Chapter 18

           WeleftStreatleyearlythenextmorning,andpulleduptoCulham,andsleptunderthecanvas,inthebackwaterthere. 

           TheriverisnotextraordinarilyinterestingbetweenStreatleyandWallingford. FromCleveyougetastretchofsixandahalfmileswithoutalock. IbelievethisisthelongestuninterruptedstretchanywhereaboveTeddington,andtheOxfordClubmakeuseofitfortheirtrialeights. 

           Buthoweversatisfactorythisabsenceoflocksmaybetorowing-men,itistoberegrettedbythemerepleasure-seeker. 

           Formyself,Iamfondoflocks. Theypleasantlybreakthemonotonyofthepull. Ilikesittingintheboatandslowlyrisingoutofthecooldepthsupintonewreachesandfreshviews; orsinkingdown,asitwere,outoftheworld,andthenwaiting,whilethegloomygatescreak,andthenarrowstripofday-lightbetweenthemwidenstillthefairsmilingriverliesfullbeforeyou,andyoupushyourlittleboatoutfromitsbriefprisonontothewelcomingwatersonceagain. 

           Theyarepicturesquelittlespots,theselocks. Thestoutoldlock-keeper,orhischeerful-lookingwife,orbright-eyeddaughter,arepleasantfolktohaveapassingchatwith.