The Iowa patriot. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1839-1839, 1839-08-29
Burr BURLINGTON ING THURSDAY, AUGUST %, 1889.

!. .S3 We iLuoL plOCtcl
according to rule in this business
what weapons have you fixed upon p
And in fancy's eye he beheld before
nm a huge blunderbuss, loaded with
buck shot.
Captain Lovett said nothing-bu1
beckoned to Mr.. Starbuck, who ap.
preached him with great alacrity, bear.
ing the two harpoons. He seized one
OF the formidable weapons, and thrust
It INTO the hands of Bigbee, who seem
ed absolutely paralized with astonish-
ment.
''My weapon" said he s.is the jav-
elan-such as the Grecian and Roman
knights often fought with in olden
times-a weapon, which no man who
challenges another, can refuse to fight
with at the present day, unless he pos
sesses mean and craven spirit
Thus saying he took the station
which had been assigned him, at eight
PAGES distant from his startled antag-
onlst. He coolly barred his sinewy
arm-grasped the harpoon, and plac-
ed himself In an attitude. ssI'll bet,''
SAID he, casting a triumphant look up
on his friends, ga smoked herring a.
gainst sperm whale, that I'll drive
the harpoon through that fellows mid
riff the first throw-and will finish him
without the aid of the lance. Mr. Star
buck" fiercely continued Captain Lo-
vett, in loud and rough voice, such
as is seldom heard, excepting on board
a Nantucket whaling vessel, when a
shoal of whales is in sight, "Stand By
TO haul that felloau inr'
The mate grasped the end of the
line, his eyes beaming with as much
expectation and delight, as if he was
steering a boat bow on to an eighty
barrel whale, while Captain Lovett
poised his harpoon with both hands,
keenly eyed the British Captain
shouted in a tremendous voice, 'sNow
FOR IT." and drew back his arm as in
the act of throwing the fatal iron!
The Englishman was brave man
which is not always the case with
bullies-and he had often marched
without hinching, up to the mouth Of
a cannon. And if he had been met
in singl lie combat with an adversary
armed with sword or a pistol, or
even dagger or Queens arm, he
would have borne himself manfully.-
Indeed, he had already acquired an
unenviable noteriety as duellist, and
had killed his man. But the ha1poon
was weapon with which he was al
together unacquainted-and the loud
and exulting tones of the Yankee Cap
tain's voice sounded like summons
to his grave. And when he saw the
stalwart Yankee raise the polished
iron-and pause for an instant, as if
concentrating all his strength to give
the fatal blow, panic terror seized
him-ms limbs trembled--his features
were Of a CHASTITY pallor, and the cold
sweat stood in large drops on his fore
head. He had not strength to raise
his weapon-and when his grim op-
ponent shouted, "Now FOR IT." and
shook his deadly spear, the British Of
fcer, forgetting his vows Of chivalry
his reputation as an officer, and his
honor as a duellist, threw his harpoon
on the ground, fairly turned his back
to his enemy--and fled like fright
ened courser from the field, amid the
jeers, the jibes, and the hurrahs of the
multitude assembled by this time on
the spot!
Captain Bigbee's duelling days were
over. No man would fight with him
after his adventure with the Yankee.
He was overwhelmed with insult and
ridicule-and soon found it advisable
to change into another regiment
But his story got there before him
and he was soon sent to ':Coventry''
as a disgraced man. He was compel
led, although with great reluctance,
to quit. the service-and it may with
great truth be said, that he never for
got the lesson he had received from
the veteran whaler, SO long as his
name was Bigbee.
DOT ITICAT C0NSISTENCV