Daily Kennebec journal., 1898-08-24
ANNUAL REGATTA.
People Of Hamnsond's Grove
Enjoy Aquatic Sports.
4 New Feature in the Canoe Race
Proves Decidedly interesting.
zsphyrs Absent asd ths Yaeht Rdcs uas Pest.
paasa uaill rsAay

ls&N - 4 es
The Inhabitants Of the beautiful
Il summer village Of Hamm0nd's Grove
have custom Of annually holding a
regatta. This event has always been
4 an enjoyable one and the custom has
been well maintained. Last year.
however. it was neglected. This sea-
SON the guests of this little settlement
by the inland sea entered upon the
event with redoubled interest. The
previous years sport had been missed
and now the men. women and children
Joined together to rechristen the cus-
tom that had in former years been SO
popular.
Tuesday vas the day chosen and Ill
looked forward to 1t as the one day Of
the season. The morning was cloudy
but gradually the clouds moved away
and were supplanted by sunshine
1t was an ideal day to the casual OBJ
server but the man that has frequented
the water was disappointed. He knew
that the yacht race which was to be
the principal event of the afternoon
would have to be postponed unless
breeze came up. yacht race with
out wind is as unsatisfactory as a good
| cigar without a match. r..
| Two O'Clock came around. There
| was no breeze. In the distance two
sailboats could be seen endeavoring
to wend their waysup through the mar
nows. The people who annually pass
their outing at Hammond's well knew
that they were the property Of Cap
tain Small and that the captain of this
inland sea was doing his best to arrive
at the scene of the regatta with his
two fast boats, the Ella Pearl and the
Undine. They also knew that IL Mr..
Small had difficulty in sailing his
yachts, there would be no race that
afternoon.
While they were waiting for the sail
boat race 1t was decided to have the
canoe race. an event which was
launched this year and which bids
fair to be embodied in the custom.
The course was a straight quarter Of
a mile and back. The contestants
We're Reid and Soule, Welch and Lord,
Lewis and Chase. White and Rice. r.
w. Soule was starter and Howard
Owen c. c. Hunt and j. Frank Pierce
acted in the capacity of judges.
The canoes shot off with dash, and
for few feet they kept even in line
then taking their respective positions
and holding them for the most part
misunderstood the course and turned
around the wrong buoy. They dscov-
cred their mistake and once more fell
into line. but they had lost their
chances and although they gained
steadily on those In the lead they were
unable to come anywhere near win
ming out.
Reid and Soule mainta ined their lead
and easily finished first. while Welch
and Lord. Lewis and Chase shot across
the line at the same time.
1t was decided to pull off the tie
\ and White and Rice. although not
contesting for second place, were al
lowed to race in order that the crowd
could see the respective merits of the
! canoists. -r"#s
They finished in the following order:
Welch and Lord, White and Rice, Lew
Is and Chase.
AS the race was only to determine
the winner of the second prize, the
prizes were announced as follows: Reid
and Soule, 1st Welch and Lord, End
Lewis and Chase, 3rd; White and Rice,
4th. The first prize was a boat clock
and the second a small flag. The
others were obliged to be content with
glory. 4iVt
i Again was the attention of the en-
thusiasts recalled to the yacht race.
but even now scarcely a breeze was
disturbing the tranquility of the sheet
of water. The Undine and the Ella
Pearl arrived and bore the news that
they had for four hours been on the
. way from East Monmouth, Captain
Small said it was no use to have the
, | race but that he had come prepared
to stay all night and that they could
wait with the patience of the
true sailor.
The judges then assembled and after
a few minutes deliberation, Mr.. Soule
was delegated to tell the crowd
through a megaphone that the yach'
race would be postponed until Wednes.
: day at 2 o'clock, when it was hoped
that Old Boreas would see fit to put ir
an appearance and allow the regatta
to proceed.