The Hawaiian gazette., 1869-09-29

The yachts were started under way at 2
o'clock in the afternoon, the time of each being
taken as they passed the east end of the great
breakwater for which Cherbourg is celebrated.
There was bright sunshine, with nice sailing
breeze from the northward, which enabled
them to lay their course direct for the Nab.
Whole sails and balloon canvas was the order
of the day, and the little feet skinned over the
almost unruffled surface Of the sea at speed of
from six to seven knots to an hour. An ex-
cursiOn steamer accompanied the race.
Although we have been accustomed to re-
gard the balloon sails of our racing yachts as
of enormous proportions, they appeard to
be exceeded by those of the Dduntiess, but
her topmast and spars seemed too light to carry
such gigantic sails in anything approaching to
good breeze, and so it proved, for about an
hour after the start she carried away her fore
topmast, bringing down her fore gaf topsail,
and huge jib topsail set from the end Of her
jibboom to her ioretopmast head. This mis-
fortune, of course, diminished her chances of
winning the race, but the damage was soon in
part repaired by setting an enormous bal
loon jib, and changing her maintopmast stay
sail for a larger one. Subsequently she rugged
jury foretopmast, and set upon it small
gaff topsail. This was the only spar carried
away during the race.
freshened, and the. yachts, still holding the
same course, were making eight knots an hour
They were in two lines. the G,ineuere, Eger-ie
and Shark forming the leeward line, and
the Ddinitless, Diane, and Mystere the weather
line. The GuiHerere led by about half mile,
with the EgeriG second, about the same dis
lance in advance of the Ddmtless. of the
French vessels the Diane appeared to be leav-
ing the Mystere rapidly, and to be at that time
about two miles ahead of her.
The Isle of Wight was sighted about I
o'clock on the port bow, and the Gui1levere
and Egeria finding themselves carried By the
food tide somewhat to leeward of their proper
course, luffed point or to. At Shutdown the
Guinerere had increased her lead to about one
and half miles, the DavHtless was to wind
ward about mile on the weather quarter of
the Egeria, and little astern of her, with the
Shark and Diane about three miles astern of
the two aforementioned vessels, and the Nys-
tere long way behind the Diane.
As the vessels neared the Isle of Wight, the
DdWtiess and Egeria closed. and an interest
ing beam and beam race commenced between
them. The Donntless tried to pass to wind
ward of the Egeria, but the latter had too
experienced a racing crew on board, to be
easily caught in that way, and she Immediate
ly luffed, to stop the Americans maneuvre,
and after short time not only drew ahead of
her, but also crossed her bows and came out
upon her weather, continuing afterwards to
drop her astern. This luffing match between
the Dauntiess and the Egerid gave the Guine-
uere an advantage; she was also able to make
the Nab light vessel without q tack, and
rounded, giving her name to the French steam
er in waiting to take the tines at little past
10 O'Clock. Before the Egeria and DduRtless
could reach the Nab the wind headed them,
at the same time becoming lighter, and they
were both obliged to make two taeks before
they could round, which delayed them con-
siderably- The times of rounding were as
follows =