Forms: α. 7 draggescutte; 7–9 track-, 7–8 -scoute, 8 -skuit, 8 (9) -scoot, 8–9 -s(c)huyt, (8 trachtscoot, tract-scout); β. 8–9 treck-, 8 -schuyte, -scuit, -scoit, -scute, -scoot, 8–9 -schuit, 9 -schuyt, -shwytt, -shut, 8 trekschuyt, 9 trekschuit. (Cf. forms of SCHUIT, SCOUT sb.3, SHOUT sb.1) [Du. trekschuit, formerly -schuyt, f. trek sb. or trek- vb.-stem of trekken to draw, pull, tug + schuit, MDu. schûte MLG., LG. schûte boat, barge:—OTeut. *skûtô, ME. schûte, ON. skúta: see SCHUIT and SHOUT sb.1] A canal- or river-boat drawn by horses, carrying passengers and goods, as in common use in Holland; a track-boat.
1696. Caldwell Papers (Maitl. Cl.), I. 174, 13 June. I went to Bruxelles in a Draggescutte. Ibid., 176. July 1st. I went in the Trackscoute fra yre to Bruges.
1711. Addison, Spect., No. 130, ¶ 4. As the Trekschuyt, or Hackney-boat, which carries Passengers from Leyden to Amsterdam, was putting off [etc.].
1737. G. Smith, Curious Relat., I. i. 99. We took our Lodgings at the first Inn … where the Treckscutes landed.
1756. Mrs. Calderwood, in Coltness Collect. (Maitl. Cl.), 13. There is no track-scoot goes from Helvest.
1769. De Foe’s Tour Gt. Brit., III. 278. We should then travel with as much Safety, Certainty, and Dispatch, as in the Trachtscoots in Holland and Flanders.
1769. Falconer, Dict. Marine (1789), Tract-scout, a vessel employed to carry goods or passengers up and down the rivers or canals.
1772. Tour Holland, etc., 26. On Monday evening we went in the treckschuyte to Leyden.
1783. Wesley, Jrnl., 16 June. We set out in a trackskuit for the Hague.
1796. Morse, Amer. Geog., II. 335. Covered boats, called treckscuits, which are dragged along the canals by horses.
1816. Southey, Poet’s Pilgr., I. 26. Beside the busy wharf the Trekschuit rides.
1846. Thackeray, Cornhill to Cairo, xv. Harmlessly as if we had been in a Dutch trackschuyt.
1893. Stevenson, Catriona, xxii. 262. I … arranged … to send on my chests by track-scoot to an address I had in Leyden.
1902. Westm. Gaz., 17 Nov., 3/2. It is a change from the tearing of motor-cars to note the slow progress of the trekschuit.
