Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-11-03
men, and the difference in number of oars
was greatly in their favor.
AN EXCITING RACE.

AN EXCITING RACE.
When the pistol was fred the boats
started of on very even terms, the coxswains
standing in the stern sheets, with the
long racing tillers between their legs,
and swayiDg their bodies back and
forth to time the stroke. As they neared
the stake boat on the way out, it was i'm
possible to tell which was ahead, but when
our boat began to turn first, the crew COM
menced to cheer. There was evidently but
little difference thus far, as the Russian
boat turned only few seconds later, and
the race back commenced. The Russian
Admiral was quite an excitable man, and
walked nervously up and down, looking at
the boats occasionally through a pair Of
ships glasses. When they came near
enough for their respective positions to be
determined, we could see that our boat had
a good lead, and was increasing it, and it
crossed the line an easy winner. The yells
from our men were deafening, and the Rus
slams were decidedly crestfallen. They
claimed that their defeat was due to the SUI
periority of our boat, and our Ad-
miral offered to exchange boats and re-
row the race. The Russians jumped
at the chance of redeeming their
defeat, and the race was rOwed after giving
the crews chance to recover from their
severe exertions. In the meantime, q
couple of scrub races were rowed. One was
between crews selected from the firemen and
marines. The fremen won hands down,
and for months alterward used to twit the
"Jollies" about it.
When the barges appeared at the line
again, our boat was manned by IA men from
the Russian crew, and four men in addition
to our regular racing crew were in the Rus
sian boat. The Russian Admiral made q
few remarks to his crew before the race be-
gan, and from the caressing tones OF his
voice, we concluded that he was offering
them special inducements to win. Off they
went, and at the turning point were on
about even terms, but on the way back the
superior training of our men began to tell.
The Russians struggled manfully, but in
vain. Our men passed the line and tossed
oars in salute, with lead at least double
what they had in the first race.
To say that the Russian admiral was cha
grined, would be drawing it mild, and as
soon as be could get his boat manned, he
left the ship, and we were undisputed cham
pions of the station.
We got badly left on one occasion. There
are several small boats in the navy that are
celebrated for their rowing qualities, and
they deserve their reputation. So well is
their speed recognized, that no boats crew
will knowingly pull against them without
handicap. The j., one of our naval ves-
sells, when fitting out at the New York Navy
Yard for the China station, captured one of
these boats, anc brought her out. We had
not received challenge since our race with
the Russians, and were quite surprised when
the J-'s boat pulled up under our bow
one afternoon and tossed oars.
A CLOSE FINISH.
Arrangements for race were
soon made. and the interest ran
high. We knew that for some
reason her crew was very confident of
success, but we never imagined the true
one. A great deal of money was up on the
race, and the feeling was intense. Itwas
this time fVe-mile race with turn, and
in such long pull we were sure the supe-
rior training of our men would tell.
The start and finish were in easv view
from all the ships of the feet, and the rig
ging OF all the vessels was black with men.
It was pretty start, both crews being held
we'll in hand, and, as far as we could follow
them, neither one had any advantage. To
our view they seemed to move slower and
slower as they neared the stake boats. Their
boat was the first to commence to round at
the turn, and as she did 30 triumphant
cheer came from the men on the J.,
answered by our men an instant later as our
boat began to turn. It seemed an age be-
fore the boats came near enough to tell
what were their relative positions. When we
could determine we saw that their boat
was slightly in the lead, but the bow of our
boat Tapped the stern of theirs. What
pandemonium of yells was let loose as the
distance from the finish lessened and the
relative positions of the two boats was main
tanned. The old admiral and the skipper
were as highly excited as the youngest
MILDLY, and danced around as though the
deck were hot. The boats had to pass under
the stern of our ship, and the finish line was
between a couple of buoys about 100 feet
beyond it. Both crews were pulling as hard
as they knew how, and as they neared the
stern Of our ship everyone went wild.
The coxswains standing in the stern
with caps gone were swinging back
and forth, and frantically calling
ON the crews for a spurt, and encouraging
them in every way. "More beef, boys"
"Hit her up" "GiVe it to 'em in the neck"
cried the men from our ship, and as they
passed under the stern, with the j
boat quarter of a length ahead, the old
admiral shouted out: "What in thunder do
you mean, boys? Will you let the blamed
haymakers beat your" and the skipper,
fairly jumping up and down, called out:
Beer or blood, boys. Once more for the
beer" Our men did nobly. and we could
see that they were cutting down the lead,
and aa thew naaqan nver Tho line IL rvaa I'm
possible to tell from the ship which had
won. The judges decided that it was a
dead heat, and we were very well satisfied
at getting off so we'll. The race was never
rerowed, as we left for home soon after.
A. NJ. b.
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