The southern sentinel. (Winnfield, La.) 1883-1910, 1901-10-04
COLUMBIA WINS FIRST RACE
shamrock BeateN Close Finish After the Most Exciting
Contest In Yachting Annals.

come In the long beat to windward.
The two big yachts were an inspiring
sight to the spectators - they
plunged seaward, pounding great
fountains Of spray from their bows
and drenohing the crews lined MP
along the weather rail. They heeled
to the windward until their lee
rails were awash In the swirling, bub.
bling seas and from the windward
side they showed yards Of their
bronze underbodies. Neck and neck,
tack and tack, they raced like team
of horses.
The vessels in the excursion fleet
by this time were rolling badly
Many of the spectators were forced to
the seculsion of their cabins and
many others kept suspiciously near
the rails.
The excursion vessels formed a
crescent about the stakeboat as the
yachts rounded the outer mark, but it
was doleful feet. As the Shamrock
wore around with her spinnaker pole
to the starboard like q lance in rest,
the big steam yacht Erin, with the
Royal Ulster Yacht Club ensign at
her staff-rail, opened her whistle long
and loud. 1t was the first time Sir
Thomas had felt the Joy Of victory
and he and his party probably en-
joyed 1t to the full. The Yank ee
shippers were too polite not to pull
their whistle cords, but the toots
were not loud nor long and the bands
did not play, Columbia, the Gem of
the Ocean" But when the racers
had spread their pinions, wind and
wing, spinnaker, mainsail and balloon
jibs, and the white flyer Columbia,
tegan to eat up the green water be-
tween her and the challenger, droop-
ing spirits began to rise, and when
the yachts got on even terms about
half way home, the bands began to
play and the people raised a cheer.
As they approached the finish line,
Columbia leading by half q dozen
lengths, all the pent-up' enthusiasm
burst forth. About a quarter Of
mile before they reached the line the
golden boat blanketed the white one
and for a moment she ran mp along
side and looked as if she would be
first home. Cheers died in the pa
triotic threats. Suddenly, Is the Co.
lumbin luffed of and got her wind
clear she forged ahead and Game tear
ing down like mad. As she crossed
three lengths ahead the enthusiasm
broke ont again with redoubled ener-
gy. Every Yankee skipper grabbed
his whistle cord aud made terrific
noise and din. Sirens walled and the
steam jets made it look a. IL every
ship in the feet had broken her steam
chest. The whole feet seemed anx-
ious to escort the Columbia to her
anchorage. Meantime the Shamrock
had been taken q tow from the ten
der and drawn ont of the ruck Of the
steamers. Escorted by the Erin,
which showed Q big hole that the
revenue cutter Gresham had slowed
in her port quarter, she headed for
her berth behind the hook. Some of
the excursion boats dropped back to
salute the popular sportsman, who has
been game enough to make q second
effort co lift the cup, and then the
whole deet moved on for home, many
of the shippers keeping their whistles
going until they reached the narrows
at the entrance Of the upper bay.
tart-Shamrock, IL 90 IA; Oolum-
bia, ll:00:l6.
Turning Outer Mark-Shamrock,
1 30 80; Columbia, 1: 81 90.
Omcial Elapsed Time at the Finish
4:S0:24; Shamrock,
1 81 "a.
When il was all over Sir Thomas
Upton showed himself the thorough
sportsman he is:
well" he said, as he stood on the
deck Of the Erin, that's one dot
against u.s. am just as hopeful Is
I was this morning for / feel that IL I
only have . wind Pm all right. It
was q fair and square race, no fiuke,
but il was not Shamrock's day. We
want . breeze that will put that deck
six inches under water and then
YOU III see . race. But be sure Of one
was licked fairly today"
Captain Bob Wringe, who was on |
the bridge of the Erin at Sir Thomas
elbow, said: =
"If we get . fresh breeze we will
lift the CUP yet. A nine to twelve /
mot breeze IL what We want
Captain Barr was much grasi1ed
over the victory.