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 HANDS-ON PYTHON GUI
DEVELOPMENT COURSE WITH
EXERCISES
Comprehensive Techniques to Crafting Responsive, Intuitive
User Interfaces From Concept to Deployment

Matthew Galvin
 © [Matthew Galvin], [2024].
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored
in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means,
electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise,
without the express written permission of the author. Unauthorized
reproduction or distribution is prohibited and may result in legal
action.
 Table of Contents
Introduction
- How to Use This Book
- Software Requirements and Setup Instructions
- Overview of Python GUI Options
Chapter 1:
Introduction to GUI Development
- What is a GUI?
- Advantages of Using GUIs
- Overview of Python in GUI Development
- Common Python GUI Frameworks
Chapter 2:
Getting Started with Tkinter
- Installing and Setting up Tkinter
- Your First Tkinter Application: Hello World
- Understanding Tkinter Main loop
- Basic Tkinter Widgets and Their Attributes
- Exercise: Create a basic form with labels and buttons
Chapter 3:
Layout Management in Tkinter
- Geometry managers: pack, grid, and place
- Responsive Design with Resizing Widgets
- Exercise: Designing a Responsive Contact Form
Chapter 4:
Advanced Tkinter Widgets
- Working with text inputs, sliders, and progress bars
- Using Menus and Dialogs in Tkinter
- Integrating Multimedia: Images and Sounds in Tkinter
- Exercise: Building a Media Player interface
Chapter 5:
Event Handling and Interactivity
- Understanding event-driven programming
-Binding Events to Widgets
- Creating Menu-driven applications
- Exercise: Develop a Paint Application
Chapter 6:
Data Handling and Display
- Using treeviews for data display
- File handling Guide: Open, save, and export files
- Creating and Managing Graphs and Charts
- Exercise: Create an Expense Tracker Application
Chapter 7:
Database Integration
- Introduction to SQLite with Python
- CRUD operations in GUI
- Connecting the GUI to a Database Backend
- Exercise: Build a Library Management System
Chapter 8:
Networking and GUIs
- Python sockets with GUI
- Creating a Chat Application
- Integrating Web Content into Your GUIs
- Exercise: Develop a Client-Server File Transfer App
Chapter 9:
Introduction to PyQt
- Installing PyQt and Setting up
- Translating Tkinter knowledge to PyQt
- Basic PyQt Widgets and Dialogs
 - Exercise: Convert the Expense Tracker Application to PyQt
Chapter 10:
Advanced PyQt Features
- Using Qt Designer for UI design
- Advanced widgets and graphics (Canvas, Tables, etc.)
- Multithreading in PyQt
- Exercise: Create a Multi-threaded Download Manager
Chapter 11:
Packaging and Distributing Applications
- PyInstaller and cx_Freeze
- Creating Installation Files for PyQt Applications
- Cross-platform application considerations
- Exercise: Package and Distribute the Library Management
System
Chapter 12:
Case Studies and Real-World Applications
- Designing a complete small business solution
- GUI for IoT device control
- Educational Tools and Games: Fostering Learning Through
Engagement
Appendices
- Python refresher
- Solutions to exercises
- Common issues and troubleshooting
 Introduction
Welcome to "Hands-on Python GUI Development Course with
Exercises" a comprehensive guide designed to usher you through
the art and science of building graphical user interfaces (GUIs) with
Python. Whether you are a complete beginner in programming or
someone with basic knowledge of Python looking to expand your
skill set, this book is crafted to provide you with a solid foundation in
GUI development.
The decision to focus on Python for GUI development stems from
Python’s remarkable simplicity and its status as one of the most
popular programming languages today. Python's readable syntax and
robust community support make it an ideal gateway for those
venturing into the world of software development. GUI development,
on the other hand, is a visually rewarding and intuitively gratifying
area of software engineering that makes your applications accessible
and interactive to the average user.
This book aims to demystify the process of designing and building
functional, real-world GUI applications using Python. We begin with
Tkinter, Python's standard GUI library, which is not only simple but
also powerful enough to build desktop applications. As you progress,
you will encounter PyQt, a binding of the cross-platform GUI toolkit
Qt, which is used by professionals to create both simple and
complex applications across operating systems.
Why focus on GUI? In the digital age, interfaces are the bridge
between users and software logic. They are the touchpoints that
determine how effectively a user interacts with technology. Learning
to build intuitive, efficient, and aesthetically pleasing interfaces is not
just about dragging and dropping elements but understanding user
behavior, application workflow, and system integration.
Throughout the chapters, this book covers essential topics such as
widget manipulation, layout management, event handling, and
database integration. We also delve into more advanced subjects like
networking with GUIs and integrating web content. Each topic is
accompanied by practical examples and exercises designed to
reinforce your learning.
The exercises included are not merely to practice coding, but to
solve problems similar to those you might encounter in the real
world. They escalate in complexity and encourage you to apply the
concepts learned in each chapter. By the end of this book, you will
not only be able to build functional GUI applications but also
package and distribute them to others.
This book is also a story of what makes programming enjoyable and
fulfilling—bringing your ideas to life visually. The joy of seeing your
code translate into a graphical application that you can click, interact
with, and use to solve real-world problems is unparalleled. It is my
hope that this journey will not just teach you how to write code, but
how to think creatively and solve problems programmatically.
Whether your goal is to develop commercial quality applications,
contribute to open source, or build personal projects to enhance
your skills, "Hands-on Python GUI Development with Exercises" is
tailored to guide you every step of the way. Let’s embark on this
journey together, and transform your ideas into interactive
applications that stand out in the digital landscape.

