THE OPEN-BOAT SAILING RACE.—EXCITING SCENE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVI, Issue 5371, 3 February 1879, Page 5

THE OPEN-BOAT SAILING RACE.—EXCITING SCENE.

The decision of the Regatta Committee that the No. G Race for Open Sailing Boats for All Comers should be re-sailed at 2 p.m. on Saturday was the means of drawing to the wharf several hundred persons to witness what promised to be a most interesting event. Yet how few imagined for a moment the intense excitement that would prevail. The early part of the day was treacherous,—at times blowing half-a-gale of wind from the westward, succeeded by almost a dead calm, and, again, a severe squall, accompanied with heavy rain. At the hour appointed the wind had abated, and the water was not too rough for stout open and well-handled boats as our liar-* boav is pre-eminent for, and which, we feel proud to admit, was fully exemplified on Saturday, by the extraordinary seamanship and gallant acts performed by three of the competing craft. A few minutes be fore 2 o'clock an ominous black cloud loomed up from the westward, which indicated a nasty squall, but of this few of the competitors were aware, being two much absorbed iu getting ready for the start, aud the result was that when the squall burst, very few of them were prepared for it, and in two instances (the X'errible and Dreadnaught) paid the penalty by sinking and endangering the lives of their crews. Captain Nearing, tlie starter, having gone out in an open boas, and putting the question, 11 Are you ready?" tho following thirteen boats answered to the call:-Alert, VoUnte, The Brothers, Sis, Toy, Missing Link, Tui, King Mapare, Pembroke, Neva, Margaret, Dreadnaught, and Teirible. The flag dropped, and each boat made sail, many running up their mainsails, while others had a couple of reefs in them,but before all could be made snug the squall struck them, and the majority careened over, amid the cries of those on the wharf, ** There is one over, two, another, and another." "No; she's righted/' came back tho cry, and as the boa.&3 separated, it was seen that two were going down, and not less than eight men were struggling in tho water—the crews of the Dreadnaughtl and Terrible. Such a heavy squall, and each boat running before the wind, will, it is thought, make it impossible for any of them to come round to the assistance of their comrades, and fears are entertained that several will find a watery grave. But it is evident such will not be the case without a struggle. " See, there is Hunt and his crew in The Brothers luffed up, right in the teeth of the gale. They are on a man." "Bravo!" shout the spectators. " There is Jonea, of tho Alert, also luffed up," but the boat shakes, and he squares away. To leavo the men to drown ! No, he is back again, aud is hard at work, and his crew are reaching over the side. There is also tho King Mapare, with a gallant crew of Maoris, in among heads that are bobbing up and down in a heavy, rolling sea, while two men are seen struggling by themselves, the small craft being too far to leeward to render timely assistance. Still there is help at hand, and Captain Nearing and his boat's crew pick them up; and the many hundreds of voices, which until then had been pent up, give vent in loud and prolonged cheering. The Brothers, King Mapare, and Captain Nearing's boat drifted down to the liailway Wharf and landed the picked up men : The Brothers one man, the starter's boat two, and the Maoris' boat two; so that three men were still wanting. The Alert (Jones) had, however, gone off to overtake the few boats that were going round the course, and the question, "Areall safe?" cannot be answered, and the old feeling that some were drowned crept over tho large crowd of persons that had rapidly swelled iu number. The news of the accidont had spread swiftly through the city, aud a rumour was also afloat that the His had gone down. Many who witnessed the start said that three vessels had sank, and that the one in question was among the number. This, of course, added to the nnxiety, as the Sis could not be seen among the competitors coming up the harbour. A North Shore Ferry steamer was seen speeding from there, and on arrival reported that the Sis had taken shelter at the North Shore. The competitors in the race had boon recalled by a gun from the flagship City of Sydney, but still the Toy, Volanto, Alert, Pembroko, Tui, and Missing Link continued their career towards tho Stokes's Point mark-boat. It was seen that the Alert had more than her allotted number of persons on board, but how many could not be ascertained, and the feeling of uncertainty still prevailed, aa the boats were coming down tho harbour—-the Toy first— and standing in to the wharf, but no information could be gleaned from Bailey. Now that the Toy had given up the raco, it was expected the Alert would do the same, as Jones was opposite the flagship,he stood in between the two wharves, and on sailingclose to the end of ono of the tees, a voice called out, " How many men have you on board?" and the answer, indistinct though it was, from the distance, came,"Three," and as it was caught by the multitude, cheer after cheer rang lustily out, and the vast crowd moved to the watermen's steps, towards which the Alert was then tacking. Here a perfect ovation awaited them, the sense of relief finding vent in cries of " Bravo, Jones!" cheers for the Alert, the Maoris in King Mapare, Tho 'Brothers, and the starter. The race, of course, will be run over again, the interest in it being absorbed by tho accident recorded above. In passing the flagship tho Toy held a leading position, with the Volante, Alert, Pembroke, Tui, and Missing Link behind, in the order given.

SCHOONER TRANSIT V. XOKEA. "Wo understand that a mat** been made between these champion schooi. for the sum of i>lso a-si-?o, to sail round t) • Watchman, Cape Colvillo, on or about Tl: .rsday, at 10 a.m. Articles of agreement h:»»'e been made out, and the money handed over to Mr. T. Henderson, jun.,with ftlr. Mnishall umpire, Captain Neariug as starter, and Captain McKenzio to dcclaro if there is sufficient wind to make a start. First vessel in to win the money.