The Scratch Races.

The rowing men could not have asked for more favorable conditions of wind and water than those which prevailed on Saturday. The air was just warm enough for rowing. The wind hardly ruffled the surface of the river. After the close of recitations at noon, about 200 students betook themselves to the boat-house, and stood in groups along the edge of the platforms or lay at ease upon the runs leading to the floats. Soon after noon the barges were brought out and launched and the men drawn by lot to form the senior eights took their positions. The scene was a stirring one. In front of the boat-house the four barges were shooting back and fourth, manned by crews uniformed in jerseys of every conceivable color, yet presenting an appearance all the more picturesque from their very lack of uniformity. On the west bank of the river were stationed two cameras, whose owners "shot" the crews with the regularity of a gatling gun battery.

The four crews were made up as follows, the positions, starting from the west side of the course, being according to their numbers.

No. 1. Bow, Clement, 2, Holder, 3, T. Scott, 4, Endicott, 5, F. S. Coolidge, 6, Fiske, 7, Keyes, stroke, Colony, cox., Potter.

No. 2. Bow, Wetherbee, 2, Barnes, 3, Roberts, 4, Hale, 5, Butler, 6, Alexander, 7, Burgess, stroke, Mumford, cox., Brown.

No. 3. Bow, Leonard, 2, Goodhue, 3, Hardy, 4, J. C. Ayer, 5, Brown, 6, Purdon, 7, Yocum, 8, Harris, cox., Baldwin.

No. 4 Bow, Carpenter, 2, Homans, 3, Cabot, 4, Bancroft, 5, Churchill, 6, Thomas, 7, Bradlee, stroke, Porter, cox., Tilton.

After the preliminary practice the crews were brought into line, and at 12.30 the word was given and

THE RACEbegan. All four boats started well together, and for the first few strokes neither had any advantage. On the third stroke Brown, of Harris' eight, snapped his oar, and thus put his crew out of the race. In the first fifty yards Colony and Mumford began to draw ahead, and when the crews were abreast of the boat-house it could be seen that the finish would result in a lapping race. At this point Mumford was leading Colony by half a length, with Harris a good third, and Porter last, but lapping Harris. All the crews spurted desperately over the last hundred yards of the course, but the order was not changed, and Mumford sent his barge over the line a quarter length ahead of Colony, who had Harris by nearly a length. Porter brought up the rear, half a length astern of Harris.

As soon as the senior eights landed the four freshman crews took possession of the barge, and then the fun began. Every possible theory in regard to strokes was exemplified, and the resultant showers of spray were hailed with delight by the upperclassmen on the platform. After a great deal of scientific seamanship, the boats were finally got into line, and started. The rowing baffles description. At the outset the crew stroked by Beaumont, and steered by Mumford, obtained a lead which it held to the finish. This crew was composed of the following men: Bow, Grew, 2, Dorr, 3, Hathaway, 4, Lee, 5, Agassiz, 6, Saltonstall, 7, Austin, stroke, Beaumont, cox., Mumford, '87.