Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-11-02
MILITARY LIST.
ITALIAN LETTERs.
Catching Winnie.

Catching n Whale.
The following graphic account of the
capture of whale is from an interesting
volume entitled "Life and Adventures in
the South Pacific" which has just been
published by Messrs. Harper s. Brothers
The morning of the 22d commenced with
light breezes from the northeast pleasant
weather. Suddenly, about nine A. NJ, the
monotony was broken by the welcome cry
from the masthead.
"T-h-e-r-e she b-l-o-wsl The re she
b-l-o-w-sp
"Where away"
"Four points off the lee bow, SIR
"How far OFF,
About two miles, sir"
"What ooes it look like2"
"Sperm whales, sir"
cay, ay; sing out every tine you holler."
By this time the captain was aloft,
and, on taking view with his spy-glass
at the "spouts," singing out "Sperm
whales Call all hands; bear hand there,
and get your boats ready"
Gay, ay, sir" is the reply. All hands
are called, and the different crews stand by
their respective boats, "all eager for the
fray" and expressing their determination
to capture whale before returning to their
ship, taking for their motto, A dead whale
or a stove boat"
"Lower away the boatsl !" shouts the cap
tain, as he descends to the deck. They are
instantly lowered, followed by the crews,
and now comes the tug of war. Each boat
sets her sail, and the men pull in good
earnest. While they are skimming the
waves the whale is still spouting and all
are anxious to reach him before his "spout-
ings are out" 1t frequently happens, when
in pursuit, that just at the moment the
boat-steerer stands up to strike the whale,
he suddenly descends; but experienced
whalesmen can generally tell the direction
they take while down by the position of the
"fukes' when going 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 go under
water by the velocity of the animal when
last seen. After the boats have pulled
what is supposed to be the proper distance
they "heave up" or cease pulling A large
whale, when not "galled" or frightened,
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
breathess anxiety, occasionally exclaiming,
"Oh, pull boys, do pullp' Meantime the
men in the boat 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, "Once more, my
hearties give it to her few more strokes,
and we have him; pull, my childrenW
Thus, one moment coaxing and the next
scoldiDg; but no one heeds him, as all 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 p is the next
cry, and "chock to the socket" went the
first iron, followed as quick as thought by
the second. One deafening cheer and the
cry resounded over the waters, I" We are
fast aoe are .JaStF The sea, which but a
moment before lay still and quiet, with
scarcely ripple to break its even surface,
is now lashed into foam by the writings of
the whale. "Stern all |" shouts the officer.
The boat is Immediately backed, and re-
moved from the present danger the officer
takes the head of the boat, and the boat
steerer takes the steering oar to manage the
boat; the whale is sounding, and the line
is running through the "chocks," or
groove in the head of the boat, with the rap
idity of lightning, and as it passes round
the loggerhead it ignites by the heat pro-
duced by friction, but the tub-oarsman is
continually dashing water upon it in the
line tub The whale sounds deep, and line
is almost out; signal is made to the other
boats, which are coming down. They come
near enough, and bend on their lines but
presently it ceases running out and slack
ems; the whale is coming to the surface
again.
All hands now commence to haul in
line" as fast as he rises, and the boat
steerer coils it away, as fast as hauled in,
in the stern sheet. He soon comes to the
top of the water, and the boat is gradually
hauled up to him. Another boat now
fastens, and he again attempts to sound (;
but being weakened by loss of blood, he is
soon at the surface again. The boats now
draw alongside and the officer of the first
boat fast prepares his lance. He darts it
for his vitals (just behind the fn,) and the
first one proves fatal, for in moment more
he shows the tired flag !" the blood flows
freely from the spout hole in a thick, dark
| stream; the sea is stained for some dis
tance, and the men in the boats are covered
with the bloody spray.
| Inc mOusler now dllemptS 10 sOuuui Dul
is obliged to keep the surface, and he soon
goes in what is technically termed by
whalemen his furry" but what landsmen
would call his dying agOnies-and terri
Bile they are. The sea is beaten into per-
feet foam by his writings and contortions
and, after short time, as with accelerated
strength, he starts off with lightning speed,
describing in his course circles, each grow
ing smaller than the preceding one, and his
speed slackening, until he finally gives his
monster throe and dies, rolling fin out, with
his head to the sun.
The battle is now ended, and the huge
levathan lies a victim to the superior power
and mind Of man."
Now that life is extinct hole is cut in
his head, the line made fast, and all the
boats hook on" and tow him to the shiI
where he is made fast by means of'a fuke'
chain passed around his tail, which chain
is brought to the forward part of the ship
and passed through hsws-hole," anG
made fast to the bowsprit bits" bringing
the whale with his head pointedaft and il
proper position to commence the operation
of cutting in."