Year: 1869




IL was a quarter TO 3 when tine oxford boat shot
out from the boathOuse Of the London Rowing CLUB,
a little more thah half mile above the aqueduct at
Putney and padded down the river to the starting
point OF course there was great cheering as they
swung round into position, and kept her steady for
the start Though they showed no cOors at first 1t
was easy enough to recognize them for they were as
typical Englishmen as their opponents were typical
Americans. Some five minutes Of suspense passed
before the Harvard shell to shoot out from
the southern bank, and glide down TO its opponent
The cheers were chiyarcally loud and long as they
rounded into position alongside. Then there was
stripping OF jackets and showing Of COlors Harvard
was in her deep magenta, and oxford IN her imme-
less opera glasses from both banks
and from Putney Bridge was turned
upon them, and the scrutiny close and anxious.
The Oxfords for all their training looked stout,
particularly when compared with their competitors.
The Yankees were gaunt as greyhounds, and the
Btitons as blull as bulldogs. any one could nave
picked out which were the Americans as they lay
there on their oars, and almost any one who went
by looks alone would pick the Americans out as the


The Race.


Harvard had won the toss before, and chosen the
MiddlCseN side This gave oxford the inner arc OF
the semi-crCe which constitutes the course, but
Harvard took it, despite the disadvantage because
the flow of the tide which was almost now at Hood,
was more perceptibe and helpfulto them there than
further in shore. There was a good deal of prcli-
minary backing and filling, which perhaps served a
good purpose IN alaylng the the nervousness OF
Harvard, but hdgeted nearly all the specta-
tors so highly that they were wrought up to
an almost ntOerable degree. Mr.. Baikic OF lIar-
ward, the starter, and he went to give the word
several times, when the oxford men stopped him.
and there was more twtching of the boats and more
hdgetiDg of the spectators. At last after Harvard
had begun to fret at the prospect that unless the tide
were taken at the food it would not hold
throughout the course, and so would not lead them
on to fortune oxford sgnihed her readiness and the
word dropped:-


They sped away quietly and swiftly, and though
the English experts claimed that the oxford had
by far the better form' the quick dash of Harvard
was quite equal to it for mere grace, however it may
have been for power And the power did not seem
lacking at first In three lengths, however, oxford
drew slightly, very slightly, ahead, and away they
went up the river, the Harvard. oars going little
faster than the Oxford and both regular as clock
work Finally they dwndled down the stretch towards
lammeTsmth brdge-in plain sight from Putney
bridge Up to that point Harvard had had a stretch
analogous to her course at home, and the COXswain
an inCumbTanCe-SO that it still anybOdy's
race But as they neared the bridge it appeared
plan from the statements OF all who could see them
that their CoXswain muted it, and steered so near
the shore that the swell Of oxford stopped their Way
Nevertheless, the Harvards put steam, even as
they went wider. the race was not irretrievable But
from this point the OXfOrds had every advantage.
The river takes a sudden bend to the south. The
is short and right in the Jaws OF it lies the
Ait, now covered with the flood tide The tortuous
nature Of the stream was in itself unfavorable, and
here the OXfOrds put out all their strength. The
Harvards seemed fully aware of the sudden dis
advantage They, too, labored with new energy
but in their it did not tell. To those on the
shore 1t seemed that something suddenly re-
tarded the boat the strokes heavier but the
vessel did not respond with aacrty. once it broke
away and came up TO within yard of the Oxfords,
but it was momentary speed. The English boat
and the friends and hackers of the Americans be-
came despoudingy silent. At Barnes Bridge the
OXfords had gained another length. The music of
the umpires' boat was heard. Another five minutes
and the goal was reached by the OXfOrls-twenty-
five yards ahead The time by Benson's cronograp
was % az.