three men in a boat-第31部分

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Being　out　in　a　boat　on　the　river　Lea；　especially　on　Saturday　afternoons；　

soon　makes　you　smart　at　handling　a　craft；　and　spry　at　escaping　being　run　

down　by　roughs　or　swamped　by　barges；　and　it　also　affords　plenty　of　

opportunity　for　acquiring　the　most　prompt　and　graceful　method　of　lying　

down　flat　at　the　bottom　of　the　boat　so　as　to　avoid　being　chucked　out　into　

the　river　by　passing　tow…lines。



But　it　does　not　give　you　style。　　It　was　not　till　I　came　to　the　Thames　

that　I　got　style。　　My　style　of　rowing　is　very　much　admired　now。　　People　

say　it　is　so　quaint。



George　never　went　near　the　water　until　he　was　sixteen。　　Then　he　and　eight　

other　gentlemen　of　about　the　same　age　went　down　in　a　body　to　Kew　one　

Saturday；　with　the　idea　of　hiring　a　boat　there；　and　pulling　to　Richmond　

and　back；　one　of　their　number；　a　shock…headed　youth；　named　Joskins；　who　

had　once　or　twice　taken　out　a　boat　on　the　Serpentine；　told　them　it　was　

jolly　fun；　boating！



The　tide　was　running　out　pretty　rapidly　when　they　reached　the　landing…

stage；　and　there　was　a　stiff　breeze　blowing　across　the　river；　but　this　

did　not　trouble　them　at　all；　and　they　proceeded　to　select　their　boat。



There　was　an　eight…oared　racing　outrigger　drawn　up　on　the　stage；　that　was　

the　one　that　took　their　fancy。　　They　said　they'd　have　that　one；　please。　　

The　boatman　was　away；　and　only　his　boy　was　in　charge。　　The　boy　tried　to　

damp　their　ardour　for　the　outrigger；　and　showed　them　two　or　three　very　

comfortable…looking　boats　of　the　family…party　build；　but　those　would　not　

do　at　all；　the　outrigger　was　the　boat　they　thought　they　would　look　best　

in。



So　the　boy　launched　it；　and　they　took　off　their　coats　and　prepared　to　

take　their　seats。　　The　boy　suggested　that　George；　who；　even　in　those　

days；　was　always　the　heavy　man　of　any　party；　should　be　number　four。　　

George　said　he　should　be　happy　to　be　number　four；　and　promptly　stepped　

into　bow's　place；　and　sat　down　with　his　back　to　the　stern。　　They　got　him　

into　his　proper　position　at　last；　and　then　the　others　followed。



A　particularly　nervous　boy　was　appointed　cox；　and　the　steering　principle　

explained　to　him　by　Joskins。　　Joskins　himself　took　stroke。　　He　told　the　

others　that　it　was　simple　enough；　all　they　had　to　do　was　to　follow　him。



They　said　they　were　ready；　and　the　boy　on　the　landing　stage　took　a　boat…

hook　and　shoved　him　off。



What　then　followed　George　is　unable　to　describe　in　detail。　　He　has　a　

confused　recollection　of　having；　immediately　on　starting；　received　a　

violent　blow　in　the　small　of　the　back　from　the　butt…end　of　number　five's　

scull；　at　the　same　time　that　his　own　seat　seemed　to　disappear　from　under　

him　by　magic；　and　leave　him　sitting　on　the　boards。　　He　also　noticed；　as　a　

curious　circumstance；　that　number　two　was　at　the　same　instant　lying　on　

his　back　at　the　bottom　of　the　boat；　with　his　legs　in　the　air；　apparently　

in　a　fit。



They　passed　under　Kew　Bridge；　broadside；　at　the　rate　of　eight　miles　an　

hour。　Joskins　being　the　only　one　who　was　rowing。　　George；　on　recovering　

his　seat；　tried　to　help　him；　but；　on　dipping　his　oar　into　the　water；　it　

immediately；　to　his　intense　surprise；　disappeared　under　the　boat；　and　

nearly　took　him　with　it。



