Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1912-06-28

determination to the utmost from the very start
as well as your power of observation. And It will
call for the exercise of more discretion than any
other sport in a world that Is full Of sports No
body can teach you but yourself and you can
teach yourself only by degrees
There Is only one school for the beginner who
would really become one Of the elect-the small
boat You must become waterman before you
TICKLE anything ellie. A man who can sail q
canoe. and sail her properly, In any sort Of wind
or weather. IL past master Of his art, and can
be safely trusted with any sort Of craft anywhere
Remember that. But begin with q small open
boat-the smaller the better-and spend at least
season poking about in harbors and rivers or
any kind Of inland water. sailing her when you
can. and rowing when you must.
Never take anybody with you. and never call
on any one to help You. II you take an amateur
with you he will probaly get frightened and nus
ter you; and II you take hired man he viii try
to teach you. and will surely teach you wrong
besides doing things for you that you ought to
do yourself At the end Of season Of that sort
of thing you viii have found out for yourself
whole crowd OF things that will be OF inestimable
service to you later on, when you have passed
through your novitiate; your hands win be hard
and horny; your muscles will feel firm and COM
Portable underneath your coat; and your health
Will amaze you nearly much as your appetite
Almost the first thing you win discover viii be
that your principal requirement as single-hanoer
is nerve-a nerve that is alive. but panic-proof
III you have that combined with real love Of adj
venture and the spirit Of Independence; and IL
you start with the determination to do everything
for yourself and do II properly after finding out
for yourself which is the proper way; II you en-
10y real hard work in the open air for your own
amusement. you are In fair way TO become
single-hander even before you start But however
good your nerve may be. 1t will need that pre-
Iiminary small-boat training before you can trust
yourself safely on the open sea-
Once you are sure OF yourself. and have mas
tered the first principles of almost the most diff
ncult art in the whole world. that OF small boat
sailing, the whole world Of adventure win be
at your feet the Seven Seas and all the navigable
rivers are yours to explore, and you can put out
on the only remaining trail where nothing Is stale
and monotonous and where every wave and hol-
low, every creek and inlet. though as old as the
everlasting ages is to each sea-borne adventurer
unexplored, alluring and absolutely new. Moth
ing ever happens twice in the same way at sea,
or ever looks quite the same twice running.
There are no beaten tracks to follow, for the sea
obliterates them. It is al new always-yours to
plow up and explore to your hearts content
But steady! That is what is ahead of you
You are no single-hander yet! And II you leave
your small boat In the harbor and go sailing on
some one else's yacht, or buy q yacht Of your
own that is too big for you to handle by your
self you will never be one The worst thing you
can do is to get into the grip Of the hired man
The next worst thing Is to mako one Of yachting
party In either case you will learn to believe
that Il takes three or four men to reef mansail.
and at least two men to get up anchor: that var
nisbed decks are things to be desired: that you
should run for shelter when II comes on to blow
q gale Of wind and other heresies Of that sort.
Stick TO your own opinions that you have be-
gun to form already as the resuk Of your first
seasons experience. stick to your original inten-
ton Of becoming a singie-hander and. above all
things. stick for the present to your small boat
Put out to sea- Practice on the sea what you