A Thousand Miles in the Rob Roy Canoe on Rivers and Lakes of EuropeMacGregor, John
History
A Thousand Miles in the Rob Roy Canoe on Rivers and Lakes of Europe
MacGregor, John
Canoes and canoeing -- Europe; Europe -- Description and travel; History -- Miscellanea; MacGregor, John, 1825-1892 -- Travel -- Europe
(_j_) I noticed a very curious boat-bridge across the Rhine below Basle.
It seemed to open wide without swinging, and on coming close to it the
plan was found to be this. The boats of one half of the bridge were
drawn towards the shore, and a stage connecting them ran on wheels along
rails inwards from the river, and up an incline on the bank. This system
is ingenious, convenient, and philosophical.
(_k_) Double-hulled boats have often been tried for sailing, but their
disadvantages are manifest when the craft is on a large scale, though
for toy-boats they answer admirably, and they are now quite fashionable
on the Serpentine.
The double boat of the nautical tinman on the Rhine, before described,
was a "fond conceit." But there are many double-hulled boats on French
rivers, and they have this sole recommendation, that you sit high up,
and so can fish without fearing you may "turn the turtle."
When the two hulls are reduced as much as possible, this sort of boat
becomes an aquatic "walking machine," for one foot then rests on each
hull. Propulsion is obtained either by linking the hulls together with
parallel bars moving on studs, while vanes are on each side, so as to
act like fins, and to collapse for the alternate forward stroke of each
foot bound to its hull--or a square paddle, or a pole works on the water
or on the bottom. I have always noticed that the proprietors of such
craft are ingenious, obstinate men, proud of their peculiar mode, and
very touchy when it is criticised. However, it is usually best, and it
is fortunately always easy, to paddle away from them.
(_l_) The hard exercise of canoe paddling, the open-air motion, constant
working of the muscles about the stomach, and free perspiration result
in good appetite and pleasant sleepiness at night. But at the end of the
voyage the change of diet and cessation of exercise will be apt to cause
derangement in the whole system, and especially in the digestion, if the
high condition or "training" be not cautiously lowered into the humdrum
"constitutionals" of more ordinary life. Still I have found it very
agreeable to take a paddle in the Rob Roy up to Hammersmith and back
even in December and March.
The last public occasion on which she appeared was on April 17, when the
captain offered her aid to the Chief Constructor of the Navy in the
effort of the Admiralty to launch the ironclad Northumberland. The offer
was eagerly accepted, and the launch was accordingly successful.
The Rob Roy has since departed for a voyage to Norway and Iceland in the
schooner yacht Sappho, whose young owner, Mr. W. F. Lawton, has
promised "to be kind to her." It is intended that a new Rob Roy should
make a voyage next summer with another canoe called the "Robin Hood."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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