The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-10-08

| stay in stops Her long spinnaker boom
dropped to starboard. she headed around to
| the southwest, and found the Valkyrie before
her. and then tho boom OF the preparatory gun
was heard from the flagship. and great red
ball was run up to tho stay beside the futter-
ing course signals.
CLEVER WORK FOR POSITION.
Ten minutes now remained for clever work
in getting position. With the vigilant still
heading to the southwest the yalkyrie ran east
almost to the flagship and then tackled around
till the wind came over her port bow and
headed away toward Long Beach, dropping her
spinnaker boom to starboard as she did So
The vigilant for time veered of and led
in the pnth which the valkyrie followed. This
seemed to mako It necessary for the vigilant
to lead the way over the line, as was done on
Thursdays duke. When half tho time for the
| starting signal to sound had elapsed. the Vigil
LIANT actually came about and headed as II to
20 over the course. but Q moment later she
had turned again and was chasing the British
| boat in q scant circle not hundred yards on
the bow Of the flagship.
The excitement grow intense q moment
later. when the valkyrie stood of to westward
to avoid the Yankee and the Yankee headed to
southwark and eastward once more. as II to
give 1t up and cross nrst. But hardly had the
sails filled when her helm went down and her
nose up and once more she was after the black
cutter.
No more than forty-fve seconds now re-
manned to pass before the final signal would
be given. The valkyrie could hold on no longer
away from the lines. Her helm came up. Tho
head OF her magnificent white silk spinnaker
rose to the eyes ofthe royal rigging and It's tack
sped out to the boom end. The wind caught
its folds and drove the black hull down to the
line. The yigilant had won: she could follow
in the wake II she would. But with her helm
we'll up she bore down on the port quarter Of
her rival. quickly overhauled her. and over
tapping thevalkyrio by half o length veered of
and stood for the line.
AWAY WITH vALKYHIE AHEAD.
The signal gun barked once more. The red
ball and the course signals came down. Side
by side. the Valkyrie scant half length in the
lead. they crossed the line together. The race
was on.
No moro beautiful start and mono moro
thrilling was ever seen In any yacht race
Betteryet. to the minds Of the patriotic Ameri-
can spectators. the honors rested with the
skipper Of the American boat.
Then the yachting sharps and barnacles be-
gan to figure on what they could see. The
Valkyrie with her scant lead had got her
shimmering white spinnaker set first. and she
straightway began to increase her gain. The
crew OF the Vigilant appeared to have the
same trouble with their great sail that they
did on Thursday. 1t would not wholly break
out aloft, and 1t drew across the head stays Of
the boat in way to exasperate everybody who
wanted to see her win.
OF course. this trouble was soon remedied.
but meantime the Valkyrie was a good length
nhoQd Than o0nethfnp W foOpd
with the vigilant's huge jlb. and she had sailed
q mile or so before that sail was gotten in
place. By that time Valkyrie was at least two
lengths ahead.
And there they held. each the other. for a
mile or SO. And because neither was going
better than the other. the Valkyrie was having
the better Of It with erlead and time allow
ance.
But for the light weight Of the breeze the
contest wouldhave been exciting. Neither bar.
nacle.nor youthful yacht sharp. nor ladies' day
land lubber can grow very enthusiastic over
race where even the filmy spinnakers and bal
loon jibs sag and SILVER with every toss Of the
waves. But If not thrilling 1t was very beauti-
full The ladies said that the simmer of light
on the silken white folds of the yalkyries
spinnaker made 1t look like an angels wing.
The contrast Of brown and white in the sails
OF the Vigilant was noted as something
charminR.
THE ExCURsIoN sKIPPERs.
The gentle off-shore breeze had brought
here and there q butterfly that futtered and
1oated above the heads of the spectators
hoated and futtered but little. II any. more
gracefully than did the white sailed racers. and
little II any. less swiftly. for that matter. the
yacht sharps said.
And then there were congratulations ON
every side over the doings Of the excursion
skippers. They had gsthered-had huddled
about the starting line. They had given the
racers too soant room. perhaps. when they
were iockeying for place. but whom the racers
at last got of. with one accord two long pro-
cessions were formed. the one away to the
north and the other away to the south OF the
course. During five minutes after tho start
there WAS. indeed. q little footing OF
warning whistles from the tenders. the tug
boat police. but after that tho fairest field seen
In any race OF recent years was accorded the
contestants.
1t was noticed. too. as to the excursion feet
that only about ninety steam craft Of one kind
and another had come out to see the race. and
those that had come. apparently. had rather
fewer people on board than before. There was
no climbing into the rigging and no stradd ding
OF crosstrees to get better views OF the racers
and there was less stir and excitement about
the decks. There was as said. nothing In the
relative positions Of the two boats for the first
two miles to arouse any Yankee enthusiasm.
and that. no doubt. accounted for the quiet
that pervadod the feet. As to the lack In num-
bers. tho barnacles said that 1t Was due to the
rain In tho morning.
now THE vIdILANT oAINs.
As time passed on. and the black cutter held
her head steadily. tho spectators found the
race growing monotonous somewhat. instead
OF exciting. because Of its clossness. and SO It
was that only few who must needs stay on
tho look out observed that at about ~ clock. or
perhaps little earlier. the Yankee appeared to
gain trife. The more patriotic OF the lookouts
could not quite believe this to be the fact. for
they had become hopeless It must be due to
some change in position In tho spectators.
they said The press tug. to mako sure Of the
matter. was changed several times. but with
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