Arizona weekly citizen., 1882-10-08
A Hinhnn Roaf Race.

At last there is a hush and every eye is turned up the river. The boats turn and come drifting down; there IS a minute of backing and fussing about to get them straight and the bows level, and then with a loud shout, they are oil by mutual consent. A roar comes from the crowd all the way down the banks tO the grand stand, and then swings back agaln like wave on the lat sea sand. Served by their magnificent boat and theIr younger strength, the Myan-Oung crew jump of with the lead and continue to draw away until half way down the course. where they are clear and have a bit of daylight tOspare. The packers of the Peacock are wild with triumph, out the TOhn-kwa party are perfectly composed and declare that things could not 90 better.
 A quarter of a mile from home old hOh kyahgyee lets out a yell and, though there IS no apparent quickening of the stroke, the gap, winch for the last few hundred yards has remained unaItered, suddenly disappears. The
 hree Far Flowers creeps steadily up the PeacOck's thwart. Dung Zi.hn, the Mayan-Oung bow, sees the enemy $ boat for the first time since the start and a few seconds later tie nose of the Three FaIr Flowers slows in front Incoherent shouts of despair, encouragement and delight burst from every throat. Old women tear down their scanty hair and work with their arms as if they themselves were in the race. Girls rush to the waters edge needless of the mud and splashi1g that will ruin their silken skirts forever; young men and boys rush up to their necks in water and yell with frenzied eagerless, for 1t Is only a few lengths to the winning post, and Thohn-kwa leads by foot. Old OO Ohm can stand It no longer; for the last minute he has been shaking all over as If he were in a palsy, and his tongue and throat are as parched as If they were chOked with lime. He rushes forward with his hands in the air and shrieks You kya' III key that cuts through the din like a steam whistle. "YOu kya" the cry Is taken up; You. kya oahthai every mothers son of you; the Peacock the tlOweri sway lay layl TOW for yOur lIves; TOW for your unvanqu uished namew The two boys fling their paddles from them and rise for the struggle; the wink Of an eye too soon and he will miss his grasp; the flick of a finger too late and there will be nothing to seize. A great hush falls on the vast crowd as If all were stricken dead and then both men disappear m the water. clutching ap paFently simultaneously at the rattan. An agonIzing five seconds, and then Dung Zahn comes to the surface bran dlshing the rattan on high; the ThOhn kwa bow felt the scratch of 1t on his palm as 1t disappeared through the tube.
 The scene that follows IS beyond des- crIptiOn. The victorious crew spring up tO dance, bu. the ehef IS inadequate and they can only escape frenzy by plunging into the nver. Go Ohn tucks | his waist-clOth and dances round m mad delight till his stiff old legs wlll bear him no longer. POmpOus old fellows | caper and plunge and shout. Younger 1 men can only relieve their feelings by | piunging themselves down and rolling | about wildly in tEe mad. Girls who at l ordinary times would hardly dare to | raise their eyes tO look ubOu5 them l dance ani shout in ecstacy, ana their l married guardians jOln in the ruut, while | the bands from tL0 villages round about | strike up, and the professional dancers | who came to perform in honor of tn. | vlctors are fam to lCOk on as their iu- tended audience go through unpremed- itated figures.