and bushes showing bravely in the face O - LA84 Foundation

Ice Yachting in
the Gulf of
Finland

Gerard
Anderson

and bushes showing bravely in the face
of winter. The club grounds are well
wooded in the rear and down towards
ONE of the most delightful and the river grow sycamores, birch, beech,
exhilarating sports in the world mountain ash, evergreen larches and
—all the more exhilarating, firs. We abandon the sleigh here and
perhaps, by reason of its spice cross into the club-house, noting as we
of danger—is sailing on an ice-yacht, do so that the flag upon the turret is
and nowhere outside the United States fluttering out bravely under a fresh
is the sport indulged in with so much southwesterly breeze. Presently all
zest as in the Gulf of Finland. No hands are gathered within doors, par-
man can realize, until he has once taking of small glasses of “atchitsht-
made trial, the sense of absolute free- chenoy,” by way of fortifying ourselves
dom, of keen and thrilling pleasure, to against the cold anticipated upon our
be derived from the steering of one sail.
of the Russian wedge-shaped vessels at We form rather a quaint group, we
headlong speed, with a fair fresh wind four, as we stand round the great stove
on the beam and nothing but the open sipping our cordials, clad in costumes
ice-plain ahead. With tiller in hand, specially adapted for the bitter cold of
pulling and straining like a thing of a Russian winter. Each man wears on
life as the yacht takes the wind and his head a white fox-skin cap, very soft
leans over to leeward, a man seems to and warm, with ear and neck flaps, ad-
live faster and to feel the fullness of his justable at the wearer’s pleasure; a
existence pulsing through his veins. short hunting-coat, lined with skunk or
The joy of the horseman, the warrior, some other thick fur, reaching to the
the viking thrills the frame. hips, with a foot-deep collar of white
We made up a arty, G. and I, our fox; gloves known as “rookaveetzl,”
friend the French diplomatist, and Hel- made of thick flexible leather, with two
dar, my college chum, who had come divisions, one for the thumb and the
over from England to enjoy the gayeties other for the four fingers, continued up
of the brilliant Russian capital in mid- to the elbow in the form of a leathern
winter. A four-mile sleigh-ride over shield, and added all through with felt
the snow in the keen, cold morning air or flannel. The nether limbs are clothed
brought us from St. Petersburg to the in two pairs of the thickest and strong-
Russian River Club House, on the est breeches, and high boots made of
banks of the Malaya Nevka (little Russian leather, impervious to wet and
Neva), the home of ice-yachting on the reaching to the hips. On to the soles of
Gulf of Finland. each man’s boots are fixed a pair of ice-
The club-house is a capacious and crawlers, a small iron device clamping
comfortable building, set somewhat on to the inside of the heel, and fitted
back from the river bank and separated with a spring so as to remain stowed
from it by a garden, now nothing but a away in the hollow of the instep when
lawn of snow, with evergreen shrubs not in use, or, when needed, to turn back

298 O U T I N G F O R J A N U A R Y .

and form a plate under the heel, with aft in the same beam, to the extreme
two sharp protruding spikes, as a pre- end of the boom, and back through the
vention against slipping when walking double block, the bight being held in
on the ice. the hand of one of the crew. The fur-
niture of the boat consists of two large
We adjourn to the piazza overlook- “hand-spucks” (anent which more later),
ing the river, to inspect our trusty and a few coils of extra rope, in case of
yacht. There she lies on the ice, her
head to the wind, together with Several accidents. In some ice-yachts thin
sister vessels, guarded by a couple. of planks are set across the frame for the
club sailors, who, with their command- crew to sit on; in others, as was the
ant, the boatswain, are all clad in thick case in the Véterj, rope-netting is used
sheepskins and high boots. We go down as a substitute. An ice -yacht, when
through the garden, and presently are sailing close-hauled or near the wind,
standing beside our graceful bark, ready will make from ten to fifteen miles an
for the start. The name of our yacht is hour, and with a free wind, when it is
the Véterj, which signifies the wind, and blowing fresh, she can do her mile a
she looks as if she could do full justice minute.
to her patronymic, rivaling her name- When we are all safely on board, G.
sake in swiftness. takes the tiller, the huge sheet is haul-
She is not so large as some, holding ed into the wind and bellies out as it
only eight persons with comfort; some fills to the breeze. With a heave and a
of the larger ones accommodate as many glide we are off on our voyage over the
as a dozen. Her build and structure ice. As the wind is in the southwest
merit a short description. we have to make a series of short tacks
The main framework of the boat is in up the river for half a mile until we
the shape of a wedge or V, being built reach the open gulf. The ice is as
of tough, seasoned pine or some other smooth as glass, of deep blue in color
hard wood. A broad beam runs from and very transparent. Peering over the
the bow to the sternpost, in which the boat’s side, you can see down into the
mast is stepped. Two runners or skates depths. We reach the gulf with many
of steel are welded to a solid-iron upper a tack, for an ice-boat goes about like a
plate, which again is firmly screwed to swallow and answers to the slightest
the corner of the main framework of movement of the helm.
the yacht. These runners are immov- A glance at the accompanying map
able, save that they give with an up- will familiarize the reader with the
and-down movement when crossing un- positions of our various halting-places
even ice or hummocks. The rudder around the shores. The wind being
skate is controlled either by a tiller southwest, it becomes necessary on
(as in the Véterj), or else by a perpen- reaching the open ice to make a further
dicular or horizontal wheel. In the for- succession of short tacks to reach Peter-
mer case the steersman sits to the hof, our first point, or else to make a
windward side of the tiller as he holds long leg to the northward and back
it, and in the latter aft the wheel. again to our destination. We take
The mast is a straight seasoned pole of counsel and decide for the long leg, and
teak or Norway pine, and is held firmly very shortly we are sliding along at a
in position by two side-stays to port and great rate in a northwesterly direction
starboard, a fore-stay running out to a across the gulf. The crew, with the
small sprit set in the bow, and a couple exception of the steersman, sit to wind-
of back-stays, these last being loosened ward, with their backs to the breeze to
to leeward in the case of a free wind, to serve as a weight on the boat, and a
give play to the boom. The sail is an balance for the heavy sail that strains
immense lug, covering a great many and pulls on the bolt-ropes with tre-
square feet; the gaff and boom attached mendous force. Under its impetus the
to the mast by travelers, the latter be- Véterj flies away, the ice under the
ing kept down by a halyard reeved skates giving out a musical hum as we
through a double block attached to the speed along. It is cold, but not too
deck. The sheet for controlling the cold, and we all feel free and buoyant,
boom runs from the center beam to a and ripe for any adventure. Neverthe-
single pulley in the middle of the boom, less G., who is an old ice-yachtsman,
thence through a double block farther steers with great care and attention, for

