Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1881-08-31
YACHTING.
ITS PLEASURES AND DANGERS

An enthusiastic English lady yachts
man thus relates some of her expert
ences -
About l2 o'clock at night the lookout
man suddenly reported light on the
port bow, following this up by shouting
out "Hard.a.s .starboard !" The man at
the wheel, not recognizing the voice,
owing to the roaring and bowling OF the
wind obeyed the order only too prompt
ly, before Tom who had noticed, what
the lookout man had not seen in the
binding rain and snow, that the light
was that of q steamer and not OF sail
ing vessel countermand it. The
result was, that, as the course was alter
ed, and the Sunbeam came suddenly up
to the wind, the press of canvass she
was carrying caused her to bury herself
in the sea, from which she emerged with
the loss of her iibboom. Fortunately
however, the fore-topmast stood the
strain, and did not follow suit, as is often
the case Sturmer the man who was
steering, said to me afterward : LAS
soon as put the helm down, ma'am,
she seemed to bury herself completely
in the sea. Icould see and hear moth
ing but waves pouring right over her
l thought they were washed overheard,
and that no one but me was left to man
age the vessel" Both watches and every
available hand were on deck, reeiing sails,
lowering topmasts, and slowing boats
Presently another great sea came on
board filling the waist of the vessel com
pletely, and tearing out the bows OF the
big cutter that was secured on deck,
and carrying away piece OF the lee
rail. The poor Glance is the same boat
we so nearly lost in 1887, as We We're
running up to Yokohama, when she was
washed out of the davits in storm.
When Saturday morning broke, mat
ters did not mend. The gale continued,
the sea ran mountains high, and got
worse and worse every minute. From
8 o'clock until noon was most anxious
period. Sail had been shortened, and
all preparations were made to heave to;
so that when it was decided that it would
be better to run, there was a great diff
Guilty in getting sail enough on her in
time to prevent her being popped.
Twice in quick succession were two
helmsmen knocked down at the wheel,
washed into the lee-scuppers, and very
nearly carried overheard. One man was
raised by tie water level with the rail,
but happily kept his presence OF mind,
and floating with his hands open, man
aged to seize arope and to save himself
never saw Tom look so anxious and
wornout as a. this time, for he had had
no rest at all since the gale commenced.
Twice he took the wheel himself-up to
his waist in water to prevent her broacn'
ing-to. Once helmsman, less expen
enced than the others, did allow her to
broach-to and in a moment our square
sail was carried completely away, and
we were very near going to the bottom
altogether. Or pace was now so mr2n
diminished that the tops OF the waves,
which seemed to pursue us with demon
like fury, kept coming over the stern
and covering the decks with water, while.
there was, of course, always the risk OF
one higher and fiercer than the rest
breaking on board and filling up alto.
gether. However they soon manage,
to get the double-reefed square topsall
on her (which would have been better
done before, and would probably hay'
saved the square. sail (; but one can oni.'
learn by experience), and once more We
were scudding away before the gale