The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1860-03-16


all taken aback. Captain welling'ord will
the chief mate, cook, steward and all hands
came rushing up on deck, clad in nothing
hut what they stood in, thinking that ever.
timber in the ship was shivered to flinders b.
striking against rock. As for Don Whis
kerando himself, as the skipper afterward
called the whale, he must have been dread
fully frightened. as well as hurt. And nj
wonder To be awakened in this rough off
hand manner out ofa pleasant and refresh
ing sleep, was enough to astonish and pro-
woke man, as well as u monster. 1t wal
taking an unfair advantage, rs one nigh
say.
The whale by his actions showed his dis
gust at such unhandsome treatment. and ev'
identity came TO the conclusion that IL such
was his. brutal reception among civilized folk'
ON the top OF the water, the sooner he cOuld
take French laave and 90 below without say
iny good hyc, and mingle once more with
better company, his old friends, the big fish
es and monsters Of tho deep, the better. Blu,
it is sometimes easier ~ plan, than to cx'
ecute, as the shark said, when turning over
on Ills back in order to take nip from the
tuIpn WI slilbr, u uh PVb "oo oohf "
strong hand through his vit,ls, which eiftc-
,ually checked his operations.
TIE whale after receiving blow which
would have demolished an iceberg, recovered
his balance with convulsive shudder, and
threw into the air his huge tail, which loIk-
cd for all the world like half moon, only a
great deal biggcr-you know, shipmates, u
whale always shows his fluke when about to
diye-hut unfortunately for him he brought
il down with tremendous force against the
lirboird bow of the ship, and raised II terri
BILE rumpus. starting y cut waer. spiinS-
ing the bowsprit, carrying away the cat
head, staving in the plank.shear and making
destructive work among the planks and tim.
ber-hehds. But what Was more strange and
unfortunate for him than all the fst, he
struck his tail with such violence against
the bill of the small bower anchor, which
was lashed to the cat-hcid and gunwhale,
that the fluke of the anchor passed through
the lubber, entered the hard solid flesh, ana
flsd itself firmly Just in front of one of the
joints of his tall And there we had him,
shipmates. or he had us At any rate we
were "a tened tog ther, and nothing but cut
ting tn cable, one end of which was fast to
the anchor, and the other clinched around
the foTmost, could separate us.
Thus foiled in his attempt to dive below,
Don Whiskerando next started of on the
surface OF the water, and the way he carried
out the SNAIL bower cable was caution to
windlasses and walking sticks. He tried
once to throw up his tail again that his head
might 90 down, but he made an awkward
and unsuccessful job of it on account of the
weight of the hemp and iron, that hung
about his starn.
When the whole cable, after capsizing the
windass. was run out to the better end, the
old fellow was brought up all standing
This seemed to surprise him again, and made
him uneasy. He foundcred about for time
at u great rate, plunsng and rolling and
pitching like high inettled horse when he
knows he's gota siilor ON his back, or Il
deep-l den bark in head sea off the Cape OF
Good II ,pe. AT length Ending he could not
shake of the harness which he had so clever
ly put on. he st.rtcd of to the eastward,
towing the old brig along after him ut the
rate of some fifteen or twenty knots!
Mr. Baxter, the chief mate, was greatly
terrifed;as well he might bo at seeing the
clumsy old craft travelling of across tho
water at such naddening sped. He bawled
out with all the strength OF his lungs, "Cut
the cable where's the axo?"
lie seized the sharp-edgcd instrument
which was lying by the caboose.house. and
in another minute would have fred Don
Whiskerlndo from the heavy body which
hung upon his heels, If the captain, u man
of undlunted courag and admirable presence
of mind, had not shouted, Hold on and
seizing the mate by the arm, he prevented
the threatened blow.
A bright thought entered the noddlc OF
Captain Wtlingiord. The whale had fairly
taken the brig in tow. lie was strong iel-
low. in good condition, rather lazy withal.
and it would do him good to exercise and
amuse himself by towing the brig for spell.
And if he could be persuaded to tow in the
right direction, and if the anchor had found
good holding ground, the passage over the
Atlantic, thanks to the broad shoulders o.
Don whiskerando, might be shortened
amazingly.
Captain Wellingford took his measures
accordingly. He was real Yankee, and re-
sources in the most puzzling emergency never
failed him. lie ordered all the sails to be
furled, ex epting the tops,ils and the ioretop-
mast-stay sail; he stationed two men ut the
wheel: for when vessel goes twenty knots
through the water, every body knows that
she requires II quick helm and constant at
tention he loaded the dozen muskets we
had on board with stiG charge of duck shot,
and whenever Don Whiskerando showed u
disposition to yaw broad of from the true
course, the captain, or one Of the officers en-
trusted with the lookout, let fyG charge OF
shot, slap into the side of hls head as a broad
hin, that he was of his Course. and must
steer small, and make straightwake. And
whenever the Don got lazy, and showed n
disposition to lag u little, or take another
nap, grst of lcaden pellets, sent into the
old fellow starn. proved as powerful per-
suader us a deep-rowelled spur to a horse, or
u long-,ined pitchiork to an elephant, and
started him OF again at full speed.
By attending closely to these little matters
by night and by day, everything went on
swimmingly; and the old Pocahontas dew
John Gilpen-like, at horsc-race speed, across
the waters Of the Atlantic.
Some folks who think they know some
thing when they don't, pretend that whale
or any other fish can swim without wagging
his tail. But I know better than that.
Don Whiskenindo went aheadby the mere
force Of his aippers, and the machinery