boat. The crew of the ‘Monarch’ (ten-oar) is then selected by the captain of the beats, and he places a high choice as ‘nine,’ that position being considered about the fifth highest place. His crew is chosen not of the best oars, for they are always placed in the ‘Victory’ or second boat, but usually of boys high up in the school, and sometimes a good cricketer or two gets a place in the Easter half and leaves it afterwards, The captain of the cricket eleven is almost always formally asked to take an oar inthe ten. The second captain then makes up his crew, then the captain of the third upper, and so on. Each captain has to submit his list to the captain of the boats, who advises him on his selection. The steerers are chosen in the same order, and the best steerer (who is also to have the honour of steering the eight of the school) always steers the ten, The crews are always sclected on what is known of their merits as’ good oars, and there is neyer any preference given to fayour- itism or rank. When the lists are all made out they are printed and published in the ‘ Boating Calendar.’
Boating begins on March 1 ‘after twelve,’ unless the weather is excessively bad, or the river unusually high, when it has to be stopped for a few days. It ends practically at the summer holidays. ‘Ihe half from after the summer holidays till Christ- tnas is deyoted to football and fives. Before the Easter holi- days the long beats only are allowed, but towards the end of that half some fours are allowed by special permission of the river master. We remember 2 four going out in this half without permission and an attempt being made to row up to Maidenhead when lock-up was at 6.30, but it was swamped in Bray Lock and the crew had to walk or run home ; on their way they met the river master, and he gave them all 200 lines to write out, though the day being very cold he might have thought them sufficiently punished by the ducking they had got.
The first day opens with a procession of all the boats to Surly Hall ; each crew dressed in flannel shirt and straw hats of different colours, and the name of the boat on the hatband The last boat starts first, then the others in inverse order to their