And　then　〃cox〃　threw　both　rudder　lines　over…board；　and　burst　into　tears。



How　they　got　back　George　never　knew；　but　it　took　them　just　forty　minutes。　　

A　dense　crowd　watched　the　entertainment　from　Kew　Bridge　with　much　

interest；　and　everybody　shouted　out　to　them　different　directions。　　Three　

times　they　managed　to　get　the　boat　back　through　the　arch；　and　three　times　

they　were　carried　under　it　again；　and　every　time　〃cox〃　looked　up　and　saw　

the　bridge　above　him　he　broke　out　into　renewed　sobs。



George　said　he　little　thought　that　afternoon　that　he　should　ever　come　to　

really　like　boating。



Harris　is　more　accustomed　to　sea　rowing　than　to　river　work；　and　says　

that；　as　an　exercise；　he　prefers　it。　　I　don't。　　I　remember　taking　a　small　

boat　out　at　Eastbourne　last　summer：　I　used　to　do　a　good　deal　of　sea　

rowing　years　ago；　and　I　thought　I　should　be　all　right；　but　I　found　I　had　

forgotten　the　art　entirely。　　When　one　scull　was　deep　down　underneath　the　

water；　the　other　would　be　flourishing　wildly　about　in　the　air。　　To　get　a　

grip　of　the　water　with　both　at　the　same　time　I　had　to　stand　up。　　The　

parade　was　crowded　with　nobility　and　gentry；　and　I　had　to　pull　past　them　

in　this　ridiculous　fashion。　　I　landed　half…way　down　the　beach；　and　

secured　the　services　of　an　old　boatman　to　take　me　back。



I　like　to　watch　an　old　boatman　rowing；　especially　one　who　has　been　hired　

by　the　hour。　　There　is　something　so　beautifully　calm　and　restful　about　

his　method。　　It　is　so　free　from　that　fretful　haste；　that　vehement　

striving；　that　is　every　day　becoming　more　and　more　the　bane　of　

nineteenth…century　life。　　He　is　not　for　ever　straining　himself　to　pass　

all　the　other　boats。　　If　another　boat　overtakes　him　and　passes　him　it　

does　not　annoy　him；　as　a　matter　of　fact；　they　all　do　overtake　him　and　

pass　him　…　all　those　that　are　going　his　way。　　This　would　trouble　and　

irritate　some　people；　the　sublime　equanimity　of　the　hired　boatman　under　

the　ordeal　affords　us　a　beautiful　lesson　against　ambition　and　uppishness。



Plain　practical　rowing　of　the　get…the…boat…along　order　is　not　a　very　

difficult　art　to　acquire；　but　it　takes　a　good　deal　of　practice　before　a　

man　feels　comfortable；　when　rowing　past　girls。　　It　is　the　〃time〃　that　

worries　a　youngster。　　〃It's　jolly　funny；〃　he　says；　as　for　the　twentieth　

time　within　five　minutes　he　disentangles　his　sculls　from　yours；　〃I　can　

get　on　all　right　when　I'm　by　myself！〃



To　see　two　novices　try　to　keep　time　with　one　another　is　very　amusing。　　

Bow　finds　it　impossible　to　keep　pace　with　stroke；　because　stroke　rows　in　

such　an　extraordinary　fashion。　　Stroke　is　intensely　indignant　at　this；　

and　explains　that　what　he　has　been　endeavouring　to　do　for　the　last　ten　

minutes　is　to　adapt　his　method　to　bow's　limited　capacity。　　Bow；　in　turn；　

then　becomes　insulted；　and　requests　stroke　not　to　trouble　his　head　about　

him　（bow）；　but　to　devote　his　mind　to　setting　a　sensible　stroke。



〃Or；　shall　I　take　stroke？〃　he　adds；　with　the　evident　idea　that　that　would　

at　once　put　the　whole　matter　right。



They　splash　along　for　another　hundred　yards　with　still　moderate　success；　

and　then　the　whole　secret　of　their　trouble　bursts　upon　stroke　like　a　

flash　of　inspiration。



〃I　tell　you　what　it　is：　you've　got　my　sculls；〃　he　cries；　turning　to　bow；　

〃pass　yours　over。〃



〃Well；　do　you　know；　I've　been　wondering　how　it　was　I　couldn't　get　on　with　

