Sentence:  Here I used to enjoy myself in playing about the bridge stairs, and often in the watermen's <WSD>wherries</WSD>, with other boys. On one of these occasions there was another boy with me in a <WSD>wherry</WSD>, and we went out into the current of the river: while we were there two more stout boys came to us in another <WSD>wherry</WSD>, and, abusing us for taking the boat, desired me to get into the other <WSD>wherry</WSD>-boat. Accordingly I went to get out of the <WSD>wherry</WSD> I was in; but just as I had got one of my feet into the other boat the boys shoved it off, so that I fell into the Thames; and, not being able to swim, I should unavoidably have been drowned, but for the assistance of some watermen who providentially came to my relief. 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  A flat-bottomed vessel once employed by British merchants, notably in East Anglia, sometimes converted into pleasure boats.