Monmouth weekly herald. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1854-1860, 1857-04-02

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him; and then dashing far down into tbs
depths of his native ocean, left our skif
among the waters were he sank, to spin
and duck in the whirlpool. b ogsa olig
"a choking sensation Of disappoint-
ment came over us all; but there was no
help, your honor. Night being now al
hand, the signal was flying for our return
and soon assembled ON board, we discus
sed the mischances of the day, and specu,
lated on better luck for the morrow. s,
Scarcely before seven bells had been
struck, and while we were still at break
fast the next morning, we heard the man
at the foretopgallant head sing out mer-
lily.' ~ baa
There she .breechesi' e la sn
In an instant coffee.pot, cans, cups,
and saucers were sent adrift, and every
one scrambling up the fore hatch.
Where away?2 cried the skipper be-
fore he had barely showed his head above
Che companion.
Three points off the starbolrd bow,
sir"
How far?"
About league, sir; heads same as
we do. There she blowsW added the
man, as he began slowly to descend the
ratlines, with his eyes fixed on the spout
ing herd.
Keep her off two points," said the
captain, STEADY my men steady.p
Steady it is, sir" replied the helms
man. as
" Weather braces, small pull. Loose
to- -gallant-s'ls, my lads" 81
i" While these commands were being
given and putin execution, the school o.
fish had gone down, and every eye was
strained to catch a glimpse of their reap
pearance. $3.50 s8
There she top-sailsr' shouted the car
penter, as he ghded down the lee back
stay sperm whalel2
See the lines in the boats" below &c
the captain; Swing the cranes. Bear
hand. my sons!" Back the maintop-sl.'
And no sooner was this done than tn,
ship, that had slight Roadway at tn,
time, became motionless as flying at an
Choir
Lower away; all hands, and in thu
twinkling Of an eye, larboard, and waist
boats struck the water Each Officer
took his place. and themen followed will
the nimbleness Of monkeys. As we dash
ed towards our prey we could observe
them frolieking on the surface Of the wa
ter; for, ilouncing out of its proper ele
ment, a shapeless, huge body would fal
backward into it with loud and heav,
splash. After rowing for a mile, thu
mate, who commanded the same boat a.
the day before, ordered the men to lie;
for the whole school, as if by common
consent, had sunk; and peaking our oars
we stood up to look along the sea for IT, c
first whale that should break water.
(" 1t was dead calm. Nowhere, high
or far as the sight could pierce. was pass
ing a single cloud across the deep blue
heaven to vary its boundless transparency.
or to shadow the cleaning ocean which
lit spanned. Within a short distance
floated our gallant bark. and in festoons
dropping from her yards hung the idle
canvass, while her inverted image. on
which she seemed to sleep, was glassed,
beautifully distinct, ON the smooth ex,
panse beneath. The albatross, as it
wheeled with tapping wings along the
stagnant atmosphere, or the water lowly
gurgling against the boats side, were the
only sounds save our own heavy breath
ing,to disturb the solmen stiffness. A
few minutes thus passed in perfect quiet
served to show some dark object moving
on the sea right ahead. 1t was small
calf sporting in the sunshine.
:" Pull up, and strike it, said the mate,
it may bring up the old one; or perhaps,
the whole school"
"And so with vengeance, it did,
Hardly had the calf been laneed, and
made its first agonized plunge, when an
enormous 'cow-whale,' rose beside j her
wounded offspring. Striving to take it
Under its fin, and bear it away, nothing
could exceed the maternal tenderness,
with which she essayed to accomplish her
purpose. How strikingly, yet vainly, she
tried to coax it to follow her, until the
poor thing rolled over, dying, and then
hoated dead by her;side! Perceiving life
to be beyond the reach Of her carcasses,
she turned to wreak her vengence on the
slayers, and crushing her vast jaws, hur-
ried towards the boat. Quitting the helm
the mate sprang forward, cut the line
loose from the calf, and snatching the re
naming iron from the crotch. plunged it
with all his gathered strength into the
body of the mother. The work was we'll
done; but the crafty COW descended to an
amazing depth, that to save our lives, we
We were compelled to sever the line, and
let her go. M
81 "Nearly at the same instant, a whale
: preached close to our starboard quarter,
and, from the glimpse we caught we re-
cognised our old friend Of the evening.
His back your honor, was covered with
remnants Of harpooDs and lances; for. they
had rusted to short stumps, being worn,
no doubt by lapse Of time and the corros.
sive qualities of salt water. He seemed
to recognise US also, for the moment after
he had raised his great head above the
sea, he made directly towards us. scatter.
ing in his advancenthe pillows into spray