ICE-YACHTlNG IN THE GULF OF FINLAND. 299

ice-boats are “kittle cattle” when care- On entering you gain by a couple of
lessly handled. Let the helmsman once steps—for the cabin is raised on log sec-
allow her to yaw, or get away from his tions above the ice to prevent inunda-
control, or bring her back just a little tion in case of an overflow of water—
too suddenly, and a gibe is the inevitable the outer room, containing a bar and a
result. Then it is a case of “sauve qui few rickety chairs, all filthily dirty and
peut”—grab what you can, and look over ill kept, as well as the inevitable huge
for a soft soot on which to fall. stove in the center of the floor. Passing
Presently we cross the road from through this, you come into the sanc-
Cronstadt to St. Petersburg, which tum, or special apartment, also very
runs in a straight line across the ice, dirty, where are a couple of tables and
bisecting the bay. The line of way is chairs for such of the company as arrive
marked by tall poles set into the ice first, a box or two or their own haunches
at intervals of one hundred yards, and serving as seats for the remainder.
painted black and white in alternating Here you are served according to your
rings. Over this road go sleighs of needs by Timofei, after bawling loud
all sorts, from the nobleman’s stately and long for what you want. You must
equipage to the peasant’s pony sled. It also be careful to keep your own score,
is also the highway for all pedestrians if you wish to avoid extortion, as your
and poor folk who cannot afford the host will never think of doing so. On
luxury of a sleigh. This road is simply a fine day there may be seen assembled
a track over the ice, or rather a way in Timofei’s hostelry save the mark!)
worn by hundreds of sleighs passing a motley crew, from the rugged Fin in
and repassing, and our boat sails across his well-worn sheepskins and “valinki”
it and between the posts easily, and on (felt boots), with his little wooden sleigh
again into the open. and rough, quick-trotting pony, to the
About noon we find ourselves off languid swell in his expensive furs,
Peterhof, one of the principal summer borne hither by his superlative sleigh or
residences of the Russian Emperor, trim-built ice-yacht. All men meet here
where we halt for a moment and hold a on a common footing. Timofei’s cabak
council of war. Then, as some of us affords shelter alike to rich and poor, to
are married men, and it therefore be- small and great; all are glad to find
hooves us, for the sake of others, to be here, in spite of the dirt and the nasty
careful of our precious health, we decide smells, a temporary refuge from the
that we must make a detour, and call piercing cold.
upon our friend Timofei. No sooner Timofei himself is a characteristic
said than done; in another moment we figure—a huge Russian, about forty
are speeding away on a bee-line for his years old, six feet three inches in height;
dwelling. his face red, where it is not purple from
The said Timofei is a gentleman who the combined influences of drink and
annually builds unto himself on the icy cold; blue eyes, somewhat sodden, but
roadside above mentioned, half-way be- still twinkling with humor, and keen and
tween Cronstadt and St. Petersburg, quick as possible at seeing a chance for
and right in the line of traffic, a small a good bargain. His long fair hair and
cabin, wherefrom he dispenses every- beard are neatly combed, as is that of
thing known to the Russian mind in the all Russians, save the very wildest. He
form of stimulant, from vodky at two is clothed in the usual thick sheepskins
kopeks the glass, to Pommery Sec at and high boots. In spite of a somewhat
eight roubles a bottle. Tchai (tea), truculent-seeming exterior, Timofei is
served in the Russian fashion, with lemon good-natured, and charitable withal in
and quite innocent of milk; coffee, sand- his own rough way, feeding many and
wiches of all kinds, and delicious fresh many a hungry peasant reduced by
“korrushki,” a fish caught at holes cut stress of circumstances to Shanks’ mare
in the ice, and very sweet and delicate as a means of locomotion, but conscien-
to the taste, can be had at all hours of tiously taking it out of the rich folk who
the day or night. This latter delicacy visit his cabak, by way of evening mat-
is served to you smoking hot from the ters up a little. All conversation, orders,
pan of one of Timofei’s attendant mou- and so forth, are carried on in Russian,
jiks, who is an artist in this especial all other languages being to mine host

