The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1861-11-08
Catching q Whale.


Catching Whale.
The following graphic account of tn
capture Of whale 10 from an interestin
volume cutitlcd Life and Adventures i
the South Pacific" which has Just bee
published by Messrs. Harper & Brothers:
The morniDg OF the 22I commenced will
light breezes from the northeast; pieasan
weather. Suddenly, about o A. NJ, tb,
monotony was broken by tho welcome or,
from masthead:
There abe blows; There sh,
b-l.o.w.s?'
Whore away:"
-Four points off the Ice bow, SIR"
allow far off 2
"About two miles, sir"
"Wbat does il look like ?"
"Sperm whales, SIR"
cay, Ay; sing out evcry time you hollcr.
By this time the captain was aloft, and
on taking Wow with his spy glass at the
-spouts," singing out, "Sperm whales! Cal
all hands; bear q hand there, aud got you,
boats ready"
'Ay, Ay. sir" is the reply.
All hand are called. and the different
crews stand ready by their respective boats
'all eager for the fray" and expressing
their determination to capture whale be
fore returning to the ship, taking for their
motto. "A dead whale or a stove boat"
"Lower away the boats I" shouts the cap.
tain, I'd no desconds TO the deck. They are
INSTANTLY lowered, followed by the crews
aud nov comes the tug Of war. Each boa,
sets her sail. and the men in good earnest
While they are sklmming the waves. the
whale is still spouting. and all are anxious
to reach him before his "spoutiHgs arc out.
1t frequently happens, that, just at the
moment the boat. .steerer "stands" up Z,
strike the whale. he suddenly descends
but experienced whalemen can general,
tell what direction they take while down
by the position of the "fukes" when goiDI
down. The boats arc then pulled in ,h'
direction the whale is supposed to bav,
taken. They also judge of the distance tn,
whale will go under water by the vslocit,
of the animal when last seen. After the
boats have pulled what seems to be th,
proper distance, they "hesve up" or ceas,
pulling. A large whale, when not "gaiIied,
or frightened. generally spouss sixty oil
seventy timcs before going down. and re
mains down from fifty 10 seventy minutes
Tho boats have now got close on. Thos,
left on board the ship are watching viii
breathless anxiety, occasionally exclaiming
"Oh, pull, boys! do puii!" Meantime tht
men in tho boats are bonding back to it
but tho bow boat has tho advantage; she i,
the head boat; Mr. X. is Jumping up ant
down in the stern, "Once more my hearties
give IL to her few more strokes, and we
have him, pull, my children!'' Thus. one
moment coaxirg and the next scolding
but no ono beeds him. as all are bent on
taking tho whale. "Stsnd up!" shouted he
and tho boat steerer rose to his feet. grssped
his iron. and as the boat neared the mon.
ster, "Give it to him !" 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 crv resonnded
over the waters, 'We are fast! We are fast
The sea which but moment before lay still
and quiet, with scarcely Q ripple 10 break
the even surface. 10 nov lasbed into foam
by the writings of the whale. "Stern al! Z
shouts the officer.
The boat is Immediately backed, and re.
moved from present danger; the officer
takes the head of the boat, and the boat
steerer takes the steering oar to manage
the boat; tho whale is sounding, and the
limo is running through the "chOcks" OF
grove in the head of boat, with the rapidity
OF lightning. and rs il passes round the
loggerhead, it ignites by the heat produced
by the friction. but the tub.oarsman 10 con
tinually dashing water upon il in the line
tub. The whale sounds deep, and the line
is almost out; a signal is made to the othsI
boats, which are coming down. They come
near enough aud bend OH their lines, but
presently IL ceases running out and slackens
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 coili
It away, as fast as hauled in. in tho stern
sheets. He soon comes to tho top of the
water. and the boat 10 gradually hauled up
10 him. Another boat now fastens, and he
again attempts 20 sound. but. being weak.
ened from tha loss Of blood, no is soon .,
the surface again. The boats now draw
alongside. aud tho officer OF the first boat
fast prepares his lance. He darts IL for his
vitals---just behind the finland the first one
proves fatal, for he shows the "red Tag,
the blood flows freely from the spout hole
in thick, dark stream; the sea 10 stained
for some distance around. and the men in
the boats arc severed with the bloody spray.
The monster now attempts to sound. but
is obliged to keep to the surface, and be
soon goes 10 what Is technically termed by
whalemen bis "furry,' but what Iandsmen