The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1866-04-25

"a short time after you had fallen
asleep" said he, ~ saw nearing US q
black object, apparently floating with the
tide. ] allowed it to approach, and to
my surprise, perceived it to be a whale,
which l thought to be dead Unfortun-
ately it was only asleep, or in a state Of
fnexplicable lethargy; it stopped of its
own accord in close proximity to the
barge, and resolved 10 possess myself Of
it, "Ho, hal" said l, "with this big
fish, IF can only succeed in tying it to
the boat, | will surprise Mr. Richard,
shall tell him caught it with my line"
got upon its back, with boat hook
and piece Of cord, intending to make it
fast 10 the boat. My back was turned
toward you during this operation, and,
when | turned my head, perceived myI
self at some distance 1t was at this mo-
ment shouted for help, and l think my
voice, given with all my force, must have
aroused her from her sleep, for off she
shot like an arrow. Notwithstanding my
fear, | had presence Of mind enough TO
plunge the boat hook into her back, in
order to furnish me with a sufficient hold.
The wourd made her double her speed,
the water became like powdered snow
driven before a violent gale of wind {
could see nothing, nor knew the course
we were taking, though felt certain We
were making tor the north, tacking some
times TO the right sometimes to the left
was quite in despair, and feeling my
strength giving way, was often on the
point of slipping into the water.
6" For the last time | off .red my soul
TO God, when / perceived land toward
which we were directing our courae a
few minutes afterward | recognized it to
the island of Anticosti, eighteen leagues
distant from the south shore.
"The hope that the whale would run
herself ashore renewed my strength, and
gave me fresh courage, but at that in@
stant she tried to plunge. struck her sew
eral times with the boat hook, which
had the effect of Keeping her upon the sur
face, and l also wounded her with my
knife repeatedly her velocity doubled,
and in few minutes more we had nearly
reached the land. You cannot conceive,
my lear friend, my utter despair ON be-
holding her return with irightful speed
TO regain the south shore. l believed
my last moments come; strength desert
ed, terror took possession of me, and l
felt myself slipping into the water. In
about an hour, passed in the most mortal
agony seeing only the sky and the mon
ster that carried me, l at last deserted
the south shore; already Fox river was
in view, when-the cursed brute having
changed her course to the east-I was IN
full view of the shore all the time--Grii-
fin Cove, Cap des Rosters and la Vielle,
the last point Of land on the south coast.
The whale seemed inclined, in leaving
la Vicille, to make for the ocean, but
God in His mercy desired to spare my
life, and suggested to my mind 10 direct
her course by beating her on the left side
of her head with the boat hook. Feeling
herself thus ill-treated, she retook her
first course, lowing with all her might,
and running switter than the wind 1
passed two or three fishing boats, but at
too great distance for them to come to
my aid.
''On perceiving me, however they hur.
riedly made sal for the land, believing
that it was the devil himself who was pas.
sing | was now opposite Cap DIS Kos
iers, and on nearing the shore prepared
to commit myself to the water on the first
indication Of the whale to change her
course. But thanks to Col | had not
this trouble-my monster was to fright
ered to see the shore, and rushed at her
full speed upon les Calais du Cap, where
she stranded.
"Sevcral fishermen came to my assis-
tance, and brought me ashore.
Such, Mr.. Editor, is the terrible adYen-
ture that befell Mr.. Bernier, just rs he re-
lated it to me, and which may undoubt-
edly be ranked with the first miracles of
the nineteenth century.
remain, Mr.. Editor, your humble and
obedient servant,
DAVID RICHARD.