Tuesday 7 January 2014

AN ORIGINAL DISEMBARKATION

"As we descend the cliff pathway to Budleigh Salterton, the Duchess is nearing the shore.  Surely she shall stop presently, for there is no pier and the passengers must land in boats.   But nothing of the kind.  She steams straight for the beach, only stopping as her bow touches the pebbles.  Then a long stage is run out, down which the passengers troop to the shore.  It is an original way of disembarking and looks not a little dangerous.  But the fact is the beach slopes so rapidly that there is no danger of grounding, and, except in rough weather, the steamer can take no harm."

(The Coasts of Devon,  John Lloyd Warden Page, 1895.)

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