“At last someone shouted out to Sir Ernest “are you all well…” to which he laughingly replied “Don’t we look all right now that we’ve washed” for evidently our filthy condition had not failed to attract his notice and then we burst into a hearty laugh which was followed… by the rowers as soon as they saw what he was laughing at, then like silly school-girls, we all started giggling and looking at each other’s black faces.”

— Thomas Orde-Lees