Year: 1868




inside of the Narrows In the early hours OF yesterday
Twelve boats OF the New York Yacht Club, eight
echooners two OF them the largest OF their class, the
Dauntless and the Surprise, and four sloops-a OF
them as beautiful In form and feature as the poets
dream Of the lost Peri, and feet almost of wing as
the Puck In the "Mdsummer Nights Dream" who
promised his master Oberon to put "a grdle round
Che earth In forty minutes'-were entered for the
annual regatta


The course over which these were to test their
qualities as sailers in the winds which the zephyrs
and Boreas might be pleased to serve them
was from the anchorage to the buoy OF the
Southwest Spit passing 1t to the west and
SOUTH and thence to the lightship some seven miles
further out rounding it to the northeast and east
ward, returning over the same course passing TO
the west Of the agboat stationed of the Club House
at Clifton.


THE HOUR AND THE START.


The hour named for the commencement Of the
race was thirty minutes past ten O'Clock, but for
reasons that perhaps not explainabe the signal
gun not fired until eleven minutes past eleven. At
the time named q light breeze swept over and rip
pied the surface OF the water but 1t was barely SUI
ncient to I'LL the lighter canvas of the sloops,
which, being nearer the Long Island side Of
the channel, were not bereft of 1t by the higher
sheltering land Of the opposite coast These were
presently beyond the Narrows-the White Wing the
Addie ", the Clytie and Gussie and made the best
Of their way towards the Southwest Spit, the first
objective point In the race. The schooner Silvie,
which was on the Staten Island side, hugged the
shore In the eddy, and wearing SHIP was
underway. The Dauntess, which also was on the
same side Of the channel, probably from her greater
size, seemed to experience much difficulty In her
attempt TO wear ship. The first effort in this drec
tion was apparently abandoned, and a tack ordered
only to be again put on one side for the original
man9uvre. Finally the vessels OF the squadron
succeeded, by wear and tack, IN getting under way
and


GALLANT SIGHT


It waste look at the noble coursers of the deep
they gracefully leaned over If TO kiss the aters
which Kissed in sort OF champagney-ke foam on
each side OF the cutwater as they gded along the
all but smooth tide In consequence Of the great
number of shps-steamers, soops, brigs, schooners
and tugs-the steamers fleet In themselves, with
streamers flying and gaily draped with colors, while
music heard from every deck-that at the time
OF starting in and around the contesting yachts
It was not possible, until all were well their way
TO the southwest Spit TO tell which could be named
first and which nowhere


From t,e Narrows, far out as the eye could reach,
were to De seen ships Of all names and sizes and
rigs will their wings spread TO catch the ftful
winds which ever and anon coquettishly came and
went ony 10 place those interested In the progress
OF the csntest IN state Of bright expectation that
was to We Immediately followed by o calm which
painted Despair their faces At noon the squadron
having g,t into more open waters with promise OF
O stiff beeZe, the soops and schooners put them
selves In trim to receive the full benefit OF it, but,
with mre sultry atmosphere and cloadier horizon,
Il only became the calmer. The sea looked like a
vast, initabe sheet of FURNISHED silver, which
and fell lszy as the tide passed on.


AT THE SOUTHWEST SPIT.


At lene n, succeeding lull that disquieted every
one. the Wind freshened and the yachts taking ad-
vantage " IT, bowled along, beating down, how
ever, towards the Spit, and at precisely thirteen
minutes and thirty seconds 10 one O'Clock p NJ the
White Wing leading in splendid style and within
biscuit throw OF n passed this great point in the race
on the way to the lightshlp. She was followed by
the Gusse which took her wake, al nine minutes and
thirty seconds to one, and she by the Addie V. one
minute later and the last named by the Clytie at six
minutes and twenty-five seconds 10 one. The soops
having passed In the manner named and with
promising wind from the east and south, the
schooners which could not for lack OF motive
power, forge ahead so rapidly maneuvre so
readily, came up In the following order:-The Ram
bier at four minutes and fifty seconds OF one the
sappho at two, the Sylve at hve. the Ider at six,
the Pauline at seven, the Magic at nine, the Daunt
less at twenty and the leuT ue LIS AT tweINyeght
minutes past one o'clock.


AT SANDY HOOK AND BEcALNEp.


Everything now wore the appearance of life. The
sea was rufed and rom the rising OF the clouds in
the south and west there was reasonable proba-
biity Of the race continuing. not with "favoring
gales" but without that stiffness OF the atmosphere
which makes the most energetic careless, irres0ute,
apathetic


II was now Good tide and az the yachts ran up
toward Sandy Hook, on their way TO the llghiship
three OF the sOOps and the Rambler getting TO the
eastward OF u and carrying them well on the turn
Ing point In the the wind again died out and
some seven or eight Of the contestants were com.
PEELED TO lie llstessY inside, with fair probability
Of their remaining there and getting their bottoms
Bcraped for their pains, OF drifting back to-
ward their anchorage.


rule In philosophy on which Coniut-e enlarges
under the general title OF patience and not being
and az our little boat could WAX The
water like thing OF hfe,n proceeded
ship. But ere we had reached TO within two
miles Of II we concluded that wisdom lay in our
return to The Hook. The Rambler we found within
four miles Of the lighship kedged, her anchor lyng
in about ave fathoms. Proceeding a little further,
and while the black buoy the bar Of the South
channel, we saw that her sailing master had placed
the Addie v.-the condition OF the schooner which
we had few minutes previously leit-secure against
over to the White Wing, which lay within two
miles & Of the . ghtshp' eu, no not & at anchor; o6
In answer to an inquiry he assured US
that II the wind served he would be enabled in the
time named by the club for sailing get around the



Hopeful man. The White wing is a beautiful soop,
and her owner ought TO have had his way with the
Senate Of the Zephyrs.


A BREEZE AT LAST.


As we neared Sandy Hook, the becalmed yachts
having meantime drifted down toward staten Island
Jolly pieele sprung up, and soon the Mapping can.
vas OF the schooners beled out the hus leaned
gently over and, like the meteors they shot across
the waters, making toward the ghtship with every
reasonable appearance OF reaching II In due season.
But before we further consider this point we must
20 back few minutes and discuss


THE SCHOONER sAPPHo.


This splendid specimen OF naval architecture the
second OF the larger class Of vessels TO pass the
Southwest Spit. on reaching the Hook rapidly
drfted TO eward As there was no probability OF
her yesterday succeeding In reaching the 9oa
OF her owners hopes he came 70 the conclusion
that IL was mere waste OF time 10 linger longer
where fortune had cast him, and retiring gracefully
from the contest permitted the tide ana tue puns
OF wind which we have just spoken OF as impeing
the other yachts well down TO the lghlshp, to carry