to the lower boys; they are,
you will understand, all those in the upper school below the fifth form.
Then there is the Lower Club, to which those in the fifth form belong
who are not considered to play well enough in the upper club. Only, of
course, first-rate players can belong to that. It is the Grand Club to
which the eleven belong, and those who play equally well, and will some
day become one of them. There is another club called the Aquatics,
which belongs exclusively to the members of the boats. Cricketing is
fine work; but, for my part, I like boating even better. Here, before a
fellow is allowed to go on the river, he is obliged to learn to swim.
It is a very necessary rule, for formerly many fellows lost their lives
in consequence of being unable to swim. There are numerous bathing
places on our river devoted to our especial use, and at each of them is
stationed, with his punt, a paid waterman belonging to the college,
whose sole duty it is to teach the boys to swim. Twice every week
during the summer one of the masters in turns examines into the swimming
qualifications of the boys, and he gives a certificate of proficiency to
those whom he considers can swim well enough to preserve their lives if
capsized in a boat. After a boy is qualified he is allowed to boat on
the river. The masters generally make him swim thirty-five yards up and
down the stream, and then about ten across it, round a punt, and back
again to the point from which he started. Some fellows very quickly do
this, if they are strong and not afraid; in fact, if they feel that they
can do it. Others never gain any confidence, and if they were capsized
could do very little to help themselves. In most cases, the first thing
a fellow does when he wants to begin to boat is to agree with some chum
to take a boat between them. This costs them five pounds for the
summer-half. It is called a lock-up, because when it is not being used
it is supposed to be carefully locked up in the boat-house. Sometimes
fellows who do not care so much about boating, and don't want to give
five pounds, pay a smaller sum, and take any chance boat which may be
disengaged. The boats we generally use are called tubs, tunnies, and
outriggers. Besides these there are `The Boats' especially so called.
There are seven of them, all eight-oared. Anybody can join these who is
in the fifth form. There are three upper and four lower boats; that is,
three belong to the