IN AFRICA WITH ARNST

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 112, 19 August 1910, Page 7

IN AFRICA WITH ARNST

LIFE ON THE ZAMBESI. PREPARING FOR THE CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH. (From George Sutherland). Zambesi, July 23. Livingstone is to witness, on August 18th, the race between Dick Arnst and 'Ernest Barry for the sculling championship of the world. A more outlandish place could haTdly have been chosen. The town itself contains of white population only one hundred' and ninety-nine males, forty-seven females, and thirtyseven children. The place is t practically isolated. BVkwayo, the nearest town, is over two hundred miles away. So it (Would! seem that the gate is not going to be large. It is officially stated that over eight hundred visitors are expected. Possibly this number will be exceeded, as towns such as Joberg, Kimberley, Mafeking and Bulawayo are sure to be well represented. The only means of travelling between the river and the town—which is three and a-half miles—|is Iby trollies pushed by native boys. In fact, "boys" do practically everything, from washing clothes to dressing you! These trollies hold auout eight people, and as there will be about a dozen of them, and a few conveyances, the bustle of getting to and from the river can be better imagined! than described. However, once you are at the river worry is soon forgotten. A more delightful spot could scarcely be imagined; Unlike the Parramatta course, with its beautiful dwellings along the river, or the beautiful Wanganui with its high banka and pretty surroundings, the Zambesi course easily beats them all. It is a course as perfect as is possible to imagine, three and a-half miles long, and at its narrowest part nearly four hundred yards wide, with just a slight current of not more than a mile an hour. It is as smooth as glass, and with the reflection of palms, etc., along its banks, makes a picture that once seen could not be forgotten. The roar of the Falls less than a mile below puts a perfect finish on the scene. TRAINING OPERATION'S. To say that Arnst is pleased: with the course is putting it very mildly. He is delighted, and is quite satisfied it's the finest in the world. He 1 is out morning and afternoon, accompanied by Jack as pacer, and is showing signs of form already; An eight to ten miles pull in the morning and the course up and back in the afternoon, together with a four or five-mile walk every morning, to say nothing of the hour of "massage" he gets, will put him in form in a month. His weight has been reduced by nearly ten pounds in a week, and in this weather | great care will have to be exercised to keep him, if anything, above weight till tie last week. The sun is very "fiery," and while out pulling smoked glasses / have to be used' to minimise the glare from the water. While out shooting he had the misfortune to get a thorn scrateh in the eye, which caused him no end of pain, but the eye seems all right again. The camp provided by the Chartered Company is very comfortable, and being on the river it gives every facility to a man training to get well quickly. Being right alongside his work Arnst is contented now; and if he can only dodge the fever there will be no doubt whatever but that he will go to the post as fit, if not fitter, than he has ever been in his life. With Jack and myself to rub out the weak spots, and Floyd (when he gets out of the hospital,:',where he is lying with malaria) to put the-finishing touches on him, I have every reason to believe it will be a great race. - Arnst will win. Mr. Mills, of the North-Western Hotel, has the catering arrangements for the "New Zealand camp" in hand, and there is nothing more to be desired than the way in which he is looking after .us. Nothing is wanting in th« camp. ARRIVAL OF BARRY. 'Ernest Barry arrived at Livingstone last Saturday (15th inst.), after three weeks' travelling, looking very fit and well. He is accompanied by trainer and pacers. On the way out, he kept up a constant system of training, and the weather being fine made operations easier. He is a very likely-looking customer, standing sft lOin, dark and determined. At a glance one can safely say he will "die game." iDiick offered him the use of one of his boats till his own arrive, an act which Barry greatly appreciated. So far, he has not been aloat, but one can imagine 1 what he will look like. However, this time next month all will be over, and it will surprise me if Barry can manage to catch the judge's "eye -first. The amusing part of the business,is that all Englishmen in these parts reckon Barry has'no chance —but if "you talk of laying* odds against him you are very quickly "snapped'up. The betting is slightly in favor or Arnst, but as much as seven to orie'has been laid on Barry to win. Quite 1 a lot of even money has been taken about Barry's chances, principally in small amounts. Arnst's supporters will arrive at the end of the month. They Include Dr. and Mrs. Thacker, J. H. : Parker, J. F. Buchanan, C. Thacker, and A. Lowry. Mr. Guy'Nickallsis on his way also, so on July 30th, when the articles axe to be signed, both the scullers should I be well represented:

The Government are having the "hippo" shot off the course. These brutes are very dangerous at present, as it is the'calving season. A party in a canoe were capsized about a month ago and two were drowned. One of the nigger boys dived right under the "hippo" and saved a little baby that had' got separated from its mother in the capsize. The scullers have nothing to fear from these "hippo," «9 they lie along the banks only and are seldom seen in mid stream, but should one take a fit in his head to have a view of the race and come up in front of either of the scullers, things will be only middling.