riod no inconsiderable degree of
boasting on everybody's part relative to his knowledge of navigation; the
sight of the water rapidly cools their courage, and the air of
self-denial with which each of them insists on somebody else's taking an
oar, is perfectly delightful. At length, after a great deal of changing
and fidgeting, consequent upon the election of a stroke-oar: the
inability of one gentleman to pull on this side, of another to pull on
that, and of a third to pull at all, the boat's crew are seated. 'Shove
her off!' cries the cockswain, who looks as easy and comfortable as if he
were steering in the Bay of Biscay. The order is obeyed; the boat is
immediately turned completely round, and proceeds towards
Westminster-bridge, amidst such a splashing and struggling as never was
seen before, except when the Royal George went down. 'Back wa'ater,
sir,' shouts Dando, 'Back wa'ater, you sir, aft;' upon which everybody
thinking he must be the individual referred to, they all back water, and
back comes the boat, stern first, to the spot whence it started. 'Back
water, you sir, aft; pull round, you sir, for'ad, can't you?' shouts
Dando, in a frenzy of excitement. 'Pull round, Tom, can't you?'
re-echoes one of the party. 'Tom an't for'ad,' replies another. 'Yes,
he is,' cries a third; and the unfortunate young man, at the imminent
risk of breaking a blood-vessel, pulls and pulls, until the head of the
boat fairly lies in the direction of Vauxhall-bridge. 'That's right--now
pull all on you!' shouts Dando again, adding, in an under-tone, to
somebody by him, 'Blowed if hever I see sich a set of muffs!' and away
jogs the boat in a zigzag direction, every one of the six oars dipping
into the water at a different time; and the yard is once more clear,
until the arrival of the next party.

A well-contested rowing-match on the Thames, is a very lively and
interesting scene. The water is studded with boats of all sorts, kinds,
and descriptions; places in the coal-barges at the different wharfs are
let to crowds of spectators, beer and tobacco flow freely about; men,
women, and children wait for the start in breathless expectation; cutters
of six and eight oars glide gently up and down, waiting to accompany
their _proteges_ during the race; bands of music add to the animation, if
not to the harmony of the scene; groups of watermen are assembled at the
different stairs, discussing the merits of the respective candidates; a