The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-10-08
FIVE MILES TO THE FINISH


on the starboard end. AS the balloon
jibs ratified down in both boats, prepa-
tory to gyhing, the watching thousands
held their breath.
Brilliant and Daring.
1t did not seem possible that the white
yacht could squeeze in between the
shamrock and the mark To the on
lockers 1t seemed inevitable that unless
the Yankee boat kept away under the
stern or the Shamrock there would be
collision. But c. Oliver Iselin had
desperate courage in tight place. He
piay@ the limit. The man who set q
Cup topsail In driving gale in the de-
clding race between the Vigilant and
Valkyrie II. would stop at nothing. On
he came, forcing the Shamrock to go
wide around, while the Columbia
seemed to scrape the float as she wore
about with her helm hard down.
Though the Shamrock rounded first by
nine seconds, she swept around so far
on the outside that as both boats came
up and their sails filled away on the
starboard tack, the Columbia not only
had the weather gauge, but was in the
lead. No more reckless piece of courage
was ever seen in an International race.
1t was desperate game, but it won.
Had the Columbia SO much as touched
the float she would have been disQuali-
fed then and there. The patriots
cheered wildly and the shippers of the
excursion fleet let off enough steam to
carry their vessels back to New
York. ~
The enthusiasm of the patriots broke
out again few minutes later. when
after a few short tacks, the Shamrock
tried to cross the Columbia's bows. but
failed. The beat to windward was by
far the most interesting part of the
race, while the breeze held. Close
na 1n1 tyxyn 1T ell rfr osrrI,i
out to sea through the long, heavy
swell, keeping to the breeze in stately
fashion with foam squirting from their
bows and crews piled up on the weather
rail of the sloping decks. Though no
solid water came over their glistenng
sides, it swirled along under the coun-
ters. There was plenty of spray and
every man aboard was as wet as if he
had been under a shower bath. The old
barnacles said her immense hang, dip
ping down, supported her and kept her
up stiff as church.
Couldn't Cross.
The Shamrock. a famous heavy
weather boat, leaned to it like a queen.
AS the wind began to die out and the
hope of finishing the race began TO
vanish, the two boats split lacks and
did not come together again for a long
time, keeping everyone guessing which
one was ahead. During this fluky period
everybody agreed that the Shamrock
was the better handled. She never
failed to take advantage of every new
slant of the wind. At last. 20 minutes
before the race was declared off. the
! Shamrock decided to try conclusions
| and she headed across the Columbia's
| bow So uncertain was the result that
| no one knew until the yachts were
| within a. hundred feet of each other
| which would have to give way. The
| Yankee shippers all had their hands on
| their whistle cords and when the Sham
rock put her helm up and was unable to
| make it from both sides Of the course.
| came the shreks of thousands of whis-
| ties, the enthusiastic shouts of the null
| titudes and the crash of the bands.
| They sailed the last 20 minutes neck
and neck, but with the Columbia to
windward and perhaps a length ahead,
Disappointed, but overjoyed that when
| the race was declared off the cup de-
| fender was in the lead. the excursion
| fleet headed back for Sandy Hook as
| fast as steam and sail could carry them.
| The sun was setting behind a bank of
| crimson clouds as the head of the pro-
cession surged into the narroWs and
| the crescent of the new moon with it's
promise of better things hung narrow
| thread of silver In the sky.