East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1864-12-28
THE LAST DART.
A THRILLING EPISODE OF WHALING LIFE.

On the morning Of the Fourth day
of July, in the year 1854, / stood at
the masthead of the Centaurus, whaler,
on the lookout for spout
The ship was forging slowly ahead
under her double-reefcd topsaiIs, close
hauled, and with enough wind to keep
her canvass from shaking.
BY my side, and TO the leeward OF
me, stood my shipmate "Tin Pot" a
tall, wiry specimen of Sandwich
Island native, straight as a dart, and
with pair OF arms which were so
long that their owner could stand in
an upright position and touch the
calves of his legs with either hand. =
His hair hung about his massive head
in wild elf-locks, and his nose was
large and fiat. His eyes were black,
but in moments Of excitement they
were illuminated with a sea-green lus-
tire that gave them strange express
sion.
This Tin Pot was a boat-steerer, and
boosted that he had made four yoy-
uges in tiIut oupacity, and had never
missed his whale. The statement was
believed by every man iii the ship, for
we had all had opportunities TO wit
ness his doxterity with the harpoon,
which certainly could not have been
surpassed. The Centaurus owed the
acquisition of five of her largest whales
to the wonderful skill and prowess of
his arm.
/ liked Tin Pot from the first mo-
ment l saw him, and accordingly we
became chums and messed together.
1t is true that in the beginning of our
acquaintance the islander indulged
the disagreeable habit of transferring
"salt horse and "sea pie" to his
mouth with his fingers instead OF
using n knife and fork but l cured
him Of this habit by making him a
present of new jack knife, rusty
fork, and wooden spoon, explaining
tho uses Of each From that moment
he behaved like gentleman Kanaka.
"Tin Pot" said l, on that Fourth
of July morning, as / offered the ma
tive chew of tobacco, "what is the
matter with your You look gloomy"
"How you call 'im-gloomy" in
quired the Islander.
"Sad, down hearted, no smile, no
laugh" / answered.
."Oh, ah, me see," said Tin Pot
Well, me no slcep-ee good las night.
Me have bad dream. Me tink see
whale-big fellow. He como up dc
head do boat--me throw iron and
miss. Bad for Kanaka--no good
luck"
Nonsense" / replied, "that dream
meant nothing. You can never miss
whale" SIS 81
$50 me always b'lieve," answered
the Islander. $50 Owreenoona say
she hope but"
"And who is this Owreenoona?"-
/ inquired.
"Owreenoona old she-Kanaka.---
Wise woman--tell fortune. Live
alono among de mountains Mauna
Roa. / go TO hear her tell fortune.--
She say to me: You 60 to sea =
make great whale killer you hit i'm
every time, me hope. Sposee (sup.
poso) you no hit, den you have bad
luck-you no live long. bad 70,
Kanaka, s'pose you rniss.''
The sea. green light was in the eye.
of my dark-skinned chum. One o.
his long arms swayed restlessly to and
fro.
"Tin Pot" said I, this is non,
sense. You must not believe the ole
woman; and as TO your dream, thai
amounts to nothing. We dream. o
everything
"No, mol" exclaimed the Kanaka
"Owreenoona wise woman--she speal
true. Me believe Owreenoona-- al
Kanaka believe Mauna Roa woman
all There blo-o-owsl" he sud
denly interrupted, while his long body
was bent eagerly forward.
/ looked in the direction of hi
glance, and sure enough there was tn,
well known spout. -
"Where away?" shouted the cap
tain, as he ran to the waist.
"Two points off lee bow--only mil,
and half!' answered Tin Pot. ssTher,
blo-o-ows !"
The next moment the captains spy
glass was leveled over the lee bul
warks. One brief glance was sufIi
cient.
Haul back the main-yard!" h
shouted, "and clear away the boats
i Gall all hands there fprwardv