Page:Leaves of Knowledge.djvu/29

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Astoria and the Columbia River

to the hotel for repairs and to get the sand from my clothing.

The Astorians pay very little attention to the Fourth of July, Thanksgiving, or other legal holidays, but commemorate the close of the fishing season by a three days' regatta, at which are gathered sportsmen from all over the Pacific coast. The young lady who receives the greatest number of votes cast for queen of the occasion is considered highly honored. The three days' celebration which I witnessed were occupied in boat-racing by the fishermen's sail-boats, double sculled row-boats, large sailing yachts and a fine performance by the life-saving crews, swimming contests, high diving and the divers with their diving-suits, and finally the balloon ascension, which was a perfect success, the aeronaut going up about two thousand feet and

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