Before describing the ice-yachts which are used in Canada when winter’s cold grasp lies on water and land, we will mention a very curious experiment in water locomotion made a year or two ago. The illustration explains itself. It is not an imaginary sketch, it is the record of fact.
This sagacious seal was exhibited in London, and was in the habit of performing certain tricks, one item of his performance being to draw the light canoe (as represented), and another accomplishment consisted in “striking the light guitar,” to the astonishment of the spectators, amongst whom was the writer. The instrument was placed between his fins, or “flappers,” and the seal twanged it more or less melodiously. He was very tame, and obedient to his master and trainer.
We all have heard of, even if we have not seen, the twin steamer Castalia, which, pending the opening of the tunnel beneath the Channel, was supposed to reduce sea-sickness to a minimum. The Castalia did not answer, however, but an American has planned certain double yachts, of which we give an illustration. The sailing-boats, as represented, have had much success upon the lake of Cayuga, and are quite seaworthy,—in fact, it is impossible to overturn them.
The weight of one of these yachts is about fifteen hundred pounds, and the draught six inches. Having two keels they answer the helm very readily. The boat, in the centre of the illustration, belongs to Mr. Prentiss, and is called the Pera Ladronia. It is a very fast “ship.”
From navigation in water, we now come to navigation on water. The ice-boats are much used in Canada, and their simple but effective construction will be readily perceived from the accompanying illustration. The Americans state that these ice-yachts can run before a good breeze as fast as an ordinary train. There are, or were, models of some such (Finland) yachts in the South Kensington Museum with two sails. The American yacht, as a rule, has only one sail, and the owners say—but we will not vouch for the truth of the allegation—that they frequently run far ahead of the wind that primarily propelled them!
Sailing on Land.
Fig. 491.—Sailing carriage of the 17th century, from a drawing of the period.
It is quite possible to sail upon land, although this statement may appear contradictory in terms. “The force of the wind upon sails,” says Bishop Wilkins in his work, “Mathematical Magic,” printed in London in 1648, “can be applied to vehicles on land as well as to ships at sea. Such conveyances,” he adds, “have long been in use in China and in Spain, as well as in flat countries, such as Holland, where they have been employed with great success. In the last-named country they are propelled with greater speed than are ships before a fair wind; so that in a few hours a boat containing several persons actually travelled nearly two hundred miles, with no trouble to any one on board except the steersman, who had little difficulty in guiding the boat.”
The astonishment expressed by the good bishop was quite justified, for, as a matter of fact, a carriage or boat on wheels, with sails, as shown in the illustration, achieved a distance of nearly thirty-eight miles in an hour. This pace was quite unknown at that time; such a rate of travelling had never entered the minds of people then. “Men running in front of the machine after a while appeared to be going backwards, so quickly were they overtaken and passed.” “Objects at a distance were approached in the twinkling of an eye, and were left far in the rear.” So it is evident that, had locomotion by steam not been adopted, the mode of sailing on land would have eventually become the most rapid mode of transit, and it is rather remarkable that it was never adopted as a mode of travel.