Smyrna times., 1857-11-11

might. "PulI and head The mate-thats you
another stroke like that, my hearties; there
she goes; now she flies, hurrah ! the mate
drops-now we lead-off she goes!"
"The whales up. sir" said the Parson, in
terrupting the captain, on the larboard bow u
SO he is, and it's our chance. Peak your
oars, boys, and take to the paddles"
The order was promptly obeyed, and we
were seated along the gunwales padding like
Malays. The whale was about half mile off,
going at the rate of three knots an hour, and
blowing leisurely as blacksmith's bellows
"Don't make a noise, my lads" whispered
the captain, "keep your paddles clear of the
sides Of the boat. What a noble fellow he is
gray y-headed, a regular patriarch. Now,
Parson, if you miss him, I'll kill you-mind,
he's good for IS barrels, yes, 90; perhaps 100,
and to miss MIN deserves death-two deaths
eh, boys! Hush! take your paddles cut of the
water-he smells oakum-no he doesn't; pad.
die away"
We were following in his wake. and as the
sun was shining on his starboard side, the cap.
tain concluded the glare would half blind him,
him, and enable us to approach without being
seen, and steered the boat accordingly. 1t was
really grand to see the noble fellow ploughing
along so gently, as if he were bathing for the
benefit of his health, and enjoying the pleasure.
"Stand up, Parson,'' said the captain firmly,
though in a whisper, his eyes glaring as if they
would leap from their sockets
The boats bow was square with the whales
hump, not more than eight feet off; the Par
son held the iron (harpoon) by the middle care.
lessly in his left hand the men still padded,
just keeping way with the whale, while the
captain was gradually edging the boat, head on
and stern off.
"Dart," whispered the captain but the Par
son whispered back. " Lay on"
Dart, | tell you, you're near enough -
"Lay on!" was still the response Of the Par
son.
"There, blast you there's lay on and have
your head knocked off," giving the boat
sweep on with the steering oar. This time
there was no order to dart, nor was it neccs.
sary for the Pa:son il order to give incrcas.
ed velocity to the harpoon, sprang into the box
of the boat and seat one iron after the other
socket up into the whale, just abaft the fin
then jumping down into his proper place, seized
lance, bat betnre he could bring it to bear, the
whale fairly sprang out Of water at least six
feet aud came down with splash that shroud-
ed the boat in foam as it she had been immers
ed in the ruins of water-spout.
"Stern hard" shouted the captain" stern
for your lives!" and the men bent TO their oars
amid the whirlpool created by the emotion Of
the whale. But the Parson, true to his original
purpose, regardless Of the consequences, while
the boat lay almost against the whales hump.
sent the lance into his vitals and churned il
round and round the captain swearing like
manac for him to sit down to his oar aud lend
a hand to back the boat clear of the whale.
ale spoUts thick blood" said the Parson.
composedly, as he exchanged places with the
captain; {" did not miss him."
The whale them went down about fifty faith.
oms, but was too much used up to remain long
below, and when he comes to blow, lay motion.
less for a minute. "Lay on" said the captain,
and kill him dead" The order had not to
be repeated the Parson sent the stem of the
boat square against the whales side, and the
captain was about picking out soft place for
his lance, when the whale miled short round.
and raising one corner of his ffukes laid it gent
ly upon the boats gunwale, and tipped her
over, keel up, as politely as lady would turn
her hand in bidding adieu. But quickly as
flash the fukes flew 10 the other side, cut ano
ther boat clean in two, and broke the third
mates leg. Here was pretty mess twelve
sinners overheard in bloody water, surrounded
by sharks, and at the same time liable TO be
smashed in pieces by the whales hukes; but
the venerable patriarch, apparently satisfied
with what he had done, left us to The care Of
the sharks, and paddled away with two irons
and boats lines. 'e'i
To right our boat wasthe work of a few min.
utes, and in half an hour she was an ark of
safety, with all hands on board. The whale
made towards the ship, ran round and round
few times, and then turned up, fin out and head
sunwards. lie made ninety five barrels of oil.
The mate and second mate, unable to capture
the other whale, returned to the ship; but that
same afternoon, the Parson saw him, or another
fellow like him, and had the pleasure Of fasten-
ing to him also. The three whales made two
hundred and seventy barreb Of oil. t..:iiG
In six weeks, the Parson saw and struck four
large and twelve school whales, and never miss
ed one. This uniform success induced the cap
tain to give him charge Of the third mates boat,
in which he killed some half dozen whales,
when he had three of his ribs stove in and was
sent ashore at Guam, to procure medical atten-
dance. and remained there six months.
Winding is not unlike war--eyeryi lowering
isa battle in which all arc liable TO lose their
lives. But the whaler requires more skill and
courage than the soldier or rnan-of-war's man.