--about which Sir James Gordon used to stump all day, and take a
pinch of snuff from every man who carried a box, which all were
delighted to give, and he was delighted to receive, proving how much
pleasure may be communicated merely by a pinch of snuff; and then you
will see Mount Wise and Mutton Cove; the town of Devonport; with its
magnificent dockyard and arsenals, North Corner, and the way which leads
to Saltash. And you will see ships building and ships in ordinary; and
ships repairing and ships fitting; and hulks and convict ships, and the
guard-ship; ships ready to sail and ships under sail; besides lighters,
men-of-war's boats, dockyard-boats, bum-boats, and shore-boats. In
short, there is a great deal to see at Plymouth besides the sea itself:
but what I particularly wish now is, that you will stand at the battery
of Mount Edgcumbe and look into Barn Pool below you, and there you will
see, lying at single anchor, a cutter; and you may also see, by her
pendant and ensign, that she is a yacht.

Of all the amusements entered into by the nobility and gentry of our
island there is not one so manly, so exciting, so patriotic, or so
national, as yacht-sailing. It is peculiar to England, not only for our
insular position and our fine harbours, but because it requires a
certain degree of energy and a certain amount of income rarely to be
found elsewhere. It has been wisely fostered by our sovereigns, who
have felt that the security of the kingdom is increased by every man
being more or less a sailor, or connected with the nautical profession.
It is an amusement of the greatest importance to the country, as it has
much improved our ship-building and our ship-fitting, while it affords
employment to our seamen and shipwrights. But if I were to say all that
I could say in praise of yachts, I should never advance with my
narrative. I shall therefore drink a bumper to the health of Admiral
Lord Yarborough and the Yacht Club, and proceed.

You observe that this yacht is cutter-rigged, and that she sits
gracefully on the smooth water. She is just heaving up her anchor; her
foresail is loose, all ready to cast her--in a few minutes she will be
under way. You see that there are ladies sitting at the taffrail; and
there are five haunches of venison hanging over the stern. Of all
amusements, give me yachting. But we must go on board. The deck, you
observe, is of narrow deal planks as white as snow; the guns are of
poli