The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-07-27
AQUATICS,

Yacht Race Between Mr.. BeMnett's
Dauntless and Mr.. DickorsOn's Fleur
de Lis.
An important race lately came off between
these two yachts, IN which the FIeur de Lis
proved herself the best boat at least in q light
wind. The Dauntless is 262 tons, and the Fleur
de Lis 95 tons, schooner rgged. They happened
TO be together at anchor in New London harbor
on Monday morning last. There had been no
communication between the owners and their
respective crews, and therefore neither knew
where the other was bound; in fact, both were
on a cruise with pleasure parties on board.
AT daylight on Tuesday morning the Daunt.
less weighed anchor, and made way for New
York About three hours afterwards Mr..
Dickerson made chase, passing the Pequot
House about A. M. In the meantime tue
ebb tide; on approaching Fishers Island, lost
her wind. and drifted Into the race, lighting
that terrible current until the young flood,
aided by light breeze from the west, brought
her up to Gull Island on her starboard tack,
pointing for the mouth of the Connecticut
five miles dead to wlndward aheau OF the Fleur
de LIS
1t was evident from the movements on board
that at this juncture the race commenced, for
simultaneously both foretopsails went aloft,
and Procris never wooeu more earnestly the
breezes than did both yachts. In an hours
time 1t was evident that the Fleur de Lis was
sailing closer to the wind than the Dauntless,
though not passing rapidly through the
water, for the smaller yacht had made the big
one.look twice as large in that time. Mr.. BEN
nett seemed now to be fully impressed with the
idea that things could not go on in that way
very long without resigning the victory-so up
like the lash upon blooded steed, and the
FIeur de Lis was left as If at anchor.
This was but for moment, however, for in
the twinkling of a gibboom the modest canvas
of the Fleur de Lis showed its graceful lines
between the mastheads, and then IL was that
toW-line seemed stretched from one yacht to
the other. Another hour passed, and the Daunt-
less being unable to weather Falkland Island
Light, was compelled 10 go about The Fleur
de Lis, on the other hand, had eaten up into the
wind enough to weather the light, and did not
90 about for more than twenty minutes. Finally
glna On
both yachts trying their best, and each trying
to cross the others bow. -r...-
until at last the magnificent Dauntless, seem
ing to be ashamed of being weathered by so
some ToTable % preeze @ gotten up for the occS
sion, and passed a cables length ahead of the
Fleur de Lis. AS she passed, all on deck gazed
earnestly, but said nothing; neither yacht fired
gun, one perhaps actuated by magnanlmtty
and the other by chagrin, but neither magma
nimity nor chagrin could change the result, for
the plucky Fleur de Lis went about on her star
board tack, right in the track of her opponent,
and then it was that she again showed her
superiority in pointing and holding in, for
when night fell the Daunless was mile to
leeward. The wind was light and dead ahead
and from that time till daylight 1t was almost a
calm. When the mist raised, the sea was
smooth as q mirror, In which both vessels,
close by each other. seemed, IKE rival beauties,
to be making their morning toilets.
With Crane Neck astern and Eaton Neck
Lighthouse TO weather, both vessels began to
prepare themselves for the contest. Up went
the light sails and signals that had been hauled
down at night. The wind freshened and pro-
missed TO be a southerly racing ten knot breeze.
On it came, and away went the yachts. on
Huntington Bay, the Fleur de Lis had gained
fully four miles since daylight and came into
residence at least fifteen minutes ahead. In an
hour and twenty-tnree minutes afterwards, the
Dauntiess fairly beaten, with the wind freshen-
ing all the while, passed the anchorage with
everything flying.
Thus ended one of the handsomest, pluckiest,
fsiregt and most obstinate impromptu yacht
races that ever occurred,-NetO York Times.