Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1866-12-28
Taking A Whale.
By Rodger StarBach.


Early one morning while we were
cruising off the coast Of Peru for sperm
whales [ was doing on the maintop-
gallant cross trees. Suddenly some
thing seemed to 60 right through. my
brain. I awoke to discover that it
was the wild voice Of the Captains har-
pOoneT-a tall, swarthy, straighb- hair
ed youth, half kanaka, half English.
He was very tender hearted. but an
excellent Whaleman, whose power of
vision was truly remarkable. He
stood on the other side Of me, shrek
ing with all the force of his lungs
''There blows there bloW-ow -
Observation-Disclosures z
Where away " Numbered old Cap
tain Boom, glaneiDg al0ft.
'On the weather bow, four miles of
heading TO leewaEd r.
This answer sent an electric thrill
through every vein the old ship
lurched as if she felt II too.
Up came old Boom, with spy glass
sluDg over his shoulder, mounting two
ratlines at time. When on the cross
trees he lust gave one squint with his
telescope then his voice rung through
the ship like a great saw going through
a board.
Back the main-yard-clear away
the boats p 1t would have done you
good to see the men jump to falls and
braces. The ship came up slowly, and
Boom went down like lightning by
means of a back-stay.
Zadik, following him, sprang into
the the starboard boat.
Lower away % groWled the captain.
Buzz ! buz ! buz-Z-z sounded the
falls and sWash : went the four boats,
almost simultaneously into the water.
The merry dogs bundled into them,
and away they few, the captains tax
ing the lead.
the fire fly, my bulldogs ! Long and
strong's the word Break your backs,
every mother s son of ye grltted
the old fellow through his teeth.
In a similar manner the other Of
fcers encouraged their crews. until
they had proceeded about four miles,
when orders were given TO stop
pulling.
None o. your dare devil pranks,
Tom, if you get alongside a whale =
said the skipper, to his son1,a Lad OF
fifteen, who belonged to the after
I
Tom-the ships favOrite smiled
and shook his curly head. At the
same moment the water broke into q
/ whirlpool a few fathoms astern.
There was a hurried whispering
/ then the boats were forced round as a
/ very small wnale-a calf-rOse to the
surface. We perceived at once that
! the calf had been struck by some
! other crew, for the shank of an iron
protruded from its body. Tt seemed
very weak and in much pain, moving
slowly and now and then reeling side,
ways with sudden plunge. It swan
in circle as if beWildered, and the
noise of its spOuting somehow remind
ed me of the Wailing Of child.
Paddle ahead I" was the order, fol
every man believed that the mother o.
the ealf-the COW whale-was not fal
of
The first mate was soon within dart
ing distance.
'Give it to him p he shrieked, an,
whiz, whiz went the harpoOner's iron
one after the other into the animal
body. For a few moments the Gttl
whale, as if half stupefed. remaiuet
nearly mOtionless then, breeching, !
came down, Writhing and Whirling it
flukes in great agony, after which
sounded. 1t was too weak to drag tn
boat very fast or very far it soon ros
about fifty yards ahead.
Haul line y ordered the mate. nol
in the boats bow, lance in hand.
As he spoke the water on one sid
of the calf suddenly parted with a roa
J like a cataract, and an enormous levi
athan-the COW whale-boomed q
p from the surface, beating the sea wit
her flukes and spoutiBg thunder.
Round, round and round be
offspring she swan, but soon paused
as if half paralyzcd with astonishmeu
, and grief at the situation of the suffer
: er A moment she remained thul
/ then moved ahead slowly and gently
o occasionally turning as if to entiee th
little creature to follow In fact th
! calf endeavored to do so, but was to
badly crippled to swim; il made fe'
Q feeble plunges toward its parent an
then began Co writhe and wheel /
great agony Perceiving that it wa
now 10 its furry, the mate stopDe
- hauling line, and remained wBtchin
the animal until its blood red spout n
r longer rose. and rolled over quit
{ dead.
4 Now the behavior ofits mother wa
y pitiful to witness. She seemed unwi
ling to believe that her young one wa
= really dead. Round it slowly swan
spOuting with a noise something bJ
tween a shrek aud gasp. Then sh
. moved ahead as before, aud like on
half crazed, seemed not yet TO bav
z abandoned the hope Of being followe
by her offspring.