THREE MEN IN A BOAT ch 4-9

THREE MEN IN A BOAT ch 4-9

Answer the following questions in 120 -150 words.

1. What was the contribution of Harris and George to the task of packing?

George and Harris started packing in a typical fashion. They started with
breaking a cup. They packed strawberry jam on top of the tomatoes and
squashed them. Then they packed pastries at the bottom and heavy things
were loaded on them. Naturally, pastries were smashed. Moreover, they tried
to put butter in the kettle. It would not go in and what was in it would not
come out. Finally George and Harris managed to get it out and they put it on
the chair and Harris sat on it. When packing was completed, Harris sat on the
hamper hoping nothing would be found broken.

2. What problems do the pungent cheeses create for the author? What did Tom do to
get rid of them?

Tom once requested the author to take a couple of cheeses from Liverpool to
London. The smell of cheese made the horse dash off in terror. He could be
controlled only when a clever porter put the handkerchief over the horse’s
nose. In the train people ran out of the bogey as the smell was so strong as
they were not able to tolerate it. Even his friend, Tom’s wife reacted sharply
to the smell of cheeses and decided to go a hotel with her children until the
cheeses were eaten. Finally, Tom had to take them to the beach and bury
them there.

3. Describe the china dog that ornamented the bedroom of the author? Why are we
not able to see the beauty of the china dog in the current age?

The china dog that ornamented the bedroom of the author was a white dog.
Its eyes were blue and its nose was a delicate red, with black spots. Its head
was painfully erect, its expression was amiability carried to the verge of
imbecility. It irritated the author, his thoughtless friends jeered at it and even
his landlady had no admiration for it.
We are not able to see the beauty of the china dog in the current age as we
are too familiar with it. It is like the sunset and the stars. We are not awed by
its loveliness because it is common to our eyes.

4. How do the friends reach Kingston to start their holiday trip on the river Thames?

On the day that the friends were to start a journey, they took a cab and
reached waterloo at eleven, but nobody knew where the eleven five for
Kingston started from. Since they were not sure about the train they asked
the porters about it, who themselves seemed confused. Then they asked the
traffic superintendent and the station master and the authorities of number
three platform but they gave them contradicting information. Much to their
surprise even the engine driver didn’t know either as to where they were
headed. They bribed him and reached Kingston by London and South
Western Railway. It was later found that the train was really the Exeter mail.

5. What actually happened to Harris at the maze in Hampton Court?

Harris went into maze to show it to his country cousin. Theymet some people
who were lost in the maze for about three quarters of an hour. Harris asked
them to follow him. Harris kept on turning to the right but it seemed a long
way till they passed the half of a penny bun on the ground that Harris’s
cousin swore he had noticed seven minutes ago. Harris thought they should
go back to the entrance and try again but he failed. They called the young
keeper who not able to locate them and also got lost. The old keeper came
after lunch and rescued them.

6. Describe the incident in the party where Herr Slossenn Boschen sang his song?

It was a highly cultured party. Two young men who just returned from
Germany said that Herr Slossenn Boschen would sing a comic song for
them. They said nobody could sing it like Her Slossenn Boschen. As the
song started, everyone in crowd including the narrator fixed their eyes on
young men as they didn’t understand German. When they laughed everyone
laughed and when they roared, all roared. The German Professor did not
seem happy and the expression on his face was one of intense surprise.
After he finished singing, the audience remarked that it was really the
funniest thing that they ever heard in their lives. Actually, the German
Professor had sung a sad song. The two young men disappeared. He told
that he only knew to sing the song in German. He felt very insulted and the
party ended.

7. Describe the incident when the narrator went on a boating trip with two beautifully
dressed ladies.

Once the narrator went on a boat trip with two ladies. They had put on silky
stuff, ribbons, dainty shoes and light gloves and were beautifully dressed.
But they were dressed for a photographic studio and not for a river picnic.
While stepping in boat, the first thing that they noticed was that the boat was
not clean so the narrator and his friend dusted all the seats for them but the
ladies did not believe them. They thought that a drop of water would destroy
their dress. The narrator tried his best, but could not prevent a few drops of
water falling on their clothes. The girls did not complain but huddled close
together and every time a drop touched them, they visibly shrank and
shuddered. The ladies felt relieved when he asked another man to row. But
the man spread more than a pint of water on their dresses, they began to
protect themselves with their lace parasols and drew rugs and coats over
themselves.

8. What happened to George’s father and his friend in ‘The Pig and Whistle’ inn?

George’s father and his friend had a jolly evening at the ‘The Pig and Whistle’
inn and were to sleep in the same room, but in different beds. They took the
candle and went up. When they got into the room the candle lurched and
went out. They undressed in dark and instead of getting into separate beds,
they climbed into the same bed unknowingly. The only difference was one
lay with his feet next to the other's head. Each thought that there was
another man in his bed. They both fought with each other not knowing that
the other person was his friend. Each complained to the other that there was
someone else in their bed then the other advised them to throw out the
intruder. Finally they threw each other out and all landed on the floor. They
thought that it was not a very nice inn as strange things happened in it.

9. Describe the incident when narrator went with his cousin on a river trip.

Once the narrator went on a river trip with his cousin who was a young lady.
They reached Benson's lock at half-past six and his cousin was eager to
reach home before evening. The narrator drew out a map and found that they
would reach Walling ford Lock in half an hour and in another five minutes
they would reach Cleeve. They rowed on, and did not see a lock. His cousin
thought that they were lost and started crying. Jerome got nervous but he
still went on pulling. The river grew more and more gloomy and mysterious
under the gathering shadows of the night but still there was no lock.
Suddenly, they heard the sweet sounds of an accordion and a boat came
along. Jerome asked them about Walling ford Lock. They told him that there
was no Wallingford lock for the last one year but they were very close to
Cleeve now. They got home in time for supper.

10. How did Harris and Jim get blackmailed at Kempton park? Describe their reaction.

Harris and Jerome stopped under the willows in Kempton Park for lunch. It
was a pretty little spot with a pleasant grass plateau. They had just begun to
eat the bread and jam when a gentleman in shirt-sleeves and a short-pipe
came along. He said that they were trespassing and it was his duty to turn
them off. They replied that they had not thought about this matter. Harris was
a well-made man and looked hard and bony so he asked him how he would
accomplish his task. He said that he would consult his master and then come
back and chuck them both into the river. Then he went away but never
returned. Actually he wanted a shilling and was trying to blackmail them. But
both Harris and Jim refused to be blackmailed. This made them angry and
Jerome wanted to kill the owner but Harris wanted to kill him, his family,
relatives and burn down his house.