Year: 1869

sion OF the feminine portion OF the crowd there
assembled. Away in 'front.' as when one small fox
is pursued BY q pack OF large eager and barking
hounds, ny the two wager poats, every man OF the
two crews straln!ng every nerve for victory, each
striving TO get the best OF currents and each careful
TO steer clear Of any craft which may by accident be
verging on the direct line Of the course. Bridges
which cross the Thames are choked with the mass
Of spectators the banks all the way up are thronged
even trees and housetops ore not without sight.
seers.


Such 10 great race over the course from Putney to
Mortlake. Returning to men in their camer moods
! and 10 the description OF the course:-The racing
boats start = hundred yards in front Of the aque.
duct, not in mid.rver, but more to the north side,
where there 10 the best tide, They generally start
one hour before high water to row up with the
tide, for the boat which BY the chance OF tossing
gets the nOrthern0st station is deemed TO have
gained some advantage. For half mile or more up
bend ofland nwards on the north side called Craven
Point the course is nearly straight From that the
boats taking the best Of the tidal current aim up aud
across the river, In an oblique direction to o point
bending lnwards on the south side, shortly beyond
which stands soap mandatory. salubrious enough
IN the ultimate end OF It's work, but giving OF
deucedly offensive smell In Its operations. Past
this and keeping to the south Shore there always
great struggle over the next straight quarter OF
mie to gain the nonor and advantage OF first pas.
sage under Hammersmith suspension bridge which
there stretches from two buttesses right across the
river. This point very frequently determines the
issue OF race for whichever leads by any consider
able distance under this bridge Is most likely
to win. Having left the bridge they
aim toleraby straighs to Chiswick Eyot
or iset small island standing In the river in front
of the village OF Chiswick Tie channel OF the river
In the long reach as the course Of the Thames on the
north side here Is called Is straight but the Is
apt to be rough and broken. From that they have
long, fair and open course, Just striking single
bend and aiming obllquely again for the north side
TO Barnes bridge, which spans the river just below
the village OF that name. Taking the northcrmost
arch they pull us hard as they (which by this
time Is not very hard) for another hall mile up 10
Mortlake, very pretty village, backed by the sylvan
scenery for which the Thames about Richmond Is
famous Here boat is moored OF the Snip Inn.
and whichever Of the two boats passes that boat first
wins.


The measured distances of the course, as given in
the Rowing Almanac are:-


Fi1.


Mites longs
Putney to Hammersmith.. ............ 8
Putney 10 Chlswick. k.................. 4
Putney TO Mortake... 5
The time In the oxford and Cambridge eight
Dared race has varied from twenty-one minutes
twenty.three seconds to twenty-five minutes.
SKETCHES OF THE MEN.


In order that our readers may form q correct esti-
mate OF the gallant young who have so gal.
lany struggled for the great prize of supremacy in
rowing we give the following sketches OF both
crews


HOW THE oxoNIANs PREPARED THEMSELVES.
There are great masters at oxford. 1t is great
seat OF learning Old, grand, naughty, proud, ex-
clp Tho var q r of IA nm
posed to give erudltlon to those privileged to pass
the portals. II 1t does, the coegians ought to be
very learned for every body knows they get plenty
OF that Riding driving, hunting, dshing, cricket.
Ing rowing form, n not essential parts OF curri.
culup, invariable rules Of practice. The man who
takes a double first may become q great man he
may cut a figure at the bar, In the Senate OF in
the Church. The man who rows stroke In the
oxford eight Is great man. HIS faiue is achieved
and from the day OF the great the Thames 10
the last day Of his life that is sure to command
respect from the fact that he stroke In that par.
tcular year. All that good river. first rate boats
and splendid training can do TO make good rowers
is done ut oxford. selection and reselection trial
and retra are made to bring together an eight which
TO use an expression that would find favor there
shall dick creation" Cambridge they know on A
bad river Is doing her BEST and well they know that
half England has Its eyes upon them aud Its hearts
with them. Incentives such as these are sure 10
produce good crew. Ont OF an eight so crucIally
formed four has been selected to do battle against
four men from the Harvard University OF New Eng.
land. one Of the drawbacks attendant upon this
ss on oil kinds Of fame, ia that men of much note
are sure to be watched. In their rowing at oxford
they were watched. In their rowing the Thames
for ten days before Che great race they could not
avoid observation. England is q small country; It's
rivers are few. narrow and tortuous; Its railways
travel every valley and glen quiet retreat
Ia difficult TO 1nd. such retreat, however,
the Oxonians only. impressed with tho me-
cessity for being kept quite secluded In their
preparation for the great race, found. on the right