Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1855-08-23
nli5rsilaneous.
A NIGHT ON A WHALE.

A NIGHT ON WHALE.
A TRUE AND THRILLING ADVENTURE.
The King Harold, a whale-ship, was cruising
on the Kings Mill Group of Islands. in the Pa
ciic ocean, for sperm-fsh, with the intention of
passing the winter months there, and in the
spring going further north to catch the real
whale. Thus far they had not captured a fish.
AT last, however, their efforts were destined to
be crowned with success, and one of the crew
met with the adventure which forms the sabect
of this paper
The man referred to was the fourth lieutenant,
a young and active strong hand named Sim
mons, who had been promoted to perform the
important duty of boats header or barpooner.
AT the first simmons, four boats left the side of
the King Harold, exerting their utmost strength
to outstrip each other. An extraordinary zeal
prevails on such occasions by those who man the
different boats, as it becomes point of honor
which shall throw the first successful harpoon
and on this day all the others had shot ahead of
that commanded by Simmons, when, just to the
right of him, but at some distance, another
whale was seen to blow, and he at once turned
towards it, and pulled away from his compan-
ions.
The other boats had too much work on their
hands to pay any attention to him, and as the
whales which they were in pursuit OF just then
rose again within thirty feet one of the har-
pooners Immediately drove his iron home: the
two others were also " fast " soon after but as
the iron of the second boat came out again, and
the whale sunk to great depth, it was COM
PEELED to follow the third, and help in capturing
its fish. This they eventually succeeded in doing,
though the struck leviathans set off at full speed,
in northerly direction, tearing the boats after
them and dashing the water furiously over their
bows However, after much trouble they Sc
cured two, and then lay on their oars to await
the ship, as it would have been impossible for
them to row with such tremendous mass in
tow.
While waiting for their vessel, which was at
great distance, they had leisure to look round
for the fourth-that of our friend Simmons
but they searched in vain for its glstcning sail.
1t had disappeared, and their consolation was
in the hope that it had been kept in sight from
the mast head. The King Harold, however,
was by no means quick sailer, and the after
noon was spent ere she reached them, and Sc
cured the two fish alongside A man was i'm
mediately sent aloft to discover where the fourth
boat was, but nothing could be seen of it, and
at length the skipper and several of the crew
followed to the same position for similar pur-
pose but all in vain. Once or twice they fan
cied they could see dark spot on the water to
the southwest, but on looking closer it disap-
peared. The watch was kept up till dark, but
not the slightest trace of the boat could be dis
covered.
As the captain could not cruise about on ac-
count of the fish alongside, even had he known
in what direction to steer, he determined to cut
them during the night, as far as possible, ant
in the morning, leaving the remainder with {
flag hoisted on them, seek the missing boat ant
its crew. He still had chance of finding then
to the leeward, and the ship was sdrifting in tina
direction with the trade wind, and the equato
=, rial current 1t was most probable that a wound
ed spermaceti had destroyed the boat, and tina
y the men had not been SO long able to keep abov
:, ', water. The sea was certainly calm enough, bu
!, the fearful shark speedily scents the blood of
struck fish and as at the present moment fy
Or six of these greedy brutes were swimmin
r round their vessel, and making unavailing eAor
y to tear off piece of the tough elastic hide,
= would only be too certain that they would fiji
y the spot where the other boat had sunk, OF
- :. woe be to the unfortunate men who were exp
" - sed to their rapacious, inexorable jaws.
10 - But there was still possibility that the BOZ
= had drfted so far to leeward that it could n
pull up again, and two lanterns were hoisted
the fore and main tops, in order that they mig
not in any event, pull past in the gloom. Aft
dark, at midnight, and before the dog waite
the skipper had the gun fired but the mig
passed away without anything being seen
heard of the lost ones. The cutting up of t
whales went on actively in the meanwhile, a,
ed the boiling out was commenced. Large torch
nd fed with strips of blubber hung overhead ir
ss. fre-basket, net made of iron-hoops, and
cd up the dark ocean, giving the dancing wave
oft sngularly transparent view
% At daybreak, two Of the harpooners were 81
sat to the top. armed with good glasses, to agl
an look for the missing boat. In vain had IL
yer searched the whole horizon, without bel
re, able to discover anything, when the eyes of
ing were attracted by dark spot, which he clos
OF examined. The distance was TOO great to all
pre- anything to be clearly distinguished, but for
VIII that the skipper was Immediately Informed
uns the circumstance, and speedily joined them.
OF was certain something was floating on the
"ef 'sr there, whatever 1t might be-, but it 10y