The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1901-10-01

excursion fleet to the stake boat and
had holster light weather sails. Lip
toms private signal, a gree shamrock
in a yellow field, flew from the main
peak of the British boat and Mr..
Morgan's colors, a Maltese cross in
a field of black, f1uttered from Column
bia. Wilson, the designer Of the
Shamrock and Ratsey, who is reputed
to be the best sail maker in the
world, we're aboard the golden boat.
AS they passed out from behind the
Hook half a dozen ocean liners i'll
ward bound saluted them With en-
signs and whistles.
Again today the ourse east by
south, carried the yachts along the
Long Island shore straight out to seq
The yachts bounded away across TIE
line like a couple of runaway horses,
the challenger half a length ahead
and to windward.
In the maneuvering before the
| start Captain Sycamore had given
the willy Yankee skipper a genuine
surprise, returning a Roland for the
Oliver he received on Thursday. T lst
when Barr thought he had him under
his lee, the Englishman defended has
heading and then buffed un'le" the
| Columbia's stern into the weather
hclth. This was a victory lcr tie
Shamrock at the very inception Ut
the race that thu Columbia could net
overcome in the long beat to wind
ward. The tw) big yachts we're an
Inspiring sight tc the spectators az
they plunged seward, pounding great
fountains of spray from their bows
and drenching the crews lined up
along the weather rail. They heeled
to the wind until their lee rails were
awash in the swirling bubbling seas
and from the windward side they
showed yards of their bronze under
bodies. Neck and neck, tack and
tack they rushed like a team of
horses. Dismay began to be written
on the faces of the patriots, as Barr
tried once, twice and finally a third
time to cross the bow of the foreign
time by the lean golden muzzle Of
the Britisher. Visions of the dear old
cup that means the yachting supre-
macy of the world vanishing across
the waters danced before their eyes.
On and on they flew turning the
water from their bows and Columbia
gaining. The hearts Of the patriots
sank lower and lower. AS the yachts
got farther out the swells heightened
and they seemed to labor more heav-
lily in the V Just after passing
Long Beach hotel with it's verandas
and windows filled with people the
phia of the American line, came foam
ing in from the east with a bone in
her teeth. She headed slightly north
ward between the racers and the
shore in order net to impede them
with her wash and went by like an
express train, dipping her flag in sa-
her rail for a sight of the exciting
spectacle until she was listed far
down to port.
The vessels in the excursion fleet
by this time were rolling badly. Many
of the spectators were forced to the
seclusion of their cabins and many
others kept suspiciously near the
rails. The excursion vessels form
ed a crescent about the stake boat
as the yachts rounded the outer
mark. But it was a doleful fleet.
Shamrock bore around with her
%spinacker pole to starbcard like a
lance. The big steam yacht Erin,
with "bloody hand of Uuster" in
Royal Uuster Yacht club ensign at
her t~affrail, opened her whistle long
and lend: It was the first time Sir
Thomas had felt the joy of victory
n MS party enjoyed IL 10 the 1ull.
The Yankee shippers were too polite
not to pull their whistle cords but the
toots were not loud nor long and
bands did not play columbia, Gem
Of the Ocean,
But when the racers had spread
their pinions wing and wing, spin
aker. mainsail and balloon jibs draw
ing forward and the white flyer Co
lumbia began to eat up the green
water between her and the challen-
ger, the dropping spirits began to re-
vive and when the yachts got on
even terms about half way home the
bands began to play and the people
raised cheers. AS they approached