The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1867-01-12
THE OCEAN YACHT RACE.
Log of the Henriettn,s Yorare

mas Day, Soon after starting the
yachts parted company during a sharp
gale that sprung up the same evening,
and they saw no more of each other
until their arrival in Cowes. Nothing
of interest occurred during the first few
days.
On the morning OF Dec. IA the wealth
er was cloudy and warm, and the sea
had fallen; some of the guests enjoyed
their siesta on deck; the servants unex-
appearing in white trousers
seemed like ghosts from the long de-
upon the ocean except f1ocks of gulls
and Mother Carey's chickens. At noon
we had made two hundred and four
miles. By a fine observation in the
evening the placid moon showed sill
very upon sea as smooth as the
Thames. Reclining in the comfortable
cabin, the Chateau MargauX and cigars
within easy reach, the guests listened to
the Captains stories of haunted ships
and suicides at sea and dismal wrecks
of the Southern Ocean
Toward midnight, however, the scene
changed, and repeated squalls with rain
and hail struck the tiny craft and
BOWED her along at the rate of eleven,
twelve and thirteen knots an hour. AT
sunrise the next morning snow storm
began; the sea and sky seemed one, and
both were deep slate color; the men,
half white with snow, moved slowly at
their work; the dark horizon was no.
ticeably narrowed; as the snow drifted
down, the Henrietta passed through the
water that foamed upon the deck; to
leeward spar from some wreck lifted
itself to the view like u great skeleton
finger Indicative of ruin; all our sur
roundinES were mournful and depresS-
ing. No observations could be taken
but by dead reckoning. We had gained
two hundred and twenty-five miles
during the past twenty-four hours.
As night fell the yacht sailed faster
and faster, until, as we looked over the
side where the waves came cascading
over the diminutive bulwarks, we
seemed to be fairly flying along. The
sky cleared but the wind freshened at
sunset, and the light sails were hauled
down and the main sail reefed. The
yacht quivered like race horse over
driven, and the pumps, which were
tested every hour, sounded dismally,
but showed no leakage. Sea after sea
boarded the staggering craft. a wave
came bursting through the skylight
into the cabin. All night long this
heavy weather continued; but the yacht
everybody slept as quietly as if the
Henrietta was the Great Eastern.
PASSING A BRIG AND CROSSING THE
BANKS.
In the gray of the following morning,
Sunday, December 10th, we passed a
brig bound to Newfoundland, and her
crew, who had evidently heard nothing
of the yacht race, climbed up the rig
glnS TO stare at US as we dashed swiftly
and silently by like the Flying Dutch
man. We were now crossing the Grand
Banks, and at noon we had sailed two
hundred and forty-six miles for the
day, and over one-third the distance to
CoweS. The wind still remained North
eHy, and the yacht kept her course
without variation. At two o'clock the
officers and yachtmen assem-
bled in the cabin for divine worship,
while the winds wbistled shrilly with
out and the waves splashed across the
deck lights overhead; the prayers for
the day were repeated, and Il chapter
from the Bible and one of Jays brief
sermons were read. At ten 2. NJ. we
were off the Grand Banks and off
Soundings, going at the rate of twelve
knots an hour. Heavy seas still board
ed the vessel washing overheard one
of the crew; the wind still held from the
and all hands were not too
sensible to credit the Captains super
stitious stories and refrain from chang
ing their attire lest that should bring a
change of wind. The night passed
quietly, and the ship averaged eleven
knots, IN spite ofthe seas that constant
ly hammered her like marine Vulcans.
a SNOW STORM.
The next day found US in "the roar
ing forties," which we had been taught
to dread the character of. The ocean
had entirely changed; instead of dan
cling over short, chopping waves like
those of the English Channel, we ap-
peared to be passing between ranges of
water hills. Running thus in the
trough of the sea, there seemed to be no
horizon. The water, glazed by the
snow that fell almost constantly, had
the consistency OF oil; the sky was fill
ed with dull, leaden clouds; but the
barometer rose steadily; the wind,
which had been rather doubtful during
the morning, blew from the North once
more A fine observation gave US two
hundred and eighty miles for the
yachts progress during the preceding
hours. In six DAYS and
fourteen hours we had sailed half way
across the Atlantic. In the afternoon a
beautiful rain bow frightened the hori-
zon; but this "bow of promise" proved
most deceitful, and brought US renewed
hail and snow squalls instead of pleas
ant weather. During the night the
wind shifted to West Southwest. We
'.jibed" ship and hoisted the square
sail, but were forced to lower it again
in few hours, as the signs of dirty
weather ominously increased. The
effect of '.iibing" we may explain to the
is to change the cant OF a
vessel from one side to the other. Natu-
rally, then, the guests who had gone to
rest when the yacht had an inclination
of torty-fve degrees in one direction.
suddenly awoEe, cross and sullen,
when they were rolled over in their
berths by the careening of the yacht TO
degrees the other way.
HEAvISG TO IN A GALE.
The weather was now exceedingly
The mainsail was double
reefed for the first time and the vessel
put in order for storm. At noon we
had run two hundred and fifty miles.
The southwest wind freshened after
noon, and at P. NJ. it blew a regular
gale. The mainsail was furled and
three reefs taken in the foresail and the
lbs taken in. Even with this small
spread of canvas the yacht was driven
nine miles an hour. On deck the rain
and spray shut in the vessel like a
watery curtain. Below the pitching
and tossing rendered it impossible TO
sleep. a bucket of water was placed
near the stove TO extinguish the fire
should necessity arise. The dead lights
leaked unexpectedly and uncomfOrta-
bly,. Holes were bored in the state
room floors to let out water should the
SkylEght be broken in. The servants
we're dashed about the cabins as if shot
from invisible catapults. The guests
had enough to do to hold themselves
inside their berths. Under these cir
which would have delight
ed Mark Tapley, everybody became
again good humored. just at midnight
the struggling yacht was struck by u
sea, that burst over the
quarter, struck full upon the foresaiI,
and then fell heavy upon the deck,
staving in the yachts boat.
simultaneously the carpenter rnshed