- How to Use This Book

"Hands-on Python GUI Development Course with Exercises" is
structured to be as interactive and user-friendly as possible. Here are
some guidelines to help you make the most out of this book:
1. Sequential Reading vs Selective Reading: While the book is
designed for a sequential reading experience—where each chapter
builds on the previous ones—it is also structured to allow for
selective reading. If you are familiar with the basics of Python or
some aspects of GUI development, you may choose to skip or skim
certain sections. However, for complete beginners, I recommend
following the chapters in the order they are presented to gain a
comprehensive understanding of GUI development.
2. Engage with the Exercises
At the end of each chapter, exercises are provided to help reinforce
the concepts discussed. These exercises range from simple tasks to
more complex projects that simulate real-world application
development. Try to complete these exercises on your own before
consulting the solutions in the appendices. This hands-on approach
is crucial for mastering GUI programming.
3. Utilize the Appendices
The appendices are an integral part of this book. They include a
Python refresher, solutions to exercises, and common
troubleshooting tips. If you encounter difficulties, consult these
sections. They are here to aid your learning and ensure you don’t
remain stuck.
4. Join the Community
Learning is more effective when you’re part of a community. I
encourage you to join online forums, local user groups, or study
groups. Discussing with peers, asking questions, and sharing your
projects can enhance your understanding and provide you with
different perspectives on problem-solving.
5. Experiment and Explore
While the book provides specific examples and applications, the
world of GUI development is vast and varied. Use the skills and
concepts you learn to experiment with your own ideas. Modifying the
examples provided, experimenting with different widgets, and
integrating new functionalities are excellent ways to deepen your
understanding.
By following these guidelines, "Hands-on Python GUI Development
Course With Exercises" will serve not only as a textbook but as a
launchpad into the exciting world of software development,
providing you with the tools and knowledge to build impactful GUI
applications.

- Software Requirements and Setup

Instructions
To get started with Python GUI development, you'll need to install
several pieces of software. These include the Python interpreter, a
code editor or Integrated Development Environment (IDE), and the
GUI frameworks you will use such as Tkinter and PyQt. Below is a
list of the required software:
1. Python: Python 3.x is recommended as it is the latest version
supported by all major GUI frameworks. Python 2.x is outdated and
no longer supported with security updates or enhancements.
2. Pip: Python's package installer, which usually comes with Python.
3. A Code Editor or IDE: While you can use any text editor for
writing Python code, an IDE or a code editor like VSCode, PyCharm,
or Atom can provide helpful features like code completion, syntax
highlighting, and more.
4. Tkinter: Tkinter is Python’s standard GUI library, typically
included by default in the Python standard library. For some versions
of Python or in some operating systems, it might need to be installed
separately.
5. PyQt: PyQt5 or PyQt6 needs to be installed as it is not included
with Python. PyQt is a set of Python bindings for The Qt Company’s
Qt application framework.
6. SQLite: SQLite comes pre-installed with Python. For advanced
database functionalities, you might consider installing a more robust
system like MySQL or PostgreSQL, but for starting out, SQLite will
suffice.
7. Additional Libraries: Depending on the projects you plan to
undertake, other libraries such as Matplotlib for charting, or
Requests for handling HTTP sessions might be needed.
Setup Instructions
The following step-by-step instructions will guide you through setting
up your development environment. These instructions are suitable
for Windows, macOS, and Linux users, with specific notes for any
steps that differ significantly between these operating systems.
Step 1: Install Python
1. Download Python: Go to the official Python website
(python.org) and download the latest version of Python 3.x. Make
sure to download the installer that matches your operating system
and architecture (32-bit or 64-bit).
2. Run the Installer: Open the downloaded file and run the
installer. For Windows users, ensure to check the box that says "Add
Python 3.x to PATH" before clicking "Install Now." This step is crucial
as it makes Python accessible from the command line. On macOS
and Linux, Python 3 is usually installed by default. If not, you can
install it via Homebrew on macOS or the package manager of your
Linux distribution.
Step 2: Set Up Pip
Pip typically comes installed with Python 3.4 and above. To check if
Pip is installed, open your command line interface (CLI) and type
`pip --version`. If Pip is not installed, you can download and install
it from the Python Packaging Authority (pypa.io).
Step 3: Install a Code Editor or IDE
1. Choose an IDE or Code Editor: Download and install an IDE
such as PyCharm or an editor like Visual Studio Code. Both are free
and offer extensive support for Python development.
2. Configure the IDE: Ensure that the IDE is set up to recognize
your Python interpreter. This usually involves specifying the path to
the Python executable in your IDE settings.
Step 4: Install Tkinter
Tkinter usually doesn’t require separate installation as it comes
bundled with Python. To verify its installation, try running a simple
Tkinter program. If Tkinter isn't recognized, you may need to install
it via your operating system’s package manager (`sudo apt-get
install python3-tk` for Debian/Ubuntu, for instance).
Step 5: Install PyQt
PyQt can be installed via pip. Open your CLI and type the following
command:
```
pip install PyQt5 # For PyQt5
```
or
```
pip install PyQt6 # For PyQt6
```
This command will install PyQt along with its dependencies.
Step 6: Verify Installation
To ensure that everything is set up correctly, try running sample
programs from both Tkinter and PyQt. Checking this early can save
you troubleshooting time later.
Step 7: Additional Libraries
As you progress through different projects in the book, you might
need to install additional libraries. These installations are generally
straightforward using Pip, e.g.,
```
pip install matplotlib
pip install requests
```
Always make sure to check the documentation for any library you
are installing for additional dependencies or setup instructions.

