THE BLUFF REGATTA.

Southern Cross, Volume 1, Issue 41, 6 January 1894, Page 7

THE BLUFF REGATTA.

This, the great aquatic carnival of the year,, attracted a tremendous crowd to the Bluff on Tuesday last. The railway authorities had made timely arrangements for a rush, and were not disappointed; nearly 8,000 whole tickets were issued at Invercargill and wayside stations, and, allowing for children, it is estimated that fully 10,000 excursionists travelled to the Bluff on Tuesday —a number greatly in excess of former years. There was a good deal of crowding, and trucks had to be called into requisition, but everything was carried out in first-class order by the officials, and not the slightest mishap occurred to mar the pleasure of (he occasion. The Bluff, which is rapidly extending its borders from a. building point of view, never looked gayer. The hillside was dotted with picnic parties, the harbour with crafts of all sorts and sizes, including the tug Awarua and the steamerDispatch, both of which made a number of short excursions during the day, the former being particularly well patronised. The Garrison Band was aboard the flagship (the Wairoa) and delighted the crowds whoswarmed her decks by their playing; the Bluff Band, under Air (Slater, did good service on board the Crusader, and the Salvation Army band on shore also contributed to the musical department. Captains Fox (Wairoa), Pullartou (Crusader) and Ekelsen (Esther) did all in their power to promote the general enjoyment. The committee occupied a position on the Wairoa, and did their best to get through the programme in good time,. Mr J. E. Fox (secretary) Mrßein (timekeeper) and Mr J. Roberts (starter) and others working hard. The wind was too light to make the sailing races very exciting, and several others, owing to various causes, fell through. Results: —Cutters’ Working Dingey Race—R. Dixon 1, H. Beer 2. Dingey Race —J. Boniface 1, H. Beer 2. Sailing Boat Race—Maori Girl 1, Silver Cloud 2. Cutters’ and Fishing Vessels’ Race—The Dove 1, Cornelia 2. Dingey Race for Youths —H. Boniface and 11. Roclerique 1, C. Johnston and A. Silvester 2. Four-oared lurigged Race —The Queen’s Drive Boating Club’s Wairuna 1, Waiwera 2. Pair-oared Race— Wairuua 1, Waiwera 2. Ships’ Gig Race— The Wairoa gig 1, the Crusader 2. During the afternoon, Mr E. Cavill, Australia’s champion swimmer, gave an interesting exhibition of his skill, proving himself to be quite at home in the unstable element. Even when his hands and feet were tied he did not appear to be at all put about, and presently bobbed up serenely to have his fastenings undone. He afterwards got into a bag which had been heavily weighted with stones, and allowed himself to be tied up in it, and thrown overboard. The bag and its occupant disappeared from view, but after a few minutes of suspense Mr Cavill returned to the surface, without encumbrance, having freed himself with a knife. At a later stage a local swimmer, and no mean one either, purposely fell out of a boat, and was promptly rescued by Mr Cavill, notwithstanding his frantic struggles (part of the programme), the item serving to show how easily the recovery of a drowning man may be effected by an adept. The exhibition was a most interesting one throughout, and won a good deal of applause 1 for the performer.