The day began cheerfully, but it is not likely to continue what it should, for them or for us. We had a little water party yesterday; I and my two nephews went from the Itchen Ferry up to Northam, where we landed, looked into the 74, and walked home, and it was so much enjoyed that I had intended to take them to Netley to-day; the tide is just right for our going immediately after moonshine, but I am afraid there will be rain; if we cannot get so far, however, we may perhaps go round from the ferry to the quay.

Northam was the site of a shipyard and the 74 appears to have been a naval warship under construction. A diversion sure to appeal to teenage boys, I would imagine.

The proposed trip to Netley was probably to see Netley Abbey, which might not proved as interesting as the shipyard.