Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1892-03-31
For The Ellsworth Americana
Avalon, Catalina Island. California.
Boats and Boating.
LETTER no. 4.


Whatever we have said in our letters of
this series heretofore respecting boats and
boating, was to explain more clearly the
subject matter in hand. Now, we shall
boating, the text of this entire letter, and
we shall try and stick close to our text,
and not wander off or drift away on some
unknown sea, as some preachers do, and
have to row back against strong current
to point of new departure.
Boats are very useful wherever there is
water to be nsvigated whether on the sea
coasts or In the streets Of deuged cities.
And there are thousand kinds. more or
less. from the cordcle large wicker-work
basket covered with skins. the most an
cient boat Of the British Islands, down to
the most modern model. Aud there are a
Thousand ways of practicing with or hand
ling boats, although the same general prin-
clple must be adhered to. For artistic
rowing We look to college regatta; for the
sailor stroke We look to the long boat and
TO the captains gig but for anything you
please in the lire of boat propelling, look
to boating at Avalon. Here you will find
great admixtion in the art, and by no
means will you find rowing confined to
either sex. Ladies row as artistically as
gentlemen, aud, In the other extreme, they
are not at all behind them; for beginners
OF the fair sex are full as awkward as be-
cinners of the opposite sex. There is fun
in witnessing first attempts OF either. and,
unless the instructor is rfry patient, cross
sharp utterances will burst smoking from
his lips He will. even though his pupil
be pretty aud fascinating girl, say I'M
guardcdly, ugly and uukind words; express
-lons that are like the sting OF hornet TO
her, if she be bashful, and more especially
If her tutor be her lover
Now a word a. to our boats. Most Of
them are after a very simple model. Here
and mode! spreader for the center are
all got out; the two sides are first nailed
to stem piece then they are bent over the
center model board to the tuck aud nailed
to ii; then tloor and side timbers are put
In seldom are knees used then the bot,
tom is put on, the thwarts put in, half
round strips around the top outside Of flat
strips around the top inside, and other
wise neatly finished then the painting
Is often Of several pretty colors, like red
trimmed with black white with blue anl
so forth
Now, my readers may imagine that We
have very odd and clumsy boats from this
description. but this is not the case, how
ever, Some of the prette-t boats have
ever seen are made in Just this way, and
they are very light too, If made Of cedar ;
but some are made Of redwood. These
water-soak until they become very heavy
All oars are ash. All row open handed, :"
as the term is and not cross handed" f"
have seen sculling in few instances
only, Very few know how TO use the oar
described above, Now and then lap
work or clincher work built boat is seen
aud sometimes one after the 5. : of a
yawl
Some boats are fitted up with naphtha en-
gines, so called, and propeller. and they
work very well | think this class viii
come in use more in very short time
they I'll the bill for boats to ply up and
down the coast; they save an immense
amount Of elbow grease, hard pulling and
time crossin. wide coye- and for gainiug <
distant points of interest and research.
At various coves are the graveyards of
Indians who in some remote age inhabited
the island Picks and shoveIs in posses
sion of men and boys md their way down
through the hard earth to the bones of the
aborgines. Much wampum, beads and
other relics are here obtained. Besides
digging up bones and relics, much histor y
Of the dead past of the island is also un-
many Indians on the island at one time,
judging from the number of graveyards
and other signs connected Herewith, iio-
tel Metrople at Avalon, is built over an
Indian burying ground; and in digging for
the laying of water and sewer pipes, many
bones Of Indians were turned over and
displaced, including skulls, some of which
are. or have been, on exhibition at the
curio stores Of the place.
All who 90 to the island for a stay OF
few weeks must have boats to row along
| shore to these several places of interest
4 as we'll as boats to fish from; hence tht
4 beach is covered with boats, aud the wa
ter Is full of them. Long strings of then
! lay to moorings, ready for emergency OF
/ big days the days Of immense crowds.
Last year left the Island on the I'd o.
July, that | might spend the Fourth OF
the mainland | returned again on tn,
5th. We steamed into the harbor of Ava
Ion after dark. The events Of the Fourth
had decorated the cottages and tents will
many Chinese lanterns, which, when even
ing came, Illuminated the place. You un
derstand the pretty effect of Chinese Ian
tern iluminations? Well. this was Oh
land the night Of the Fourth, but on tn
night of the 5th the spirit of the Fourtl
had taken to the water. The bay wa
illuminated In like manner. Boats thu
arrayed drifted and were rowed abou
everywhere Music from a hundred hu
man throats rolled over the sea and owe
the land, through the valley and up tn
mountains rugged side.
And by the way. did you eyer hear sing
ing on the water? Its richness cannot b
described in words. One must hear t
understand. This occasion was to me
one of tremendous soul stirring. neve
before saw such a pretty effect from an
kind of Illuminating or witnessed sue
illusions. Although thoroughly acquain,
ed with the harbor l could count on moth
ing with certainty. Everything was il
q state of chaos, yet there was an inex
plcable charm about it all.
z. G. WOOSTER.