The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1875-08-07
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hag go-gs-that's your fortune.
You will be shorter than you are now
before you will be longer.'
" A II that could do, added Captain
Stephens, 81 could not persuade the
old witch to explain herself or to tell
anything more.'
" And what more did you want of the
old fool ?" demanded the captain. "Of
course it's all nonsense. You and I,
Captain Stephens, are not couple of
silly girls to believe in the slang of that
kind of people,"
Our captain then invited Stephens to
go below with him, and soon the jings
ling of glasses and uproarious laughter
announced that the two shippers were
enjoying themselves.
Their merriment was of short dura-
tion, however, for just as q hand came
aft to relieve me from the helm, the
man at the mast head cried:
There she breaches -
"Where awayl" demanded our little
mate as he scrambled up the main rig
ging.
-Four points on the lee bow" was
the reply.
"Ah that's just where we want
'em. Keep her off, you at the helm.
There, that'll do. Steady as she goes.
\ pull on the weather braces, here"
BY this time the two captains were
ON deck, and running forward they dis
cerned the low, bushy spout of sperm
whales right ahead.
Captain Stephens signaled to his ship,
and boat came for him, already equip
ped and manned for action. He sprang
into her and dashed forward toward the
school.
Our boats were down in trice the
shipkeeper received his orders, and half
dozen gayly painted, clinker built
shells rose and fell on the pillows, while
the whales were all around us.
was at the tub-oar in the captains
boat, and distinctly heard Capt. Steph-
ems call out to our captain:
" Bet you an ounce kill the first
whale"
In the next moment heard hoarse
cry as of number of voices, and look
ing in the direction whence it came, l
saw all three boats Of the other chip ly-
ing on their oars, while the crew OF
the captains boat were bending over
something in the bottom of 1t.
Our captain looked very grave, and
worked mis- steering-Oar till our boat
headed for that of Captain Stephens.
When we reached the latter horrible
sight met our gaze. The headless trunk
boat, and the blood spurted In torrents
from the arteries and jugular vein.
1t appeared that the mates boat had
been nearly abreast that of his captain.
A young bull whale had come up sud,
denly ahead of the mates boat. The
bOatst steerer darted both irons, and Just
grazed the whale, which whirled about
and with horizontal stroke of its fukes
took off the head of Captain Stephens.
The CORY head was thus driven forci-
bly, toward the mates boat, and struck
the mate on the breast, knocking him
overheard. He was not so much hurt
but that he quickly regained his place
in the boat; but he looked very pale
and much agtated when he joined the
cluster OF boats that gathered around
the scene of blood and slaughter.
AS looked upon the body of Capt.
Stephens, divest6d of its head, l felt q
sudden shock as the words OF the old
witch REQUIRED to me-
You will be shorter before you are
longer"
The prophecy had been terribly full
filled ; and yet it was q safe one, for
there was no imaginable process, now
that the rack is no longer In use, by which
Stephens could be made longer, while
there were many ways by which he
might have been made shorter.
Even II man lives to old age he be-
comes little shorter than he was in
his prime. 1t may therefore be doubt
ed whether the witch really gave any
tangible meaning to her words. How
could she have Conjectured that Capt.
Stevens would have his head knocked
OFF by the flukes of a whale
Slowly and sadly we returned to the
ship, while the whales, blowing furious.
ly, went off to windward like q routed
squadron of Arabs.
Both ships went into Callao, where
the decapitated commander was buried
with the usual rites, after which our
captain sat down to the melancholy
duty of informing the wife aud child.
rem of the departed, of the catastrophe
that had deprived them OF their best
friend.