The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-10-06

easily met as to try TO get on the other SIDE
To mako sure OF the berth desired the Colum.
bia passed to the starboard OF the Lightship
the northern end Of the line. Shamrock
going between tho two marks. and with
no further jockeying they swung round
and headed seward. In expectation Of
the starting gun. First their balloon ibis
dropped from their stops and then their spin
makers. and bang went the gun.
The starting line laid down by the Com
mittee was too much for Capt Bars
mathematics. Instead Of running at right
angles to the course. II was diagonal.
with the southern end. the Committee boat.
nearer the turning mark. This offered an
advantage to tho boat crossing that end. an
advantage which Capt. HoEarth gained and
Capt. Barr lost. Colun bia. although she started
astern. touched the line first, thus handicap
Ping herself by twelve seconds according to the
official time, and more than that as matter OF
fact
They crossed with Columbas bowsprt
scarcely reaching Shamrock's rail. but grad
ualy, very gradually. but very surely. she
crept up. overlapped and inch by inch.
moved toward the front. In nvo minutes In
front she was. and In ten minutes she was
clear. The new clubtopsall was doing the
work expected OF IL. and giving its wearer the
superior speed that she had missed in the
lance between the two grew to more than q
quarter OF a mile.
Then came the flrst reminder that the wind
was It's own master. The excursion feet to
windward saw the splnnakers shrink up and
those down to starboard saw the clues OF the
balloon jibs drawn aft. Tho wind had canted
toward the north Looking over their port
bow. the contendinR shippers saw the yieilant
closehauled on their course and putting their
helms down. they began a broad reach lufIlng
match. to provide against the winds moving
further ahead,
Up the Long Island coast they went with the
Columbia quarter OF mile ahead. She had
taught more OF the fukes which tho failing
wind began to scatter along the shore. though
Coumbia's superiority under the condi-
tons that prevailed. that Is. run ming in a wind OF
five knots strength had been m ade reasonably
plain. 1t was all beautiful while It lasted, but
unfortunately 1t didn't last. The Shamrock's
balloon weakened first and wrinkles began
60 trlckle down it's sides. and soon there began
SC ''es OF events such as yachtsman hates to
record. The wind boxed backward and for
ward. and for the next hour 1t was balloon lib
here and spinnaker there and the wind no.
whore. Although at one time Columbia had
been more than half a lille ahead. the Shamrock
gradually drifted up to her until. with the rum
out scarcely half over. the racers three tower
ing widths OF canvas hung as limp as the gar
ments OF an aesthetic maiden. The doidrums
took possession OF the course and life went out
Oft.
All that was left for enjoyment was the day
itself. 1t was OF October brightness. and the
sun turned on Just enough heat to make
comfort perfect. without burning the freshness
out OF the air. 1t was an ideal holiday but with
out an object. for the yachts that the vast
~ haI
nodding as listlessly as boats adritt Music
was the only means OF entertainment available
and all down the line bands were heard
playing as II the occasion had been turned into
a promenade concert.
Suddenly attention was aroused by an oc-
currence that recalled the experience Of the
Vigilant six years earlier In an unfinished race
with Valkyrie II. The Colum Is boom and
lib hung to port. when out Of the calm there
popped up little puff OF wind over the the port
bow. took tho jb aback and deliberate
~ turned the HELPLESS craft around
TO starboard until she actually pointed
homewurd straight toward her rival.
who at that moment had not been far behind
her. Shamrock got her helm to starboard in
time to sheer OF without the same nautical
mishap. and by the time Columbia got her
self disentangled from the canvas which
seemed to be wrapped around her Fortune
had gobbled up almost all her lead. and
she was just on Shamrock's lee bow.
For time. though the wind was
now coming from the direction o: the turning
stake. they beat with balloons still flying The
wind was so light and unsettled that the
skirpers couldn't make up their minds to mako
a change In their head-sails. Gradually it
dawned on them that the run was turned into
beat for good. so out broke jlbs and staysails.
down came balloons. and the yachts hauled up
ose for fight to wlndward. Again native
hopes went up as the white sloop moved ahead.
She drew away faster than when the wind had
been astern; and so. as it seemed. with
greater speed shown on the wind as
well as before 1t. Columbas future
was as bright as her top sides. To the pride
and Joy Of her followers she was seen to be
something like 200 yards to windward-a great
lead considering the time taken In gaining It,
Thsn. however. the little Devil that some
think sits on her shippers shoulder got in its
work. and the cloud In the Colum ban sky
began to rise. In the accepted fashion for
windward work. Capt Hogarth sent up his
baby jib topsal. but the Devil aforesaid
wouldn't let Capt. Barr do likewise.
Instead OF that he raised number two"
topsail OF one size bigger. better than q
smaller one VI course II 1t makes the balance
true between mainsails and head sails. but
OtnerWlSe worse tnRn nOtnlnR. III turned out
worse than nothing. and something happened
In consequence.
Capt Bars Devil must have thrown a
graphing iron around the Shamrock's
shrouds. for. although we'll down to lee
ward, the green boat sidled up to the
white one with rapdlty enough to put her
In different class. The blazing sun
couldn't prevent the chill that went through
the fleet The black cloud that had just
peeped above the horizon shortly before
crawled halfway to the zenith. Every man,
woman and child looking on must have seen
1t and understood its portent and felt horror
at the siEht OF 1t. II It rose higher it meant
the beautiful Columbta's doom and the dash
ing OF seasons fairest hopes.
AZ the Shamrock neared her rival tho gran.
plng iron aforesaid was let go and on the
green boat went. ahead. until Columbia felt
blown into her face the back drauEht from
the leaders, ivory sails. Ivory indeed
they were. To the spectators down to
leewarj. toward whom they Lulged In tho
full sunlight. they appeared so creaseless
and hard and smooth that they must have come