Posted by Peter H on December 14, 2008 at 13:45:07 user Peter_H.
In Reply to: Re: Captain John's Chronometer and Barometer posted by Adam Quinan on December 14, 2008 at 00:02:02:
sisterhookish descent into horology on the distinction between jewelled pallets as opposed to pin pallets
As an amateur clock repairer myself, I am well aware of the distinction, but I agree that that topic is rather OT.
Back to the books - I have just looked through Illustrating Arthur Ransome and I have not found a single illustration (whether by Spurrier, Webb or AR himself) in which any of the children (or natives) is wearing a wrist watch. That does add strength to Andrew C-B's argument that they used pocket watches. And he has almost won me over to the belief that the watch which John had hanging up in his tent was a pocket watch. But a problem still remains with regard to the Amazons - if the watch was not worn, where was it kept? To say that Peggy got lumbered with the watch is no answer - Peggy appeared to travel as light as Nancy. I have a theory - both crews had a wrist watch, but it was carried in a pocket when there might have been a need for it. Watches were not worn on the wrist because they (ie inexpensive children's watches) were not waterproof - in a small sailing dinghy your arms are sooner or later going to get wet.