1893

containing a number of men and women; who had calmly watched my approach knowing that my slender skiff could not damage their heavy boat. They simply roared with vulgar delight and pulled away, leaving me with the front of my skiff stove in and one plank split halfway along the bottom of the boat, and one of the outriggers badly bent. Well there was nothing for it but to swim, so I guided the skiff back to the landing stage and it was none too warm, being December. The boat was patched up with tallow, and one of the helpers pulled up the river to the boatbuilders with it.

At this time lots of men were training for the Xmas Handicap a most important affair; and four new boats were built every year for this event.  I found that the new boats had new patent rowlocks on the outriggers, slightly larger than those of last year’s boats; the buttons on the sculls I used were rather small, and had a tendency to slip through the rowlock.  I didn’t think of putting another ring of leather around the button, which would have saved me disaster in my heat of the ^¹⁸⁹³ Xmas handicap.

Xmas 1893

Well the first day of the boat races came at last, Xmas (the races usually lasted four to five days) day opened up cold and cloudy, with a stiff wind blowing across the river from the North, making the water very choppy. I found I was matched against the favourite of the handicap, and I was told he was backed by his trainers to win £500. Well that didn’t frighten me a bit. He was about two stone heavier than I, and a well built man. I had six seconds start from him, and determined to make the most of it.

The race started at the Red Heugh bridge, and finished at the High Level Bridge.  I don’t know the distance