River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1893-09-21
eoNooLA AGAINST CANOE.
The indians Were No Match for the Ga
GondoIiers.

The Indians Were No Match for the Gay
Gondoliers.
The peaceful routine of worlds fair
life was interrupted one morning lately
by an incident which sent ripple of
excitement over the grounds. On the
shore of the south pond, which connects
on the north with the lagoon, there is
encamped colony of the Haidah, or
Quslsuhl Indians from Queen Charlotte's
and Vancouver islands They have
their massive cabiu. dance house, tall
totem poles and canoes conspicuously
located along the shore. Some of the
fashioned from trunks of huge trees
indigenous in those islands, bear resent
blance in form to the Venetian Condo
las. The resemblance, however, is
confined to contour. for while the gon-
dolas are gorgeous with paint and
plush upholstery, the Quakuhl canoes
are rude. weather beaten craft.
On the morning above mentioned,
Haw missati. chief of the Quakahls. had
gone out in his canoe. for a constitu-
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 rever-
entially 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.
firasping 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
pied in white streaks from the bow of
| the canoe.
The Venetians in their gorgeous cos
tunes shouted excitedly, but the In
dams, 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
and went through ahead. The boats
then entered the south pond and made
for the Qualxuhl village. The gondola
crept steadily ahead, for the rough
hewn canoe 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 I'M
derstood to declare emphatically that
he has another canoe, bearing the poet
ical name of Foam of the Sea, which
no gondola can passl