THE GREAT PEDESTRIAN MATCH.

Grey River Argus, Volume IX, Issue 654, 29 March 1870, Page 2

THE GREAT PEDESTRIAN MATCH.

VICTORIA V. ENGLAND, That the match, fop the championship of the pedestrian world had pxcjtgd deep interest among all classes was shown by the largeness of the attendance sit the sports. There were not so many persons, by 4000 perhaps, within the Mulbourno Cricketrground fence, but adding thosa who were outside to those who were within, the total number present on the second day was very little short pf jSator* day's gathering. The hill was covered with spectators to an extent never seen bef ore-^scarcely a foot of ground was left unoccupied. People were piled up against the fence, and pyramids composed almost solely of hmman beings, with very little for them to stand upon, looked down upon the busy scene below. Many of the. trees surrounding the enclosure were rilled with occupants, even up to the top» most boughs, The weather was. delight* fiil ; a cool breeze blew from the seaward, there was a clear sky> and very little dust was driven about, though the restlessness of the crowd during the intervals, between the races produced a large quantity. His Excellency the Governor, with hisfaniiiy, was again a spectator of the sports ; and several Ministers of the Crown, with. numerous representatives of all classes of citizens, including a considerable number of ladies, were present during the day ' 3 proceedings, The excitement- over .the., champion match had considerably increased. Those, who djd not care much about the contest at the beginning, now that they had seen it carried half through felt an intense in* terest in the part that remained to be dis, posed of. Saturday's running end§d with the dead hea.t for the 300 yards race, and the first thing inquired about yesterday afternoon, when people got on to the. ground, was whether the parties had come to any settlement. Ifcappeared, however, that no understanding had been arrived; at, and that in the meantime the other events were to be decided as they occurred on the card. The first of the remaining races was the quarter-mile race— the one out of the five for which the English champion was most fancied from the bet ginning. His running in the 300 yards match had, in the minds of his numerous, friends, greatly improved his prospects for the longer distance. Great things, however, were expected of Harris, aud the least that anybody was prepared fop was a close race and a struggle from end to end. Both men on coming out were, warmly received. Hewitt looked even better than on Saturday, and wore % more confident expression on his face, while whispers of Harris's having caught cold were circulated about. The preparations for the start were watched with eager expectation, and all eyes were turned on the. two men as they stood at the scratch ready for the spring, A capital start waa effected, the pair bounding away together, but in a few strides Harris got in front, and having previously been on the outside, now took up the inside running, and having Hewitt, immediately behind him led the way at a rattling pace. The Australian increased his lead as they went along, and was a good two yards in advance when the opposite side of the. ground was reached. They continued the same distance apart until they began to shape their way towards. the winning post, having then, about 100 yards to run, when Hewitt, who had been lying contentedly behind, suddenly increased his pace, was along-* side Harris in an instant, aud immediately afterwards came away from him as though he alone was attempting to. run. The race was settled 80 yards from home* Harris, who had exhausted himself by making the pace so strong at the begins ning, had not the power left to cope with. the Englishman, who came on towards, the pavilion with the race in hand* Harris pulled up 20 yards from the tape, and Hewitt's last dozen strides were done, in a trot. This was a complete surprise* The ea3y victory was so different from, what had been calculated upon. There could be no question about the English-* man's superiority a.t the long distance. X shriek of delight arose from all parts of the field, and Hewitt was cheered again and again. The official time was 51^ seconds— by the watch of a gentleman who carefully timed most of the races, sl£. The easy discomfiture of Harris was owing in some measure to his cutting out the running as he did. Probably he. would have made a better show if he had waited on Hewitt, and reserved himself for a dash at the finish. No doubt his. experience of the contests that had already taken place weighed very strongly with him, and led him to believe that the only way to win was to make a hard rocje of it from the beginning. He sajd, after the race was over, that he felt as if he. were choking when Hewitt passed him, by. A cold caught on Saturday had given him a slight attack of sore throat, which all the remedies that could be applied had not been able to drive away* This, however, was not advanced, and would not have been accepted as a complete explanation of the defeat ; it merely accounted for a falling off, just enough to* be perceptible, in the appearance of the colonial champion. The question of superiority was settled beyond a doubt ; and everyone whb witnessed Hewitt's splendid performance must have felt that he had yet to meet the man in Australia who, could compete with him on even terms at, 440 yards. His victoiy greatly raised him, in general estimation, and even made him, the favorite for the 100 yards match, which was the last of the five evejits. The backers, of Harris were still confident in their man, for they could not. but remember that his fame had been acquired in running over short distances; at the same time, the odds were now asked forinstead of offered. The final event came at the close of the day's sports, and the spectators waited for it with much anxiety* If there ever was anything in the shape of excitement, it was when the two drew up for the last time at the scratch. Tha course was from the eastern to the western, side of the ground^ with the wind blowing nearly across. A rope divided them, so, as to render it impossible for either man, to get in the other's road, The., discharge of the pistol was watched for. with breathless interest^ It came; and away the two dashed for the goal on th& opposite side of the ring, at their topmost speeds The. advantage of the lead at starting- 1 -*) important w so short a race — was -with Hewitt, arid a score yards from the marl* Harris was a yard and a half, or more* behind. As they flew on at almost, equa^ speed across the ground, the interval between thorn scarcely altered, but from, half way Harris began to on. hjft

opponent, and the hopes of his friends, almost drooping, revived. But the time f-jr making up lost ground was so very short ! Harris gained still more ; a few yards further on and there was no spao) between them, As they neared. the winning post, their backs were turned towards the pavilion, and they seemed almost in line. A moment later and they were past the tape. How was it ? So close was the finish that none could say who had won. The spectators broke the bounds, and the wall that had T.ned the chain fence was suddenly di: ' solved into its elements. One universal rush was made from all parts of the ground (save the reserves) for the group who had been stationed at the decisive spot ; and the competitors; judges, and committee were at once lost in the crowd that swarmed aromnd them. Then there was a rush for the pavilion gate, Hewitt having to put forth his running powers attain in order to avoid being thrown down by the eager crowd in his pursuit. Bufore the judges were well within the ga'.e, the figure " 1" was hoisted on the board, which showed that it was not a tie this time, whereupon the supporters of each man broke forth into oheers and congratulations, without stopping to look at their cards to see whom the number proclaimed to be the winner. No. 1 was Hewitt but the mistake of supposing it to mean Harris had scarcely been discovered ere tlio board was lowered agaiu, the number removed, and the' place' left blank. Some minutes of confusion ensued, amid which it was ascertained that the result had been prematurely announced, and that the judges had disagreed. These gentlemen, with the referee, retired into the pavilion with the committee, and the multitude who pressed eagerly up to the very gates, awaited their decision with great impatience, giving the police their \*ork to do to prevent mischief. In three miuutos the finding was made known, and shouts of (t Hewitt" coming from the inside of the pavilion almost rendered the hoisting of the number superfluous,