The Tweed Commissioners keep a very tight rein on activities on tne river. There is no commercial boating (nor indeed pleasure craft) and only the odd rowing boat out with fishermen. It was thus very surprising to witness the launch of a noisesome hovercraft yesterday afternoon from the bank below Paxton House. These were not intrepid explorers intent on emulating Speke or Livingstone in searching for the source of this great waterway but a gang of five (very occasional) 'sailors' who having dithered for 40 minutes over whether of not to put up a tarpaulin covering, another twenty trying to put it up and having suceeded went for all of ten minutes down stream (the source is not that way) and ten minutes back to the safety of shore. And then, sensibly enough headed off to the tea room to supplement their meagre rations.

The natives being friendly they presumably decided to stay but I am not sure if a Tweed Commissioner or two had been around that they would have avoided hostilties. And I saw no Gatling gun aboard.

Unarmed into unchartered waters. Foolish
  ¶ 1:49 PM