these；〃　answers　bow；　quite　brightening　up；　and　most　willingly　assisting　

in　the　exchange。　　〃NOW　we　shall　be　all　right。〃



But　they　are　not　…　not　even　then。　　Stroke　has　to　stretch　his　arms　nearly　

out　of　their　sockets　to　reach　his　sculls　now；　while　bow's　pair；　at　each　

recovery；　hit　him　a　violent　blow　in　the　chest。　　So　they　change　back　

again；　and　come　to　the　conclusion　that　the　man　has　given　them　the　wrong　

set　altogether；　and　over　their　mutual　abuse　of　this　man　they　become　quite　

friendly　and　sympathetic。



George　said　he　had　often　longed　to　take　to　punting　for　a　change。　　Punting　

is　not　as　easy　as　it　looks。　　As　in　rowing；　you　soon　learn　how　to　get　

along　and　handle　the　craft；　but　it　takes　long　practice　before　you　can　do　

this　with　dignity　and　without　getting　the　water　all　up　your　sleeve。



One　young　man　I　knew　had　a　very　sad　accident　happen　to　him　the　first　time　

he　went　punting。　　He　had　been　getting　on　so　well　that　he　had　grown　quite　

cheeky　over　the　business；　and　was　walking　up　and　down　the　punt；　working　

his　pole　with　a　careless　grace　that　was　quite　fascinating　to　watch。　　Up　

he　would　march　to　the　head　of　the　punt；　plant　his　pole；　and　then　run　

along　right　to　the　other　end；　just　like　an　old　punter。　　Oh！　it　was　grand。



And　it　would　all　have　gone　on　being　grand　if　he　had　not　unfortunately；　

while　looking　round　to　enjoy　the　scenery；　taken　just　one　step　more　than　

there　was　any　necessity　for；　and　walked　off　the　punt　altogether。　　The　

pole　was　firmly　fixed　in　the　mud；　and　he　was　left　clinging　to　it　while　

the　punt　drifted　away。　　It　was　an　undignified　position　for　him。　　A　rude　

boy　on　the　bank　immediately　yelled　out　to　a　lagging　chum　to　〃hurry　up　and　

see　real　monkey　on　a　stick。〃



I　could　not　go　to　his　assistance；　because；　as　ill…luck　would　have　it；　we　

had　not　taken　the　proper　precaution　to　bring　out　a　spare　pole　with　us。　　I　

could　only　sit　and　look　at　him。　　His　expression　as　the　pole　slowly　sank　

with　him　I　shall　never　forget；　there　was　so　much　thought　in　it。



I　watched　him　gently　let　down　into　the　water；　and　saw　him　scramble　out；　

sad　and　wet。　　I　could　not　help　laughing；　he　looked　such　a　ridiculous　

figure。　　I　continued　to　chuckle　to　myself　about　it　for　some　time；　and　

then　it　was　suddenly　forced　in　upon　me　that　really　I　had　got　very　little　

to　laugh　at　when　I　came　to　think　of　it。　　Here　was　I；　alone　in　a　punt；　

without　a　pole；　drifting　helplessly　down　mid…stream　…　possibly　towards　a　

weir。



I　began　to　feel　very　indignant　with　my　friend　for　having　stepped　

overboard　and　gone　off　in　that　way。　　He　might；　at　all　events；　have　left　

me　the　pole。



I　drifted　on　for　about　a　quarter　of　a　mile；　and　then　I　came　in　sight　of　a　

fishing…punt　moored　in　mid…stream；　in　which　sat　two　old　fishermen。　　They　

saw　me　bearing　down　upon　them；　and　they　called　out　to　me　to　keep　out　of　

their　way。



〃I　can't；〃　I　shouted　back。



〃But　you　don't　try；〃　they　answered。



I　explained　the　matter　to　them　when　I　got　nearer；　and　they　caught　me　and　

lent　me　a　pole。　　The　weir　was　just　fifty　yards　below。　　I　am　glad　they　

happened　to　be　there。



The　first　time　I　went　punting　was　in　company　with　three　other　fellows；　

they　were　going　to　show　me　how　to　do　it。　　We　could　not　all　start　

together；　so　I　said　I　would　go　down　first　and　get　out　the　punt；　a