WINDSOR.
CHAPTER XV.
ROWING AT ETON COLLEGE.
The River Thames flows so near the College of Eton that it necessarily affords an attraction to the boys at least equal to the playing fields, and has always been frequented for bathing and rowing as well as other aquatic pursuits. All such amusements have been styled from time immemorial ‘Wet bobbing,’ as distinguished from cricket, which is ‘Dry bobbing:’ the boys who boat are called ‘Wet bobs’ and the cricketers ‘Dry bobs.’ In the good old times, by which we mean the times told of by old men of our early acquaintance, extending to the end of the last and beginning of this century, the river was used by the boys for some other delightful though unlawful sports. Fishing was in those times more attractive to them than it has been in recent years, and many boys who did not join the boats would go out gudgeon, pike, or trout fishing with persistent zeal. Old gentlemen have told us of getting up in the early morning in the summer half, breaking out through the windows of their dame’s or tutor’s houses, and getting on the river to fish before the early school. Shooting was also practised on the river both at such times and during the legitimate play hours. The watermen took care of guns for sporting boys, and went with them in pursuit of water-hens, kingfishers, swallows, or any bird that might be found about the eyots, in the willow beds, or up the backwaters of Clewer or Cuckoo Weir. Of course these sports were interdicted; but the use of the river for any purpose whatever was so far forbidden that masters must be shirked in going to or coming from it, and the river itself was out of bounds. The sixth form also had to be shirked in old times, and could have any lower boy punished for being out of bounds; but it must have been a sixth-form boy of no sporting propensities himself who could have given 100 lines to a lower boy caught shooting in the Clewer stream. Was it more or was it less praiseworthy of one of the tutors who caught the same lad with his gun, and only remonstrated with him because it might be dangerous, and not because he was breaking the rules of the school?
No one but an Etonian could possibly understand the anomalous condition of things which made the river out of bounds, though no boy was really prevented from going on it unless he was caught on the way by a master and actually sent back. The fact was that, when on the river, the boy was safe from interference. Once only did a headmaster attempt to stop an eight which he heard was to row up to Surly; this was Dr. Keate, and he was so finely hoaxed that he never even made a second attempt. Hearing that an eight was to go out on a certain day, he threatened to expel anyone who should take part in the expedition, and then went for a walk along the towpath to waylay them. There issued from the Brocas a crew of watermen dressed like the Eton eight, and wearing masks over their faces. Crowds of people followed to see what would happen. Keate caught them between the Hopes and shouted, ‘Foolish boys, I know you all. Lord ——, I know you. A——, you had better come ashore. Come here or you will all be expelled.’ The boat however pursued its course, several of the masters followed on horseback, and the ruse was not discovered until the crew disembarked and took off their masks with a loud ‘Hurrah!’ Keate was furious, and vowed that there should be no Easter holidays unless the boys who had been hooting him behind hedges gave themselves up, and some twenty victims were accordingly swished.
As a matter of fact the river was permitted from March 1 till Easter holidays for long boats, and from Easter till Midsummer for boats of all kinds. In going to or from the river a boy had to shirk a master by getting into a shop out of his sight. The masters avoided going along the river when rowing was practised; they ignored, or pretended to ignore, the procession of boats on June 4 and Election Saturday, and winked at the Fireworks and the boys being late for lock-up on those days. On June 4, 1822, Dr. Keate sent for the captain of the boats and said to him, ‘The boys are often very noisy on this evening and late for lock-up. You know I know nothing! But I hear you are in a position of authority. I hope you will not be late to-night, and do your best to prevent disorder. Lock-up time will be twenty minutes later than usual: it is your customary privilege.’
On March 1, 1860, the captain of the boats went boldly up to Dr. Goodford and requested that the ‘boats’ (or boys who belonged to the eight-oared boats) might be allowed to go to the Brocas without shirking, and somewhat to his surprise the Doctor gave his consent. In the following half shirking was abolished in Eton for all the school.
There is however one important condition on which a boy may boat: he must ‘pass’ in swimming. When the authorities ignored the boating, boys who could not swim daily risked their lives, and casualties sometimes occurred. It was in 1840 that C. F. Montagu was drowned near Windsor Bridge, and such an effect had this calamity, that the masters thenceforth ordained that boating should be formally recognised, and that no boy should be allowed to get into a boat until he had passed an examination in swimming. One or two masters were appointed river masters. Bathing-places were made at Athens, Upper Hope, and Cuckoo Weir, and the eighth and sixth form were allowed to bathe in Boveney Weir. No boy might bathe at any place but Cuckoo Weir until he had passed. Watermen were engaged to teach swimming, and be ready with their punts at bathing-places and elsewhere to watch the boys on the river, to prevent accidents and report unlawful acts. Bathing is permitted as soon after the Easter holidays as weather is warm enough, and two days a week the river masters attend at Cuckoo Weir for ‘Passing.’ This examination (so much pleasanter than any other) is conducted as follows: a number of boys whom the waterman thinks proficient enough appear undressed in a punt. A pole is stuck up in the water (which is out of depth at the place) about thirty yards off; the master stands on a high place called Acropolis, and as he calls the name, each in turn takes a header and swims round the pole once or twice. He must not only be able to take a header and swim the distance, but must also swim in approved form so as to be capable of swimming in his clothes. Since ‘passing’ was established there has been only one boy drowned, though many are swamped under all kinds of circumstances. A boy who has not passed belongs to the class called ‘non nant.’