4 Novenber.--Today we heard of the launch having been detained by an accident when trying to force a way up the rapids. The Slovak boats get up all right, by aid of a rope and steering with knowledge. Some went up only a few hours before. Godalming is an amateur fitter himself, and evidently it was he who put the launch in trim again.
Finally, they got up the rapids all right, with local help, and are off on the chase afresh. I fear that the boat is not any better for the accident, the peasantry tell us that after she got upon smooth water again, she kept stopping every now and again so long as she was in sight. We must push on harder than ever. Our help may be wanted soon.
This gives a more rounded portrait of Holmwood. He spent some time roaming the world and hunting with Quincey Morris and Jack Seward. When he returned home to England, he turned his outdoorsy urges to boating. He learned to do everything himself on his steam launches, from stoking to piloting to emergency repairs. He did not hire someone else to do that for him, though he easily could have.
It reminds me of Prince Philip's passion for Land Rovers. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-56771164
Posted by: Most Significant | November 04, 2021 at 07:06 AM