Monmouth weekly herald. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1854-1860, 1857-04-02
yntertsting Stotg.
A SEA SKETCH.
AN OLD YARN RELIED UP
BY AN OLD TAR.

| During a cruise along the co asts of
Scandinavia. there was an old sailor on
board our craft who was fond of reeling
off his yarns on the calm, moonlight eve
nings, when we were won't to lie at an
Choir along way up the Fords. He had
been whaler in his youth; but that ad-
venturous branch of the sea-service being
fraught with more hardships and danger,
and yet with no more profit than the plain
shilling of a merchantmen, he relinquished
whale killing, and getting at length a
berth on board my friends yacht, took to
yarn-telling There was one story [ re-
member in particular; and whether it
made deep impression on my memory,
by the Frightening eyes and enthusiastic
manner of the narrator, at the time he re-
counted it, or whether the originality Of
the narrative impressed my fancy, can
not say; but have ever had longing
desire to reel up the yarn by repetition
and have done with it; and, unless do
so, think it will poster my remembrance
much after the same fashion as the roar
of cannon, or twang Of c'arions, rings in
the ear of an old warrior.
Lying southwest of Cape Horn, is the
small island of Diego Ramirez 1t is an
inhospitable spot, but point of land
where many of our ships were accustom-
ed to resort for the purpose of taking
whales. These whalc-ships are as well
manned ain commanded is any vessels.
that leave the port of London, and are
thoroughly provided with those miscella-
neous stores SO requisite for the particu
lar and protracted expeditions in which
they are engaged. 1t is custom, never
broken through, that when whale-ship
clears the land, the crew should be called
aft, and the most sagacious and active
man selected by the captain from the
whole complement. The seamen so Sc
lected is called the ship-keeper." AL.
though at the first moment, the duties of
a ship-keepeI.' may not seem onerous,
or to require any more than ordinary
care, on obtaining closer acquaintance
with the Office, some degree of Judgment
and foresight becomes absolutely necessa-
ry. The uperintendance of the vessel
falls to his charge when the crew is in the
boats, in search or chase of fish; and his
activity is oftentimes put to a severe trial
when only the steward and cook compose
the whole remaining crew. Clambering
to the maintop-masE head, his general po-
siton is to rest his chin on the cap, to
scour the whole visible surface of the wa
ter, and also from that elevated position,
to observe if all be going on we'll on deck.
Scanning the horizon from e. to w. and
N. to S., he let's no whale, or resemblance
of whale, escape his glance, nor does
his ever tireless eye fail to wander to the
absent crew, that immediate aid may be
offered when emergency makes it requi
site. If the whales rise to the winward
of the pursuers, and they be too far to
voice, the ship-keeper" must run down
the jib; if the game breach" to leeward
he hauls up the spanker, and hosts lit
tie black flag disappears at the same in
slant that the whales turn hukes" and
60 down, and he again hurries up the di
minutive bunting when the school,
again ascend. Should the wind freshen,
or black cloud ominous of i'll, bulge
above the horizon, or other circumstances
occur which entitle him to recall the cap
tain, the colors are displayed at the mz
zen peak. The shipkeeper" is likewise
an important caterer, and it is his place
to see that provisions are prepared for
the men when they return weary from the
chase. Having explained so much, let my
old friend spin his own yarn.
Somewhere, your honor, about the 18th
of June, 1902, before gentle breeze blow
ing from the south, we doubled Cape
Horn. 1t was one of those calm and
] beautiful evenings common to southern
latitude; and the sea, with its surface
waving like sheet of gold, glistened in
the slanting rays of the descending sun.
Like SO many islands, clouds of every
brilliant dye foated in the amber light Of
the western sky, while thrown against a
paler heaven, looming darkly far away to
the s. W., rose a solitary ebon column,
the conieal peak of Diego Ramirez. The
wind being light, the ship would not
stand her course and drifted in upon the
coast Of Chilli; but the captain put the
helm about, and with what little air
we had, stood to the southwark
"The men were sharpening harpoons,
spades, and lances, and weaving their la.
Dor with song or two; but thinking of
home, as sailors sometimes do when they
sing Of it, we grew weary of thought. and
as the sun sank to rest, many Of our eye
lids closed too--eyen the lookout at the
masthead shut his peppers; yet sleepless
alone with hasty pride, the captain paced
1 the deck turning a keen exnectant eve ev