River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1873-09-02


The three hours of the dog watch
had passed, and we had had snpper.
The ,arhoard watch had gone below.
the weather being still Che same. But
they had not long left the deck when we
who remained were startled by two ex.
.plosions, quickly succeeding each 9th
er, over the side, Just off the starboard
beam. We had all heard such explo-
slons often enough to know what they
Were, but we had never before heard
them while on board tue ship. Every
one sprang to tie rail; and there. right
alongside, within the wall of fog, we're
two monstrous old gray backed
whales. They were as long as our
ship, and SO near that we could see a
crook in the back of one of them, as
though il had been broken. They were
moving very slowly, and, fortunately,
heading the same way the ship head
ed, or there might have been collision.
II was Sunday to be sure, and a bad
time to lower on account of the fog !:
but the temptation was great, and the
captalti gave the word in low voice to
call the other watch on deck and lower
the waist and bow boats. The boats
were quickly in the water but by the
time they were under way the whales
had disappeared in the fog, though
moving SO slowly that it seemed as if
they would be surely overtaken. II
was only moment after the boats
were fairly under way when they, too,
were lost sight of and then we who
remained on board waited and listened.
They were out of hearing as well as
out of sight, and when they had been
gone half an hour we thought it time
to make some signal that would show
them the way back. The bell on the
orecastle was first rung, at intervals
of few minutes, and another half
hour went by without our seeinr OF
hearing anything OF the boats. IL was
growing darker, and we began TO feel
uneasy on account OF those who were
away. Besides ringing the bell, all
hands gathered on the forecastle, and
joined in loud hurrahs, waiting after
each for any answering shout. None
came; and then some tin trumpets-so
big that none but very windy men
could blow them-were brought out of
the cabin, and made such dolorous
sounds that one hearing them, and not
knowing what they were, would GER
tainly never have ventured towards
them.
But there was no response, and no
one came. To make it worse, watts of
wind began to be felt. They rippled
the water, and the ship began to move
ahead. But the fog still chung, though
1t grew thinner, and we could see
little farther from the ship. We could
see no boats, however, and the captain
was evidently alarmed. There were
muskets in the cabin, and they came
next, successive volleys being discharg-
ed, but bringing no sound in reply,
nor any boats.
1t was growing dark, and the wind
was increasing. The boats had been
pulled ahead, and the captain headed
the ship the way they had gone, and W,
ran on, making all the noise we could
till the captain was afraid of passing
them if we went farther, when for |
time the ship was hove TO. Then we al
shouted, and the trumpets prayed, and
the muskets ratified out "A stunning
volleJ, and we listened.
No sound no boats. IL was dark,
for the fog was still thick, clinging to
the water. The wind was freshenIng,
and the waves were already dashing
against the ships sides. Then the
bug lights were rugged out on studding
sail booms over the sides. The bug.
light / must explain. " isn't n coach
lamp, exactly. A basket, holding a
bushel, perhaps, and made of hoop
iron, Is filed with scraps and other
material, lighted and sus-
pended over the side. 1t makes a good
light to cut in by, when that work is
carried on ~ The night, and on such an
occasion rs this one suspended out
board over each side makes the most
eflectual beacon that could be devised.
While some were rigging the bug
lights, others went to cast off the lash
ings Of one of the stubby old guns
that graced each side OF the quarter
deck, and haul it into the waist. VI was
loaded to the full limit of safety,
pr babiy-and made the loudest noise
we had made yet OF course they
would hear chat, if they were still
afloat but, to make sure, the gun was
fired several times Then VIC waited,
and listened, atd peered into the dark
nefs but nothing came.
"They've killed a whale. and are
lying by him, " said the captain 4" but
i don't see Why one of the boats doesn't
come and let MS know where they are.
They must have heard the gun.
That was what we couldn't under
stand. Even il they had killed a whale,
one Of the boats would naturally cone
30 tell us, il they had known where TO
find us. But none came. ner did we
hear any sound and when we had
lain with the mainyards abaek for more
than an hour, they were braced for
ward again, and, Keeping close 10 the
wind, and going about often, we con
tinued on the lookout, firing the gun
at frequent intervals all through the
night.
When il began 10 grow light, the fog
was still clinging 10 the water, though
the wind was blowing quite fresh.
Whether we would ever see our boats
again was a question in the minds Of
all and we began 10 think of what cur
poor shipmates would have 10 endure,
lost AZ sea in those small omen boats