- Overview of Python GUI Options

Graphical User Interfaces (GUIs) are fundamental to making
applications accessible and interactive for users. Python, known for
its simplicity and readability, offers multiple options for GUI
development, catering to a range of applications from simple tools to
complex interfaces. This overview discusses the major Python GUI
frameworks, helping developers choose the right tool for their
projects.
1. Tkinter
Tkinter is the standard GUI toolkit for Python. It is included with
Python, which makes it a convenient choice for developers who do
not wish to install any additional packages. Tkinter is suitable for
small to medium-sized applications and is popular in the academic
realm and among hobbyists for its simplicity.
- Pros:
- Ease of Use: Tkinter is easy to learn and has a straightforward
syntax, making it ideal for beginners.
- Availability: Being part of Python's standard library, it does not
require separate installation.
- Documentation and Community: It has ample documentation and
a large community for support.
- Cons:
- Look and Feel: The GUIs created with Tkinter can look outdated
unless additional effort is made to customize components.
- Functionality: While suitable for simpler applications, it may not
handle the demands of more complex, feature-rich applications well.
2. PyQt and PySide
PyQt and PySide are Python bindings for the Qt application
framework, used extensively in commercial and open-source
software. PyQt is developed by the Riverbank Computing, while
PySide is provided by the Qt Company. Both offer almost identical
features and are suitable for creating professionally looking,
functional, and scalable applications.
- Pros:
- Rich Set of Widgets: Both offer a comprehensive set of GUI
widgets.
- Cross-Platform: They can be used to develop applications that
run on Windows, macOS, Linux, and even mobile.
- Support for Modern UI Features: Such as animations, 2D/3D
graphics, threaded programming, and more.
- Strong Community and Documentation: Due to its widespread
use, the community and resources available are extensive.
- Cons:
- Learning Curve: The complexity of options available can be
overwhelming for beginners.
- License: While PySide uses an LGPL license (more permissive),
PyQt is provided under the GPL license (more restrictive), which
might be an issue for commercial applications unless you purchase a
commercial license from Riverbank Computing.
3. Kivy
Kivy is an open-source Python library for developing multitouch
applications. It is particularly good for applications that require
multi-touch, gestures, and other modern touch features. It is used to
build applications that can be deployed on Windows, macOS, Linux,
iOS, and Android.
- Pros:
- Multi-touch Support: It is one of the few frameworks offering
extensive support for multi-touch.
- Flexible: It’s designed to let the developer create new widgets
and tools directly in Python.
 - GPU Accelerated: The framework is GPU accelerated, which
enhances graphics performance.
- Cons:
- Different: Kivy’s design is unique and can require time to learn
properly, especially for those familiar with more traditional Python
GUI frameworks.
- Look and Feel: The default look is very different from native apps,
which might not be appealing to all developers.
4. wxPython
wxPython is a cross-platform GUI toolkit for the Python language. It
is an open-source wrapper for the wxWidgets C++ toolkit, which
delivers native applications for Windows, macOS, and Linux.
- Pros:
- Native Look and Feel: Applications built with wxPython look and
feel native on any platform.
- Rich Set of Features: It provides a large set of advanced
functionalities and widgets.
- Cons:
- Complexity: It can be more complex to use compared to Tkinter,
especially for beginners.
- Documentation: While there is good documentation available, it
might seem less approachable than that of PyQt or Tkinter.
5. Dear PyGui
Dear PyGui is a newer entry into the Python GUI landscape and
focuses on providing a simple way to create tools and visualizations.
It is particularly geared towards developers looking to create GPU-
accelerated tools and applications quickly.
- Pros:
- Performance: Offers fast performance thanks to its GPU-
accelerated backend.
 - Ease of Use: Focuses on simplicity, making it accessible for
newcomers.
- Cons:
- Youth: Being newer, it may not have as extensive community
support or as mature a feature set as the other more established
frameworks.
Choosing the Right Framework
When deciding which GUI framework to use for your Python project,
consider the following factors:
- Project Requirements: What does your application need to do?
Do you need support for complex graphics, or is simplicity more
critical?
- Target Platform: Where will your application run? Do you need
something that works cross-platform?
- Experience Level: Are you a beginner, or do you have experience
in application development?
Understanding these aspects will help you choose the right Python
GUI framework for your needs, ensuring you can effectively balance
functionality, ease of use, and the learning curve. Whether you are
building a simple desktop tool or an advanced, cross-platform
application, Python offers a GUI library that fits the bill.
 Chapter 1:

Introduction to GUI Development

- What is a GUI?
A Graphical User Interface (GUI) is an interactive interface seen on
digital devices that uses graphical elements such as windows, icons,
and buttons to enable user interaction. Unlike command-line
interfaces (CLIs) where interaction is done through text commands,
GUIs offer a more intuitive and accessible way for users to control
and manipulate software applications.
GUIs play a critical role in modern software development. They serve
as the bridge between the user and the system, providing a visual
way to interact with technology. The core objective of a GUI is to
make digital interactions more natural—mimicking physical
interactions with objects in the real world. Instead of requiring users
to remember syntax-specific commands, GUIs provide recognizable
actions—like clicking a button or dragging a slider—that perform
specific tasks or trigger certain responses from the software.
The concept of a GUI isn't new. One of the earliest developments in
GUI technology was by researchers at the Xerox Palo Alto Research
Center (PARC) in the 1970s. This GUI prototype later heavily
influenced the development of the Apple Lisa and the original
Macintosh, which popularized the graphical interface concept among
the general public.
Today, GUIs are ubiquitous, spanning across various devices such as
computers, mobile phones, and tablets. They are used in a multitude
of applications, from simple software like calculators and word
processors to complex systems like operating systems and large-
scale application suites.
Elements of a GUI:
- Windows: Rectangular areas that display the application and
contain graphical elements.
- Widgets: Control elements like buttons, labels, text boxes, and
drop-down menus that users interact with.
- Icons: Small pictures representing programs, files, and commands.
- Menus: Lists of options or commands available to the user.
- Pointers: Cursors that indicate where actions will take place.
GUIs are developed using a range of tools and programming
frameworks. Depending on the complexity and functionality of the
application, developers might use simple GUI toolkits like Tkinter or
more advanced solutions like PyQt or Kivy for Python applications.
As technology has advanced, so have GUIs. Modern interfaces may
include touch-sensitive controls, gesture recognition, and even voice-
driven commands, broadening the scope and capabilities of user
interfaces.

