather wearisome, and we did not keep at it so steadily
as we should have, only starting twenty-six times to the others forty.
We managed to pick up five first and four second prizes, chiefly in
light weather. The _Babe_, Mr. Payne's design, was champion of the
two-and-a-half-raters, and poor old _Hummer_, which had served us in
such good stead the year before, was clearly worsted. She was beginning
the season in her old style, when the dreaded advent of the _Babe_ put
an end to her prosperous career, and she had a hard struggle till the
end of the season to keep up her old traditions. I sailed many times
on _Hummer_ and _Cock-a-whoop_, my brother's two-and-a-half-rater,
and on the former I said less, but thought the more, as my father's
seamanship was undisputed, and his tactics a wonder to behold. That
year the inventive genius of Mr. Clayton, champion designer of the old
length classers, produced the _Dolphin_, also a two-and-a-half-rater.
She was looked at with decided disapproval and some disgust by the
rival faculty, as her over-hang was considered a crafty mode of
cheating the rule. So it was, and continues to be to this day in a
still larger degree, but after all it is the designer's object to
get as much as he can out of the rule, without paying for it in time
allowance. Miss Cox and her sister, now Mrs. Rudston Reid, both built
two-and-a-half-raters, which they sailed most conscientiously but
without much success. Miss Cox's _Mliss_ did the better of the two, the
_Troublesome_ not being a morsel of use except in light air. However,
it was a very strong class, and of course _every_ one could not expect
to win. Mrs. Schenley was at last persuaded, in 1891, to give Payne
an order, and he proved himself fully equal to the trust confided
in him, by producing that most delightful of boats the _Windfall_.
Seaworthiness, dryness, roominess, and lightness of helm were some
of her qualifications, besides her exceptional speed. War to the
knife ensued between us and Mr. Perceval, who had likewise got a new
five-rater from Payne. We came out of the fray each with thirty-four
flags, _Windfall's_ string however being the better by six firsts,
indicated her superiority by six conquests out of the forty deadly
conflicts. These struggles have never been renewed, the ordeal having
been too great for both sides.
The small pickings left over and above, namely nine first prizes and
twelve second, were shared by _Alwida_ and _Iernia_ respectively. The
latter boat, one of Fife's failures, was owned by that genial Irishman,
Mr. Langrishe, who had previously sold the famous _Samæna_ to join the
ranks of the owners of the smaller classes, to which he has remained
faithful ever since. He placed his confidence from the first in young
Mr. Charles Nicholson, who ultimately proved more than equal to the
trust reposed in him, and he designed the _Dacia_ in 1892. Miss Cox
was again at a discount with a most unattractive two-and-a-half-rater,
she called _Fiera_. This was one of the hard-mouthed type, and
wanted a fresh wind and a strong man at the helm. She gave a good
account of herself however on such occasions, and ran up a better
record than _Mliss_. Miss Harvey was the possessor of a very pretty
two-and-a-half-rater called _Undine_, built from a design by Mr.
Clayton. This last was still more of an advance towards the type of
the present day, and no doubt would have made a good performance then
if she had been raced. She only showed up once or twice, however, and
so of course never had a chance of getting into trim or anything else.
Possibly Miss Harvey was put off by a collision she had with the
_Windfall_ during the Cowes week. It was very unfortunate, but not her
fault as I can testify. Nevertheless it was none the better for that,
and I remember pointing out the best place on the _Windfall_ for her
to ram with the least danger. _Undine's_ bowsprit accordingly went
clean through _Windfall_, just forward of the mast, and then the two
boats got locked together and the spars began falling about our ears.
There was a strong wind and a still stronger tide, and we were rapidly
driven under the bows of a large steamer _Gladwyn_. The _Undine_ had
the inside berth between _Windfall_ and _Gladwyn_, and as _Windfall_
got across the tide she fairly ground poor little _Undine's_ frail
hull till the timbers groaned again. Meanwhile the gallant crew of the
_Gladwyn_ insisted on dragging us ladies up over the bows, and this was
the most alarming part of all, as it was such a height. The owner of
the _Gladwyn_, who was in the Squadron at the time, was much surprised
a little later to see a strange lot of rather dilapidated females,
being rowed ashore in his gig.
