Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1875-02-10
A GONDOLIA RACE.
How the AmphibiOus Venetian
while Away their Gentle Lives,


Venice Letter TO San Francisco Chronicle
In the edge OF the broad lagoon all the
floating citizens Of Venice had gathered
to witness the two mile heats between a
dozen gondolas in single harness The
narrow horizon was black with boats
that lined the watery course. There was
no colliding, no swamping, nor crossing
of long oars in the hands ot angry oars
men; there was not an accident of any
sort nor anything approaching it,
though the crowd was great for this was
the last day of the festival. The gondolas
had passed us, onward bound, and we
cheered them because everybody else
did. Moreover, the day was lovely:
there was the faintest haze lowering
over the water; the city walls were mir
rored in sea of glass. All the colors
of the rainbow were blended in the pic
tures4ue and fantastic costumes of the
Venetian plebeians, who were making
the most oftheir day. There were boats
full of babies-water babies, or perhaps
| had better call them wine habies-
with big black eyes like the eyes of seals
and lips like red coral. They hung over
their family boats that were rocking like
cradles, and dabbled their hands in the
water, fishing for the long sea grasses
that waved to and fro under our keels.
There were plebeian swells, sea swells,
gondoliers with torrent of black hair
sweeping off from their foreheads and
falling in cascades over their shoulders;
round their heads they wore scarlet
handkerchiefs tied in little knot at the
back Thre were fellows gorgeous in
Turkish fez or the long, Topping Greek
cap-and with such figures in such
poses. Wine and fruit barges passed up
and down the course driving brisk bar
gains. There was wit in the air, and
much betting on every hand; there was
no end of flirting behind fans that were
nnfurled in lieu OF parasols; the very
boats seemed to enter into the spirit of
the OCCASION and rubbed against each
other and touched noses in the friend
lest fashion.
| Presently we heard gun; the Condo
liers had turned the buoy and we're COM
ing in on the home stretch. Everybody
rose at once, and saw nothing but the
head and shoulders of his neighbor in
bold relief against the hazy sky. At this
we all laughed and sat down again
4 Shouts were heard in the distance, and
cheers swept down to us over the water.
Then thousand handkerchiefs were
suddenly shaken in the air-a long black
roller that reached from one horizon to
the other, with calm river flowing be-
tween. seemed to break suddenly into
foam. The boats of the municipality
rushed down between the two lines oi
spectators and maddened as with expec.
tatson. A gondola followed long
black gondola, with its slim throat
stretching out of the water and its silver
crest flashing in the sun, The gondolier
who was propelling this victorious sea
monster-it swung little from side Il
side, like q serpent, and seemed to bt
swimming with its own graceful motion
was padding with the utmost compos
ure, apparently unconscious of our ex
istence. How we did shrek and tos,
our hats in the air and cry bravo bravis
simo," when he passed us three length:
\ in advance OF all competitors. Wegrev
more excited when the second-best man
came down; he was smiling and ac
knewledging the applause as il be really
enIoyed it-which he no doubt did Ther
the third man followed and in his wake
the whole sea broke up into gondolal
and floating things of all descriptions
and so crowded into the canal, as thicl
as sardines in box.
The gondoliers who followed the three
! winners were not thought worthy OF any
attention or repect. Poor fellows they
we're completely blown and in very bad
temper. The champions, in their white
shirts and trowsers, looked as if they haC
been picked out of the water. They
we're actually streaming with sweat. Bu
they got 100, 60 and 30 francs prize
money, and much besides contributed by
the populace. Moreover, they we're i'm
mediately photographed and lionized
and best Of all, they brought great
credit to the church You must know
that Just now Italy is divided iRto two
6ercely-antagonistic parties-the Church
: and the State. All races, all bets, all
disputes, all unpleasantnesses, lie be
tween the advocates of these two parties
! 1t CHANGED that the church party wor
= both the races | have been writing Of
The consequence was that for the las
two weeks black eyes and bruised noses
have been almost equally distributed be
, tween Church and State.