Sporting notions of present days and past

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PUTNEY AND THE CLUBS 189
porch, to fall to decay: the country started pretty
much where Point House left off; 'Varsity crews
did not disdain to lodge themselves at public-
houses (you may call them hotels; I say publics) ;
and the celebrated L. R. C. picture was not yet
painted. Most of us remember the place with
the Bells down by the river, the haunt of profes-
sional rowing men from all parts of the world, and
a house of call for any number of amateurs. This
was an institution in the way of waterside inns
one looked upon as no likelier to change than
Putney Church with its motto, " Time and tide
wait for no man." You could land anywhere on
the foreshore where the footing was hard. No
embankment wall in your way. A little incon-
venient one- of-a-terrace kind of dwelling, Point
House, commanded a high rent because of its
standing close to the water; and over probabilities
of acquiring a lease of such property well-to-do
rowing men and the like would almost fight.
Now such a tenement is number something in a
row of modern (and much more comfortable)
houses, a number and nothing more. To the Star
and Garter came people for dining purposes, and
to take trips even out of Boat Race times; and
then it gave no hint of the gigantic proportions
to which the extended premises have reached.
Remnants of the Stuarts and Commonwealth
celebrities, such as Cromwell House, Fairfax
House, and other relics, notably very ancient inns
stowed in odd corners, were dear to the rowing
men dwelling in those parts. Places where high-
waymen like Jerry Abershaw (see your Captain
Marryat and
"
Japhet in Search of a Father")
hung—ominous word—out were still " authenti-
cated." And it appeared to me that everyone
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