Three University crews, each in a barge, and 20 Freshmen dormitory and 150-pound men, in the punt, yesterday tried their oars on the waters of the Charles; but the long awaited event brought little pleasure with it, for the water which splashed on the float immediately froze, chunks of ice continually impeded the rowers, whose hands suffered from the icy spray and low temperature.

The thaw of the past two days resulted in the clearing away of the ice pack in front of Newell boathouse, and a float was pulled over to Weld, where open water gave opportunity to launch barges and the punt. The punt was transferred to Newell, where the Freshmen set out rowing about 4 o'clock. By 5 o'clock, an acre of ice lodged between Newell and the Lars Anderson bridge, and consequently University oarsmen had to ply between Lars Anderson and Western Avenue bridges, the latter also being blocked by ice.

No Palm Beach Climate

Coach Stevens had all three crews upon the water for fifteen minutes. When the 24 oarsmen took the water, a chilling wind was blowing and after the sun dropped out of sight a few minutes later, rowing was very disagreeable. However, Coach Stevens had the men pull up and down the short distance several, times. He gave little instruction, since acquiring the feel of the water was the chief aim of the afternoon.

Yesterday afternoon furnished much humor. Several alleged that the punt, which seats ten men on a side and has a runway down its length, resembles nothing so much as an old Roman galley. What with a coach, a manager, and a moving picture photographer pacing between the oarsmen, all that would have been needed to complete the picture of a classic galley would have been to chain the men to their seats and supply the coach with a whip.