- Advantages of Using GUIs

Increased Accessibility:
One of the most significant advantages of GUIs is their ability to
make software accessible to a broader audience. GUIs eliminate the
need for users to memorize commands and syntax, which are
necessary in command-line interfaces. This simplicity allows people
with no prior computer knowledge to perform complex tasks on their
devices. The visual nature of GUIs also aids in better memory
retention of computer functions and simplifies the learning process.
Efficiency and Productivity:
GUIs can improve efficiency and productivity. With features such as
drag-and-drop support, toolbar access with icons, and the use of
windows to multitask, GUIs make it easier for users to perform
various functions quickly and effectively. Tasks that require multiple
steps in a command-line interface can be executed with a few clicks
in a GUI, significantly speeding up the workflow.
Error Reduction:
Using a GUI reduces the chance of errors compared to a command-
line interface. GUIs guide users through tasks with visual cues and
can offer help messages and error dialogs that prevent errors before
they occur. For instance, form validations in GUI applications prevent
the user from entering invalid data, ensuring data integrity and
consistency.
Aesthetics and User Satisfaction:
A well-designed GUI not only enhances usability but also improves
user satisfaction. Attractive interfaces with intuitive controls can
make software applications more enjoyable to use. The aesthetic
value of a good GUI should not be underestimated, as it contributes
to the overall user experience, potentially increasing the adoption
and success of the software.
Support for Graphics and Multimedia:
GUIs are capable of integrating graphics, multimedia, and
animations, which are not possible in text-based interfaces. This
capability is especially important in fields such as video editing, 3D
modeling, and graphic design, where visual representation is crucial.
Moreover, GUIs can display real-time changes when editing images
or videos, offering an interactive experience that enhances creativity
and precision.
Real-time Feedback:
GUIs provide immediate feedback in response to user interactions,
which is crucial for a good user experience. For example, a progress
bar in a GUI shows how much of a task is complete, a feature
especially useful during long operations. Immediate feedback makes
an application feel more responsive and keeps users informed of
application states.
Accommodation of Advanced User Skills:
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drawn up. An actual sailing date began to emerge out of a welter of
conjecture.
On paper, the dream ship was converted from a work-worn
fishing-smack into a cruiser yacht of comfort and elegance within a
month, and a trifle under the estimated cost.
On paper, the art of navigation was acquired in our spare time,
after the airy fashion of a Correspondence-School advertisement.
And again on paper—a map of the world outspread on the cabin
table, to be exact—we actually decided on our route. At the point of
an indomitable lead pencil we traversed vast tracts of ocean in the
winking of an eye, and explored the furthermost corners of the
earth; and if there is a more fascinating evening's entertainment, I
should like to hear of it.
Spain should be touched at, for the sake of her wine, if nothing
else; perhaps Madeira, and most certainly the Canary Islands. After
that, there was the little matter of the Atlantic Ocean, ending in the
West Indies. Then came the Caribbean Sea, the Panama Canal, and
so down into the milky way of the Pacific. It looked a long way; it
was a long way, but we had a ship, and we had a crew, and what
was the sea if not the highway of the earth? The enthusiasm of
ignorance? Perhaps; yet I am convinced that without the
enthusiasm, and most certainly without the ignorance, we should
never have set sail, much less won through to our goal.
The transition from fancy to fact was effected the following
morning, when Steve and I commenced the soul-racking task of
transferring twelve tons of rusty pig-iron from the dream ship's bilge
to the quay alongside which we lay. This mass of obstinate metal
had to be chipped and painted, and ultimately replaced so that we
might disport ourselves on our beam ends, if the elements so willed,
without shifting it. It was one of the dream ship's strong points, that
her ballast was all "inside." There was no "fin" of lead hanging from
her keel, that might come adrift from a multitude of causes, and
leave us a tottering hulk. I told Steve this, as we wrestled with two
hundredweight pigs, that had a knack of slipping their moorings in
mid-air, and crashing through the cabin floor boards, or on to our
anatomies with striking impartiality. I told it to him again, as we sat
in the rain on the quay, chipping rust into each other's eyes, but
received no satisfactory reply on either occasion.
"By the way," was all he said that evening, when, weary and
bruised and rusty, we flung ourselves on our bunks, "according to
schedule, this is where we study navigation, isn't it?" And for three
mortal hours he gave his undivided attention to a nautical epitome.
That is the kind of man Steve is.
There is no undertaking that requires a more careful selection of
personnel than a cruise such as we contemplated, and no better
opportunity of taking a man's measure than when fitting out! By the
time it is done, one has either come to the conclusion that the other
fellow has his points, or that to remain in his company another hour
is beyond endurance. Naturally, his feelings are similar, and that we
of the dream ship stood the mutual test seemed to me to augur well
for the future.
It was during this trying period that we encountered a peculiarly
pernicious type of the genus yachtsman on his native heath. He was
owner of a pretty little six-tonner across the creek, and was "fitting
out" also—had been for two months, as far as we could gather. The
thing was evidently a hobby with him that he infinitely preferred to
getting to sea. With a paint pot in one hand, and a camel's hair
brush in the other, he advanced on his craft in the manner of an
artist attacking a master canvas, applied the pigment, and stood
back with his head at an angle to view the effect. In itself there was
nothing against this form of amusement, provided that it interfered
with no one else; but, evidently tiring of his own company, at which
I am not surprised, our yachtsman strolled in the direction of the
dream ship to offer unsolicited criticism.
The Reciprocal Morning Douche, Mid-ocean;
Steve at the Sextant and Peter at the Helm
 "Fine craft you have there," was his introductory remark, and
my heart warmed to him. Here, at all events, was a judge. "But too
much beam for her length, and too much flaire. She'll break your
heart going to wind'ard," he added, judicially, and I confess to
loathing him on the instant. Imagine a stranger approaching you in
the street and saying: "Fine wife you have there, but I don't like her
face—or her action." Well, that is how I felt. For you must be told,
unless you are an "owner" and know already, that the simile of the
ship and the wife is not so far-fetched as may appear. Yet, with
superhuman restraint, I continued to chip iron while it was pointed
out to me that lead was better, that to paint spars instead of
varnishing them was a crime, and to paint decks was worse; in
short, that most things about the dream ship met with this
yachtsman's hearty disapproval. To which I was constrained to make
answer that with all her defects the dream ship happened to satisfy
me because I was an ex-fisherman and not a yachtsman; that for
one thing I could not afford to be a yachtsman, and for another I
had no wish to be a yachtsman, being rather too fond of the sea. So
we parted the best of enemies, and had not done with each other,
as will transpire later.
 Peter's Cooking Week;
Peter Entertains

