The Savannah morning news., 1903-06-10

Continued From Twelfth Page.
ed for the beginning of the regatta,
/ Wilmington river was fairly alive with
craft Of every description from a steam
er to a fiat bottom tender, made of
three planks. The pennant of the Sa-
Vannah Yacht Club was seen flying
from the masthead of an unusually
large number of boats, and cookbook
ing young fellows in ali the fancy rig
of amateur yachtsmen We're lodging
about and hurrying back and forth
from the club to the boats. At the
| wharf the official measurers were busy
and the little brass cannon used for
salutes and starting signals was in
position, ready for action. The club
flag waved gaily in promising breeze
, and the whole water front seemed ac-
tive in preparation for the event of the
day.
Promptly at II :25 the preparatory gun
was fired and the yachts entered for
the regatta, which had been either at
anchor for some time or near by, or
else trying their wings up and down
! the river in short reaches got ready
for business and came up as near the
starting line they deemed advisable.
At 1870 the little cannon banged once
more and within five seconds the boats
began to go over the line almost in a
| bunch.
Tho start.
1t was splendid start. The starter
for Morris Park couldn't have done
better with a bunch of thoroughbreds.
The Mary A. had calculated the time
to a nicely and poked her pretty nose
/ across five seconds after the signal The
Della b. which had been chased up
into the first elias son account of the
cabin, not noted when the classical
ton was first given, was the next over
the line and was closely followed by
the lola, Undine, Tallulah and Irene.
These smaller fry were almost meek
and neck" Then came the Zinga,
crossing at II :39:2S the Iris, at II 80: SO,
the Meta w., at 11:31:35, the Addie, at
11:31:36, and the Beatrix at 11:31:45.
The lone, and Flirt crossed about one
minute later with the Dorothy, Goo
Goo Eyes and Seagul on their heels.
The last boat over was the Georgiana,
which crossed at 11:33:05. making a
clean start with seventeen boats in
exactly three minutes.
Spread Out at Once.
The yachts crossed almost within
rubbing distance of each other, but
this position was not held more thar
very few minutes. AS each skippe,
planned for the long scorch to wind
ward the boats took different courses
and depending upon the ability to Sal
near the wind the various craft stood
out ahead. The Mary A had not only
planned her start well, but was able
to make quite reach before jibing
and led away from the fleet
The Addie was slow in getting over
the line, but soon made up the differ.
ence, and with only her mainsail close
hauled, picked up on the Mary A, and
the two first-class boats moved to-
gether away from the bunch. 1t was
seen almost within the first few min.
utes that the race in this class would
be between these old rivals, and great
interest was centered upon them. The
Flirt and Georgiana also came into
notice as leaders in their class, and
the Meta w. and the Dorothy also
showed their ability to sail to wind.
ward.
The other craft represented the
field" and a very interesting one The
Clifton, the Tybee, the steam yach
Jessie and the fotilla of naphtha
launches and sailboats not in the race
followed along and the bands played
flags waved and friends cheered a;
each of the flyers would get or seem t.
have a bit of advantage.
Opposite Turner's rock the Mary A
still held her lead over the Addie, bu
it was observed that the struggle wa.
sharp and every means known Il
yachtsmen was being employed by thu
captains of the two boats. Many time.
the watchers cried, 1.-The Addie hai
crossed her bows" and then found tina
it was a little previous. The Mary A
held her own until opposite Whining
ton Island, where, at 12:15 she wal
passed, and the lead taken up by thu
Addie. The Beatrix was at this tim,
a mile or two astern, and the Leila
Zinga and Iris were among the seconC
class boats working for a place il
the lead. The Flirt was we'll along
and appeared determined to get il
early. AS the leaders passed the stake
boat at Joe's cut the Addie was lead
ing by quarter to half mile.
FIirt starts Homeward.
At 1:2O exactly the Flirt rounded tn
stake boat at Joe's Cut, which marke
the turn for all boats, except the frs
class. The whistles sounded on tn
steamers and the nervy little craft wa
trimmed in jiffy and began a rollick
ing journey homeward with the ia
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