East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1864-12-28

ieW minutes. lin Tot had deScende
from aloft and taken his station in tn
head Of the larboard boat, the crew O
which, myself among the number
were standing in readiness to tumbl
into their places as soon as the boa
was lowered. Nor had we to wal
long. The order to slower awayl'
soon rang along the decks, and tn,
next moment the crews wero at thei
seats with their oars out.
"Give way, boysp cried the mate
and off We went, with long, stead,
pulls, that sent us far ahead of tn,
other boats.
We had not gone more than half {
mile, when the mate held up his hanC
as signal for us to stop pulling
Accordingly we placed our oars apeak
The other boats, however, kept upor
their way, their crews pulling as i
for their lives.
We were surprised at the mates
order for US to lio TO, as We were not
more than half way to the spot where
the whale had last been seen 10 go
down. Nevertheless 8" old Ironhead,'
as we termed him, was an expert
whaleman, having followed the call
ing from boy, and we knew that he
understood his business.
Me tnk do oder boats see i'm, v
remarked one Of our crew, a big Por-
tuguese, who pulled the midship oar.
Silsre!" muttered old Ironhead,
with fi,rce glitter in his sea blue
eyes /" not word or a whisper, blast
ye,- or III larn ye better manners. :
Tin Poty
"Sir?1
Put your hand on your iron, and
keep yolr eye ON tho water about
eight fathoms ahead"
"Aye, aye, SIR"
All this time the other boats con-
tinued to pull in the direction where
the while had last been seen to dis
appear Old Ironhead was watching
them with broad grin upon his face,
and his legs stretched wide apart, in a
manner which, with him, always de-
noted the most intense satisfaction.
Suddenly, however, the boats crews
stopped pulling, while many glances
were thrown toward the spot we oc-
cupied. All hands knew that Iron
heads judgment was seldom at fault
and presently we saw the heads Of the
other boats pointing in our direction,
with their oars out.
Blast the lubbers!" mattered the
mate, with frown, "here they come
Look sharp there, Tin Pot, and mind
yourself. Don't let 'em got our whale
from us"'
Aye, aye, sir" answered the Kan
aka, but l could perceive that he
trembled in every limb. The natives
OF the Sandwich Islands are supersti-
tious. The prophecy of Owreenoona
and -his dream of the night before,
,eGS Sy,dfritly ,pa prodnslng their elect
Meanwhile the other boats were
drawing nearer every moment.
While we were still watching them,
the Kanaka suddenly turned toward
the mate, the green light flashing in
his eyes as he whispered through his
teeth:
"'E comm up, sire comm up"
"Aye, aye, l see him" muttered
old Ironhead, as he fixed his eyes up
on a number of little whirling eddies
about nine fathoms ahead of the boat
Your paddles, boys, quick your
paddles! Stand by, Tin Pot!"
Out came our paddles, while the
long figure of the Kanaka rose up,
right, his ready harpoon in his hand
The eddies grew larger every mo.
ment, and finally became whirlpools
"Liel' whispered the mate, hi.
teeth SGT, and his eyes glittcring with
excitement.
Even as he spoke the waters bub
bled furiously, then parted with {
roaring sound ss the huge hump of &
whale, full of barnacles and as rougl
as a rock, rose slowly from the sea
scarce five fathoms from the boat.
"Give it to him" Numbered ole
Ironhead.
The two harpoons whistled through
the air, as they few in iapid success
sion from the hands of the Islander
and up went the whales hukes as h,
dove affrighted into the green depth
Of the sea.
The Kanaka had missed Aston
ishment, anger and grief held th'
mate dumb for some moments, Will,
murmur of surprise broke from til,
lips of the crew, and was even echoed
by the men in the other boats. Tha
this Islander, SO famed for his skill
should miss whale which was no
five fathoms from his boats head
seemed incredible. And yet such wa
the case. Tin Pot had missed tn
whalc. Ho was now upon his knee
in the bow Of the boat, with his hea'
buried in his hands, and low groan
breaking at intervals from his lips.
Presently tho voice Of the mat
broke forth, but l will not shock tn
ears of my readers by repeating hi
words. They were much worse thar
/ had ever heard him use before. IL
stormed for may minutes, and in tn
midst Of his excitement the secon'
mate addressed him as follows:
"Nevcr mind, Mr.. Ironhead. Wal
until / get near that fellow with IN,
gun. I'll put a bomb-lance into hiu
as sure as fate. That'll cripple him
so that we'll all have chance. III
was whopper, and Wen have hin
yeti"
"Blast you and your bomb-lance! !!
growled tho mate, who, being thor
ough whalesman, held all the moder
inventions Of the whaling craft in su
preme contempt. Blast all such in
fernal contrivances A good harpoo
and"
n