in misty weather. He hesitated neither at the oval,
apple-headed buoy of Anfre, nor at the triple iron point of the Rousse,
nor at the white ball of the Corbette, nor at the black ball of Longue
Pierre; and there was no fear of his confounding the cross of Goubeau
with the sword planted in earth at La Platte, nor the hammer-shaped buoy
of the Barbees with the curled-tail buoy of the Moulinet.

His rare skill in seamanship showed itself in a striking manner one day
at Guernsey, on the occasion of one of those sea tournaments which are
called regattas. The feat to be performed was to navigate alone a boat
with four sails from St. Sampson to the Isle of Herm, at one league
distance, and to bring the boat back from Herm to St. Sampson. To
manage, without assistance, a boat with four sails, is a feat which
every fisherman is equal to, and the difficulty seemed little; but there
was a condition which rendered it far from simple. The boat, to begin
with, was one of those large and heavy sloops of bygone times which the
sailors of the last century knew by the name of "Dutch Belly Boats."
This ancient style of flat, pot-bellied craft, carrying on the larboard
and starboard sides, in compensation for the want of a keel, two wings,
which lowered themselves, sometimes the one, sometimes the other,
according to the wind, may occasionally be met with still at sea. In the
second place, there was the return from Herm, a journey which was
rendered more difficult by a heavy ballasting of stones. The conditions
were to go empty, but to return loaded. The sloop was the prize of the
contest. It was dedicated beforehand to the winner. This "Dutch Belly
Boat" had been employed as a pilot-boat. The pilot who had rigged and
worked it for twenty years was the most robust of all the sailors of the
channel. When he died no one had been found capable of managing the
sloop; and it was, in consequence, determined to make it the prize of
the regatta. The sloop, though not decked, had some sea qualities, and
was a tempting prize for a skilful sailor. Her mast was somewhat
forward, which increased the motive-power of her sails; besides having
the advantage of not being in the way of her pilot. It was a
strong-built vessel, heavy, but roomy, and taking the open sea well; in
fact, a good, serviceable craft. There was eager anxiety for the prize;
the task was a rough one, but the reward of success was worth having.
Seven or eight fishermen, among the most v