The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-10-12

I
Her sails were all full and to the sharps IL APP
| peared that the British ripper did not like to
| give It The shnrps In this sympathized with
the Valkyrie. But because her skipper did not
| agree to call 1t of or say he wouldn't the
| Racing Committee were left in a quandary,
| and the great mass OF the spectators were
mystlfed by all the filing and backing.
| Some minutes passed thus. and then the
| May steamed over to q position close enough
TO the eastward Of the liRhtship to start the
race. and the shsrps concluded that the Racing
| Committee would send the yachts away. on the
| theory that the failure OF the Englishman to
assent to the postponement meant that he
| wanted trial.
! Then the sharps saw the sailors on the May
clear away her port anchor. and that settled Il,
There was bit OF shifting Of position on the
flagship. and then while spectators looked on
with growing interest the Mays cannon was
fred. three little signals were run up to the
stay, and q moment later the anchor splashed
| In the water The yachts were to sail the
race-beat fifteen miles south by west into tho
eye OF the wind and run back again.
THE RACERS DRIFT AWAY.
The preparatory gun was fred at las
| o'clock. It seemed to lift tho sailors on the
| racers into the air. The tow line on the Vigil
| liant was dropped overheard In lily. The
| Valkyrle's jibtopsail was sent Tapping aloft
The tug to mark the turn. which was lying on
the line. began screaming to all the other
| steamers. and then drove Off down the course.
| The steamers made haste to obey.
! The yachts ran Off to north'ard and BASTARD
| OF the course and then reached away to tho
west OF the red hulk. There the vigilant
| broke out her little jibtopsail. There was q
| bit OF wigwag signalling from the bridge Of
| the flagship. which was answered from the
| liGhtshp that nobody among the spectators
understood.
Another gun was fired. which many sup
posed was the starting signal. especially as the
! big red racing globe was run up to the stay Of
the May. but 1t soon appeared that still another
| signal was to be given. The efforts OF the
| Regatta Committee to clear the way for the
racers continued with moderate success. All
| was hustle and excitement throughout the
whole feet.
Meantime the racers had reached of to tho
| northwest. with every thread for a tack set
and drawing. A cables length from the light
ship they turned to eastward. with tho VAL
kyre to the south and fair abeam OF the Vigil
| liant. They reached thus no more than a ships
| length apart across until north Of the nag.
| ships bow. and then the Valkyrie's skipper
showed down his helm and came I'D into the
| wind to head away toward the Navesink High
| lands.
The Vigilant followed him. and as the sails
on both were lutterng In the air the final gun
was fired. The race was on.
Filling again on the port tack. they stood for
the line with every sail full and rounded-as
beautiful as q maiden's breast. The bows
barely crushed a ripple from the green water
beneath. There was scarce q rumple in the
| water through which they passed. and yet the
| speed was surprisingly good. To the yacht
| sharp's eye the spectacle. gentle as were the
movements. was e1ouistely delightful.
| PATRIOTS IN DIsMAY.
To tho patriot, alas It brought dismay. The
| boats had reached to eastward side by side
with the Valkyrie to windward. On the turn
to the west for the line she still had the wealth
| or gauge and so she crossed the line. The
Valkyrie by clever work had won the honors
OF the start. She led the way down to the line
on the weather bow OF the Vigilant by q good
ships length. and the Vigiant had to tack
again before she could cross.
| straightway she had weathersd the light
ship the Valkyrie tackled about once more. She
| had crossed the line with the wind coming
! over her port bow. on the port tack. while
| the Vigilant was then already on the star
| board tack. Then the two held on so for. say. o
| mile. long enough to enable the yacht sharps
| to get squint at them. Tho spectacle was
not a little astonishing to them for they saw
that the jibtopsail Of the Vigilant was the very
was probably more than twice as large. Just
why she should have set the tiny sail none
could imagine. unless. indeed. she wanted to
give the Valkyrie a chance. Certainly ther0
could be no fear OF tho strain on the new bow
spirit. for q sweeter breath never carried racers
over their course than that then blowing. Nor
could there have been any fear that the VAL
kyrie could outpont her.
But. as It seemed to the yacht sharps. II the
~ IL.
extra spread OF canvas out Of generosity to o
rival.the Gift was apparently notlarRe enough.
The racers held their course. as said. on the
starboard tack the Yankee being on the lee
quarter OF her rival for mile. and then thevalA
kyrie tackled back toward the Navesink High.
lands.
The vigilant followed. still behind by
ships length and on the lee. but at once. In
way most astonishing to sac. began to run
through the leo OF the valkyrIe. The Valkyrie
did not cover two hundred yards Of green
water until the bowsprit Of the Yankee was
tapping the British jibs.
However. as the barnacles quickly said this
was not all clear gain. for she was apparently
running bit free to get clear OF the too hot
blanket the Valkyrle was spreading between
her and the wind. 1t now became apparently
q repetition OF what was done in Mondays
race. save that nowit was tho Vigllant that had
to keep of. Just whIchwas really gaining even
the Oldest barnacle could not say positively.
sTILL vALKYRIE GAINS
But as was done on Monday. so again here.
the question was shortly settled. but settled
with the conditions Of Monday still reversed.
The Valkyrie began to haul away from the
Yankee hand over fist. and In spite OF his
larger iibtopsail. to point considerably higher.
The wind. that had been south by west. was
variable. 1t shifted westerly and then came
back again. but every variation seemed to be
just the one for which the Valkyrie had been
waiting.
It was Just such n spectacle as had on the day
OF the first meet appeared to the spectators
after both boats got the wind close hauled
alike 1t was tho same sort Of shifty light air
with a fiat sea. and the cutter was making far
and away the best OF it. or course the race was
INIT "A nain III