Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1853-10-21
Iron the Peoples Paper
AwHALEmAN,s JOURNAL.

blowing fresh for a few days had subsidized
and Was blowing a gentle breeze, and al
hands, with the exception of the boat steerer
the men al the mast heads, and the men al
the helm, had gone below TO breakfast.
W. were all seated at our chests, win ou'
tin pots and spoons before as, "munehine
our hard tack aud salt junk and taking
over our hard luck, for we mad not seen the
spout Of sperm whale for The last ten weeks
Ons or two Of rs. however. had finished oni
break fast. aud were engaged in that trus sail
or's pa-,,me-ov erhauIing our chests-when
Al. AZ once the welcome sound was shouted
from the mast head: "Thers she bresthes. y
In an instant all was confusion; some ran on
deck with their mouths and hands full oil
bread and beef, others who had concluded to
turn out after eight bells In "clean rig"
had their shirts in their hands, tossing them
over their heads Us they ran to their different
boats.
was the tub-oarsman Of the larboard
quarter boat, and II vas my duty, whenever
whales were In sight. 10 assist the bow oars
man 10 place the tub OF the line which Is
attached 10 the hsr2oons In It's place in the
boat.
Having finished my work. now took a
look around. The harpooner. or boat steer
er ~ he Il commonly called, was busilY EN-
gagged In "bendng on his craft" 10 the end
Of the line. (Crsft Is the technical term used
by whsleman for harpoons, lances, spades,
&C.; and while the proper name Is always
used when spesking oflances, spades, and all
ether instruments or weapons used seperate-
~, the harpoon 10 invariably called the iron.)
A bout half Of the crew and most OF the
officers were In the rigging or at the mast
hsads. anxioasIy locking out 10 leeward, each
one wishing 10 be the fret TO catch sight Of
the whales spouts when they again rose TO
the Surface
The Captain, who was pacing the deck
with an impatient aud hurrie step, would
now and then grasp his broad brimmed Pan
anna hat Ia both hands, aud turning his face
upwards, shouiedat the top Of his voice.
"Aloft, there. don't you see nothing Of her
yeti"
mo. SIR" would be shouted back. "noth.
ing In SIGHT yet"
Steward" roared cut the captain again,
zee what time it's"
ale qua, past eight" replied the Portu-
gese steward"
"a real cd spermaceti." remarked the
captain. "He has been down three quarters
OF "a hour or more"
Al lns moment, and just as had placed
one foot on the lower ratlin OF the mzzen
rigging. for the purpose Of going aloft my
self, an old Indian who was seated on the
main topsall yard, sang out;
"fhere she blows, right along side."
Aud sure enough not more than an eighth
Of a mile distant. and TO leeward; was a large
sperm whale. scarcely settling himself out Of
sight al any time beneath the surface Of the
water, as he seemed TO be quietly breathing
out huge volumes Of caroonize air, ana
shooting II out far over the water in a dense
mass Of vapor that In shape and appearance
resrmblsd white, ushy-looking cloud.
would here remark that oil the different spe-
cIes Of whales are known 10 a whalemen as
soon as he sess the form and appearance Of
their Spout" as the air which they breathe
forth 10 called.
All was now confusion on deck-sailors
might be seen, like cats sliding down the
backstays, others running for their boats.
"Stand by the waist boat, stand by the
quarter boat, stand by 10 lower" aud every
other possible order that could be imagined
or thought Of were given by the officers OF
the different boats from mates down TO boat
steerers. la the midst Of this confusion aud
noise, caused by the anxiety Of the different
mates 10 get their boats off first, the voice OF
the captain was heard over all, in tones Of
\
thunder;
"What are you all about1 Haul up the
mainssil." he shouted, LAY aft here TO the
main braces and back the main topshL. Mr.
Coffin, what does that fellow say aloftl"
"Anotber whale ab0uta mile to ths lee
ward Of the first was the reply.
BY this tins the ships main topstil had
been laid to the mast. The determined tene
Of his voice. a. we'll the manner Of the
captain 'sprocesdines had restored the whole
crew, officers and msn TO order.
Snow stand by to lower away" he shout
&c, "when give the word"
The falls were cleared, aud tho cranes
swung. with the skip keepers all ia readiness
10 lower. "Lower away fore aud ait" was
shouted and In an instant, as II by mario, four
bosis were seen bounding over the waves to
lseward with their small spirit slils set TO
tina breeze, aud every man stralning away TO
the oars IN a race that was 10 make the for
tunats boats crew that first reached the huge
lsviathsn and got their irons buried in his
carcass, little baud Of heroes till some other
boat should meet with like success on some
future day.
4 was In the first mates boat. His name
ives Frank Coffin, native, believe, OF Nam
tucket, aud one Of the most active men which
that renowned little island has ever produced.
The sscond mate, whose name was Johnson,
ives one Of those self oonceited asses, that are
oftsn 10 be seen on shors Boosting Of their
performances at sea. lie was squirt eyed,
nsar-slghtsd. knock. need. aud with shoul.
drrs set so high that his head was placed be.
tween thsm, something after The manner Of
q tsrrspin's, by which name he Wa. called by
the crew, among themselves, aud with whom
he was an, thing but aiavoFte.
The third mates name was Swain, n amar,
man aud good whalemsn. The captain
usually went 10 the fourth boat himself, but,
having been unwvll fvF some time, his boat.
sts-rcr now had taken tho head Of his boat.
Hut 20 return " my story, a ftcr pulling
away RON the ,hlp sufficient distance TO
havs enabled the officer al the steering oar 10
have seen the spout OF the nearest whale, the
boat ss-errr was ordered 10 stand up In the
bows Of the boat aud look out fof hin. Our
boat was ahead. aad tie mate waved his hat
TO Old Tsrrspin To take his oars out Of the
water. THIS pfvaautlon u often adopted,
for q whale u AZ all any ths isast noise
will alarm HIN. aud u he once geta fairly
frightened there u batlitlls prospect Of get
ting near enough 10 gets harpoon fast sned
In him
The boat-stsurer had scarcely got on his
feet when he saw the whale about a ship .
length distance. The boats sail had been la
a lins with the mate aud ths whale, aud had
prevented hIs seeing the spout Tue boat
steersr jumped down to his oar, aud We all
thought ~s were surs Of hlms but the second
mats had either not seen the mates signal,
or, heedlsss Of u. had continued ufging ON
his men. aud was now side aud side with Us.
The mate who, under other circumstances,
would have cheerfully taken his oars out OF
the water aud allowed the second mate TO
have had the honor Of being the first 10 fas-
ten, now had his dandsf up.
"PuIi, tell YOU" he cried, "every moth.
er's son Of you, there he lays, only three seas
OF; give way, now, new knife for you all
sroaad if We only get fast 10 him. See that
chuckls- headed old tsrrapln going right GU
to his eye. lie will make eighty barrels IL he
makes . drop" Here he seemed to be
drawing ahead Of the other boat. Go Il
my boys; new pair Of duck trowsrrs for
zach Of you, and a head Of tobacco in each
pocket.
The perspiraiion was now streaming 4, wn
our faces. and the thwsrts on which W.. were
setting. a. we strained every nerve ut the oars
were actually wet. The mate himself, M he
sioo. Ia the stern sheets. with ono hand ON
~.