The America’s Cup challenge in 1881 was between the New York Yacht Club’s Mischief, skippered by Nathanael “Than” Clock, and the Canadian Bay of Quinte Yacht Club’s Atalanta, owned and skippered by Captain Alexander Cuthbert. Atalanta was newly built, only just finished in time, untried and without a regular crew. Consequently, Mischief triumphed. This print shows the start of that race, with both yachts, in starboard bow view, running before the wind, the sails goose-winged with large spinnakers on their starboard sides. Mischief is already ahead. Her crew can be seen along the starboard gunwale and one is along the bowsprit. On the right of the picture a paddle steamer and a smaller steamer are accompanying the race, while another steamer passes between the two racing yachts. A striped buoy bobs in the left-hand foreground, perhaps indicating the actual start line. The coastline and other sailing vessels can be seen in the far distance on the left of the picture.