The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-07-08

The high appreciation In which aquatic
sports are held by our community was shown
by the large crowd attracted to the Cattery on
Saturday evening last TO witness the boat race.
AB the hour appointed for the contest drew
near, each and every car came down literally
jammed With human freight. King, Meeting
and East Bay streets each poured out contln-
ous living streams, until the whole water
front, from high up on East Battery to the ex-
treme west end of South Battery, and the bath
ing house -piazza, bridge and shed, were densely
packed with eager. spectators OF every age,
sex and class. On the harbor several yachts
and large number of smaller boats kept
scuddIng to and fro, and afforded to many q
nearer view of the race.
The weather, with the exception Of rather
tpo fresh breeze which gave rise 10 a con-
siderable swell, was on the whole favorable
enough; decidedly favorable for the speata-
tors, who were famed. by the delightful eee
breeze, and shielded from the sun by the
passing clouds. At precisely half:past six
o'clock, the Little Belle and the Carrie sp-
peared off the battery and pulled leisurely
uOHu w lilo puoJf Su0 otoAtAh6
point. The Petrol did not make her appear
ance for some minutes later. The Little
Belle is q green boat, TWENTY-FIVE feet long,
with yellow gunwale; the Carrie, white,
twenty feet, with black gunwale, and the
Petrol twenty-feet long. white, with brown
gunwale; The crews were simply clad In their
everyday apparel, with the exception Of their.
coats. The Petrol bore small red flag in her
stern, and the Carrie red and white flag of
about the Same size. The Little Belle carried
no colors of any kind.
: At quarter to seven o'clock the stake-boat.
containing Mr.. E. b. sparkmap, the deciding
Judge, and several ladies. pulled into the
stresm and anchored directly opposite the
bathing house; 1t was distinguished from the
other boats by small staff bearing red and
white flag. At five minutes to seven the three
contesting boats were at the buoy, aud gradu-
ally fell into line, the Little Belle on the city
side, the Carrie next to James Island, and the
Petrol in the middle. At seven O'Clock the
signal was given, and the start made. The
Carrie Immediately took the lead. forging
clear ahead half length or more, and for a
long time 1t seemed as II she would win an
easy victory. Meanwhile, the Petrol and Little
Belle were ploughing through the water
side by side, as If each was afraid to leave the
other. The Petrol, being manned by the crew
who won at the last regatta, was evidently
the favorite; and there were, consequently,
few present vho did not feel pretty confident
that she would shoot ahead as the stake
boat was neared, and win the race. But the
issue was not long in doubt. The crew of the
Little Belle at the last seemed resolved to
make desperate effort. Bending themselves
to the work like men "determined to do or
de," their boat suddenly left the Petrol
one or more lengths behind and sped past
the stake-boat, full half length ahead
Of the Carrie, amid voclferous cheers
and the waving of hats aud handkerchlefs,
even from the defeated crews. The three
boats then pulled alongside the stake boat.
where the winning crew received the congrat-
ulations of all; and as fitting tribute to their
skill and muscle were presented with the
flags of the wang cished. The following is the
crew of the Little Belle: n. Dougherty, cox
ewain; E. Dougherty, stroke; W. Hughes, d.
Trapier and J. G. q. Wilson, bow. One by
one the row.boats and yachts fitted away
down the harbor or back to the docks, and in
half an hour nearly the whole tiny fleet had
disappeared. The crowd then slowly dis
persed, evidently much pleased with the ex-
citing contest they had witnessed.