The moral of this somewhat hectic interlude is: when fitting out
for a cruise, get the advice of a deep-water man, and find a place
where there are no yachtsmen. This last is difficult, but it is worth
while.
Much the same thing applies to the study of navigation. If the
beginner lends an ear to the horde of amateur cranks who dabble in
the subject, and who seem obsessed with a desire to impart their
half-baked theories to others, he will know as much about the
practical business of finding a ship's position at sea as he does about
the origin of life. There is the long lean man, usually with a drooping
moustache, who demonstrates on an instrument of his own
invention that can do anything but talk—this last deficiency being
amply atoned for by the inventor himself. There is the man with
"short cuts" and "clean cuts." There is even the man who still
persists in the belief that the world is "flat with rounded edges," and
produces reams of his own screed, printed at enormous expense, in
support of his theories; but he is easily disposed of. After admitting
that the shape of the world is not a burning question with you
anyway, because after all it is not a bad old world and certainly the
best we can expect in this life, you confess to a sneaking suspicion
that it is a rhomboid.
No, there is only one way of learning to find a ship's position at
sea if you are unable to spend three months or more at a school of
navigation, and that is to find a retired master mariner who, for a
stipulated sum, will teach you exactly what he did himself probably
three hundred and sixty-five times in the year for thirty years.
Hearken unto him, in spite of all lures to the contrary, and in three
weeks or less the miracle will cease to be a miracle.
We of the dream ship were fortunate in running such a mentor
to earth in his charming cottage on the hillside, overlooking the
harbour. The Skipper, as he shall henceforth be called, was of the old
school, and so, if it is permissible to say such things of a lady, was
his wife! This remarkable woman followed the sea with her husband
on every ocean-going schooner he commanded, and once, when the
entire crew was down with beri-beri, and a voracious tug hovered
alongside like a bird of prey, she brought the ship to port single-
handed, thus saving the owners a stupendous sum for salvage. They
rewarded her with a presentation piano, and she wept. She could
not play. So a cheque for a hundred guineas was substituted, and
her husband alleges that she bought three new hats and a galley
range in which she cooks the acme in figgy dough to this day.

Using a sextant

The Skipper, a man of monumental and very necessary

patience, received us each day in a torture chamber of his own,
replete with thumb screw and rack in the form of nautical epitomes,
and model craft at variance on the placid surface of a deal table.
That small room was the scene of strange and tragic happenings.
Gales, fogs, collisions, lee shores, and shipwreck followed one
another in rapid succession, and invariably terminated in the short,
sharp query: "What do you do now?"
But these things constituted seamanship, which is essentially a
matter of experience, not of rote. It was after our first, second, and
even third day of attempting to find longitude that we reeled from
the classroom, our heads a whirling chaos of logarithms, traverse
tables, and despair. At no time that I can recall did our dream come
so near to dissolution.
"Have you," muttered Steve, as we paused during our descent
to the town, and the strongest cup of tea procurable, "have you the
foggiest idea of what we are driving at?"
I admitted that I had not, and the funereal procession
proceeded on its way.
There are two methods of attacking the problem of navigation:
one is by intelligent understanding, and the other by rule of thumb.
If yours is the type of mind that revels in mathematics, then the first
is obviously your course, and a pleasant one at that. If, upon the
other hand, you are cursed, as I am, with a mind that reels at the
mere sight of a timetable, then the second has its points, for you get
there just the same, and in spite of experts' warnings to the
contrary. Without knowing the why or wherefore of your figurative
acrobatics, provided you follow the rule of thumb implicitly, and can
add, subtract, multiply, and divide correctly, there is nothing to
prevent you from finding a ship's position at sea day in and day out,
identically with the greatest experts on earth. I have done it, and I
have a shrewd suspicion, backed by the opinion of the Skipper, that
more than one master mariner does it in precisely the same way. All
hail to logarithms, and the obscure but miraculous gentleman who
invented them!
At long last there came a day when the shipwright's hammer
ceased to resound aboard the dream ship, and save for provisions
and water, and a snowdrift of unpaid bills, we were ready to take
leave of the yards.
 With an ebb tide and the faithful Skipper aboard, we dropped
down the river, and as cleanly as may be on to a mud bank! I am
not going to say how it happened, because I do not know. All we
were acutely conscious of at the time was that our yachtsman, in his
pretty little six-tonner, had chosen the same date of departure as
ourselves, and was rapidly approaching down the channel that we
should have followed, and had not, and that somehow the secret of
our dream must have reached his protruding ears, for as he came
abreast of us he reared his hideous form out of the cockpit.
"Hullo," he cried. "Have you made your South Sea Islands
already?"
We did not answer, there was nothing to be said; but when a
tug hauled us free on the next tide, and rounding a bend in the river,
we came upon our adversary in precisely the same predicament, we
passed him in silence, the most satisfying silence I have ever
indulged in.
Without a dissentient voice, the task of choosing and stowing
the provisions was relegated to Peter—— "A woman is so much
better at that sort of thing." Steve and I admitted as much, with
touching magnanimity.
In due course a cart backed up to the quayside, and an active
little grocer proceeded to heap the dream ship's deck with
comestibles—tinned, boxed, and jarred. These we passed through
the skylights, before an admiring audience of fisher-folk, and Peter,
being ambidextrous, contrived to stow them in the lockers with one
hand and make a list of them with the other.
I have my own notions about provisioning a dream ship in the
future—if for me there is a future in dream ships. During the
following year we proved, to our own dissatisfaction, that although
tinned food is mighty handy, it is not a healthy continuous diet... No,
I see myself laying in salt junk of the windjammer variety, plenty of
waterglassed eggs and condensed milk, good ship's biscuits, a
"crock" of hand-salted butter, dried fruits, jam or marmalade to
taste, pickled beetroot for the blood, flour, raisins, and baking
powder, Scotch oatmeal, sugar, tea, coffee, cocoa, and lard, and
nothing else whatsoever. It may be asked: "What else could there
possibly be?"—to which I make answer: "A hundred and one canned
atrocities, such as Somebody's curried giblets, or Somebody Else's
evaporated tripe, that it were better if one consigned to the deep
than ate." It is extraordinary the number of useless things one can
be lured into acquiring while "fitting out," and we of the dream ship
bought most of them.
"Barter" was Peter's idea. In her mind the word was inalienably
associated with the South Sea Islands, and were we not bound
thither? It was only another example of her boundless optimism.
Steve and I might furtively discuss the number of miles between
ourselves and our goal, the probable discomfitures by the way, even
the possibility of not getting there at all. Not so Peter. We were
going to the South Sea Islands, and to go to the South Sea Islands
without "barter" was a thing undreamed of in her philosophy. Hence
a hurried pilgrimage to London, and the purchase, out of our rapidly
diminishing capital, of variegated prints, looking-glasses, imitation
tortoise-shell hair combs, Jew's harps, and brown paper belts.
On our return, the Skipper, who had remained aboard as
watchman during our absence, displayed a certain uneasiness, the
cause of which was hard to determine. He expressed his keen
admiration for the dream ship, as he had often done before, and
then paused, until goaded into the confession that he wished he
thought as much of her crew. That is not how he put it, but that was
what he meant, and we were inclined to agree with him. In other
words, it was on the dear old man's conscience that he was letting
us go to sea with insufficient knowledge, a scruple as rare as it is
refreshing these days. We immediately and unanimously pointed out
that there was only one way out of the dilemma, and that was for
him to accompany us. He shook his grizzled head, and smiled
wistfully; said it was twenty years since he had been to sea, that he
was too old, that his "missus" would never let him go, and finally,
with a twinkle in his keen blue eye, that he would come as far as
Spain "just to get us into the hang of longitude," whereat we fell
upon him in a pæan of gratitude.
Behold, then, the crew of the dream ship ready to sail, with a
combined capital of one hundred pounds sterling, and a clearance
for Brisbane, Australia.

