Reminiscences of Twenty-Five Years' Yachting in Australia; an Essay on Manly Sports, a Cruise on Shore, and C, and C: Notes of a Voyage to China and Japan

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1888 edition. Excerpt: ...An application has been made to the Admiralty for leave to fly the blue ensign, and the necessary authority is shortly expected. South Australian yachtsmen have always been exceedingly fortunate in having the steady support of the Press. This will probably have already been gathered by the reader from the various extracts from newspapers in the preceding "Beminiscences." Amongst the warmest of the writers in its favour in former years was Mr. Spencer J. Skipper, of the S.A. Register, and the late Eev. J. Harcus, of the Advertiser. The kindly sentiments of the latter gentleman have previously appeared, and since they were transferred to these pages my attention has been called to an equally generous effort of the former gentleman when writing under the soubriquet of "Geoffery Crabthorne." A series of amusing and satirical articles used to appear in the Register for years under the above nom-deplunie, purporting to be written by a bushman, to which articles other literary gentlemen contributed. In one of those articles Mr. Skipper, after referring to the author in too generous terms, and giving an exceedingly amusing account of the orders that ought to be issued in cases of emergency on board yachts, and expressing the strongest sympathy with the South Australian Yacht Club, adds the following spirited lines, which I venture to say will be thought well worth transcribing: --THE YACHTSMAN TO HIS CRAFT. My yacht, thou art truly a beautiful thing--With a flight like a grey gull, on wide spreading wing, Now breasting the billows that threaten the sky, Now gliding deep down in the wave hollow nigh, Now gracefully bending away from the blast, Now darting ahead as the breeze follows fast, Now dashing the spoondrift in showers...