The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1893-09-23
GONDOLA AGAINST CANOE.

GONCOlA AGAtNSl CANOE.
The Indians Were No Match for the Gay
Gondoliers.
The peaceful routine of worlds fair
life was interrupted n morning lately
by an incident which SEN a ripple of
excitement over the grounds. On the
shore of the south pond, which connects
on the north with the lagoon, there is
encamped a colony of the Haidah, or
Quakuhl Indians from Queen Charlotte's
and Vancouver islands. They have
their massive cabin, dance house. tall
totem poles and canoes conspicuously
located along the shore. Some of the
canoes, which are very large, and are
fashioned from trunks of huge trees
indigenous in those islands, bear resem-
blance in form to the Venetian Condo
las. The resemblance, however, is
confined to contour, for while the gon-
plush upholstery, the Quakuhl canoes
are rude. weather-beaten craft.
On the morning above mentioned,
Hawmissati, chief of the Quakahls, had
gone out in his canoe. for a constitur
tional along the lagoon. Padding
~leisurely along with Hisynish, his
nephew, in the bow, the chieftain
viewed with surprise the majestic
buildings around him and bowed reyer-
e~ntially to the golden statue of the
republic as he entered the great basin,
probably thinking it an idol
Presently, at the west end of the
basin, a gondola, manipulated by two
athletic gondoliers, named Giuseppe
Martin and Enrico Saline, shot out
from beneath the bridge and glided
swiftly past the dreaming Quakuhls.
Their gay appearance reused the pa
triotic pride of the Hawmissatl.
Grasping his paddle firmly he made a
sign to his nephew. and soon the black
craft went up to the gondola. The
Venetians saw the movement and a
race ensued which enlisted the atten-
ton of thousands along the basin.
For a time the two were nose and
nose on an easterly course. 1t was
curious to note the different action
of the rowers. The gondoliers made
strong, steady strokes with their oars,
feathering them in the water, while the
Indians, on their knees, used their short
paddles nervously until the foam rip
Piled in white streaks from the bow of
the canoe
The Venetians in their gorgeous cos
TUNES shouted excitedly, but the In
dians, stolid as a totem pole, uttered
not a word. Several electric launches
and gondolas followed in the wake OF
the racers.
Down the basin and past the golden
statue went Indians and Venetians.
The gOndola reached the tunnel first
n went through ahead. The boats
then entered the south pond and made
for the Quakuhl village. The gondola
crept steadily ahead, for the rough
hewn ano could not be forced through
the water like the painted craft of
Venice. When the village was reached
the gondola made a dozen lengths in
advance. The time from the middle of
the north end of the Agricultural build
ing to the village was seven minutes for
the gondola and seven minutes and
thirty seconds for the canoe.
When Hawmissatl landed he walked
along to the gondola and looked at it
attentively for some time. But he is un-
derstood to declare emphatically that
he has another canoe, bearing the poet
ical name of Foam of the Sea, which
no gondola can pass.