AT VIGO, OFF THE COAST OF SPAIN

Some confessions and a few morals
 Chapter III headpiece

CHAPTER III
Some confessions and a few morals

At six o'clock the next morning a small, depressed-looking

procession wended its way to the quay, followed by the sidelong
glances and whispered comments of the fish-market fraternity.
It was the noble army of dream merchants setting forth on its
quest. And why depressed? I do not know, except that, personally,
on the eve of any problematical undertaking I feel that way, and so,
apparently, do others. Perhaps it was that the enthusiasm of
ignorance had momentarily deserted us, and we were awed by a
rational glimpse of the task that lay ahead. Such moods vanish the
instant one gets down to work, the great panacea, but until then
they crouch on the shoulders, a dour company.
 In silence we rowed out to the dream ship, and hoisted sail. I
was going to say that in silence we lowered the dinghy on to its
chocks, but, as a fact, the keel descended on the Skipper's toe,
extracting a shout of anguish from that usually restrained mariner.
Almost simultaneously, and for no apparent reason, Steve took
an involuntary seat on the open skylight, which shut with a crash on
one of his fingers.
The moorings were cast off prematurely, and, getting under way
on the wrong tack, we sailed, with the utmost precision, into a
neighbouring fishing-smack, nearly breaking our bowsprit.
I could imagine the grinning heads of the fisher folk lining the
breakwater wall.
"They be goin' ter the South Sea Islands, they be!" I could
almost hear them saying, and dived below to show them what a
motor auxiliary could do. There were one hundred and fifty vessels
moored in that harbour, and I should not like to say how many we
fouled during the next half hour. Indeed I could not, for throughout
the process I was wrestling with the engine, which refused to budge
—until we had rounded the breakwater, and there was no further
use for it. Such is the way of these necessary evils aboard a sailing
ship.
Coming on deck, I was confronted with a sorry spectacle. Our
port light-board was in splinters. Relics of vessels we had caressed in
parting littered the deck. The Skipper was in the steering well, with
the tiller in one hand and his toe in the other; and Peter was
administering iodine and lint to Steve's crushed finger.
"She goes!" I triumphed, tactlessly referring to my Herculean
labours with the engine.
 "D'you think it's broken?" demanded the Skipper, extending an
enormous, bootless foot.
"Flat as a pancake," muttered Steve.
Which gives a fair idea of the trend of individual thought on
occasions.
But at long last we were off! Off before a seven-knot nor'-
wester, and with only twelve thousand miles to go! What else
mattered?

Sailboat, flying fish

By the time we had picked up an intermittent pallor on the

horizon that was Ushant light at a distance of thirty miles, the wind
had strengthened to half a gale, and there was nothing the dream
ship loved more dearly than half a gale on the quarter. In a series of
exhilarating swoops, it flung her down into the Bay of Biscay; but
what she did not like was being left there to roll helplessly in a
windless swell. I have to call it a "swell," just as I have to say we
"rolled," though neither word conveys our subsequent acrobatics in
the least.
"The Bay" has an unsavoury reputation anyway, but for sheer
unpleasantness commend me to the mood in which the dream ship
made its acquaintance.
Literally from beam end to beam end we lurched. The engine
was useless. Our propeller was out of the quarter, and under present
circumstances as much out of the water as in it.
Any one aboard capable of sea-sickness, promptly was. The
Skipper who, it must be confessed, had not been able to eat since
setting sail, though he clung to his duties like a Stoic, was as near
plaintive as I have ever seen him. Curiously enough, his malady took
the form of conjuring visions of his good wife's cooking. I honestly
believe that if we had been able to produce the roast beef, cabbage,
and "figgy dough" of his own home table, he would have eaten. But
all we could offer him was bovril, tongue, and tinned asparagus. We
did not know how to live, he assured us. On the schooner in the old
days he had a stove, not one of these newfangled tin contraptions.
And his wife cooked. And when she cooked, she cooked! Figgy
dough that melted in the mouth.
At this juncture his audience was well advised to move to a safe
distance.
In response to our eternal lurchings, ominous sounds began to
filter up from below. A metallic click-clock, click-clock, a methodical
thudding, a resounding crash. The first of these proved to be a
kerosene tank that had come adrift from its rack fastenings, and
threatened to fall on the engine. A galvanized iron receptacle
containing seventy gallons of liquid is not the easiest of things to
handle in a seaway, let alone with a crushed finger. My heart went
out to Steve, but it was characteristic of the man that never a
whimper escaped him. All that we could do was to wedge the tank
into place with stout battens clean across the ship, which we did,
and turned our attention to the next calamity. The piano had
followed the example of the tank, and the wash-hand stand had
emulated the piano; and rather than appear peculiar, a two-hundred-
pound drum of treasured Scotch oatmeal was rolling on the floor,
mingling its contents with the brine that oozed from a crate of salt
pork wedged under the cabin table.
The crash was merely the dethronement of a lighted stove in
the fo'c's'le, on which Peter had been persisting for the last hour,
and in spite of her own condition, in an attempt to produce
something that the Skipper would eat.
On the whole, a healthy lesson in making all secure before
sailing.
In the midst of our agonies below, a stentorian voice hailed us
from the cockpit:
"All hands on deck! Lower mainsail!" Which was followed almost
immediately by a "crack" like a pistol shot.
Our boom had snapped clean off about five feet from the end.
Such is "the Bay" in lightsome mood. Apparently the only article
aboard unaffected by it was the chronometer, ticking placidly in its
gimbals and bed of plush. There was something enviable about that
chronometer.
The dawn brought with it a faint but steady breath, and
discovering that there was sufficient boom left to set a double-reefed
mainsail, we continued on our way, and a blessedly even keel, until
toward evening we raised the coast of Spain.
The welcome and unmistakable smell of land came to us over
the water, and presently the mouth of the Vigo River opened out,
revealing a maze of leading lights.
The engine behaved itself, and by midnight the dream ship had
anchored off the town, to an accompaniment of star shells and
crackers.
It pleased us to imagine that these were our welcome, but as a
fact the inevitable Spanish fiesta was in progress. We had made our
first foreign port.

