The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-10-09


Soon afterward the wind hauled around
still further. making IL broad reach TO
the mark. Both took in their spinnnkers
and eassd their sheets. Then the Column
bia gained steadily. The yachts were
now about n mile and half from the
outer mark. Steamers, tags and yachts
hurried across the course and lined mp to
leeward, waiting to see which would
round the mark first
The Columbia rapidly ate up the dis
tanoe between her and the Shamrock I'M
I'll, when the mark was but a quarter Of
a mile away, less than a hundred yards
separated them. The Shamrock was to
windward, hundred feet away and the
Columbia had closed the gap. Her PROV
just Tapped the Shamrock's stern. Under
the rules they must pass the float with
the red hall on the starboard end. AS the
balloon jits ratified down on both boats,
preparatory to the gybe, the spectators
held their breath. 1t did not seem posi-
BILE that the Columtia could squeeze In
between the mark and the Shamrock.
Ii seemed inevitable that unless the Yam
kee boat kept away under the stern Of the
Shamrock there would DO collision, or
the Columbia would foul the noat But
q. Oliver Iselln played the limit, On'he
came forcing the Shamrock to go wide
around while the Columbia seemed to
scrape the nOat as sho wore about with
her helm hard down. Though the Sham
rock rounded first by niue seconds she
swept around so far on the outside that as
both boats came up and their sails Tiled
away on the starboard tack, 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. Had the Columbia as much as
touched the float she would have been
disqualified. The patriots cheered and the
excursion steamers blew their whistles.
a few minutes later the Shamrock tried
to cross the defenders bow but failed.
The boat to windwafd was by far the
most interesting portion of the race,
while the breeze lasted. Close hauled
the two yachts slashed straight out TO sen
through the long, heavy swell, heeling to
the breeze with crews piled on the
weather rail-.
There was plenty of spray and every
man aboard was a wet as II he had been
under q shower bath. The Columbia
csreeed less to the wind than her rival.
As the wind began 60 ale out and hope OF
finishing the race began to vanish, the
two boats split tacks and did.not como to-
gether again for long time. keeping ev-
cry one guessing as to which was head.
During this Huky period everybody
agreed that the Shamrock was the bstter
handled.
Twenty minutes before the race was
declared of, the Shamrock headed across
the Coiumbis's bow. No one knew until
tho yachts were within 100 feet of each
other which would have to give way.
When the Shamrock put her helm up, I'M
able to make 1t, from both sides Of the
course came the shrjeks of thousands of
whistles, the shouts Of multitudes and the
crash OF bands The yachts sailed the
last 20 minutes neck and neck but with
Columbia to windward and perhaps
half length ahead. When the raco was
declared of and the excursion fleet start
ed homeward, tho Columbia's crew
stripped the mainsail from bonn and
gaf while she was being towed into the
II