The times., 1899-03-26
THE WATERS OF STRIFE.

] knew Bat Callaghan's face long before
] was able TO put name TO it. There was
seldom a court day in Skebawn that was
not aware of the level brows and super
fiuously intense expression somewhere
among the knot of corner boys who patron
lied the weekly sittings of the bench of
magistrates His social position appeared
to fuctuate: i have seen him driving a
car; he sometimes held my horse for me
that is to say, he sat on the counter of a
public-house while the Quaker slumbered
in the gutter; and, on one occasion, he
retired, at my bidding. to Cork jail, there
to mediate upon the inadvisability of de-
Tending a friend from the attentions OF
the police with the tailboard of a cart.
He next obtained prominence in my re-
gard at a regatta held under the auspices
of The Sons of Liberty a local football
club that justified its title by the Patriot
green of its jerseys and its free interpre-
tation OF the rules of the game The an
nouncement of my name on the posters as
a patron-a privilege acquired at the cost
of a reluctant half sovereign-made 1t In
cumbent OIL me to put in an appearance,
even though the festival conceded with
my petty sessions day at Skebawn; and at
some five OF the clock on brilliant Sep
tember afternoon / found myself driving
on the stony road that dropped in zigzsSs
TO the borders of the lake on which the
races were TO come on.
/ believe that the selection of Longh
Lonen as the scene of the regatta was not
unconnected with the fact that the secre-
tary of the club owned a public house at
the crossroads at one end of IL; none
the less. the president of the Royal Acad-
envy could scarcely have chosen more pic
turesque surroundings. mountain tow
cred steeply up from the lakes edge, dark
with the sad green of beech trees in Sepe-
tember; fir woods followed the curve OF
the shore and leaned far over the answer
ing darkness Of the water; and above the
trees rose the toppling steepnesses of the
hill, painted with purple glow OF heath
er The lake was about mile long, and,
tumbling from its further end, fierce and
narrow river fed away west to the sea,
some four or five miles of.
/ had not seen a boat race since ! was
at Oxford and the words still called up
before my eyes vision of smart parasois,
OF gorgeous barges, of snowy-clad youths
and of low. slim outriggers. winged with
the level flight of oars, Sitting the water
20 the sway of the line OF fiatbacks. Ger
tainly undreamed-o possibilities in aqua
tics were revealed to me as i reined in the
Quaker on the outskirts OF the crowd, and
saw below me the festival of the Sons OF
Liberty in full swing. Boats OF all Shapes
and sizes, outrageously overladen, moved
about the lake with oars iourishing TO the
strains of concertinas. Black swarms of
people seethed along the waters edge. con-
gesting here and there round the dingy
tents and stalls of green apples: and the
clubs celebrated brass band, enthroned in
a wagonette. and stimulated by the pres
ence of a barrel of porter on the boxseat,
was belching forth The Boys of Wex-
ford under the guidance of disreputa-
bic ex-militia drummer, in a series OF
crashing discords-
Almost as ] arrived a pistol shot set the
echoes clattering round the lake. and three
boats burst out abreast from the thronS
into the open water. Two of the crews
were in shirtsleeyes. the third wore the
green Jerseys of the football club. The
boats were of the heavy, sea going build,
and pulled six oars apiece, oars of which
the looms were scarcely narrower than the
blades. and were, of the two, a shade
heavier. None the less the rowers started
daunilessly at thirty-fye strokes a min
ute, quickening up, incredible as ii may
SEEM as they rounded the mark boat in
the first lap Of the two-mile course. The
rowing was, in general style, more akin
TO the action OF beating up eggs with a
fork than TO any other form OF athletic ex-
ercise, but in its unorthodox way it kicked
the heavy boats along at q surprising pace
The oars squeaked and grunted against the
thole pins. the cockswains kept up an un-
ceasing flow of oratory, and superfiuous
little boys in punts contrived TO intervene
at all the more critical turning points of
the race. only evading the fail of the on
coming oars by performing prodigies of
"waggling" with single oar at the stern.
took out my watch and counted the
strokes when they were passing the mark
boat for the second time; they were pull
ing fraction over forty; one of the shirt
sleeved crews was obviously in trouble;
the other. with bumped backs and jerk
ing oars, was holding its own against the
green jerseys amid the blended yells OF
friends and foes. When for the last time
they rounded the green flag there were
but two boats in the race, and the foul
that had been imminent throughout was at
length achieved with a rattle of oars and
a storm OF curses. They were clear again
in moment the shirt-sleeved crew getting
away with lead, and il was at about this
1uncture that / became aware that the
cockswains had abandoned their l0ng-han-
died tillers and were standing over their
respective strokes, showing frantically al
their oars. and maintaining the while a
eeaseless bawl Of encouragement and de-
fance. II looked like a foregone conclu-
zion for the leaders, and the war OF cheers
rose TO frenzy. The word Cheering" in
deed, is but euphemism, and in no way
expresses the serrated yell, composed OF
epithets, advice. and imprecations, thai
was flung like live thing at the oncominl
boats. The green jerseys answered TO thi.
stimulant with wild squirt that drove th,
bow of their boat within measurable dis
tance OF their opponents stroke oak II
another second thoroughly successful
foul would have been effected but tn.
cockswain OF the leading boat proved him
self equal to the emergency by unshippini
his tiller. and with IL dealing bow" O
the green Jerseys such a blow over the hea
as effectually dismissed him from tn
sphere Of practical politics.
great roar of laughter greeted thi
feat of arms. and voice at my dog cart
wheel pierced the clamor:
More power TO We, Larry, me ovid dar
linz
! looked down and saw Bat Callaehar
with shining eyes and face white wit
excitement, posing himself On one foo
on the box of my wheel in order 10 gs
e better view of the race. Almost before
had time to recognize him man in a gree
Jersey caught him round the legs and jerk
ed him down. Callaghan fell into tn
throng. recovered himself in an instant
and rushed, white and dangerous, at hi
assailan.. The Son of Liberty was no les
ready for the fray. and what is known Il
Ireland as 1.-The father and mother OF
row" was imminent. Already, however
one Of those unequaled judges of the mora
temperature of crowd. a sergeant OF th
r. ], G, had quietly interposed his bulk
person between the combatants and tn
coming trouble was averted.
Elsewhere battle was raging. The rae
was over and the committee boat was hem
med in by the rival crews. supplemente
by craft of all kinds The collection wa