The gig is by this time alongside, and it must have been delightful to the owner as he stepped into her and left the side of the victorious 'Queen Mab,' to look up and see five winning flags flying, representing five first prizes in five starts in one week. It is not the purpose of this chapter to record all 'Queen Mab's' victories, but it may be noted that she won the 40_l._ prize given by the Royal Dorset Yacht Club in August of this year--1892. The club was founded in 1875, and holds forth many inducements to yacht-owners to visit Weymouth. For small raters it is admirably adapted, as the Esplanade is of immense length, and the short courses can be seen from one end to the other. [Illustration: Torquay.] At Dartmouth also 'Queen Mab' had two fine races, in a hard wind round the Skerries. The first, August 26, was very good, but the second, August 27, was better, though only one round, at the end of which we found the flagboat bottom up. 'Queen Mab' won first prize on both days. At Plymouth, in the following week, continuing the 'Westward Ho' procession, 'Mab' sailed over, with double-reef mainsail No. 3 and jib, no foresail, 'Thalia' and 'Corsair' not caring to start. Outside the Breakwater it was very grand, and outside Rame Head grander still, as the rollers came in after a 48 hours' gale. The pilot admired 'Mab' immensely, she made such good weather of it. The gale was great sport for us, and it was surprising to see how the small boats thrashed through it. 'Dis' carried away her bowsprit, and there was much harmless wreckage of gear. One lesson might be learnt, that with the short bowsprit produced by the overhang forward there is much strain taken off that very important spar. Plymouth often gets a hard blow about this time, which is the more to be regretted from the extraordinary variety of boats and classes, from the 'Britannia' class down to the rowing matches of the bum-boat women. Devonport and the Navy training brigs and colleges all join the water frolic, and great is the disappointment when the weather is unfavourable. [Illustration: 'Queen Mab' _40-rater_ (_T. B. C. West, Esq._) _Designed by G. L. Watson_, 1892.] [Illustration: Channel Racing Westward.] [Illustration: A close finish, 'Queen Mab' and 'Corsair,' R.T.Y.C., May, 1892.] CHAPTER XI YACHT RACING IN 1893 BY H. HORN An exceptional year, alike in regard to weather and sport, for not within living memory has there been so fine a spring, summer and autumn, and there is no previous record of such a sequence of eventful and stirring racing. It is highly gratifying that sport so truly national in character as yacht racing enlisted more general interest during the past season than has ever previously been the case; in fact, it can further be said that the doings of the 'Britannia,' 'Valkyrie,' 'Satanita,' 'Calluna,' 'Navahoe,' and 'Iverna' arrested world-wide attention.