[Illustration: _West and Son._ _Southsea._
_NADADOR._]
I must not forget to mention that lively little club at Bembridge,
situated on a remote corner of the Wight, near to which is the double
attraction of a superior golf-links. The Bembridge Sailing Club, or
"B and S" Club, as it is irreverently called, was started in 1889 by
Colonel Moreton and Major du Boulay. Some of the rules were nothing if
not eccentric, and I am told the favourite hour for match sailing was
about midnight. The women were duly considered in this club, and most
ably did they acquit themselves in the one design class.
Miss Sutton was tempted out to the more easterly regattas, when she had
a half-rater called _Wee-Winn_, of which more later on. Miss Moreton,
Miss Hallows, and Mrs. Dudley Ward and her daughters, were among the
other Bembridge sailoresses, though of course many more came down in
August to this cheerful little resort.
The next year, 1892, both our family boats were beaten by a new talent,
young Mr. C. Nicholson. It was a great thing bringing a new brain to
bear on the matter, as for the previous five years Arthur Payne had
held the whole sway, and prior to that Mr. Clayton. These boats went
quite fast enough to make a good race of it amongst themselves, and
though they assuredly were hard to beat yet they _were_ beaten by the
_Dacia_ in the five-rater, and the _Gareth_ in the two-and-a-half-rater
class. The latter was the property of Mr. Henderson, who was indeed
fortunate, as he was a complete novice, to own the champion of three
seasons. Lord Dudley bought _Dacia_ from Mr. Langrishe in the middle of
the season for a fabulous price, nevertheless the latter was generally
to be seen at the helm. Lord Dunraven's _Cyane_, from Mr. Payne's
design, was at the old game of shovelling the first prizes into her
locker, until _Dacia_ came out and put a stop to it. The pace of this
flyer soon spread dismay in the class, which was not very well filled
even at first, and soon no one could be got to start against her,
until she went down to Torbay to show a boastful Scotch antagonist the
way round the course. The rivalry between North and South is always
exceedingly bitter, but latterly the Scotchmen have not thought it
_infra dig._ to come to the South for their best designs in the small
classes. It would be more patriotic, to say the least of it, if the
best Clyde amateurs were to challenge us in their home manufactures,
otherwise their triumphs are but reflected glories after all.
[Illustration: _West and Son._ _Southsea._
_MORWENA, STEERED BY MISS SUTTON._]
A little stranger from over the water appeared this year (1892), to the
order of Miss Winnie Sutton. _Wee Winn_, however, did not belie her
somewhat ambitious appellation, as is often the case. On the contrary,
she amply fulfilled it, and the tiny Yankee did her country great
credit, and that in what we flattered ourselves to be a very formidable
class. She had nine competitors from four different designers, and
yet fairly walked round the lot. Her performances were the signal
for further Yankee inroads, and 1893 saw two American boats, namely
_Meneen_ and _Morwena_, added to the list. So now there was an American
in all three classes from two-and-a-half downwards, and to our shame
be it said each one headed her class. It was not till the year 1897
either, that _Meneen_ may fairly be said to have been outclassed, her
construction also was a masterpiece of lightness and durability. Her
record was forty prizes in forty-nine starts, and this with seven
rivals, one of Mr. Nicholson's design and one of Mr. Payne's included.
Mrs. Hardie Jackson constantly accompanied her husband in _Meneen_, and
was as at home on the water as she is known to be in the saddle. This
was not a propitious year for South coast designers, as Fife held the
laurels in the five and likewise in the twenty class. The twenties
were a new institution promoted by Lord Dunraven, and they flourished
for four years as Solent classes, but last season (1897) no new ones
came to the line except towards the end of July.