The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1843-06-13


mate. to give way we should drop the others in
oment So we did not fret ourselves, but kept
cool for tight pull when the whale should show
himself on the surface ofthe water again-which he
did in a moment after.
Here she is = cried the mate; 'and not over ten
rods from the boat. Now, my dear fellows, lay back
hard spring hard, / tell you ! There she blows
only give, my boys, and she is ours
The boat bounded forward, 'ke thing of life
Spring like tigers says the mate, his voice sinking
almost to whisper Hooked to see what kind Of
chance was about to have, at the same time pulling
at my oar with all my might We were gong to
her starboard quarer-just the chance liked to fast
en- to whale. Stand up!' shouted the mate; and in
moment had two hnrpoons TO the bitches into her.
'Sten-stern all = sung out the mate he
the irons in the whale. Come here my boy y said
he to me. We shifted ends--he to the head and l
to the stern ofthe boat. The whale started off like
lightning.
Hold on line = said the mate; and away shot
after her, like from bow. The mate by
this time had his lance ready. 'IIaul me to that
whale he shouted, and all hands turned to hauling
line, while coied it away in the stern sheets. We
had got nearly up to the whale when she went sto
sounding taking the line right up and down from the
head of the boat had two of the line around
tn loggerhead, and was holding on the boat would
bear, when all at once, another larger whale that
knew nothing about, shot up out of the water nearly
her whole 'ength, in snnting position, hanging d-
rectly the boat / threw off the turns from the
oggerhead, and shouted to the men to stern y But
it was Of no use; she fill the whole Of her body
the boat. heard the crash, and as went down, l
felt pressure of water directly my head,
ed, as then thought, by the whales fukes as she
struck How long was under water l know not;
but remember that all looked dark above me, and
tried very hard 10 shove my head through In order
to breathe. At last succeeded; but what sight
was that on which gazed when found myself on
the surface Of the water About rod from me
the whale that We were fast to, thrashing the water
into foam with his iukes the red with blood,
and the crimson streams pouring from the wounds
made by the harpoons In another direction could
see pieces Of the boat floating around At the dis
lance Of two or three miles, could occasionally get
glimpse f the shop, rode on the top Of swell,
and not human ing in sight Most forcibly did
the words ofthe poet Apply to my situation OF this
moment
''Oh solitude where are thy charms
That sages have in thy face
Better dwell in the midst o. alarms,
That reign in this horrible place.
So thought J. as struck out for piece Of our once
beautiful boat few rods distant The
up, one after another, catching at any thing they
could see to keep them afo One poor fellow
came padding along with two or three oars under
him, crying out that his back was broken Another
of the crew and myself got him the piece of boat
that we had hold his thigh broken, and he could
not move his legs at all. The second mate soon az
ter picked US up with his boat, and SO much had we
been engaged in looking for ourselves that we did
not perceive that one of our number missing
But alas it was too soon found out. lie was
young man about seventeen years DID, and did not be-
long to the boat but went in the place of the mdshp
oarslnan, who was sick at the time The whale fell
directly on him and probably killed him in moment
With what feelings we pulled round and round the
spot where the boat stoven unwilling to believe,
even after we knew there hope, that our ship
mate was gone never more TO return. And how ST.
lent we glided along side Of the Ship and hosted IN
our poor shpmate now famed for life.
Oh that some Of those people that look upon sal
lors Us little better than brues, and who know little
or nothing of the kind feelings and glowing affections
have seen what saw on board that ship-even their
hearts would melt and they would find that 1t Is not
ALWAYS the polished and educuted-the snooth-iaced
and handsome man-that has the warmest heart or
the most generous feelings.
s,o,bors in his travels in Yucutan gives the fol-