THE REGATTA.

Southland Times, Volume I, Issue 41, 31 March 1863, Page 6 (Supplement)

THE REGATTA.

ISI Was not by any means a success. Cer|J tainly this was not the fault of the comjfp mittee ; and unless it be attributable to Kp the unfavorable weather, we can only Wm suppose that a number of the crews who |Xj paid their entrance money never in|pi tended to compete. But we believe |pi that to the weather alone is to be attri|p! buted the misfortune of non-success. IB* Early yesterday morning, the William |Hf lliskin, s.s., Captain Wilson — which |B iad been kindly placed at the disposal jjflf of the committee as a flag-ship— was 9| allowed to drop before the wind, from ■ the Jetty to the vicinity of Grassy |fl Point, which had been selected as the 9. starting place. We think that the se--13 lection was not a wise one. It was so B| far from the Jetties and hill sides of the |9§ town, that nothing could be seen thence 91 of the start or the return to the post — 9t always the most interesting points in a jB lace. Nor was there any really available jß' beach near the flag-ship, on which - B| spectators could be landed. The onfrl k strip was narrow and rugged, and w^J X, covered at high water. The few Bf sons who landed there seemed d^^B B enough, crouching on the stee^^H l| side. B The committee consisted °f^^^^| B B. Taggart, Gleddow, Sjkes,^^^^H B and R. Henry, jun. ; with J^^^^H B Wilson as secretary. Most ofj^^^^^R B bers were on board the Will^^^^^^| B before ten o'clock, which w^^^^^^H B appointed for the first rac^^^^^^^B B nal guns and flags alike B off any of the entered bG^^^^^^^^B B xace. In consequence,^^^^^^^^^^ ■ ' for the second race pi after a long interval p for that for the third^^^^^^^^^^B p hour and a quarter^^^^^^^^^^H p nothing had come s^^^^^^^^^^H p trim, except the S^^^^^^^^^^H I: for the single-han^^^^^^^^^^^^H I but which did no^^^^^^^^^^^^M I ; competitor on the^^^^^^^^^^^^H p appearance. TJ^^^^^^^^^^^H If time had been CD^^^^^^^^^^^^^fl ■ - was a decided^^^^^^^^^^^^^^H I W.N.W. wind.^^^^^^^^^H | off-shore, got i tumble, makir^^^^^^^^^^^^^^l I stem on to the % sant one. 1 the crews m^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^| I compete^ and^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^B K to be stren^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^H 1 Whaleboat I^^^^^^^^^^^^H y and at len^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^H If eleven, the^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^B jl followed b]^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^| F and the D^^^^^^^^^^^^^^H | in line for fl^^^^^^^^^^^^^^H I given, and^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^f I shot befo^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^f I arrows. I sailing boa^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^H | had capsiz^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^H I Grassy P^^^^^^^^^^^^^| | &g-ship | to assist •I proved -: boats be^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^| the Reg^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^H Eirst priz^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^B Yolante, and bli^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^H Lightning, shirt a^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^H X>an, black The Ls:^^^^^^^^^^^^H boat had in lieu, (^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^M gallant °^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^M lound pl^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^H not the three bo^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^H the fiagb^^^^^^^^^^^^^^H drew ahe^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^H lowed, se^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^| ning. dieted by^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^H known woi^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^B seeing; tha^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^H into the- v^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^H bp&re. the .l^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^H

lengths. The Volante had, up to this time, been tailing to the Lightning; but now she went rapidly ahead, the latter crew pulling rather wildly. They shifted their positions in.., this way several times subsequently, : j and the prediction as to the Unknown was completely verified, seeing that she was last round the beacon, the Volante having the lead. During the pull home against the wind, it was evident that the^ men were being drenched every half minute, and that considerable quantities of water were being snipped. But the Unknown soon came, to the front again, and she . maintained her position, winning by five or six lengths, the Volante heading the Lightning by only two or three lengths. All the, boats were nearly half filled with water; and the crews had not a dry thread in their clothing. The Unknown, a verj trim and light looking craft, generally known as "the Bank Boat," was objected to before the start, as not being "fit for whaling purposes," and therefore not entitled to compete; but the umpire overruled the objection. It was repeated after the race, but we believe no formal protest was entered. The next race that could be got up was the sixth on the card— that for Sailing Boats. Open to all. First prize, £20. Mary, white flag with red cross, white shirt and red cap ; Langdon 1 White Star, red flag with, white star, blue dress ; Geddes... ... 2 Zenobia, white flag with blue cross, white shirt, blue cap ; Southgate 3 The Sudden Jerk did not come to the post, and the Echo could not for the reason before stated. The course was from the flagship round the ilacquarie and back, twice round. There was great disparity . betweeen the boats. The Mary, from Port Chalmers, is a long h.al& decked craft, carrying a fore and a main gaffsail, with, two jibs, and looks exceedingly mischievous. The North Star, though small in comparison, is also half-decked, but ordinarily rigged ; | while the Zenobia is little more than a sharp-bowed, taut waterman's boat. Up to a few minutes before starting, she had not announce of ballast, nor even a bottom board in her, but the wind was too fresh rfor ;, her to. be risked in. that trim, although her mainsail was reefed* and also some 50 lb. or 60 lb. of ballast was , put i on, board. Beyond that her crew of five were depended upon for preventing her upsetting. The Mavjd went off. with a rush, very soon after tja gun was fired; but there was so^J delay in loosing the painter °^|^| Zenobia, .which was fastened to^^^H behind the flagship, inspead °f^^^^| being used. The White Stri^^^^^M twice seemed to have aJ^^^^^H success.;, but whenever t^^^^^^^^H •be put before the wind^^^^^^^^^H ;were boomed out a^^^^^^^^^^^J : she slipped throu^^^^^^^^^B^B splendid rate^J[^^^^^^^^^^HH time, sovw^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^M ■way, an^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^| onl^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^Hß

in being able to be of service to the port. He regretted that the day should have been so unfavourable, but he was sure the committee had done all that was possible. At any. time hereafter — although he might not be in Dunedin — he was confident that the representatives of the owners of the William Miskin would readily make her of use on any public occasion such, as the present. " Success to the William Miskin " was drunk, and the company then separat . Luncheon was provided for the committee and others soon after noon. A band, provided by the committee, played spiritedly during the day ; but the weather prevented that congregation of boats and other craft which adds so much to the life of the scene, and is apt to be inseparably connected with the ideas of those who have seen much of seaport regattas in the old country,