The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1875-09-23
c A WHALER'S STORY.

"CHIPs," whom | knew for months by
no other name, was ship's-carpenter of the
whaIer Gazelle, of New Bedford. He was
twenty-three years old, six feet high and
strong as an oak tree.
He was the favorite of the ship-and no
wonder He was tender and gentle, per
haps because he was strong; he was
peaceful, because he was powerful. And
the soft word that turneth away wrath,
with the gentle hand to soothe a sufferer,
is often needed in the whale fisheries.
Most of the foremasthands of the GaZelle
were rough Portuguese lads from the
Western Islands, on their first voyage.
They were treated with coarse contempt
by few American seamen and by the
officers The only "white-man"-as the
Yankee sailor loves to call himself-who
was kind and patient with the rude boys
was Chips; and he was never tired of
showing or teaching them something of
what he knew. He was one of those un-
selfish fellows who do not believe in keep
ing knowledge to themselves. He had
never been to sea before; but, during the
first two years of his voyage, he had at
tended to so many things besides his own
easy work that he was looked on as one
of the best and coolest whale-men aboard.
Although exempted from standing watch
he had insisted on doing so from the first
day out. At night, if the weather was
good, he would sit on the main hatch, in
the center of ring Of Portuguese lads,
| and with wonderful patience teach them
to make splices and knots and to speak
English. He never tired of doing this or
any other kindly thing for them. In the
day-time, if there were work for him at
his trade, he still had them around him,
explaining everything as he sawed or
planed, Just as if he wished to make them
as good carpenters as he was himself
On Sunday, when everyone brought his
letters and pictures on deck, Chip showed
the only signs of isolation he ever gave.
He was the only one on board-except
myself-who had reither pictures nor let
ters-neither face nor word to remind him
of home. When the ship touched at some
port with postoffice and everyone else
ran for his letters, Chips remained aboard
he knew there was no letter for him.
In one of the boys albums he found the
picture of an old, white haired woman
the lads mother-and every Sunday after
he asked for that album and always gave
it back when he had turned to that pict-
ure.
The ship had been two years out when l
first saw Chips. Through strange and un-
happy circumstances l was af1oat on the
Indian Ocean in a small boat when this
New Bedford whaler hove in sight and
ran down toward me. When my frail
shell struck the side of the whaler the
first man to spring out in the mizzen-
chains to help me aboard was strong-hand-
ed Chips, with tears of sympathy in his
ewes. On deck the Captain met me with
an open hand and heart, and for eight
months | sailed with the whalemen and
took part in the good and ill that befell
them.
When picked up was in bad way for
clothes; all that belonged to me in the
world were the few branded rags that lhad
worn in the boat. Sailors are used to such
things and they know the remedy Every
one came forward with his little Offering.
One brought hat, another jacket, an
other a pair of sea-boots, jack-knife, a
cake of tobacco, and so on until had a
bunk full OF marine necessaries. Chips
had least to give of all, for he had shipped
without regular outfit. But when he
saw all that had been given-smiling at
thorough boys as each one handed his Of
fering-he drew me off to his own cubby-
hole and hauled round his chest. Out on
his bed came the contents; and in min
| ute there was fair division of all it con-
tanned -fannels, shirts, stockings, and
everything, to a handkerchief.
"These are yours, and these are mine,"
said Chips; land I'll make you a chest
tomorrow"
That's the sort of man he was in
everything. No wonder the boys loved
him, and that the one word spoken in the
best tones of the ship was the name of
kind-hearted, manly Chips.
] He was brave as he was kind, When