The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-09-05
VAC HTIN g.
THE REGATTA WEEK AT COWES.
The Scenes of Beauty and Sounds Of Revelry
at the Isle Of Wight.
The Race for the Queens Prize-The
Kreimhilda the Winner.
CowEs. August q, 1873

Staten Island from the water. The villas, dotted
here and there, each IN its nook OF greenery, SELF
Included and sef-sufficent, have much the same
appearance in both Places though the verdure in
the Isle Of Wight is greener and brighter than that
OF its transatlantic sister. There other water
ing places OF popular resort in
THE ISLE OF WIGHT,
but Cowes is at the head OF them all. There is
Ryde, with its long pier stretching far into the sea-
favoritc flirting ground for yachtsmen and Lon
don bellies out OF town; there is ventnor with it's
mill, soft air, the abidingpiace of invalids; there
are Shanklin and Banchurch, full of nursemaids
and bathing children; and there is Freshwater,
near which is Farringford, where Mr. Tennyson
used to live until he was hunted out of his retreat
by inquisitive cockneys and tourists. But COwes
beats them all. There Is as much difference be-
tween 1t and Ryde as there is between Newport
and Long Branch. At each of the former the
society is perfectly select. You may inhabit your
cottage for two months and never make acquaint-
ance with the occupant OF the neghboring villa I;
whereas, at either Of the latter 1t is hail fellow
well met; and come along Jack | Everybody
knows everybody else; everybody dimes, drives,
lunches, picnics, battles and dances with every
BODY else; and though there Is as much fun, it Is
Of rather q rough sort. For eleven months and
three weeks out of every year, Cowes is the quiet.
In seven days it seems to let of all the compressed
steam the slumbering dare -deviltry that has been
confined in it during the rest OF the rwelvemonth
This Is during the regatta week, when the little
roadstead is crowded with yachts, closely packed
that their gigs can scarcely creep in between
them: when each cottage is centre of fun and
gaiety such as rarely to be met with elsewhere
After about the third day the regular inhabitants
OF Cowes get so dazed with the noise and hustle
that they entertain serious thoughts OF running
up to London for quiet
This year the excitement began on Saturday, the
and OF August, when all
THE SMELLS,
or 'smart people" they called in fashionable
slang, came over after Goodwood Race, and the
Royal Yacht Squadron's landing place was filled all
day with distinguished visitors, who were brought
of from their yachts. These yachts had anchored
or picked up mornings just in the same position as
last year, which made you feel, as you sat in the
club gardens, that nothing had changed for the
last twelve months. On Saturday night the little
town was full to overlooking; big trucks filed with
luggage marked in all colors blocked the High
street, and saw one highly emblazoned box being
pulled up to the first floor window Of q pastry
cooks shop, powdered servant looking disdain-
fully on from the street below.
On Sunday, as usual, there was great church
parade
SOMEWHAT AMPHIBIOUS
appearance about the yacht owners, some of whom
confessed they never went to church when au
home, but thought IL the right thing to do at
COwes, as an example to their men. Plain evil
dence of this was to be found in the look OF their
coats, which were all in creases, from having been
kept in lockers since the yachting season began.
Church service was good deal interfered with by
q salute fred from the Russian man-of-war, and
answered by the club guns, in honor Of the Prince
Of Wales, who, oddly enough, selected twelve
O'Clock as a time for paying the Russian officers q
visit on their ship. Some people left the church,
the name of the " Regatta Sermon" was consider
ably curtaed. Last year, when the incumbent
yacht
fund for providing the church with an additional
curate, he got for answer Certainly mott You've
scantling in her What more do You wantr"
Tuesday was the day appointed for
THE RACE FOR THE QUEENS PRIZE
Of 100 guineas, the yachts to belong to the Royal
Squadron. The start, as saw 1t from the club, at
ten in the morning, was wonderfully pretty. The
course was to the westward, and there was a
strong west-going ebb tide, and the yachts had to
Ing bare against the brightest OF blue SKIES and
the next they were moving away with cloud OF
white sail, making the most beautiful curves,
Egypt Point. The Rreimhilda, Count Batty-
hany's cutter. was the first to cant round,
have won by a considerably longer time, but
ser r the IN st TING
sheave OF the mast, which split the mast down and
prevented her setting her jib-headed topsail. At
ut the club to see the fireworks. Part OF the plat
form was roped of for the Osborne party, and the
battlements sometimes in the moonlight some.
times in the glare Of rockets and fire balloons, and
seemed highly pleased with the display. The Duke
nf dtphur uho md tha nf VOL rriah
at each rocket IN manner worthy OF the most in
veterate Cremorner BY the way, here is neat
ask His Royal Highness, who had sail in the Kreim-
hllda during tine race II they had not carried
but the prize" On Wednesday
THE KREMHILDA WAS AGAIN SUCCESSFUL,
winning the Town Cup, value f1oO, and on Friday
she beat the squadron cutters ana took her third
hundred guinea prize. AS she came by Her Maj
estys snip Ariadne the band played "See the Con-
quering Hero Comes" and as she passed the mark
boat there was tremendous cheering from the
yachts crews.
On Thursday there was
A DANCE ON BOARD HER MAJESTY'S SHIP ARIADNE
and all the squadron members, with their wives
aud Iarnilies had invitations. Cutters and steam
launches piled all the afternoon between the ship
and the club stairs and an immense deal OF trouble
had been taken to make 1t a success All the aft
part OF the ship was covered in with nags. There
were stands OF arms in all sorts OF Devices deco
rated with flowers; arches OF cveIgreens at the
gangways, THO aiecks cleared Tor dancing
rooms, the poop being filed with ounging chairs
for the non-dancers. Every one met in the club
gardens after being landed, and | saw sitting
under the elm trees Prince Arthur the Duchesses OF
Cleveland and Manchester, the Duke of Rutland,
Lords Payston, Tuflled, Annesley, Harrington,
George Paget. Lord and Lady ONO Fitzgerald,
lady Aylesbury, &c.--a tremendous gathering for
the garden, which is the peasantest ounging
place on an August day in the world. There Is
sort OF happy family touch about II all that Is quite
charming Everybody meets ''under the clint
once or twice day, and little parties are made up
20 go for cruise to tine westward or to take what
Is called ''simmer rOundr In steam launch, or
70 drive TO Carisproke Tor an mpromptu tea on the
bowling green. Quarres bred III London are made
up on the lawn, and there are more GENIAL hospi-
talty ana good cheer under the roofs OF some OF
tue smau cottages and even over some OF the
little shops IN the High street during the week
tnan you get ali the year among the same peo-
pie in London Then there are
THE LITTLE DINNER PARTIES AFLOAT,
the gig to fetch you or at eight, in which YOU see
dollhouse MOWERS and peaches slowed away lor-
ward; the greeting at the gangway the run up on
deck to see what's going on, the coffee and cIspsse
under the awning WITH perhaps, a song of many
10. ~.