The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-10-24

ping. Seldom has there been such
smashing sea under the bows OF cul
I contestants. The water spurted TWEEN
ty feet into the ar. The green boa
Iabored more than tie Yankee Oncs
or twice she buried her bowsprtt In ths
| seas, wetting her headsails. IL was Z
. grand sight
The Columbia pointed almost n point
higher than her rival and footed just
as fast. The Columbia had housed her
working topsail before they urned b
in the constantly freshening wind she
decided that IL was dangerous to carry
IL longer and a sailor was Ser aioft &C.
lower IL. IL was q delicate job with
the big ninety-footer bucking into the
jumping sea like q broncho. but after
five n OF ard work IL was sue
cessfully accomplished. On every tack
OF the thresh to windward the Yankee
increased her lead. sailing so close that
the old salts said h could wipe the
eye OF the wind"
AT las the Columbda was beading by
a quarter % a mile. The situation for
the Shamrock was desperate. and. reck-
skipper decided to crowd on more can
vas. Feariessly he sent Mp and after
q deal OF trouble succ-SSied in setting
a small ] topsaiL.
The Columbia had the ace wssi-in-
hand and did lot need q rEsk n brukea
spar. She kept on "a mafneafi.
stay and tib. Fortunately Gre chai-
lenger's topmast did not carry away.
though she leaned over under the press
Of canvas until her slippery decks were
tRted at angle OF thirty degrees- Her
speed was undoubtedly Increased. but
her Inability 10 point host her almost
as much as she gained In footing. Then
She resorted to splitting lacks. n run
ming close in shore under the Naveslnk
highlands. Al slight ant in tn wind
favored her at this time and she maR-
aged to close up the gap un<lI little
more than half a miie separated her
from h Columbia The patriots be-
gan to feel nervous, but with the finish
ing line two miles away there was 1T
tie danger.
Soon after the wind s.ackened a lit
tie and THEREAFTER the Shamrock lost
rather than gained ground. All the
excursion boats at this time were uck
ing into the les seas for home as fast
as their screws could churn. The tug
boats We're flooded. But, as on the
run down. the pace was too hot, and
not half the fleet was in at the inIsh
The rush OF the yachts though the
seas OF tine IN tack was magnificent.
Geysers spurted from the bows and
drenched rhe sailors lying piled up
against the weather raA. As the gal
lant yankee shot across the finish be-
tween the lightShip and committee
boat, n shippers OF The fleet thaf had
gotten there in time almost forgot TO
open their whistles. SO absorbed were
they in h stirring spectacle. But
they made up for II later. The defeat
ed challenger raced across s minutes
and II seconds later. The rough
weatthe o a been beaten over n
thirty mile course 6 minus=s and IS
seconds actual time, or with the allow
ance h was 30 concede the Columbia
on account OF her longer water line. 6
minutes and "a seconds. The Shamrock
got a noisier reception than Columbia
as h finished, perhaps because the
later time at which she crossed gave
opportunity for some OF the be1ated
vessels to get UP. A grand spectacle
followed. The victor, after lowering
her sails, set THE Stars and Stripes at
her topmast truck. at both ends Of her
spreader and at the taffrail. Soon the
whole fleet blossomed out in American
flags.
Later the Erin, which had remained
behind for a few minutes with the
Shamrock, steamed up to the Columbia.
the Stars and Stripes iuttering from
main n mizZen. The Corsair greet
| ed her with cannon, which Sir Thomas
acknowledged by dipping the English
Jack at the taffrail. Then by Sir
Thomas orders the crew OF the Erin
lined the rail and gave three good An
/ 81 Saxon cheers for the victors. They
twere returned with interest by the
crew of the Columbia. The American
boat was the first to reach her mooring
buoy inside the Hook. and when her
late rival came up in tow the sailors
of both seized the opportunity to cheer
| each other Justify.
Latter. Sir Thomas went aboard the
Corsair and there soon afterward Mr..
Islin. managing owner OF the Columbia.
Joined him. There were casts to VIC
tor and vanqufshed; to America and
Great Britain, to gentlemen and ladies
and all sorts Of things. and so. with
fluctuations all around. the cup series
for 1899 ended with the best OF good
feeling.