The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-09-22
parade is orderly and moves regularly, but t

parade Is orderly and moves regularly, but
on the sea the spectacle shifted every mo-
ment; it was a continual Transformation
scene, brilliant with color and motion,
and must have astonished the poor
emigrauts on the steamer Italy as it came in
from the ocean. They must have been struck
with awe at the sight Of this the first wonder
Of the great new world to which they had
journeyed to make their fortune: it must
have been to them vision Of boundless
wealth and power, floating cities on the sea
and spires and domes on shore, vision
which had never entered the most fantastic
dreams Of their narrow life at home.
Perhaps there is too little written here
about the racers and too much Of the atten-
dant vessels, but all the interest was in the
latter From the starting line out to Sandy
Hook it was simply series Of tacks, full, bel
lying sails in the sun for long spin. wrinkled
for mouent as the vessels went about and
again well-filled as they started of on the
other tack. Down below the Narrows the
steamboat st. Johns cut across the bow Of the
Galatea and injured her chances a triHe but
did not affect the result in the slightest, as
the Mayfower kept drawing away. At the
OF sail and steam gathered and waited while
the sloop and cutter swept by. It was lit
tie after o'clock then, and the MayfnweY
was six minutes ahead Of the Galatea in pass
ing these marks. In distance she was half q
mile in the lead.
Out at sea, beyond the Hook, it was still
Mayaower weather, a light wind and a
The Galatea did worse than in the harbor.
The Mayhower took in her little jib-topsail
as she prepared to 60 around the ugly red
vessel that marks the wreck Of the Scotland.
AS she passed and started homeward there
was flash Of white from togmast to bowsprit
end, and her great balloon jib swelled
out, the mainsail was eased off a bit, and
away she went with the race already won If
no accident happened. 1t was 2:35 o'clock
when she turned and 2:44 when the Galatea
followed her example. Here the natty Brit
ish sailors showed up to bad advantage, for
they bungled terribly in the setting of their
big jib. Once it was halfway up and had to
be hauled in again, and when it was finally set,
after the loss Of valuable time, the May
flower was two miles away. A stern chase
is long one. The Galatea found it so in
deed. The Mayfower passed the Southwest
spit at 3.A o'clock. The Galatea was not
timed. There the Mayfiower got her spin
maker boom ready, but did not break out the
immense sail for long time.
No one paid any attention to the cutter
after that. All were hurrying away to the
finishing line to watch the run in. The way
OF the world over again: the Galatea lonely
and 1rlendless, Vanqulshed, the Mayh flower
flattered with the presence of everybody, q
hostgreeting the victor On the way up all
the schooners spread cut gigantic staysails
and became great drifting, foamy cloud :. The
schooner Sarah Craig. on which number Of
ladies were drowned off Sandy Hook short
time ago, was rassed with another group Of
ladies, needless of the fate CT their sisters, on
her deck. As Fcrt Wadsworth is neared the
Mayfower shakes out her spinnaker and all
the vessels gather at the line. From the city
there had come down another aeet while the
vessels were out at sea, and it, too, was wait
ing under the shadow Of the green bluffs.
Some said there were 100, 900 people on sea
and shore; some put it ut half that number.
But whatever the exact count may have
been, sea and shore were peopled. For half
a mile the Mayfower passed through lane
Of vessels three and four deep on each side.
She crossed the line at about 4:23 o'clock and
one loud, lons cry Of exultation went up from
every throat and every steam whistle, while
the guns Of the yacht doomed ont and were
answered by a cannon from the fortification.
Twelve minutes later the Galatea passed by
AMI there was a similar demonstration in
honor Of the Englishman who had come
8, ,0UO miles to get the old Americas CUP.