Washington sentinel., 1854-01-06

getting somewhat tatigued and hungry. Hour
after hour passed. and my prospects were as
dismal as ever. The wind had died away-it
was dead calm-and this, although it made
my situation on the raft more comfortable than
during stiff breeze, diminished my chances Of
escape as no vessel could come to my rescue.
ut was, as near as can calculate, about four
bells in the afternoon, while was lonnging on
my hen-coop, with my head under my wing,
and thinking whether it was likely should ever
again indulge in the luxury of salt junk and
moudy biscuit in ships forecastle, that was
startled by noise which sounded like the
blowing OF a porpoise. looked up, and be-
held an immense shoal of those noble fish,
coming from the south in direct line towards
me on their way to some better marine pastur-
age, perhaps thousands of miles off. had no
inclination at that moment to harm them--and
presume they had no wish to harm me.
supposed, as a matter of course, they would not
notice so insignificant being as Jack Cali
nance on hen-coop but push forward on their
journey as quick as possible.
+" But was out in my reckoning. The por-
poises saw the hen-coop, and q sailor hanging
to it-a novel sight which reused their curiosity,
and they crowded around as if determined to
fathom the mystery did not like such close
companionship with the rascals and made a
great splashing in the water to keep them at
respectable distance. But it was of no use. 1t
was not often that an opportunity offered to
make acquaintanceship with an old salt, and
they seemed resolved to improve the present
chance They forgot the object of their journey,
and the importance of despatch, and jostled one
another in their efforts to get near, and find
out what was going on. All! thought to
myself my fine fellows, if ! was now standing
on the bow Of good ship with harpoon in
my fist, would tickle your curiosity to some
purpose
'They crowded nearer and nearer AT length,
one big fellow, who seemed q sort OF king among
them, made dash towards me and thrust his
ugly nozzle between my legs, giving at the
same time snort, whether of triumph, admira-
ton or surprise, | cannot tell, which scattered
the water all over me- AT this moment, pro-
voked at the rascals impudence, recollected
and attempted to repeat the manGuyre, with
admirable presence Of mind, quality which
never forsakes me- shpmates, in any strait,
thrust a fsh-hook into each of his jowls, Just
forward of his eyes, and held hard on the gang
ing! At the same moment, | dropped upon
his back, seated myself firmly in the saddle, and
hauled taut upon both parts of the bride In
this way kept his head to the waters surface,
and easily defeated his desperate attempts to
plunge into the depths below. Finding him
self foiled in all his efforts to unseat me, he
suddenly started off in an easterly direction, as
if a shovel-nosed shark of the largest size was
after him.
The hen coop soon lost sight of, and the
other porpoises, astonished at my unexpected
conduct, and not knowing what / might be
tempted to do next, scattered in every direc-
ton; and there was !, securing over the ocean
waves at the rate of some twelve or fifteen
knots, on the back of a porpoise.
!" MY situation was novel one. 1t required
no little strength and skill to manage my
courser, keep his nose at the waters edge, and
steer him in the right direction; but felt that
my chance of getting out of Davy Jones'
clutches this time was far better on the por-
poises back than when clinging to hencoop,
half hurled in salt water, out of sight of land. \
II knew that the island of ST. Jago could not
be more than thirty miles off in southeast di-
rection-for ! had heard the captain say SO to
the chief mate, after he marked the ships place
on the chart that afternoon--and tried hard
to steer my ship for St. Jago, by keeping the
sun well on the larboard quarter. But / had
tough work. | would rather be rattling down
the topgallant rigging in hurricane, or lying
to in Massachusetts bay in q northeast snow
storm, with the deck and rigging covered with
ice than to manage a headstrong porpoise with
a bride without a curb With all my efforts /
could not prevent his broaching to occasion
ally, and his wake was as crooked as the
track in the snow of an old man -of-wars man
who had just been paid off
Such wild steering heightened my distance
considerably in about an hour
| looked out sharp for land; but it was full two
hours before saw it, rising, as it were, all at
once, high out of the ocean, about three points
on the starboard bow, and not more than nine
or ten miles off. A noble landfalll And a
glad sight it was, shipmates, / assure you, for
| longed to finish my ride-and gave the old
fellow beneath me kick or two to quicken his
PAGES, and away he went again as if q grampus
had kicked him in end.
As we drew in towards the land, spied
little open bay lined with white sandy beach,
back of which were erected some dwelling
houses-and on this spot / at once make up
my mind to beach my craft-so / stood in di-
rectly for the bay. Ny appearance at this time,
coming in from the open sea at furious rate,
with half or two-thirds Of my body out Of water,
must have been singularly striking, and calcu.
lated to attract attention. At all events, it Sc
riously alarmed the quiet inhabitants Of this
little village. They gathered on the shore,
men, women, and children, to the number of
fifteen or twenty, armed with old muskets, cut
lasses, hatchets, and harpoons, prepared to OPP
pose my landing by force of arms, if necessary.
They looked so formidable and threatening,
that, if could have had my own way, / should
have hove to, within hail Of the shore, and held
parley. But my faithful friend, to whom
was so firmly attached, would stand for no ce-
remony, but dashed forward with increasing
speed towards the Shore / had only time to
wave my hand and shout Justify aamigoi
amigo" before | found the porpoise had run
himself upon the beach, hard and fast with me
on his back.
IL never saw folks so astonished as those Por
tuguese were. One among them could speak
some English, and to him | made an explana
ton which was satisfactory, and received with
cheers and acclamations by the whole compa-
ny. The porpoise also came in for a share of
their admiration. They admired his noble size
and plump proportions, and although begged
Il n 4. n - 4.