Her captain, George Blunt Wendell (1831–1881) of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, who had apprenticed in the counting house of Goodwin & Coues, was known for his business acumen, unlike many ship masters of the day, who were "found to be a thorough seaman and smart navigator, but a poor merchant.

Arthur H. Clark recounts it as follows: In 1851, two of the fastest clippers, Flying Cloud and Bald Eagle, left Whampoa laden with tea just two or three days after the Ganges.

The breeze had considerably freshened before I got on board the pilot cutter, when the Ganges filled away on the port tack, and Captain Deas, contrary to his wont, for he was a very cautious man, crowded on all small sails.

The Americans lost no time and were after him, and I had three hours' view of as fine an ocean race as I can wish to see; the wind being dead ahead, the ships were making short tacks.

Clark adds: "It is always unpleasant to spoil a really good story, but in this instance I feel constrained to point out that the Flying Cloud arrived at San Francisco on August 31, 1851, after her famous passage of 89 days from New York; it is therefore difficult to understand how she could have sailed from Wampoa on the Canton River on or about September 1st of that year, as stated by Mr. Cowper; while the Bald Eagle was not launched until 1852.