The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1861-10-09
CATCHING A WHALE,

N. NOIHkkSILL.
CATCHING WHALE.
The following graphic description of the cap
ture of a whale Is from an interesting volume
entitled Lie aud Adventures Ia the South
Pacihc," which has just been published by the
Mes>rs Harper 4 Bios.
The morning OF the 22d commenced with
light breezes from the northeast; pleasant
weather. Suddenly, about y A. NJ, the mOno-
tony was broken by the welcome cry from mast
head,
"Th-e-r-e she blows! There she
bl-o-w-s!n
Where away!"
-Four point, of the lee bow, sir
How lar vt."
About two miles, sir.'
"Whal does II look likef'
"Sperm whales, cir"
"Ay, ay; sing out every time you holler.'
BY this time the captain was aloit, and, on
taking view with his spy glass al the "spouts,"
singing out, Sperm whales! Call all hands;
bear hand there, and get your boats ready"
=" Ay, ay, sir, Is the reply. All hands are
called, and tie different crews stand by Their
respective boats, all eager for the fray" and
expressing their deter nation to capture
whale before returning to the ship. taking for
Lower away the bOats.' shouts the cap
tain as lac desceuds to the deck. They are in
stantly lowered, followed by the crews. and
now comes the tug Oi war. Each boat sets her
SAIL and The men pull Ia good earnest. While
they are skimmlng the waves the whale is still
sp01ting, and ali are anxious 10 reach him be
fore his "spoutings are OUT 1t frequently
happens, when in pursuit, that, just at the mo-
ment the boat-steerer - stands" up to strike the
whale, he suddenly descends; but experienced
whalemeu can generally tell the direction they
take while down by the position Of the "hukes'
when gong down. The boats are then pulled
in the direction the whale is supposed to have
taken. They also judge of the distance the
whale will 90 under water by the velocity OF
the animal when last seen. After the boats
have pulled what is Judged to be the proper
distance, they heave up or cease pulling.-
A large whale when not CALLED" or fright
ened, generally spouts from sixty to seventy
times before going down, and remains down
from fifty TO seventy minutes
The boats have now got close on. Those left
on board the ship are watching with breathless
anxiety, occasionally exclaimng, "Oh, pull
| boys! do pull" Meantime the men in the boats
are bending back to it, but the bow boat has
the advantage; she is the head boat Mr. K. is
jumping up and down in the stern, crying,
"Ouce more, my heartes; give it to her! u
| few more strokes, and we have him; pull, my
| children" Thus, one moment cOaxing, and
the next scolding, but no one heeds him, as ali
are bent on taking the whale. Stand up!'
| shouted he; and the boat-steerer rose to his
feet, grasped his iron, and as the boat neared
the monster, Give it to him." is the next cry,
and a. chock to the socket went the first iron
| followed as quick as thought by the second
One deafenng cheer and the cry resOunded
over the waters, We ars fast ue are fast r
The sea, which but a moment before lay still
and quiet. with scarcely ripple to break it,
even surface is now dashed INTO foam 10y the
| writings of tho whale. Stern ali!" shout.
the officer. The boat is Immediately backed
and removed from present danger; the Ofiicel
takes the head OF the boat, and the boat steerel
takes the steering oar to manage the oOat; th.
whale is sounding, and the line is running
through the = chocks,', or grove in the head o
the boat, with the rapidity of lightning, and q
it passes round the loggerhead it ignites by th,
heat produced by friction, but the tub-OarsmaI
is continually da,hing water upon it In tn
line-tub. The whale sounds deep, aud the lin,
is almost out signal is made to the Othe
boats, which are coming down. They com
near enough, and bend on their lines; but pre-
Ieently IL Ceases running out and slackens; tn
whale is coming to the surface again. Al
hands now commence 10 haul in line" a. fas
as he rises, and the boat-steerer coils it away
as fast "a hauled in, in the stern sheet. HI
soon comes to the top OF the water, and tn
boat is gradually hauled up to him. Anothe
boat now tastens, and he again attempts t
sound; but being weakened by loss Of blood
he is soon al the surface again. The boat
now draw alongside. and the officer of the firs
boat fast prepares his lance. He darts it 70
vitals Gust behind the fn.) aud the first on
proves fatal, for in Il moment more he show
the - red fiag;" the blood flows freely from th
spout-hOle in thick, dark stream the sea
|. stained for some distance, and the men in th
boats are covered with the bloody spray.
The monster now attempts 10 sound, but
obliged to keep to the surface and he soon gOe
/ in what is technically termed by whalemen h
furry" but what landsmen would call his dy
ing agOnies-and terr bic they are. The sea
beaten into perfect foam by his writings an
, contor tions; and. after short time. as wit
accelerated strength, he starts of, with ligh
ming speed, describing in biz course circle
, each growing smaller than the preceding on
and his speed slackening until he finally Civ,
one monster throe and dies. rolling I'm ou
with his head to the sun.
The battle is now ended, aud the - huge l
viathan lies victim TO the superior power aI
: mind of man."
Now that life is extinct hole is cut in b
head, the line made fast, and all the boa
hook on " and tow him to the chip. where
is made fast by means OF fuke-chain beir
J passed around his tail. which chain is broug
to the forward part of the ship and pass,
through hawse hole" and made fast to Il
q bowsprit bits" bringing the whale with b
head pointing aft. and in proper position
] commence the operation of cutting in."
MCCLELLAN AND HIS GExERALs. - Baya