The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1869-10-02

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 a nice sailing breeze from
the north,yard, which enabled them to lay their
course direct for the Nab. Whole sails and bal
loon canvas was the order of the day, and the
little fleet SKINNED over the almost unruiied sur
face of the sea ut n speed Of from six TO seven
knots an hour. An excursion steamer accompa-
MED the race.
Although we have been accustomed to regard
the balloon sails Of our racing yachts as of enor-
nous proportions, they appeared TO be exceeded
BY those Of the DdunfieSs, but her topmast and
spars seemed too light to carry such gigantic sails
in anything approaching to n good breeze, and so
it proved, for about an hour after the start she
carried away her foretopInast, bringing down her
fore gaff topsail, and a huge jib topsail set from
the end Of her jibboom to her foretopmast head.
This misfortune, ofcourse, diminished her chances
of winning the race, but the damage was soon in
great part repaired by setting an enormous bal
loon jib, and changing her maintopmast staysail
for a larger one. Subsequently she rugged a jury
foretopmast, and set upon it n small gaff topsail.
This was the only spar carried away during the
race.
Aboutsix o'clock the breeze somewhat freshened
and the yachts, still holding the same course,
were making eight knots an hour. They werc.i in
two lines, the Guinerere, Eleria, and Shark
~ kbS ttt"eAe INV 1919 t"S e@N
Diane, and Mystere the weather line. The Gun
nerere led by about half Il mile, with the EgcTia
second, about the same distance in advance of the
Dauntiess. Of the French vessels the Diane ap-
peared to be leaving the Mystere rapidly, and 10
be ut that time about two miles ahead OF her.
The Isle of Wight was sighted about Z o'clock
on the port bow, and the Gninerere and ESeria
finding themselves carried by the flood tide some
what to lecward of their proper course, luffed a
point or 50. At shutdown the Gunnepere had in
creased her lead to about one and n half miles,
the DGunfiess was To windward about n mile on
the weather quarter of the Eycria, ard n little
nstern Of her, with the SHARK and Diane about
three miles astern of the two aforementioned yes
sells, and the Mystere n long way behind the
Diane.
As the vessels neared the Isle Of Wight the
Do1nfiess and E1eria closed, and an interesting
beam and beam race commenced between them.
The DGEnfleSs tried TO pass to windward of the
Eqeria, but the latter had too experienced a rae
ing crew on board to be easily caught in that way,
and she Immediately lufed, to stop the Ameri-
cans manGuvre, and after a 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 Daunfiess and the EyeT7a gave the Guinerers
an advantage she was also able TO make the Nah
Light vessel without N tack, and rounded, giving
her name to the French steamer in waiting to take
the times Mt n little past 10 O'Clock. Before the
Eqeria and Doznhess could reach the Nab the
wind headed them, ut the same time becoming
lighter, and they were both obliged to make tive
tacks before they could round, which delayed
them considerably. The times Of rounding were
taken rs follows