Heavy four accident-The two eights-The Barges-Nearly drowned -Career on the 'water'-In the eight, 1852, 1853, 1854Oxford and Cambridge Race-Scull to Richmond-Stranded— 'Head of town boy water'-The measles-Fight at the horseferry-Trips to Eton, 1855 and 1856-The bargees-Citizen steamers Splashing.

AFTER the Whitsuntide holidays 'water' began in earnest. We oarsmen often were on the water twice a day, and almost invariably in the evening.

I commence at the bottom with the heavy fours. These were heavy four-oared cutters, with squared sterns, rudders, and yoke-lines. The oars were very heavy, almost too much so for beginners. The crews were told off from his list by the head of the Queen's Scholar or town boy 'water' respectively, the younger oars being put on in the morning, always with a good stroke oar and a competent coxswain, the stronger and better oars in the evening. As soon as school was over, the strokes collected their several crews and rushed off to the Barges, without hats or caps, and no change of dress being made. The heavy fours had already been brought across from the boat-builders' by the Jacks. First down had the choice of boats, then [ 124 ]

jackets and waistcoats off, braces down, and trousers turned up, and away they went, sweeping out into the centre of the river if the tide served, or creeping laboriously up the shore if the tide was running out ; always up-stream, the Red House being the restingplace in the morning, if they could get up so far, and the Old Swan, above Battersea Bridge, always in the evening.

The stroke was responsible for his crew; his list (1, 2, 3, stroke and cox) was given to him on the school steps after school (the lists having been prepared during school by the captains of the water'), and he was answerable for getting his boat up to the Old Swan. Here each crew received one shilling from the captain of the 'water,' which was expended thus: Five captain's biscuits (at 1d.), 5d.; one pot (quart) of half-and-half, 6d. ; and 1d. for the Jack. If they wanted more, they had to pay for it themselves. These shillings came from the weekly 'water' subscription of one shilling a head from each small boy who went on the water, this sum being kept by the captain, who had also to provide from it the heavy fours-two, or three, as required.

Coming down again, if tide was with them, the heavy fours were started from Battersea Bridge, and had to race to Vauxhall Bridge. If tide was adverse, they had to hug the shore, crossing the river from time to time at the traditional crossing-places. The heavy fours deserved their name; they were heavy indeed, and it required a good deal of dogged pluck for small boys to work their way up against the tide.

The inner arch of Vauxhall Bridge, on the Middlesex side, was always the worst place when the tide was running down with the stream. One watched one's oar-blade gradually creeping up past the stones of the bridge, knowing that if one checked for a moment the boat would be whisked away down-stream. It was a hard school, but produced good oars, and the boys, having constantly to deal with barges in the way, grounding on shoals, etc., became good watermen as well, handy and resourceful when in a fix, and able to use the hitcher as well as the oar.

The account of the only accident that I ever saw to a heavy four is given on p. 74 of Rowing at Westminster.' It occurred on June 9, 1853, as per entry in my little memorandum-book, not on June 20. The heavy fours had orders to fall in below Battersea Bridge for the usual race down. The first eight put off first, and dropped down through Battersea Bridge, and there we lay on our oars waiting for the fours to get into position for the start. The old bridge at Battersea, a wooden structure, had about four or five open arches, through which a boat could just pass without shipping or drawing in the oars; the other arches (three or four between each of the wider arches) were very narrow. The first heavy four that came down took the first wide arch on the Surrey side; two other crews, one Queen's Scholar, the other town. boy, raced alongside of each other for the next wide arch. The town boy crew cut in first, and the Queen's Scholar crew had to pull across for the next wide arch; their coxswain did not allow enough for the tide, and

got his boat right across the arch, the bows catching against the Middlesex side, stern against the Surrey side. The boat, hard pressed by the tide, broke in two in the middle, and came floating down in two pieces. Two of the boys got hold of the wooden piles of the bridge and held on; three came floating down on the tide. We in the eight were, luckily, lying on our oars just below; we backed our stern up hard all, and picked up two, and a waterman's boat that was handy picked up the other; but it was a narrow shave, and I doubt if all of them could swim. I think Spence was the coxswain, but whether the older or younger brother I cannot remember.

Whether the tide was with or against them, the heavy fours had to pull straight back to the Barges, tie their boats up, and be up in time for lock-hours.

The site of the Red House, formerly famous for pigeon-shooting, now forms part of Battersea Park.

From the heavy fours the next rise for an oarsman was into the second, or sometimes direct into the first, eight; but there were always many boys who, when they got too big or too high up in the school for heavy four work, either were not good enough oars for the eights or preferred their independence to the constant tie, evening after evening, of a place in an eight. Two of my greatest friends, Lord R. Grosvenor (now Lord Stalbridge) and poor Bankes, were always on the water, sailing for preference; others gravitated towards cricket, and others were too lazy for either water or cricket-' loafers.'

The second eight generally consisted of fellows high

up in the school, but not quite first-class as oars. Their boat was kept across the water, and they, as well as the first eight, had to cross over and embark from the Surrey shore, the first eight generally getting off before them. They went up on most evenings to the Old Swan, and often took a start of a few lengths, and gave the first eight a good spurt before they were passed.

Their colours were pink and white, and they were entitled to straw hats and ribbon, white flannels and jerseys, and shags (as we called our pilot-coats), but not to the R.S.W. brass buttons; these were reserved for the first eight. Their boat was not outrigged.

The first eight, chosen as I have already mentioned, wore straw hats with plain pink ribbon, white flannels and jerseys, and dark-blue shags, with brass R.S.W.

buttons.

When I first rowed in the eight our boat had no outriggers; but (in 1854, I think) a new eight was built for us by Searle which had short outriggers at bow and stroke, thus allowing for a finer run both fore and aft. The subscription to the first eight was from members only, and was, I think, five shillings a week. This was paid to the captain-i.e., the senior oar in the eight-who provided the pay of the Jacks, the housing of the boat, varnishing, repairs, etc.; but anything in the way of a new boat was provided for by subscription amongst Westminsters both present and past. When I was captain, I cannot remember that I kept any regular accounts of receipts and expenditure ; certainly, any account that I kept was for my own