The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1872-04-12

r "a u
The Periis Of the Win ale Fishery.
A correspondent writes: Weare now with.
In cables length Of the nearest whales, a
\ score OF boats close in our wake, and an
other ship's. boat tapping upon us. Grim
old John Daggett, our first mate, seemed
going mad. his eyes starting from Their
sockets, teeth Clenched. aud bare-headed. ]
could see the veins In his forehead and great
brawny arms swell almost to bursting, as
the fever heat of the chase came on. lpulied
I the after oar, and so he guided the boat with
one hand; his other, at every stroke, caught
my oar, throwing 1t against my breast, while
its long blade quivered like piece offspring.
ing steel. Still the other boat gained creep
i ing slowly abreast Of us. n jil Fnf,I st
1'-Pull, men-oh, If you love money, pull
d mt let that boat pass usl Oh, spring,
every mothers son of yOu-bOys,i you
love me, pull. A keg Of terbacker among
We, five get up to this wh,le Ah, he
blows! Oh, God, what q tback-broader n
the old woman's parlor. Steady, now, men
not whisper il ye want to live! One
! ye miss him, boy Look out when he rounds
ap-cool, my boy, cool-give it to him!'
Down under my car blade saw huge
black body, and the bost struck something
harder than wave,
, ~Starn ali starni I tell yer thuneered
grim I'D VickiDgs and lkhew that We were
FAST Heavens, how, the line flew out, as
madd:ned with pain, the monster plunged
downward. One-two-three hundred faith
Oms of liue out, not sound In the boat, rave
the cracking of the line as it runs smoking
around the loggerhead, the mate tightening
1t every pound it would bear-evry man
\ braced firm In his seat, grasping his oar aud
3waiting. But now the slender, cord slack
ems, for, tired and breathless, our prey is
coming up. in NA' 81" ~ %iIi'-Wpi Eu
AS leaned over the eilnwale, the waters
were clear as crystal, and faneied / could
| see to Immense depths In the calm and tran
quill element. Is ir possible chat more
| tnan tabled giant Is coming thence to battle
| with us9 Aud in few moments will it be
his blood or ours that shall turn this pelucid
blue to turbid ctimsonf A shout startled
me. and, looking around, there, dashing the
sea to snOwdrifts, rolled our Prey. And
what an antagonist! At least eighty feet
long, and Of huge girth, he lay on his back
(the favorite way of fighting Of the cache
lott, his head depressed. and jaw, full tiftesn
feet long, elevated In the air and bristliug
with sharp, cleaning white teeth. J His
roaring was fearful. Down to our oars, and
In moment our mate had his lance at work.
Keen as razor blade, that lorg, thin lance
found its way through hide and sinew, past
piled.up flesh and rib, burying It's head in
the very vi,als of the monster. His throws
Of agony were terrible and pitiful. At every
iance-thrust his huge body would CULVER
along its entire length, snd the bright red
blood, hot from his heart, rush In a torrent
from his spiracle. In vain he turns upon us
the well-trained crew sip the boat out from
under his very jaw. M he shuts 1t down to
crush us, and as he rushes BY again the lance
cnts its cruel way.
No play, this kind Of hunting. No long
range rifles, fired frorfi safe distance. A
grand hand.to-hand combat, grappIlpg this
struggle. No place In that boat Tor weak
nerves. These he earnest men, snatching
subsistence for their families from out of the
sea, and conquertng Its king. He strives
to escape, hut the iron Is CALLING, and spout
ing ten gallons Of blood at every breath, he
is growing weak. The blood has covered
ls: /: and the old mate looks like the butcher
he Is. Uh ! old tllow-your Il eIiemies have
closed upon you, and know no far. IL Is
your life or theirs, and man triumphs over
the brute. .'.i
But now the cup de grace Is given. and
he Ia dying. On his side, swimming bliDdly,
he sweeps graBdly around In narrowing
circle, until at Lass, heading toward the san
ss visiSN grows more sad more dark, q
mighty tbroe shakes the hugs form, con-
vulsive .hudder as In last vain struggle
for life-and htige unwisldy mass. heav-
ing upon the long swells, attests mau's su-
premacy upon water as well as upon land.
While we had been at work, the other
boats had not been idle. When our whale
reappeared from bis. first mad plunge, the
whole school had surrounded him, or. 10
whaler's parlsnce, ".brrught to-" for there
is a deal Of honest sympathy In school OF
sperm whales. A fleet of boats dashed In,
and esch quickly SELECTING its prey COM
menced the work Of death. 20 HHlI
The scene was perfect pandemOnium-
the whales entaDgled In many lines, striv-
Ing to escape; here one on bis back, his
great bristliDg Jaw elevated. and lines at
tached TO other whales wound round aud
round 1t there smother, trying to fight his
blows with "hukes" and fins The sur
rounding boats press upOa them, the lances
flashing IN the sunlight, the shouting crews
covered In blood, Wild with excitement and
Joy. The waves caught q bright rcd tint
we were floating In sea of blood.
But, one after another, breaking away
from the entangled mass, went into his
" furry" and, dragging after him the boat,
its officers still plying the lance--the mon
stet, torsaket by the school, yielded and
turned Fin DIP" Our ship boat secured
three of the prizes, among which our boat
the king, being what l., termed
- hundred-barrel feller." At noon we had
them alongside the ship, sc cured them with
massive chairs, made sail to gain an offing |
before beginning the work Of cutting In.
at seems probable" says the Fall Mall
"that am 1ng other distinguished |
visitors to London during the approaching |
season we are likely 10 be favored With the |
presence of an Albanian gentleman, aged
forty, and unmarried, whose appearance
alone will insure him hearty welcome In
fashionable circIes." He is, according TO-
the Medizinische WOchenschrift, Of Vienna.
Of middle hight, and beautifully and strong
" built, and Is tattoed from "top TO- toe"