Page:The history of yachting.djvu/190

 74 preferring to ignore the whole matter. For he certainly must have known of this match; and probably saw it. It was also, no doubt, a subject of general gossip at the Court, and about every London inn and tavern.

Evelyn sailed with the King. Therefore, it is within bounds to suppose that both he and Pepys hoped and expected that the King's yacht would be successful. Hence, if she had won, we should probably have heard of it; for no two men in England were better qualified to express their ideas in a manner not to be misunderstood.

"His barge and kitchen-boat attended" is a phrase that calls to mind the energetic tug and patient tender attached to racing-yachts of the present, and is the one slender thread that connects this ancient racing-yacht with her young and beautiful sisters of to-day.

Early in 1662 the accounts for "adorning, carving, gilding, and painting" the King's new yachts appear in the records. Sir Robert Howard was paid on January 6th "three hundred pounds sterling for painting and adorning the King's yacht"; and on February 8th, four hundred and fifty pounds sterling was paid for similar work on another royal yacht. On March 5th, Christopher Pett writes to the Navy Commissioners that "Mr. Walker will gild and adorn the King's new Besano yacht for one hundred and sixty pounds sterling." Now, at that time, carvers, gilders, and painters were paid two shillings and six pence per day, which rate—allowing for material and a contractor's profit of ten per