branch of culinary science. as Greek

300 OUTING FOR JANUARY.

Arrived at this abode of plenty, we ing pell-mell up to the station, which lies
leave our ice-boat in charge of the sailor but a short distance from the gulf, and
we have brought with us, and enter. G., can boast of a typical Russian railway
who speaks Russian fluently, exchanges restaurant, the boatman remaining be-
a word or two of greeting with his old hind with our stanch Véterj. This res-
friend, the proprietor. “Noo, Timofei, taurant can supply you with almost any-
kaak zdarovya?” (Well, Timofei, how thing you choose to call for, and all
are you?), to which he answers, with a cooked to perfection. Soon we are all
inside, and begin operations by a mouth-
smile: “E—eh, e—eh, Barin, vaat vass ful of herring or caviare as a delicate
veedet!” (Aha, sir—glad to see you!)
Our light lunch ended, we face forth fillip. Some delicious thick cabbage
again after exchanging farewells. “Do soup soon brings warmth and comfort
svedania, Timofei!” (Au revoir, Timofei!). to our somewhat cold interiors; this is
He calls out a cheery “Do svedania, do followed by a perok or pie, consisting of
svedania; Gospoda, Boch s vami!” (Au a thick crust, within which is on one side
revoir, gentlemen; God be with you!). fish, on the other rice, all covered over
And soon we are off once more, beating and served together. These pies are
up for Oranienbaum. unique, and never to be forgotten. What
Some half-hour from Timofei’s we would we not give at this very moment
sight a perilom, and haul our wind for for such another! Having thus blunted
a space, to take an observation. These the keen edge of our appetites, we go on
periloms or ice-cracks are great sources with a steak, cutlet or some other dain-
of danger to the unwary ice-yachtsman, tily cooked and savory viand, and top off
extending, as they do sometimes, for with a cup of coffee, a chasse-cafe, and a
from three-quarters of a mile to a full cigar or two. Then we sally forth, ripe for
mile in length, with a breadth varying deeds of daring, embark and are under
from ten to fifty feet. They are formed way for Cronstadt. We tear along at
by the pressure of water back into the headlong speed—for the wind is on our
gulf, under a strong westerly wind, beam now—past Cronstadt, a frowning
through the narrow portion between fortress on an island in the middle of
Cronstadt and Oranienbaum. The pres- the gulf, and so away even till we reach
sure after a while gets too strong, and Lyecenos, or the Fox’s Nose, a narrow
the water attacking the spots where the point of land that juts out into the water,
ice is weakest, causes it to crack, and in shape somewhat like the mask of a
forcing its way upwards, overflows the fox, where we pay off a point or two,
surface. In the course of time the and start for the long sail home. The
whole freezes again, the overflow form- wind is right abaft; the Véterj along.
ing a coating above the old ice, which Anon we swiftly approach a perilom;
has sunk two or three feet below it. our helmsman sees it, yet he holds on
This coating is liable to remain rotten upon his course. He is going to charge
and unsafe, It is generally discolored it and trust to luck to get over. His
in appearance, or of a dirty-yellow hue, dinner and its accompaniments have
When an ice-yacht sails unaware into made him daring. We all hold our
one of these cracks, the forward skates breath. Now is the time to try the man
sink through this rotten ice and remain of a timid and nervous disposition. Given
embedded, while the passengers are of you are not yourself afraid, it is quite a
course thrown out. Then it is a case of study to watch the faces round you, and
tying ropes on to the yacht, and hauling note the varying expressions as you near
her back by main force to the solid ice. the ice-crack. It is to be observed that
After several hours of tacking and re- each man takes a very strong and com-
tacking we make Oranienbaum, all rav- prehensive grip of whatever of a sta-
enously hungry, for intense cold and ble nature may happen to be near him.
rapid motion through the air are keen And now comes the tug of war; we are
promoters of appetite. In making a land- on it; a long rending, crackling sound, a
ing great care has to be exercised, as the quiver or two, a vast sigh of relief from
spores are very rocky; rough crags jut. six pair of lungs, and we are over and
ting up here and there, in some places sailing along smoothly again. The per-
above the ice, in others just flush with ilom is passed, and we shall have some-
the surface. We avoid the rocks and thin to brag about in St. Petersburg
steer into shore, and soon are all hurry- for the next ten days.