The excerpt represents the core issue or deciding factor on which you must meditate, and is drawn from Records of a Family of Engineers by Robert Louis Stevenson: ounces oatmeal, two ounces barley, two ounces butter, three
quarts of small beer, with vegetables and salt - they got into
excellent spirits when free of sea-sickness. The rowing of
the boats against each other became a favourite amusement,
which was rather a fortunate circumstance, as it must have
been attended with much inconvenience had it been found
necessary to employ a sufficient number of sailors for this
purpose. The writer, therefore, encouraged the spirit of
emulation, and the speed of their respective boats became a
favourite topic. Premiums for boat-races were instituted,
which were contended for with great eagerness, and the
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