THE CANARY ISLANDS

Dropping the pilot—and the result

Chapter IV headpiece
 CHAPTER IV
Dropping the pilot—and the result

Our first and imperative need was sleep. There comes a time when
enforced wakefulness causes the eyes to feel as though they were
sinking into the head. We of the dream ship had reached this pitch,
and turned in "all standing," to remain log-like until disturbed by port
officials at five o'clock the next morning.
In a state of pyjamas and semi-torpor I handed them the ship's
papers, which proved to be satisfactory; Steve treated them to a few
chosen words in near-Spanish picked up during a doubtful past in
Mexico, and we tumbled in again. But not to sleep. Thereafter, an
endless procession of boats, manned by picturesque and voluble
brigands who offered for sale every conceivable commodity from
anchor chain to picture postcards, succeeded in dragging us from
our bunks, and propelling us on deck.
A pleasant little town is Vigo. One of a goodly number scattered
over the world that I should like to make my home. Each to his
taste, and perhaps I am impressionable as to the desirable spots of
this earth, but to my way of thinking almost any race knows how to
enjoy life better than the Anglo-Saxon of to-day, and fashions its
surroundings to that end.
From the river front, with its handsome promenade, hotels, and
green, open spaces, Vigo climbs the sunny hillside in cheerful
fashion. No one seems overburdened with business cares, but when
such things have to be attended to, the palm-fringed Alamada takes
the place of an office, and the "deal" is discussed over vino tinto and
cigarettes, to the accompaniment of an excellent band.
We of the dream ship went ashore with the Skipper wearing a
fancy-worked carpet-slipper on one foot and a boot on the other, but
no one appeared to notice the peculiarity, and it is quite certain the
Skipper would not have minded if they had. His is a type of
hardihood that I envy as much as I admire.
At lunch, too, he found cause for complaint in the food, and
small wonder. After a week's enforced abstention, he found that in
these benighted parts figgy dough was as unprocurable as
elsewhere. Frankly, he was disappointed in Vigo and, after limping
over the cobblestones in clothes more adapted to the Arctic than to
Spanish sunshine, he returned aboard "to do a few jobs." We knew
what this meant. He would systematically and efficiently set right
everything that was wrong aboard the dream ship—a long-splice
here, a bit of carpentry there—which was precisely what we ought to
have been doing instead of gallivanting about Vigo. Most excellent of
skippers! He had been a tower of strength to us in time of stress,
and a qualm seized me when I secured his passage to Southampton,
and realized that in another week he would be gone.
From the quaint cobbled and terraced streets of the old town
we went down to the Alamada, and sat for a while watching the
children dance to the music of the band. No organized, mechanical
spectacle this, but a joyous affair of rhythmic abandon, twinkling
legs, and laughter. Most of us like to think that the children of our
own particular country are the most desirable, and they would be
poor folk who did not; but for unconscious grace of movement and
dainty appearance, the Spanish kiddy is hard to beat.
 And this happy absence of self-consciousness is not confined to
the children. Picture, if you can, and as we of the dream ship saw
him a little later, a well-dressed Spanish gentleman standing in the
middle of one of Vigo's main thoroughfares and gazing toward the
housetops, apparently engaged in practising the deaf-and-dumb
alphabet. No one of the stream of pedestrians passing along the
sidewalks took the slightest notice of him. Neither did the wheeled
traffic, except to swerve obligingly out of his path. It was his affair,
and a love affair at that. He was conversing with his enamorata at
the third-floor balcony window in the only way possible to a suitor in
Spain, where parents firmly believe in "love at a distance" until the
actual engagement. And it needed three vulgar sightseers such as
the crew of the dream ship to find anything unusual in the
proceeding. I am ashamed to say that the lady caught sight of us,
and pointed in alarm, whereat the gentleman turned with an
excusable frown of annoyance, and we hurried on our way.
There are only two things the Spaniard takes really seriously:
his love and his bull-fights. Leave him to them, as you value a whole
skin.
Our next introduction was to the local cable office. Personally, I
have always regarded such places as drab receptacles for grudging
messages, but with the Eastern Telegraph Company it is a different
matter. Certainly this admirable concern takes your message, but
then proceeds to take you to its heart, and thereafter, wherever its
myriad wires extend, you may be sure of a welcome from the
kindliest of hosts. It conducts you to its palatial bachelor quarters
situated on the hillside behind the town, and proceeds to spoil you
with every device known to a pampered age. Tennis, golf, dances,
and dinners are yours to repletion, followed by moonlight car rides
into the country, and feasts at distant fondas under the trellised
vines.
At any rate, that is what it did with us, and we tried to
reciprocate. The Eastern Telegraph Company, or as much of it as
could get aboard at one time, made the dream ship its headquarters
during our stay; dived from her bowsprit or under her keel with
equal delight, mealed off strange messes in her seething saloon, and
sang songs on deck to Peter's piano accompaniment below.
With such distractions afoot, it is small wonder that nearly a
week slipped by before the subject of a sailing date received the
attention it deserved. The Skipper grunted his disapproval of our
dilatory methods, and pointed out in a satirical fashion peculiarly his
own that there were "things" to be done. Amongst them, he
mentioned the necessity of making out a new deviation card by the
Polar Star, whereat Steve and I collapsed. Had we not done with this
pest of deviation? Had we not already discovered and tabulated, at
the cost of terrific mental effort, the error of the dream ship's
compass owing to local attraction?
The Skipper admitted as much with a wistful smile, but pointed
out that deviation has an aggravating habit of changing with
latitude. It was the first we had heard of it, and that night we sat
again under our long-suffering professor, and swung the dream ship
to a mocking North Star.
 Island

