# Bucklebury Ferry



## Javert (Aug 14, 2017)

I am just re-reading the Lord of the Rings after many years.

I'm sure I'm not the first to notice, but in the chapter where Merry meets the other hobbits and they take the ferry across the river, it's stated that it's lucky there is no boat kept on the other side.

It's also stated I think that Merry had decided to go out and look for the hobbits when they didn't arrive by the time it got dark.

This then begs the question, how were the hobbits planning to get across the river if the ferry was on the other side and Merry hadn't happened to come out to look for them?


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## Erestor Arcamen (Aug 14, 2017)

I'd assume they would take a bridge. There were bridges across the river as well. The only major crossing was the Brandywine Bridge which was 20 miles north of the Ferry.


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## Javert (Aug 14, 2017)

Erestor Arcamen said:


> I'd assume they would take a bridge. There were bridges across the river as well. The only major crossing was the Brandywine Bridge which was 20 miles north of the Ferry.



That's possible, but their plan was always to take the ferry as it's discussed several times in previous chapters. Perhaps there was a bell they could ring or something to try to attract someone to the ferry. Still seems odd though that Farmer Maggot would not have known that there would be no ferry on the east side of the river unless someone brought it over.


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## Deleted member 12094 (Aug 16, 2017)

Dear Javert,

Welcome here! And come back often!

Personally, I don't think that the ferry is a big issue; may I explain why.

Fundamentally said: you are questioning how that ferry had to be operated, but we don't know.

I remember long ago the ferry in Melk in Austria, before the bridge was ready there. It was just attached on a rope over the river (it would have been washed away by the current otherwise) and had no engine. Steering it with the helm was enough to move it back and forth. Very basic yet smart technology.

If that was what JRRT had in mind, then it would only take a second rope to pull the ferry to one side or to the other. In the event however, it happened to be at the right (western) side.

That’s at least how I always interpreted this part.


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## EcthelionL (Aug 17, 2017)

Javert said:


> I am just re-reading the Lord of the Rings after many years.
> 
> I'm sure I'm not the first to notice, but in the chapter where Merry meets the other hobbits and they take the ferry across the river, it's stated that it's lucky there is no boat kept on the other side.
> 
> ...


Don't worry about it. There are much more important questions such to ask, such as who exactly is Tom Bombadil and what became of the Ent Wives?


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