The Planters' banner. [volume] (Franklin, Attakapas Co., Lou.) 1849-1872, 1852-04-03


| ting the water, and then the head rose
entirely above the water, and moved
sideways slowlg..as if the monster was
in agony or suffocating. It is a sea
serpent r' exclaimed: "stand by the
boats" There was a hesitancy, and
the mate said: :Of what use is there
lowering for him? We only lose time
and gain nothing besides" I abruptly
checked him, and ordered all hands
aft When they had mustered, told
them wished to ''try" that fellow
urged them with all the eloquence
possessed. telling them there were but
| few who believed in the existence of
the sea serpent, and that wish had
been expressed that whale-ship might
faii fT with one of them; that if We
did not attack him, and should tell of
seeing him when we got home, we
would be laughed at and derided, and
the very first question would be, s.Why
didn't you try himw | told them our
courage was at stake-our manhood,
and even the credit Of the whole Ameri-
can whale fishery, and concluded by
appealing TO their cupidity-holding
ont that we might possibly get into
some southern port
81 do not order one of you to go in
the boats" said 6 but who will volun-
teer 2s Let me say to their credit.
every American in the ship stepped
out at once, followed by all but one
native and two Englishmen. then
ordered the boat steerers and officers to
examine and see that everything in
and about the boats was in perfect
order. ! had already jumped into my
boat. when the serpent began to move
quite rapidly. and it was necessary TO
stand after him. The wind was piping
mp strongly but as we gained | CON
tinued 10 carry all sail, hoping to be
able to lower before the gale rendered
it impossible. The serpent worked to
windward, which compelled me to haul
on the wind, and soon after | carried
away my foretop gallant mast. This
was most unlucky for us-and, what
was still worse, we lost sight of the
monster. We repaired damages with
all possible dispatch. and still kept on
the wind, hoping to see his snakeship.
In less than an hour we saw him again,
but some way to windward; soon ascer-
tanning that he partly turned and was
headed abaft our beam, put the ship
about .en the other tack. The wind |
had increased so much that I was
obliged to put single reef in the fore
and Hlizen topsails. The serpent dis
appeared for few minutes again. but
when he rose he was mile ahead of |
he / J 81 ship i Il and going slowly to leeward,
frankly admit my hopes were feeble
Of ever really capturing him, and the
gale made me hesitate about lowering.
Bat the time arrived, the serpent was
still, and we nearly half mile to wiud-
ward. | came to with the head-yards
aback, TO have better control of all
The ship, and told the ship-keeper TO
keep close to US, and by no means to
lose sight of us for an instant We
lowered, myself taking the lead, and |
in few strokes, the wind and sea
carrying us TO leeward, told the boat
steeref, James Whittemore, of Vermont,
10 stand npp With calm and cool in
trepidity, he laid hold Of his iron thar
poon), and when | beckoned with a
of my hand, quick as thought
5oth of his weapons were buried TO the
socket in the repulsive body before US.
[ shouted "sternin but there was no
visible motion of his snakeship. | I
shifted ends with the boat steerer, and
,leared away lance as quick as pos
,ible. beckoning them TO pull up that I
night get lance, when movement
if the body was visible, and the head
md tail of the monster rushed as il /
rereyin touch the wound.
= The frightfulness of the head. as it
approached the boat, filled the crew
with terror, and three of them jumped
,verboard instinctively held out my
ance, and its sharp point entered the
ave. vas Knocked over, and felt the
leep churniug of the water around me.
rose to the surface, and caught a
glimpse Of the wriihing body, and was
again struck and carried down; partly
lost my consciousness und water, but
it when Trose again In the
bloody foa IN the snake had disappeared,
and shouted, Pick up the line m-
lie lHlfu mate. MT. D5HSuilt caught
blight of my line near the end, and
bent on his, which in an instant began
10 be taken ont rapidly. The mate
picked me up as soon as rose to the
surface, and in few minutes all were
picked up. One was severely bruised
ind another insensible, but he recover
ID, and both are now well. The snake
lad laken my line, the third mates,
md was taking the second mates.
when Iordered the mate to bend on
Ind give his line to the ship. The
make was sounding, and | cautioned T
heofficers not to hold on too hard, for
ear of drawing the irons. At first the
inc went ont rapidly, but decreased E
sradnally, nevertheless | was obliged
Q get up spare line out Of the fore
lold and bend on. For fear the ship.
would by its weight on the line draw the
fons.i put on several drugs and gave
he line to the mate, when it became
tationafy There was now out four
,oat lines, 225 fathoms in a boat, and
of another line, 100 fathoms
nare-in all 1000 fathoms, 6 feet in a
- l. a. H.. Il l