The ships at anchor were "dressed" to the mastheads with gaily-coloured
flags. Huge ferryboats passed slowly up and down, their tiers of decks
crowded with sightseers. Tug-boats and launches darted about, clearing
the course, or convoying racing boats to the starting lines. Ships'
boats of all kinds were massed together close inshore: gigs and
pinnaces, lean whaleboats, squat dinghys, even high-sided ocean
lifeboats with their sombre broad belts of ribbed cork. A gay scene of
colour and animation. A fine turn-out to see the fortune of the
Merchants' Cup.
At two the Regatta began. A race for longshore craft showed that the
boarding-house "crimps" were as skillful at boatman's work as at
inducing sailormen to desert their ships. Then two outriggers flashed
by, contesting a heat for a College race. We in the _Hilda's_ gig lay
handily at the starting line and soon were called out. There were nine
entries for the Cup, and the judges had decided to run three heats. We
were drawn in the first, and, together with the _Ardlea's_ and
_Compton's_ gigs, went out to be inspected. The boats had to race in
sea-service conditions, no lightening was allowed.
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