Then there was the matter of our broken boom. The Skipper
and I towed it over, neatly scarfed (dovetailed and bound) from a
neighbouring shipyard the next morning. And the instability of things
below as demonstrated in the Bay of Biscay? This was remedied by
having iron bands placed round everything movable, and screwed to
bulkhead or floor. We were ready. The Skipper stepped ashore with
his modest little suitcase, and limped away without so much as a
backward glance. Why? His "missus" has told me since that he never
expected to see us again.
So we three and the dream ship dropped down Vigo River
bound for Las Palmas, Canary Islands, with the biggest mixed cargo
of hope and ignorance that ever put to sea.
Four hours on and eight off was how we apportioned our
watches and, thanks to fair winds and the easy handling of the
dream ship, it was seldom necessary for more than one of us to be
on deck at a time. In fact, there were hours on end when the
helmsman could peg the tiller and take a constitutional.
Cooking we took week and week about, a dreaded ordeal. It is
one thing to concoct food in a porcelain-fitted kitchen on terra firma,
and quite another to do it over a primus stove in a leaping, gyrating
fo'c's'le. Porridge was found adhering to the ceiling after Steve's
"week," but hush! perhaps he may have something to say on the
subject of Peter and myself. There is always plenty to say about the
other fellow, but in nine cases out of ten it is best left unsaid.
Forbearance is as much the keynote of good-fellowship on a dream
ship as elsewhere—perhaps more—and we are rather proud of the
fact that we have covered half the world without battle, murder, or
sudden death.
With only three of a crew some of our troubles may be
imagined, but undoubtedly the worst of these, after a couple of
weeks at sea, was being awakened from a trance-like sleep to take a
trick at the tiller. One does not feel human under such
circumstances, but more in the nature of a bear disturbed during
hibernation.
And the awakener's task is not much better. He is forced to peg
the tiller, even with a following wind, nip below to resuscitate
somehow his log-like relief, and get back before the ship jibes. If
there is time he may employ the proper and humane method of
applying gradually increased pressure to the sleeper's arm until he
awakes. If there is not, he must resort to any merciless method that
proves effective. In either case, he is as unpopular as an alarm
clock, which, by the way, we tried, but discarded on account of its
waking everyone aboard.
 The manner of our several wakings formed an interesting, if
somewhat intimate, subject of discussion at breakfast one morning.
Peter's was voted uninteresting because whatever means were
employed to arouse her she merely opened her eyes, and meekly
murmured: "All right." Steve, upon the other hand, was uncertain. If
he happened to be dreaming at the time, which was usually the
case, he either hit out the instant he was touched, or muttered
something unintelligible, and tenderly covered the disturbing hand
with his own.
As for me, I yawned cavernously, invariably said: "How's she
going?" and almost as invariably fell asleep again. Or so runs the
report, and one is not permitted to argue with reports. Verily, if man
would discover himself—and others—let him have recourse to a
dream ship and a crew of three!
It was during the passage from Vigo to Las Palmas that we first
experienced that most aggravating of winds, the light, varying,
following. I have heard schooner skippers declare that they prefer
the "head" variety, and I can well believe it. At night, when it is
exceedingly difficult to tell where such a wind is coming from, it is no
more pleasant to jibe inadvertently than to have to do so sometimes
thrice within the hour to keep the ship on her course. It wears out a
short-handed, light-weight crew (Peter turned the scale at ninety-
eight pounds, Steve at one hundred and forty-five, and myself at
one hundred and forty), and conservation of energy, which makes
for good health, is of prime importance on a voyage such as ours.
Finally, we lowered the mainsail, with its jolting, crashing boom,
and carried on in blessed tranquillity under a squaresail, which
proved to be the most useful sail we had aboard.
 At the end of seven days' routine, and fair but light winds, we
experienced the acute joy of finding land precisely where our
frenzied calculations had placed it. As Madeira loomed on the
starboard bow, Steve was seen to pace the deck with a quiet but
new-born dignity—until hailed below to help wash dishes. But even
this failed to quell the navigator's exuberance, and the dish-washer
exchanged views on the subject with the helmsman through the
skylight. This, then, was the navigation that master mariners made
such a song and dance about! Well, we must be master mariners,
that was all we had to say! We had summoned Madeira, and
Madeira had appeared! We were not at all sure that we had not
discovered Madeira!
Peter seemed strangely unimpressed. Perhaps she sensed what
is indeed a fact, that luck in navigation, as in most things, favours
the beginner. For instance, a mistake somewhere in our calculations
brought us as near disaster in the next twenty-four hours as one
cares to be. Taking Madeira as our point of departure, we shaped a
course for Las Palmas, giving the intervening Salvage Islands a berth
of ten miles to the westward. We reckoned this a safe distance,
considering that according to "sailing directions" there was still more
to the westward a strong current inclining toward the African coast.
Well, that current failed to register in the particular case of the
dream ship, and on top of it the "mistake somewhere" caused a cold
shiver to traverse the spine of the helmsman when, at one o'clock of
a pitch-black night, while doing a comfortable seven knots, a mass
of rock reared itself out of the sea seemingly not more than a few
hundred yards, though probably more nearly a mile, to starboard.
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