The sun., 1893-10-06

! headed around TO westward.
The movement left tho valkyrie on the
weather quarter Of the ViGilant The British
skipper had calculated their position admira-
! bly,, and found his craft in the place OF all
places which he would rather have had. 1t
was splendid exhibition Of seamanshlp.
| Then tho hustle and stir OF making sail on
| both yachts became apparent. The long.
| sleek sp!nnaker boom OF tho Vigilant was low
cred 10 statboard. and the snaky brown folds
OF tho sail to iit It writhed aloit and out to
truck and boom end.
The Nalkyrie's sp!nnakcr boom was lowered
! n little later. and great white volume OF silk
rose out Of tho little hatch Just forward OF her
mast. Theyachts were both then Just to tho
wndwnrd Of tho flagship. and It was plniu
that the NiCllant must cross ahead OF her
enemy.
II wns plain. too. that both had calculated
| their srnre and time 80 we'll that the Yankee
would bo on the line Just after the firing OF the
starting gun. and the enemy hard aboard.
The Viglants huge balloon jib rolled aft in
vertical waves from tho stay. 1t brought the
hearts OF tho spectators to their throats to SEQ
her then. for she was crowded TO the line by the
valkyrie at every nod OF the waves; but just In
the nick OF time the starting gun barked
fierce Co"
With one accord the racing skippers showed
the helms to starboard. Az II on pivots both
Yachts turned headed for the line Tho huge
brown spinnaker Of the Nigilant rirpled and
shivered in wide breadths to the mast.
The clew of the glorious white triangle on
the Valkyrie sped out along the boom. They
both rose on the long green swell OF the sea:
they nodded In gentle courtesy to ALL and fed
away. The first great race Of tho peerless
yachts OF the East and the West was. said the
yachtsmen. begun.
THE v1GILANT GAINS A LITTLE.
The fog had cleared away The ripples of
the sea sparkled and danced in the warm au-
tumn sun. Thrilled with the delight of great
contest and charmed with the beauty Of the
vast picture the spectators rose up with one
accord to cheer and hundred steam
whistles screamed and beloved In APP
plause For the fair-weather excur-
sionists no more beautiful spectacle had
ever been afforded in any race known to
yachtsmen. and even the barnacled old salts
who are never entirely happy unless looking
at racers buried In spoondriit. were fain to
stop their grumbling to acknowleGe the in
Auence OF the gentle joys Of the day.
But because the weather was sweet. the
thrill OF the cry They're OFF, soon gave
way enough to permit the yacht sliarps to tell
what they "aw. That the Valkyrie had tho
best OF itor the line was plain 10 all. She was
idih W NlhtWoiu' anu. az HUB. Il SCtuI Two
lengths away from tho Vigilant. Tho ten
thousand odd square feet OF the Valkyrie's
canvas were spread just where they would
tske the most wind out OF tho sails OF the
Viglant.
The Yankee was for the moment completely
blanketed. and for q catch breath space OF
time the Valkyrie overhauled her. Worse yet.
few stops on the head OF the yigilants spin
maker refused to break out and a sturdy sailor
had to shin away aloft to the truck to clear
away the snarl-climb up tho mast at mo-
mont when no racing skipper would allow
man to even cross the deck needlessly. 1t was
moment to give heart to all who would like
to see the British yacht carry of the trophy
But in some way the snarl disappeared be-
fore q ships length was covered by tho Vigil
liant. and with twist OF the wheel her skipper
slipped out from beneath the TOO hot blank OF
OF the cutter. and then. to the eyes of those
who had seen races before. she began to gain.
The spinnaker might and did blanket the bal
loon lib. and waves might pass through main
sail and club ropsal with every roll OF tho hulk.
No matter. She was slipping away from the
enemy, though doing it so gradually that no
one grew very enthusiastic over 1t. Indeed. 1t
was not possible to say from appearances that
the Vigilant was doing more than redeeming
what she had lost In the advantage the Val
kyrle gained by her superior position at the
moment the first gun was fred.
CRowDING BY THE EXCURSION FLEET
As everybody had expected. there was trou-
BILE with the excursion feet the nom ent tho
racers were of. As said. II was monster
fleet. loaded with tens Of thousands OF people
who had paid good money for chance to see
the race. Each skipper wanted to do his / est
for his passengers. and In too many cases the
right OF the yachts and the interests OF good
sport were either not understood or forgotten. |
The Vigilant had not gotten two lengths be-
yond the line before n rotund gentleman in
shirt sleeves was waving his hands at the !
crowding steamboats,. He WAS entirely iusti-
fled in his anger and excitement. In mo-
ment two sailors stretched up piece OF white |
canvas on which Keep or was plainly |
painted.
The steamers did keep of. but they simply |
made room for others. 1t was not until after |
a good half hour OF sign showing and wild |
gesticuating that the obstreperous steamers |
were whipped into any sort OF regard for the |
wind OF the contestants Even the commander |
OF tho Vigiant's tender got In her wake. so that
a voice on the yacht was heard to say. Keep |
out OF tho way, you id fool"
The Vaikyric. OF course. being behind the |
Nigilant was handicapped by the steamers
still more than WAS the white yacht In vain |
did Mr. Watson wave his hands and the |
sailors exhibit a sign. Please Keep Further |
Astern." 1t lis not unlikely that much OF tho |
Valkyrle's advantage. gained by masterful |
seamanship before the line was crossed. was
afterward lost by the exasperatingly unfair
crowding Of excursion shippers.
AS time passed the spectators noticed dif-
ference in the handling Of the crews OF the
two boats. They had wondered how 1t hap
pened that man had SO quickly reached the
Ni0il mt d trun oh han hn0 nj
fused to break out OF its stops as the line was
After q little they solved tho mys-
tory. by observing that O man was kept seated
In chair swung Just forward OF the mast and
below the CROSS trees. Another man was then
discovered seated at the eyes OF tho rigging
at the end OF the bowsprit. where tho jib was
punched, but roady for holsting.
Tho Valkyrie had no men In these places
and. m moreover. the majority Of her sailors were
kept somewhere out Of sight. while the Vigil
lants men lined the starboard rail aft.