Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1857-02-04
MISCELL A NY
An Exciting Chase.

An Exciting Chase.
The following which we find in a work called
sThe Ocean, by P. H. Gosse, and extracted
from the narrative of Pacific whaler gives a
vivid picture of the excitement attending the
capture of the whale:
SAt daybreak. one fine morning in August, as
our first mate was going aloft to look out for
Whales. he discovered no less than three ships
within mile of us but they were situated IN
vor;ous directions We soon discovered them
70 be whalers, who, like ourselves, were cruis-
inc after the Spermaceti Whale, aud, therefore,
their appearance only had the effect OF redoub-
ling our vigilance in the outlook, so that we
mSbt. if possible, be the first to obtain the best
chance. if one of those creatures hove Ill sight.
And it was not long before a very large whale
made his appearance right in among the ships.
The water was smooth at the time, for we had
but light air of wind stirring,so that our boats
were instantly lowered without the loss of time
of bringing the ship to. But, although we man
aged matters as quietly and secretly as possible,
we found the moment our boats Quilted tne
sbip's side, that all the others had been as vigil
liant as ourselves, and had also lowered their
boats after the whale The whole OF them i'm
mediately began the chase, nine boats in ALL be-
inc three from each ship. They all exerted
themselves to the utmost, and, rs we expected
in vain; for before any of the boats had got e.
ven near him, the enormous animal lltted ms
widely-expanded fukes, and descended psrpen-
dicularly into the depths of the Ocean to iced.
Those in the boats, however, having noticed his
course, proceeded onwardS, thinking the whale
would continue to pursue the same direction I'M
der water; but, as he was going slowly at the
time he was ND, they did not proceed more than
q mile from the place at which he descended,
before thev separated about q hundred yards
from each other, and then, peaking their oars,
all the men in each boat stood up, looking IN
different directions, so rs to catch the hrst ap-
pearance of the spout, when the whale again
rose to breathe. When an hour after his des-
cent had expired, the excitement among US who
were ON board the ship, became wound up to
its highest pitch. The captain, who had re-
maiued on board, ascended to the fore-top gal
lant-vard to watch the manGuvres OF the boats,
and for the purpose OF the better ordering the
SIGNALS to them, or working of the ship. All
those who were down after the whale appeared
as feverish with anxiety as ourselves, for every
now and then they were to be seen shifting their
position a little, thinking to do so with advant
are then they would cease rowing, and stand
M on the seats of the boats, and look all round
over the smooth surface of the Ocean with ar
dent gaze. But one hour and ten minutes ex-
pired before the monster of the deep thought
proper to break cover; and when he did, then q
rattlina chase commenced with the whole OF the
boats, and they really flew along in tine style,
some of them appearing to be actually hffed
ouite on the surface of the water, from the great
bower of the rowers and we had the' satisfac-
tion of observing, that our boats were quite e.
DUAL to the Others in the speed with which they
were propelled. But it was again q useless task,
As the whale had outwitted those in the boats,
by having gone, while under water, much fur
tber than any of his pursuers had anticipated,
and they again had the modification of witness
inr the turning of his flukes as he once more
descended inVo the depths of his vast domain.-
We now knew to Il minute the time that he
would remain below, while the people in the
boats continued to row slowly onwards the
whole time. A fine breeze now sprang up, so
that we were enabled to keep company with
the boats, keeping little to wind-ward of them,
as the whale was going 'on q wind as sea-
man would say, meaning that it was blowing a.
cross him.
..When the hour and ten minutes had again
nearly past, the nine boats were nearly abreast
of each other aud not much separated, so that
the success OF first striking the whale depended
very much upon the swittest boat, especially ii
the whale came up ahead. We had now all the
boats on our leebeam, while the ships were all
astern of us, the most distant not being more
than half Il mile, so that we enjoyed an excel
lent view of this most exciting and animated
scene. True to his time, the levathan at length
arose right ahead of the boats, and at not more
than quarter of q mile distant from them
The excitement among the crews Of the various
boats. when they saw his first spout, was tre-
mendous; they did not shout but we could hear
an agitated murmur from their united voices
reverberating along the surface of the deep
They few over the limpid waves at arapid rate :
the mates of the various boats cheered their re-
spective crews by urgent exclamations. Swing
on our oars, my boys, for the honor of the Hen
rettan cried one Spring away, hearties !
shouted another; and yet scarcely able to breathe
from anxiety and exertion It's our fish y voci-
ferated third, as he passed the rest Of his op-
ponents but q tritling distance. Lay on, my
boys cried young Clark, our first mate, rs he
steered the boat with one hand and passed down
the after oar with the other: she'll be ours yet ;
let's have strong pull, a long pull, and pull
MI togetherl he exclaimed, as he paused from
his eXertlOnS at Tue aIler Odr which SoOil oToSuC
up his boat quite abreast of the foremost.
but the giant of the Ocean, who was only a
short distance before them, now appeared rath
er CALLED, or frightened, having probably seen
or heard the boats, and Us he puffed up his spout
to great height, and reared his enormous head,
he increased his speed, and went along quite as
fast rs the boats, but for only two or three min
utes, when he appeared to get perfectly quiet a
gain, while the boats gained rapidly upon him,
and were soon closed in his wake. Stand upn
cried young Clark to the harpooner, who is also
the bow-oarsman while the same order was in
,tantly given by his opponent, whose boat was
abreast of our mates with the rest close to their
,terns. The orders were instantly obeyed, for
n second of time both boat-steerers stood in
he bows of their respective boats, with their
larpoons held above their heads ready for the
TART; but they both painted to be a few yards
nearer to the whale, to do so with success. The
monster plunged through the main quickly, but