The Columbia Democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1837-1850, 1841-01-09
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THE WHALER's PERIL.
pY CAPT. MARRYAT.

Of the ship; we knew that i, was 10 direct
our attention to some other point, so we
locked round The horizon, and perceived
that there was a school of young bulls, a.
bout three miles from us. We were four
boats in all; snd tho first mae desired my
bout and another TO 20 in chase OF them,
while he remained with tho other two, for
this old whale to come up again. We'll, of
We went, ond soon came up with the school:
they are the most awkward per, Of whale
fishing; for they are savage. and, moreover,
easily gailsk,' thas is frightened. pick
ed ont one, and tried to come up with him;
but he was very shy, and at last he raised
his head clean oGt Of the water, and set OF
at rate Of ten miles an hour; this showed
that he was aware Of danger. had JUS.
thought Of giving him np and trying for g.
neither, when he suddenly turned round,
aud esme rgh, toward tho boats. That we
knew mean. mischief; but, in coning to-
ward us, no passed close to the e,aer beat,
and the stesrsman gave him tho harpson
righ. well into him. This sade him more
savage, and he stood righ. for my boat,
ploughing up the sea rs he rushed on.
was all ready in the towswi,h the hsrpoon,
and the men were all ready with their oars
to pull back, 80 ss to keep elsar Of him
On he came, and sher his snout was with
in six feet Of Us, We pulled eharp across
him. and As 10 wen. from him, I gave him
the harpoon deep inte the 6n. S,arn all!'
was the cry - usual, tina. we might be clear
Of him. He sounded Immediately, that
is, down he went, head foremost, which
was what We were afraid Of, for yen see
we had only two hundred fa,homs Of lae
in each boat; and having beth hsrroons in
him, We could sot bend enc to the other, in
case he sounded deep. for sometimes they
will 90 down right perpendicular, and take
fcs. linss, or eight hundred fathoms with
them, SO we expected that we shoad this
time loose the whale Is we'll as eur lines,
for when they were run out, We niue, ei,h-
er eut, or 60 down with him. Well, the
lines ran out so swift, tha. we poured wa.
Ter on them that they might no. fre--and
we thought that it was all over, for the lines
were two thirds out, and he was going down
as fast as ever. when all Of sudden be
stopped. We were hauling in the slack
lines, when we saw him rise again, about
a quarter of mie OF. II was hurrah
for we now thought that we had him. OF
he set with his nose up. right in the winds
eye, towing the two boats at the rate Of
twelve miles an hour; our stems cleaving
trough The sea, and throwing off the water
like plume of feathers on each side of the
bows, while the suns rays pierced through
the spray and formed bright rainbows.--
We hoped soon 10 tire hun, and TO be able
10 haul in upon our lines, Sc as to get near
enough to give hin our lsnces; but that was
only heFe. as you'll hear. OF sudden, he
stopped, turned round, ard made right for
us, with his jaws open; then, all we had to
dc was to baulk him, and give him the lance.
He did not ssem 10 have made up his mind
which boat he would atsck-we were pref
ty near together, and ne waved at sne, aud
then Al Vie other. At last he mads right
for the otscr boat, and the bestsetter Jods-
ed him very cleverly, while we pulled up
to him, aud put the lance up 10 the stock
into his side. He made plunge as if he
were going to sound again; and as he did
so, With his flakes he threw our beat into
the air, matter Of twenty feet, cutting il
clean in half, and one of the boats thwart
came right athwart Of my nose, and ii new
er has been straight since So now you
have il, messmate; and shouldn't mind if
you passed the beer this way, for This long
yarn has made my throat somewhat dry
'When you've had your swig, old chap,
you may as well tell how the matter ended
observed my father,