The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-06-10
THE CHARLESTON REGATTA

a Lively Afternoon Upon the
pr.,.r,ne for the Race-Fhe S1cne-
IN, Shore-lnctdents OF tho
.-Raunton Mt the Hall OF inc
Victors.
rbo long anticipated race between the fai-
ns,,o Regatta aud Carolina Independent boa0
Gibbs took place, according to programme, Oh
saturday afternoon, and resulted In a comple.e
victorv for the former club. For weeks pas'
,bs race had been the all-ab5oroing topic
of discussion among young and oid. ihe
merits of the two boats anu their respective
crews had been freely canvassed, and the re-
suit was glorious 81 ate of uncertainty, WHICH
added not little to the excitement ana inter-
est of the occasion. At first The Palmetloes
were the favorite, owing 10 the prestige ol
their well.trained crew; but as the day Tor the
race drew on, the Independents became the
lavorltes, as the superior length of their boat
and the fine appearance of their crew " ouio
seem to warrant. For the past week Tue
boats we're out each afternoon, aud Wouio pun
over The course once or twice for practice.
This took place in full view OF the battery'
and kept the general excitement alive.
On Saturday morning the boats were taken
down and dressed for the contest-the Meteor
at Southern, and the Wave at South Atlantic
wharf The former received coating oil
grease, and the latter polish of black lustre'
extending hallway up her hull, along
wa,er.line, which added much 70 her appea,
ance At half-past five O'CLOCK tne lnaepenu'
en,s nlaced their boat on the water, and row.
,ng around to Southern dock, met their rivals
and arranged certain preliminarles. These
having been settled, the crews went to their
boats and pulled out to
THE STARTING POINT, .a
the Independents bearing their handsome nag
of red satin, bound with white cord, and With
the name of their club and the cross-oars
embroidered upon it. They rowed In white
pants and stockinet shirt, their coxswain
alone being in full uniform. The rest Of the
crew wore thin red iez caps, with a white
ribbon around the band, upon which was
stamped the name of their club. The Pal
mettoes rowed In full uniform. The race
boats of course were manned by the 1rst crews
of the two clubs, but the second crews were
also out In other boats, In full uniform, pulling
excltedly about, and backing their clubs up
generally. AS the boats lett the dock for the
starting point, they were cheered oy Ine
crowd, which now swept out to the Battery
and Joined the growing throng which
had gathered upon that delightful promenade.
One of the most popular points for observa-
tion was the Bathing House, and the obligiDg
proprietor, Mr.. McManmon, soon had his ample
pIazzas and circular roof crowded with spec
tators. From this point the whole course and
surroundings could be looked down upon as
on panorama. The tide was running up
strongly at about three.quarter flood; across
this swept stiff southwest breeze, raising an
ugly, chopping sea; most difficult to row In,
and greatly impeding the progress of the light
boats The bay was covered with sailing and
rowing craft OF every description, from the
fast sailing and elegant yacht to the small
cofin.shaped batteau In which some sable
mariner was vainly endeavoring to 'come
about" Small white boats pulled about In q
defiant manner, going nowheres and always
trying to get there. All were shipping their
seas most manfully, and the larger boats had
their sails reeted. Among this pIgmy flock,
which scudded and gllded about In every
direction Just before the race, the steamship
moved majestically down outward bound, and
passed within q stones throw of the starting
point where the race boats lay moored to the
stake boat. Close behind came the
THE EXCURSION STEAMER,
the st. Helena, with her decks crowded with
to witness the race.
The scene upon the Battery was more ex-
citing still. The crowd of spectators had been
Increasing until several thousand
persons must have been present. Those most
ly lined the south face of the Battery and the
east face, for about one hundred yards up,
three or four deep, watching for the boats.
The gardens were all thronged with pedestri-
sns and crowds Of children were at play upon
the grass, In the nelghborhood of the new trl-
bunal. Upon this stood the splendid Post
Band, dlscourslng marches, operas, &C., and
materially adding to the pleasures OF the al.
ternoon. The breeze on shore was delicious
and the afternoon most pleasant.
At twenty-five minutes past Blk the boats
were seen to leave the stake.boat and pull
out to their posts. The blues having won the
choice of position, took the outside and held
on to float anchored there for the purpose.
The reds held on TO the buoy, and in this man
ner they were aligned by Mr.. 7. P. Lo Rndes,
the starting umpire. The small craft now
cleared the course and moved down towards
the comiag-in buoys. A puff of white smoke
was now seen to issue from the stake boat, to
give the crews warning, and at precisely
thirty seconds after another crash OF the gun
sent the two boats shooting along the course.
The veteran crew of the blues had for weeks
been quietly practiclng the start, and as their
oars caught the water first, the Meteor bound
ed ahead of her opponent. The reds, how
ever, soon settled to their work, and for about
two hundred yards the race was close. At
this point the blues put on little, and their
boat drew slowly ahead of the other. The
boats at the start were about one hundred
yards apart, and they rowed along In full view
of each other. As they drew near the bathing
house, on the last half mile, 1t was plainly
'een how things were going.
THE INvINCIBLE LONG STROKE.
The blues had forged far ahead Of their an
agonists, and the space between the boats
Eidened momentarlly. The Meteor's crew
hoo tnh