To warm the blood, there is nothing after all like the plaudits of a
multitude looking on and mightily concerned. This was now noticeable.
The eyes of all the rowers enlarged; their teeth set hard; the arteries
of the neck swelled; and even in their tension the muscles of the arms
quivered.

A much better arrangement would have been to allow the passage of the
racers broadside to the shore; for then the shiftings of position, and
the strategies resorted to would have been plain to the beholders; as it
was, each foreshortened vessel soon became to them a black body, with
but a man and one pair of oars in motion; and sometimes provokingly
indistinguishable, the banderoles blew backward squarely in a line with
the direction of the movement. Then the friends on land gave over
exercising their throats; finally drawn down to the water's edge, and
pressing on each other, they steadied and welded into a mass, like a
wall.

Once there was a general shout. Gradually the boats had lost the
formation of the start, and falling in behind each other, assumed an
order comparable to a string. While this change was going on, a breeze
unusually strong blew from the south, bringing every flag into view at
the same time: when it was perceived that the red was in the lead.
Forthwith the clansmen of Stenia united in a triumphant yell, followed
immediately, however, by another yet louder. It was discovered, thanks
to the same breeze, that the black banderole of the Gypsies was the last
of the seven. Then even those who had been most impressed by the bravado
of the hamari, surrendered themselves to laughter and sarcasm.

"See the infidels!" "They had better be at home taking care of their