Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-07-29
WON BY TWELVE MILES.
CAROLINA'S FLEETEST CRAFT
DISTANCED by THE MEGA"


Neca's PROV crossed the home line at
Martins Industry lightship. Away back
towards Charleston the white sails OF the
Go seemed to hang almost GA the edge
OF the horizon. A good smart breeze was
blowing dead in her teeth, hut she was
presumed TO be coming. Had she not
been six miles behind the stern OF the
Neca her crew might have heard tri-
umphant shout Of victory. As IL WAS,
they escaped the modification Of having
to listen to the shouts and happy, if not
melOdious, pecan Of success.
For the third time Savannah's fayorite
beat the pick OF CharlesJOn's fleet, and
scOoped in the coin of the too confident
Carolinans. The largest SIM that has
ever been staked on a race between
/ Charleston and savannah boats WAS up.
When the regatta left Martins Industry
lightship early Monday morning stake
holders held 81, 900 of Charleston money,
and nearly ms many Chatham county dol
lars. The | Go was backed heavily to
win, and lost easily.
The report in the NEWS yesterday con-
tanned no tiding OF the boats after 4:2Op. IN.
| and left the result in doubt Those in
terested sat up late for some report, but
none came. When Rattlesnake lightsbip
was turned Just after O'Clock half Of
/ Charleston was out watching the race.
The water was alive with craft, both
steam and sail. Three steamboats, car
rying crowds Of passengers saluted the |
Go, which was in the lead, with deafen-
ing cheers of encouragement. Six min
utes later, when the Neca went past,
eating her way in the face of the wind,
the only salute that was given were
taunting cries Of YOU'RE beaten" "YOU
CAN'T SAIL" from the yelling, bowling
crowds on the other boats.
The only exception was the party on
board of the tug Juno, which steamed out
TO the Mecca aud cOurteOusly saluted her
with a shrill whistle.
AS the boats sailed up to the lightship
they had the wind fair behind them.
When they turned it WAS in their faces,
blowing from the south The | 90 stood
out to sea to the windward of her oppO-
nent.
The Neca carrying mainsail, glib and
staysail made shorter tacks. At 4 O'Clock
Charleston was confident that her yacht
would win. Those who still watched the
race whOoped themselves hoarse, shook
hands with one another, and went back
to arrange for some such triumphs for the
master of the ] Go az ancient Romans
We're wont to accord to victorious gen.
erals.
If the wind would keep up they were
certain that the Neca would be left badly.
AS the afternoon wore on the wind
did blow iresher and the swell
rolled heavier. Later the sea
grew quite choppy and the bill
lows dashed over the Neca's bow every
time her nose dropped down between the
swells. The sea ran higher and higher,
and for a time gale was feared. 1t was
then that the
MEGA SHOWED HER GOOD POINTS.
Like racer that has been held In, she
closed up gradually on the larger | Go.
While all Charleston was impatiently
awaiting the official report, 50 that they
could collect the bets from the rash
hackers Of the Eeca, that craft was max
| ing her way to the windward Of the boat
whose name is complete sentence.
When the lights were run up to the top
masts those on the Neca had to look
! back to see those on the Go. From Z
! O'Clock in the evening to midnight the
Neca kindly pilOted the CarolInian down
the coast towards Martins Industry
| lightship.
! At u O'Clock at night the Neca ran out
/ OF sight and left the Go to find her way
4 as best she could. About that time the
/ Charlestonians began to wish for calm.
/ They discovered that strong wind was
nOtwhat they wanted, and were anxious
to try their chances on drifting race.
| Until midnight the chase for the 81, 600
! purse was intensely exciting. Men who
have seen dozens Of them say that they
/ were never 80 much interested in one be-
/ fore. The SaYannahans believed that
their favorite would come out all right,
and those on the other boat were quite as
certain that they would go back home to
wear laurel wreaths.
ON THE MEGA AND GO.
The contest between the other four
boats possessed but little interest com.
pared with the two larger boats. The
| Peerless, after losing some of her top rig
ging, went into Charleston harbor and
gave up the race.
The Sprite led the Odell around the
buoy and all of the way back, getting In
at the starting point about O'Clock.
/ When day broke the Mecca was
sighted bearing down in pretty style
toward Martins Industry lightship The
l Go had hoped in vain for the calm, and
by straining their eyes they saw by the
first ray Of morning the beautiful mode
Of the Neca bounding south. The / &c
was hOpelessly beaten, and did not even
have an opportunity for hedging. They
had trusted that there might be something
applicable TO their case IN the old saying
tnat the third is always lucky. AS Il
turned out it was luck for the boat tha
had won before.
SIX MILES AHEAD.
Measured by the eve, the distance be-
tween the | Go and Neca was miles I'm
direct line when the latter turned the light
snip. over the course, which the | Go wa,
one hour and half in sailing, IL was near
er Il mles-nOt a very close finish in
ll2-mile race. After turning, the Neca
ran back and took her judges, Messrs. H
VI. Hun, starter; w. III. COburn aud VIM
). Simpkins, of OF the ! 90 and trans
ferred Messrs. Henry Cheyes and Street
TO their boat. Capt. John Craig dashed
an old broom 10 his fOremaSt and ran
down To Tybee about noon.
The victory created the greatest enthu
siasm, and when the long delayed result
was announced everyone was immensely
pleased.
As the queen Of pilot boats Of the South
ern seaboard came up the river, she was
saluted with hearty cheers and dipping
c0lOrs.
After she anchored of tho foot OF DrRy
ton street photographer went down and
took her picture, broom and all.
She gets the $1,000 purse, and the SpritC
receives the 5000 one.
WENT HOME IN MOURNING.
The ! Go turned around soon after the
finish and started back home with the
mournful news. The end was sore defeat