Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1886-09-17

New YoRK, Sept Il, 1886. The cup
IS ours - galantly defended by the
gallant Yanke sloop. B ston has again the
glory of vindicating American nautical hon
or. Boston designing, Boston construction
and Boston seamanship stand forth triumph
ant AMI admired by the world. The grandest
BOAT atoat has Permitted us to keep the
trophy so famOusly won more than a genera
ton Ego by the undaunted America The
unconquerabe beauty has beyond all say
ing, nay, proclaimsI herself the queen of
all the yachting world, and the fame of mod
ern A hens to- lay is louder on the tongues of
men than that OF its namesake, the noble city
OF ancient Or, ece. Of course the race was not
an ci.iug one. Nobody expected that it
would be. But that was not so much the
Gllltea's fault as it was the Mayfower's
CORY. No single-sticker a1oat can van,
quish Burgess dainty darling, and the Gala
tea has done as well as any foreign vessel
c4u,d; 1t was glorious day.
New York awoke with a cooling breezs I'll ,h-
ing III at It's windows. Would it last The
bright b'ue sky was only fecked with a dainty
lacework of dissolving cloud Across the
North river came delicious breeze. Olt on
the wat gay parties sailed in decorated
boats, whose coors waved i'll airy pride.
Down through the Narrows white-winged
hScb SuiSu W Uue COFulelu waters OF Jne pay
beyond Sandy Hook, which, with its long
and desolate stretch of sand, showed plainly
tar ahead.
There was deal of plotting and counter
plotting for the best position at the start
but no British navigator who parts hi, name
in the middle can outwit a Swampscott
SIX pper, and Mr.. j. Beaver Webb found tha
when the last signal sounded the Mayflower
bounded over the line far ahead of the Galatea,
gln tsR,,1n n1 tni iT
crease the intervening distance until at the
finish she had left the British cutter so far
a stern that she was nearly out of sight.
What interest cou possibly attach to so
one-sided race save to get it finished as soon
as posSible Ever and anon the breeze would
tighten. Late in the afternoon it seemel
more than once that it would give cut alto
gether Yet it would freshen up at the last
pinch and senl the Mayfower flying on.
Il believe that blarsted boat will
go without any wind at ALL" said
a British naval captain, who
sported b.ue suit and tie whose crimson
hue rivalled the luminous glories of his
countenance "Ay, man." cried foot COM
panion of this Bardolphial visaged tar. "Ay,
that she will, and where there is wind Hi
be hanged if she isn't better boat than
ever" This little sally was greeted with
bravos. Sometimes when the
sails tapped almost idly in the threat
ening death Of the northwest wind, the
steamers would creep along at the pace
of horse cars going up Temple place at noon.
For all the world it seemed as if the boats
were out on a fishing excursion Of some
magnitude, and that the companies had es-
tablishel an accommodating feet after the
example of the huckleberry train that
wandered about Cape Cod" Never was
there race SO completely devoid of active
interest Indeed, it was not q race, but
procession. The Galatea could at no time
get within hailing distance of her rival
The people yawnel, and many of them
actually sought to daily with coy sleep
AT O'Clock IL looked il tir110 would win,
for the Mayfower was nearly a mile and
quarter away from the lightship and with
but little wind to get there. Away astern
was the Galatea almost becalmed and max
ing slow hea1way for shore. She had
been badly left by tue Mayfower
and the wind, and she was not forging
ahead much. She was certainly
four miles astern. Midway between the
Galatea and the Mayfower was the Priscilla,
and she was having more favorable air than
the cutter. 1t was not such an ending to
great race as either the Englishmen or
Americans wanted. TO be almost left in
calm was not to the liking of Lieut.. Hem,
nor was it any thing agreeable to Gen. Paine.
Lieut.. Hem was sick and he wanted the races
finished. Gen. Paine wanted them over, and
it is safe to say no two men wished for wind
more than they did. The Mayfower with
light wind, was sailing at the rate Of four
miles an hour, and the Galatea was not NOV
ing so fast A mile from the finish line was
the Mayfower and 10 minutes and 40
seconds to do that distance in. She could do
it in one-half that time had she the breeze,
but this she did not seem to get.
Every one was looking in shore for wind.
Capt. Stone, on board the Mayfower, was
probably the most anxious man of all. He
was trying as he never tried before to win
race, and against great, odds.
Capt. ice suggested to him to
20 about aud head for the
"nor'ard." The Swampscott fisherman
questioned Capt Joe's Judgment, and kept
on. Again, in conversation, Capt. Joe inti-
mated that the Mayhower would do better
by standing to the 'nor'ard,n but Capt
Stone did not think So OF sudden, as il to
Justify his action for standing in shore, Capt.
Stone called out to Capt Newcomb Of the
Fortuna to take the glass and look in shore.
"Don't you see a streak of wind in there?n
inquired the Mayfower's skipper. II do,
replied Newcomb, after taking @ close
look with the glasses; 'thats my play"
said Capt. Stone, and like hungry
man he held on for the vein of wind which
he saw coming from the Shore Ii he could
get the Mayfower into it the race would be
saved, if not then the six hours and over of
labor would be lost. and another start and
another race would have to be sailed
The race, SO far as the committee was con-
cerned, was about given up, and they had no
idea that the conditions would change
enough to help the Mayflower out. "Shes
going to make this race, gentlemen, again
but she is nearing u.s." "How much more
time has she goth inquired the chairman
Eighteen minutes and forty seconds" was
tho reply, and at this time she was within
mile Of the finish line.
Just as the Mayhower was off the High
lands of Navesink the wind began to freshen
to northward an westward, and all hands
were wishing it would reach her. The min
| utes seemed hours, and the pace of the May
flower appeared equal to that of a fast snail.
She was moving, though, and Capt Stone,
| wet with perspiration, was keeping up his
| fight against time The minutes grew less
and so did the distance between her and the
lightship, and still it was doubtful question.
Astern was the Galatea, miles away out
But where she was a little breeze sprung up,
and it helped her to shorten the distance that
the Mayhower had on her. She drew nearer
the Mayfower, and was not moro than tive
miles away from the Boston sloop when The
| latter was about half mile to leeward OF the
line. The Priscilla was over mile astern ol
the Mayfower, and did not seem to have any
moro headway than the Boston sloop
At $50, just as the Mayhower, wa
less than mile away from the line, breez'
sprung up, and the flags Of the various
steamers began to float in the air was was i
Robins of the committees thought not, and ht
had many who agreed with him. The May
flower felt the light air at once and began t.
pick herself up, and she was going at th,
rate of five miles an hour. She had over l;
minutes In which to make the distance; and
by the way she was now moving i
looked certain that she would do it
AT 6 o'clock she was little over a quarte
of mile from the line, and she was increas
| -. L.. c.,ond inndar the incraa sing hraaaa