THE
VOYAGE ALONE
IN THE
YAWL "ROB ROY," FROM LONDON TO PARIS, AND BACK BY HAVRE,
THE ISLE OF WIGHT, SOUTH COAST &c.
By JOHN MACGREGOR, M.A., AUTHOR OF
'A THOUSAND MILES IN THE ROB ROY CANOE'
'THE ROB ROY ON THE BALTIC,' etc.
LONDON:
SAMPSON LOW, SON, AND MARSTON,
MILTON HOUSE, LUDGATE HILL,
1867.[The right of translation is reserved.]
LONDON: PRINTED BY W. CLOWES AND SONS,
STANFORD STREET, AND CHARING CROSS.
EDITOR'S NOTE.
bio.
spelling.
images.
PREFACE.
IN the earlier part of this voyage, and where it was most wished for, along the dangerous coast of France, fine weather came.
Next there was a sort of amphibious interlude in the journey, while the Rob Roy sailed inland to visit Paris.
Then her course, as shown on the map at page 197, brought the yawl across the broad Channel to Cowes and its Regattas, and to rough water in dark nights of thunder, until once more in the Thames and up the Medway she was under bright skies again.
Cooking and sleeping on board, the writer performed the whole journey without any companion; and perhaps this log of the voyage will show that it was not only delightful to the lone sailor, but useful to others.
TEMPLE, London, December, 1867.
The Author's profits will be given in Prizes to the following Training Ships for Boys :
The 'CHICHESTER' in the Thames
The 'INDEFATIGABLE' in the Mersey
The 'HAVANNAH' in the Severn.
CONTENTS
CHAPTER I.
Project -- On the Stocks -- Profile -- Afloat alone -- Smart lads -- Swinging -- Anchors -- Happy boys -- Sea Reach -- Good looks -- Peep below -- Important trifles -- In the well -- Chart -- Watch on deck -- Eating an egg -- Storm sail
CHAPTER II.
Sheerness -- Governor -- Trim -- Earthquake -- Upset -- Wooden legs -- On the Goodwin -- Cuts and scars -- Crossing the Straits -- The ground at Boulogne -- Night music -- Sailors' maps -- Ship's papers -- Weather -- Toilette -- Section
CHAPTER III.
Russian lamp -- Breakfast -- Store rooms -- Mast-light -- Run down -- Rule of the road -- Signal thoughts -- Sinking sands -- Pilot caution -- French coast
CHAPTER IV.
Thunder -- In the squall -- The dervish -- Sailing consort -- Poor little boy ! -- Grateful presents -- The dingey's mission -- Remedy -- Rise and work
CHAPTER V.
Cool -- Fish wives -- Iron-bound coast -- Etretat -- Ripples -- Pilot Book -- Hollow water -- Undecided -- Stomach law -- Becalmed -- Cape la Hève -- The breeze -- Havre de Grace -- Crazy
CHAPTER VI.
The Seine -- A wetting -- Pump -- Locks -- Long reach -- Rouen -- Steering -- A mistake -- Horny hands -- Henpecked -- British flag -- The captain's wife
CHAPTER VII.
Dull reading -- Chain boat -- Kedging -- St... Cloud -- Training -- Dogs -- Wrong colours -- My policeman -- Yankee notion -- Red, White, and Blue
CHAPTER VIII.
Presents -- The Emperor -- Anecdote -- The Abbé in London -- A vert -- Singing girl -- English bird -- Model -- Old friend -- The Turks -- Guzzling -- The friture
CHAPTER IX.
Paris Regatta -- Absentees -- Novelties -- New Brunswickers -- Steam yachts -- Canoe race -- Canoe chase -- Entangled -- M. Forcat -- Challenge
CHAPTER X.
Dawn music -- Cleared for action -- Statistics -- Blue Peter -- Passing bridges -- A gale -- A shave -- Provisions -- Toilette -- An upset -- Last bridge -- A peep below -- Cooking inside -- Preserved provisions -- Soups
CHAPTER XI.
High tides -- Seine pilots -- To bed -- Terrible scene -- A tumble in -- In the swell -- Novel steering -- The Empress -- Puzzled -- Night thoughts -- The start -- A draft on the deck -- Balloon jib -- On the deep
CHAPTER XII.
Nodding -- Prancing -- First thoughts -- Present crisis -- Midchannel thoughts -- Battle -- Church
CHAPTER XIII.
Half-seas over -- Thick night -- Risky -- Reckless -- Tied in -- Lying to -- Land ahead -- Scottish replies -- Sleep
CHAPTER XIV.
Heavy sea -- Isle of Wight -- The commodore -- A glance at gear -- Bow -- Running gear -- Sisterhooks -- Horse -- Tiller
CHAPTER XV.
Ducklings -- Victoria Park -- Yachtsmen -- Cowes -- Floating family -- The 'Zara' -- Lifeboats -- Wrecked -- Mop -- An odd story -- The law of anchors -- Experiments -- The Royal yacht
CHAPTER XVI.
The life-raft -- A travelled hen -- Prussian adventure -- American -- Going up stairs -- Portsmouth -- Fair visitor -- Cruises -- A review -- Questions
CHAPTER XVII.
Continental sailors -- Mal de Mer -- Steam launches -- Punt chase -- The ladies -- Fireworks -- Catastrophe -- Impudence -- Drifting yachts -- Tool chests -- Spectre ship -- Where am I? -- Canoe v. yawl -- Selfish -- Risk and toil -- Ridicule
CHAPTER XVIII.
Bedtime -- A trance -- Thunderings -- Charts -- Light dims -- Night flies -- First running -- Newhaven -- On the gridiron -- Mr. Smith -- Tumbledown walls -- Derelict
CHAPTER XIX.
Tide waiter -- Beachy Head -- Night Ghost -- Man overboard -- Ship ahoy ! -- Overfalls -- Thoughts -- Thunder -- A question -- Day -- Good-bye, dingey ! -- Dungeness -- A nap
CHAPTER XX.
Di Vernon -- The Gull light -- Naked Warriors -- Monkey -- Medway -- Eyes right! -- Old Things -- Barges -- Street boys -- Young Skipper -- Scene by night -- Barge lingo -- Holy Haven -- Sailing solicitor -- Margate -- French bathers -- The Empress at sea -- The three ships -- Worcester -- Swedish lesson -- English boys -- A prophecy -- Request -- Reply -- The 'Dolphin'
APPENDIX.
Boys' Training Ships -- The Warspite -- The Akbar -- The Cornwall -- The Conway -- The Worcester -- The Clarence -- The Indefatigable -- The Chichester -- The Havannah -- The Endeavour, Land Ship -- The Southampton -- Training Ship for Yarmouth
... 322
... 326
... 329
... 331
ILLUSTRATIONS, MAPS, &c. ---
© 2000 Craig O'Donnell
May not be reproduced without my permission.
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