The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1858-08-25
CHEWED UP BYAwHALE.
BY N. P. WILLIS.

BY N. P. WILLIS.
My most intimate acquaintance a
Scancet was Nantucket skipper VIII
his surviving to tell the story, of coul Sc
being simply because the dainty levia
than, not liking the taste of him, hat
dropped the unwilling mou'hful ou
again upon the ocean. This was fort,
years ago, and it is rare instance, yol
will allow, ola morsel proving p!easan
company SO long after being rejected BY
reluctant stomach at sea.
should ask pardon, however, fo
speaking thus familiarly of one of th,
best specimens of manhood that ever
had the happiness to meet-a sea cap
tain now in the seventy-third year, al
tall, strait, vigorous and cheerful, at thi!
advanced age, as when mato of twenty
| five-one of the most respectable citizen.
of New Bedford, present, aud enjoying
comfortable independence, from th.
capture of the whale that wou' dn't eai
him, and of the other whales who simi
larly left him unswallowed. But
must give you the particulars of the hall
mastication of Capt Gardner, who, by
the way, in addition to his singular ex
perience as a mouthful, has the peculiar.
ity of being the SOB of the fist white
male child barn on Nantucket.
Newly arrived at the honors of cap.
taiucy, our Nantucket skipper was cruis
ing along the coast of South America-
just off Peru-when there was cry from
the mast head, "a whale hol" The di.
rections was given, the sails trimmed for
the overtaking of the monster, and when
within a mile, the boats were lowered,
each with its crew of six. asa7 o. H
Quietly ahoat lay the ampbibious Shy
lock ofthe sea, and as the swift toat ca me
within harpooniDg distanc, the inevitab! e
iron, hurled by the strong arm, penetra
ted his visals. Not as usual, however,
did the struck monster go out of sight;
turning and taking straight for his enc
mics. he rolled over his huge bulk to get
fairer grip, and bro't his jaws together
upon the boats brew-the forN ard half
of that slight structure, captain and all,
disappearing like the best part of an
apple tart in the MUNICH of hungry
school boy. The remainder of til crew
had jumped overheard, and; as the whale,
of sight, he threw up the unswallowed
captain-the relief boat pulling instantly
to the spot, aud taking the crushed NOR
sci and the five swimm ers safely from
the water.
1t was the chewed up right hand of
the captain, as he set by me at the ia Bile,
which had at first excited my curiosity,
stimulating the inquiries which drew
from him, at last, this thrilling story
the stump, or what was visible below the
coat sleeve, looking like a twisted ropes
end, but still retaining clutch enough to
carry the chow der spoon to his mouth. =
Four of the whales teeth were driven
into him, one entering his skull, q Sec
ond breaking his collar bone, third
breaking his arm, and the fourth crush
ing his hand-the remainder of his
body being simply squeezed into jelly.
The healing of the wound in the head
eft a cavity like the inside of an egg
she'll; and though the hair has still
grown over it, it tells, after forty years,
the size of the tooth that did it. l laid
the ends of my three fingers very COM
fortably in the hollow.
Capt. Gardner, providentially, though
so nearly eaten up, retained full posses
sion of his senses. His first mate was
young, but very smart lad, and pos
sessed fortunately of Yankee aptitude
good at verything; aud with the aid of
the sufferers directions he did the work
of surgeon. The captain ordered him
first to make splints, and then to set his
broken arm-the collar bone being left
to heal itself, unset, as it remains to
this day, without preceptibly affecting
his erect shape or the action of his chest,
and the other wounds being bandaged
in the usual way. He was then laid
on the cabin floor, and with bed made
of some of the leaves of an old log book,
he was kept as cool as was any way pos
sible-for it was the hottises of the
South Sea- Feeling, however, that his
life depended on the exercise of his
strong will, be gave orders that he
should by no possibility be allowed to
sleep over five minutes at a time. Aud
with this vigilant watch kept up for
Eve days, the ship navigated by his direc
tions, as be lay on the cabin floor, en-
tered the port OF r cru.
A boat sent Immediately on shore,
bro't on board the Emperor's physician,
who, on looking at the p:ostrate mau
and examining his wound. advised only
that they should send for confessor =
Other prescription the medical man
would be useless, as death was
evidently close at hand. But the Car.
tain was of different opinion. "a
physician for the soul is very we'll at the
proper time and place." said he, "but
at present want one for the body-and
happen to know Of one who will cure NIL
1t SO happened that 10 previous
touch at the same port, Capt. Gardner
had heard of the sick mate of an Amer
lean vessel who had deem left behind by
his ship mates, and to whom, as a char
ity to suffering countrymen, he then
offered passage home. The mans
message of reply was that he ortunately
stood 10 no need of kindness, as he was
under the care of Spanish doctor who
lived at Pura, village back iu the
and who had taken him to
his house and treated him like his own
child. And for this kind old doctor,
Capt. Gardner now sent with all conven-
lent haste-dispensing at once with any
further attendance by the physician of
the Emperor.
Early on the second morning arrived.