Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1855-08-09

Will Natch. ......... .lO:4I:UU
Gen. Jackson .l0:52:O0
Know Nothing, from Alexandria. .10:5S:30
Skipper. ..................... IL :0O:30
The Know Nothing having an exceiIen.
start led on the return, with the wind, and
came in ahead, as was generally expected.
The FIVE boats which arrived first were the fol-
lowing
Know Nothing, of Navy Yard. .....12:11:OO
Lady Gay Spanker.. .............. 12:30:00
Martha ................. .lZ:5S:U0
VIII Watcn... ......... .lZ:0Z:OO
Know Nothing, of Alexandria. ..... 10000
The prizes were given to the winning boats,
which received from the spectators repeated
cheers Attic commencement of the race, the
Will Watch was the favorite at two to one
against the field. Lady Gay Spanker had some
friends who bet freely upon her against all ex-
eepting the winning boat The Martha was
not neglected by her friends, but came in third
much to their disappointment.
The wharves and surrounding hill tops on
the marg n of the Potomac were thronged with
SPECTATORS, eager witnesses of the exciting con-
test, while numerous sailing craft, bearing
their human freight, skinned the surface of
the water. 1t was indeed a beautiful scene
Betting was very active; although from the
immense superiority of speed manifested b.
the passage down Of the Know Nothing, the
second best was quite stirring, and competent
judges say that the Lady Gay Spanker, (who
won the second price, is able to beat the
, Know Nothing, with the same amount of can
Elss. This affords another Opportunity for a
lace between the two.
The owners Of the Know Nothing, of Wash
ington, understanding that those of the Martha
and Lady Gay Spanker, respectively, are not
satisfied with the race, are willing to crafty
-. Il l$nlra =
$500 on the superiority of the victorious Know
Nothing, which made the time to and from
Fort Washington said to be thirty niles in
three hours and eleven minutes
The day after the race of last year, In whic b
the " ill W atch was the winner, blacksmith
at the Navy Yard said that he could plan and
construct a boat to eclipse that vessel and
the result Of yesterday makes good his remark.
MOSQUITOES. These troublesome insects,
small as they are, occasion much trouble, pain,
and scratching 10 the largest and strongest
human frame. Though the public at la-ge
cannot describe fully their natural history,
they we'll Know from experience the chief char
acteristic Of the varmint;' and so do the
pleasurers at Cape May, as appears by the fol-
loving extract from u letter addressed, August
., to the Baltimore American
We have but one subject Of interest here
now. 1t is not the surf-not the promenade
not the last hop, nor even the next one-but
the mosquitoes. They are in everybody 8
mouth, literally as we'll as fguratively, ma ling
the best tempered people peeyish, and the
cross unbearable. Since last evening, the
breeze has been blowing across the land
bringing with it myriads of these pests; long,
gaunt, muscular, grey-backed fellows, VINO
alight on you without a word of warning, send
an itching agony through your body, and
leave behind them an irritation which requires
hours to sOothe. Along the beach they are
especially numerous, and preparing for the
bath Is accomplished at loss both of blood
and temper. 1t is war of OatTancs between
the visitors and these natives of the soil, with
all the chances in favor of the latter. Brave
men and fair ladies seem disposed 10 give up
the contest and fly before their minute as
sailants.r
Nor SEA-SERPENT.-Int these days of mar
vel and humbug almost every locality must
have its wonder, whether a negro with horns,
as in Louisiana, or sea-serpent In the placid
Silver Lake, (which turns out to be a lOg.)
The best we can do in this vicinity is to show
a hen with four legs-a double chicken in all
respects excepting the head and Wings, and
which lays two eggs day. The bird is the
property of Mr.. John Richey. But there was
a fsh-nOt a sea-serpent-in the market-house
this morning, which attracted attention, more
on account of its singular shape than for its
size 1t was a saltwater stranger, the first Of
the kind, perhaps, which had ever been cap
tured in the Potomac and brought TO Wash
ingIon for sale. Old fishermen, however, ex-
pressed no establishment. 1t was, in fact,
nothing more than a fiat-fsh, Of large pro-
portions resembling somewhat a lOng-handled
frying pan, or a founder with the addition OF
a brOOmstick for n tail 1t was an estray in
our wAtezS, fem Virginia, although we can
not suspect that the prevalence of the yellow
fever had anything to do with its coming hith-
erward.
I The fish was cut up and sold in pieces, it
being said that the meat, after undergoing the
ordea Of the culinary utensil to which we have
ikened it, is delicate and pleasant food.
BEWARE OF COUSrERFEITs 1t appears from
the Baltimore papers that a jeweller in Balti-
more on Monday received in payment for his
wares three five dollar bank notes, which
turned out to be eOunterfeits. Two Of the
notes purport to be on the City Bank Of New
Haven. The vignette contains a representa-
ton Of the Yale College buildings, dated March
4. 1854, signed by +. Bradley, cashier; E. c.
Read, president, and PAYABLE to ]. L. Tur-
field, No. 2,SS5. Tic third note purpOrts to
be ON the Farmers Bank Of Vermont, No.
las. letter A, dated September ., 1854, made
payaDie 10 r.. III. luuII CIcPucu " DUilJ
CASHIER and c. p. Austin, president.
We publish the above for the benefit of our
merchants and other citizens, as, when coun-
terfsits are circulated in other cities, some of
them find their way to Washington, which is
frequently the case.
No SMOKING will be allowed on the grounds
attached to the Executive Mansion during the
evenings when the Marine Band performs al
that place the same rule also applies to the
Capitol grounds. Many ladies have com
llained Of persons standing near them putting
the sickening smoke of country rolls In their
faces. The officers and Auxiliary Guard re-
quest geatieme,r to leave their stumps outside
on those occasions, and expect that gentlemen
will comply cheerfully. CALAMITY should be
allowed to prepOnderats over their putting
lR'oPensities.