The Elbert County tribune., 1912-07-05

can't pass on when you have done with it; some
thing that will be exclusively and peculiarly your
own; and in the process you will learn to know
yourself. You will end that you worth
knowing.
At this stage of the game 1t will pay you well
to cultivate the society of fshermen-not
their smacks. but ashore when their work is done.
Like all men who have been picked and salted
down by the sea. they goodnatured breed.
and what many OF them know about knots and
splices and the use OF the marlinspike would fll
volumes II you are intelligent you will find that
they like teaching you almost as much they
like whisky and tobacco-even your whisky and
tobacco; when they find that you don't patronize
them and won't be patronized. their hearts will
go out to you-big strong. sea-salted hearts; you
VIII md that they have brand of humor
clusfvely their own. and insight that you
never dreamed of. Their company is good
But beware Of their ideas seamanshtp!
They will voice the usual belief that single
nanders are mad and that any port in a storm
IS better than no port both of which beliefs are
rank heresy! But listen to them when they
talk OF using the lead for the soundinglead Is to
seaman what his nose is to a hound and more
Ihey will probably tell you that forty-pound an
cnor is heavy enough for any one man to handle
IN tideway, but as the size of the yacht yon
intend to handle later must depend on the size
OF the anchor you can manage without assistance
and on nothing else. you will do well to remem-
Der that there Is veteran who has been sailing
sipgle-handed around the English Coast for some
thing like forty years. who uses anchor weigh
Ing hundred and twenty pounds for a Yacht of
some thirty tons register!
And he does not buoy his anchor and leave II
IN tide-r1p when the glass is falling and he is
IN hurry to be off He gets 1t up and ipboard
ana cats 1t down on deck saiorwise before he
starts Things like that depend on seamanship;
and se1manship can be learned only on the high
seas from personal experience Spend most of
your time. then. on the high seas in your little
open saing-boat. and In your spare time study
the ways of fishermen
The basis of your future Independence Will be
your seaanchor; and you must never under any
circumstances or for any reason whatever nut
10 sea without one 1t is nothing but canvas
bag, dfstended on iron ring and lashed on to
the end OF rope or warp. Without 1t you are
at the mercy Of the wind and waves but with It
II you use It properly. you absolutely safe
And its use is OF the simplest things con.
nected with a boat.
Most accidents at occur when running for
shelter before a storm from running before
the wind until 1t is too late to heave tc without
swamping the boat. Get Into your head that the
safest place In a storm is the open sea. and the
most dangerous place is the entrance TO a harbor
with your sea anchor out in front OF you the
end OF good stout warp to keep your boats nose
into the wind. you will be safe In any storm
that blows. provided that with seamanlike discre-
thing fast In time. And, provided that your boat
is OF the right sort, you will be warm and dry.
30 get in the way of using your anchor, even
when there Is no necessity. and learn to place i'm
plicit confidence in 1t.
The next most important thing to your sea an
chor is the lead; you absolutely must learn to
take soundings. You will discover that there are
and take soundings at the time, even in
shallow water; but II you try hard enough and
often enough you viii find out how to do 1t; and
gradually you will realize how 1t is that captains