Life — September 1, 1887 — page 10: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

122 A VISIT TO THE “THISTLE.” I response to a cordial invitation from the midshipman of the 7hzstle, Lire’s special Commodore visited the bonny little yacht on Friday last. Everything on board the trim little craft, from the spinnaker-boom sheets to the lee scuppers was as bright and clean as the proverbial button, and the celebrated basket of chips could give no more smiling a welcome to mortal man than Lire’s Commodore received when he walked up the taffrail and set foot on the starboard hatch, Captain Barr was standing to the left of the halliards as the Commodore arrived, and his face was a perfect picture of happiness as, with a stride towards the galleys, he extended his hand and in pure Scotch remarked : “Hoo doo you doo ?” The Commodore, not to be outdone in politeness, replied that he was well, and added: “ T see you have arrived, Captain Barr. I suppose you found the sae quite bleaky while crossing ?" “ Ay, but ye’re a tawpie gowk.” replied the Captain. “Indeed ! Well, I've crossed the ocean many times in my life, but I never knew it to be like that. However, the blyther heart of a man whose a man for a’ that don’t mind the sae when it gets to be tawpie, | suppose? You feel confident that the 7Assf/le will hae nae trible in gie’n the Volunteer an unco’ guid dribbing 2" continued the Commodore, adopt- ing the Scotch idiom for the occasion. * D'ye spowke English ?” asked the Captain. “No, thanks,” returned the Commodore at a loss to grasp the Captain's meaning, “I never drink behind the bar—that is, 1 don’t imbowb in the mairning.” “Do ye spowke English, I asked ye.” “Oh, speak English! why cert. If there's one language on the earth that I'm a ripper in, it's the lingo de da Rene.” “Well, suppose you drop this butter Scotch you've been talking ‘and try the mother tongue for a while,” said the “ALL ASLEEP." - LIFE: “Step Sor tity.” Captain, “I find I'm apt to misunderstand people who read Burns's poems and then think they can speak Scotch.” From this point the conversation was bandied in pure Saxon. Captain Barr politely showed the Commodore all over his vessel and explained such innovations as seemed incom- prehensible to the visitor. The 7/zstle is undoubtedly a very superior boat, but it is very evident that in the main she is modeled on the American plan. The wine closet is for’ard of the saloon, as is the case with most American-made vessels, and she is built with very little regard to a water supply. In a cruise it is doubtful if she would prove as fast as the ordinary schooner yacht of American waters, owing to the limited capacity in the wine cellar. Actual measurement shows that not more than three cases of champagne could be crowded into the stowaway without seriously disturbing the ballast, and, as the reader will observe, in case of a pro- tracted calm, greatly endangering the life of the average Ameri- can yachtsman, There is a noticeable lack of bilges to keep the water from washing over the deck and damaging the prov- ender, which is by no means usual in American boats, and which is an extraordinary defect in an English craft. Captain Barr explains this by saying that when a high sea is imminent he and the crew place the provender where it is susceptible of no damage whatever, and where it cannot be washed over- board without taking a member of the crew with it. Never- theless, it is a defect that will one day result in famine, which is as incompatible with yachting in its truest sense as is killing trout with torpedo boats with true sport. However, Captain Barr and the 7/zs¢/e's owners are satisfied with their vessel and are willing to win or lose by their con- fidence in her. If the Volunteer is defeated there will bea revolution in yachting ideas; but LiFE’s Commodore will never be convinced that a ship with so small accommodation for the necessities of yachting life, even though she have a Barr in her captain, is modeled on the lines of the perfect yacht. “Fire! MURDER!! THigves!!!" comicbooks.com rae a TAK THA’ leaving the Br If boot is as er imposs: This