The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-07-26


the eastward bend OF the river In the lower third Of
the course Any number Of parallel lines which you
may draw from the northeiy line to the southeriy
line, as these lines were fixed and marked by nags
on either shore would be Of exactly equal length.
Gould limits he fixed more fairlyS The limit or the
course at the nnish being indicated by an imagn-
airy line drawn from nag fixed on either bank OF
the river, whichever boat passed this line FIRST was
the victor. no matter how near either shore the
boat was rowed as it passed. These line nags
were white with large red square inside, or they
may be described - red flags, with a white
border. Anchored IN the river, Immediately below
the line OF these iags was tine slower stakeboat"
containing judges and a lew members OF the press
The writer OF this. having ticket OF admission to
this stakcboat resOrted nrst to the flag on the
west side OF the river and made inquiry Of the
Judge stationed there this was some hour or so
before the College race was beGun) as to the exact
locality OF the stakeboat inasmuch as there were
several boats anchored az anoat near. BY the way
the finish line nags stood shout the height OF q
mans eve and were nxed nrmiy In the sand. q
reach Of which, from fifteen to thirty five
ieet wide, on either shore slOped to the
water. Above this beach there was q bank grass
covered, Of height varying in places from SIX to
twenty feet. On this bank 1t was that the grand
stands, called were erected on either shore for
the accommodation Of spectators Seats were pro-
vided, Tor which some charge was made; more
stood within an enclosure bounded BY board fences
| on this Erass-covered piece OF ground. Inere
were, thousands OF people gathered At either
| stand.
A skin, provided by the Regatta Committee, was
ready to pull me and my companion, Major D., to
the stakeboat, but we employed 1t instead to set
us over to she east oank inasnuch as we had taken
the impression, from the study OF the river
press to the east shore, since near thai s best
water the channe! tpending quite SHARPLY
the above Ss Ss 0e .secs ssHu
the contest Not only does that side OF the river,
1s 10
which the boats viii scarcely noat, but also the
this was a race With the current, whatever help
was to BE- had from that could only be got
as we shall see, Harvard was the only one Of the
conspicuons boats likely 10 win which took this
best one. II Harvard made any mistake in steer
Ing 1t Was In not coming cast earlier 1t may
with wesleyan, that Methodist maiden into whose
Lap for mile OF the way, more or less Harvard's
oars threw wster BY the 6ackstiu which in time
the wesleyan rowlocks. One OF the latter crew
told me that Harvard urged them sharply with
oten as they sought to shoot oy, thus pressing
upon the penalties OF q "f0ul."
Harvard being on the eastery side OF the river /;
for reasons, as we have shown, kept more posi-
lively towards the eastern shore. following the
|
70 the westerly t SIDE .''N Guy ''S
AS the whole line OF boats lrst developed to the
view, nearly two miles distant from where we
stood ON the east side at the lower extremity OF
the course It was one OF the finest sights
like again. No gun had announced the starting.
The spectators had tired OF turning TO meet dis
appoinrmen as mschevous cries. sThey arc COM
ing pc from time to time were raised. But now
there was low. intent hum among the eager
thOusandS-th0ugh nothing was seen nor distinctly
/
In fact the grouIs stationed along tho bank from
the starting.boat, three miles away, had In turn
| given short, sharp Involuntary cry as the boats
Shot in sgnt. 1t was not cheer; it was not loud,
this cry. II was not repeated, and 1t ceased the
it hung Itself along either bank Of the liver ike
nash along the magnetic wire. We felt it before
ing vibration. Then flashed q line OF white light
| across the wide river, against background OF
detected this gittering line before it was visible
to the uuassisted eye, and for minutes, SO 1t
Sea Or sn S or e tSa
the dash o. the ON the atm water, the gIsam
boats, the white shirts or bare backs OF the men,
all fused in one wave Of light that stretched and
across the de sa tsns
otcuped nearly eight hundred leet-for a goodiy
| interval before we could see man or boat
which made this strange light. Presently this line
or light became visible to the naked eye, and our
crowd in turn gave the short, sharp cry OF reco2.
milton which mad followed down the river. and
then, as the crowds above, 1t relapsed into eager
! silence.
Presently emerged from this welt of light raised
by the College oars strain ed against the dark bosom
or the river three boats, as we looked at Them head
and By their psn upon the N sha
ahead the other one then one Of the leading two
shot sharply ahead OF the other: They were now
| nearing the line. My companion and myself,
~t% which, 0 naa watoss nsm sSss
already won. The gap between the first and
second boats was too great for the latter to make
gap was subsequently filed. These two boats
| were passing nearer the opposite side OF the
Witch ' feet vide three esunns
finish line nag stood We could not distinguish
forwards which they were. One said the foremost
one was Bowdon, one named another boat, but
had not not caught up where was the third boati
Pulling more nearly to side OF the river. Pres
made her out. Harvard p was the short, saspins
cry. There was not time or thought to intone the
n. Of the q Ssy she
caps now plainly distinguishable
But the two boats over the way were nearing the
line, pulling magni1cently, brain, muscle. nerve
tween them; was closing faster and faster as the
was a chance for it, Now, with the permission Of
the Judge who stood at the line nag, clear-headed,
saea e aa ne to the esc
shore row OF dark caps shot under 1t. Just at
this moment, for the first time, some one OF those
near mentioned Yale. Then the second boat went
over. not q length behind. "Yalc ahead ~ said
several, inqu,rinsiy, rather than asserting it.
Wesleyan pulled up at once, almost square on
the line, not more than boats length beyond 1t.
Yale, for some reason or other, kept pulling on for
hundreds Of feet beyond the line with undated
speed. as II the devil instead OF pIous Wesleyan
were alter them.
just now Harvard reached the line Splendid
fellows, pulling full, magnificent, ever steady
stroke. They were go near to us on the shore that
We could see the whites oil tner eyes, They were
slackening their pace, apparently as II they rec.
ognized that their rival had passed the line. Just at
this moment the great crowd on the bank aroused
and excited by the vision OF these brave fellows
shooting into view beneath them. and discerning
| their color, and they thc crowd not knowing
clearly where the line was which Harvard crossed
too late, raised one loud, con tnuous, unremitting
cheer-"Harvardi Harvard! Harvard Harvard n