Mexborough and Swinton Times, September 24.
Singular Adventure on a Steam Yacht.
A little steam yacht having lately been built for a Conisborough firm, a party of gentlemen, on Friday last, thought of taking the opportunity of going to Doncaster by water, and seeing the race for “the cup.”
The boat was started and the party began to glide beautifully down the river. However, on nearing a place called Levitt Hagg, they deemed it more prudent to return, fearing that they would experience some difficulty in coming back in the evening.
Their hearts having failed them the boat was reversed, and they began to return homewards. When the lock at Conisborough, was reached, great consternation was caused on board by one of the tubes in the boiler suddenly exploding.
Each of the party – 12 to 14 in number – then gave a spring (captain excepted) out of the boat, considering themselves safer on terra firma. Some of them cleared the water, but others fell short and had a ducking.
The captain also, not liking his position, deemed it prudent to follow the example of the crew, and he jumped over more or less as they had done.
But as soon as he had landed he saw the danger of leaving the boat to take care of itself – it drifting away with the stream – and he jumped into the river and swam after it. After doing what he thought was necessary, he swam to shore, but one of the partyhad to swimto his assistance.
It will be a long time before this boating excursion down the river is forgotten, it was extremely fortunate that no serious accident happened to any of the party.