MARLBOROUGH.

Press, Volume VI, Issue 632, 8 November 1864, Page 2

MARLBOROUGH.

The Picton regatta, to which the townspeople have for some time been loo_ing*forward as an especial holiday, commenced on the Ist inst., and attracted a large assemblage of spectators, though the unfavorable state of the weather during tho earlier part of the day caused the sports to be to somo extent curtailed. An accident happened iv the morning, shortly before the first race, by the upsetting of % small sailing vessel when nearing the jetty, in full view of hundreds of spectators, and ono of the crew was drowned. A similar accident happened to one of the boats engaged in tho race, which was swamped in one of the heavy Bqualls which prevailed during the morning, and again one of the four hands was drowned. The Picton people seem to have "taken it all with a very philosophical composure. The following account from the Marlborough Press is worth reading for the easy manner in which the writer, having displayed his powers of sensational writing over " the heartrending scene at the jetty," tbe "shrieks of horror," and palpitating excitement, pirouettes away to tho *• hilarity and light badinage" among the spectators and the "little games" going on in the crowd:— Yesterday morning opened most inauspioionsly. All through the night heavy rain Bqualls, accompanied intermittently with hail, dashed over the town, which, threatened to mar the amusements of the day looked forward to so expectantly by large numbers of persons who make this one of the few enjoyable holidays of the year. Day broke with lowering clouds and a cold piercing wind ; but as the morning wore on, the heavy clouds which rested so threateningly on the hills "began to give way before the strength of an early summer's sun. The dark blue of the firmament was seen through the opening of the clouds, now fast driven to leeward by the strong gusts of wind which swept over the hills and descended into the valleys on its way down the Sound. At sen o'clock the weather showed some decidod symptoms of improvement, and the hopes of holi-day-makers began to revive. The sun came out in full force, and although there ws* by far too much wind to make things altogether pleasurable, it did not prevent hundreds of people crowding down on to the wharf and parts. adjacent. At this time a heart-rending spectacle waa witnessed by those assembled at the jetty. A sailing boat—the Greenwich—with four men, was seen steering for the jetty with sails all set, the little craft careening over to its gunwale's edge under the strength of the breeze. Onward it came at a fast pace, risutg buoyantly upon the crests of the waves, when suddenly a cry of horror was raised by the bystanders looking on the water from the left side of the jetty which thrilled through every nerve of those who heard it. Shrieks from women followed, and in an instant every eye was turned in the direction pointed out. The boat had suddenly capsized, as suddenly sunk, and four souls were seen struggling in the water for very life. "To the boats, to the boats," were the words from a hundred voices. "A guinea for the first boat to the spot," cried a man rushing down to the steps, and in a few seconds three or four boats, manned by strong and able rowers, were pulling in the direction of the catastrophe. Four men were still above ths water, struggling desperately for life. But sooa there was a second shout of horror. One head bad disappeared below the surface, and was never seen to rise again. Three men noW'were to be saved. At this time full a dozen boats were pulling with ttOrt than racing speed towards the spot, and all became * confused sight from the wharf. The heart of every spectator palpitated with excitement, so deeply anxious were all to ascertain who had been saved of who lost. Presently several boats were seep pulling in the direction Of the shore, when the fate of those in the capsized boat was speedily Taxes had been saved, and one had gone to his long account, a watery grave closing so suddenly and so cruelly over his earthly career. Every effort was made to recover the lost body without avail. By ten o'clock nearly five hundred persons bad congregated within view of the racing water, and this number had doubled itself, or nearly so, by half" past twelve o'clock. Soon after this time the weather had set in fine, and the result of the sailing congest, and tho two-oared race, which had started, begin "to excite much interest. The best order was maintajned everywhere—not by any particular arrangements of tlie police, or the increase which had been made to their number, but owing to the example which etch. spectator in himself _et to his neighbour. There vtt* much merriment and hilarity, and no little dttffing . and light badinage between competitors for ti» various prizes; but, although in the throng of the - crowd during the greater part of the day, we did not" \ hear an oath or an improper expression within having, of a female, and there were many present yesterday* - - There was the usual exciting accompaniments to »tt large gatherings, wliich, upon explanation, rewire!. . itself into speculations of a mild gambling nataWr One man had possession of a gin case and a pair w,<"V dice for his stock-in-trade, and with these verytnnpkjr. materials he appeared to be makmg;an exceJW*| L thing of it on his own account. One one side oljmt' box, lithographed in chalk, were the letters " U.S. j" on the other side the symbols ***%_■' " 0.5.;" and in the middle the solitary By patient observation we ascertained that '* meant " under seven," that •• 0.5." meant *W% seven," and that " S." meant " seven ««^r_ ; " Now, then," said the proprietor, " this j» » J «J* game which takes no time in the playing of doesn't require learning. Tou may win a good ****g* and you needn't lose a penny more than you like- r &*&j?& under seven and over seven, or seven there you have it. Those as wins can't*7"^t__l"*- ; * v those as loses, better luck next time." The P r - , /' of this very simple and amusing apparatus to have no lack of customers- and liarmless *_~*?&'"_ fensive as the whole thing appeared to be, he e ***W,* ' -5 had it mostly his own way, as for every sbilln*|M".; •_. paid out to winners, he received, at *_£ < three from losers.' There was more of this * ta^l\ i •; amusement, only slightly varied, going onJJ*J^? -~~ parts, where a crowd was found to have eon e?^*^L <!# On the whole and, barring;the sad and *-*-*T"2g_£ dents of the morning, the day's amu_em«teß_P^s/- J * to be highly appreciated by a very large spectatora ; larger it is said than has been the cawo*a. j. any previous occasion. ' 4!

\TTmnine match was won by the Oliver Lang ,- Mems to have been the favorite, __l_J_.iwßy her chance by stopping to pick up the _?_/]___e swamped Ai-gyle. __?• - were seven rowing matches for watermen in the chief of which, that of five-oared __.____s. fire boats started, and the race was, we by the Marlborough Press, "magnifiOn reading the particulars of the -bat in Picton aquatics, a magnificent _!____ means one boat going clear away firom the ____T_t_iOSt i__nediately after starting, and winning •jfiw all the way, two of the others going in _Jf _-V hopelessly beaten. trait these rowing matches the day's sport conjjw * die __mamder of the races on the programme j 2_Tto come off on the following morning.