Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1875-09-29

evening in question. It was not 9
school we saw, but a slone whale, and
one of extraordinary size. The night
promised to be rough one, and the
whales motions were strangely irregu
| lar. as If he had lost himself in an un.
known sea.
There is something solemn and mys
terious in the sight of clone whales,
and marvellous superstitions ar current
among whalemen respecting them
Though spending year after year on the
great waters, whalers become more i'm
questionable to supernatural things
than other seamen; and long observa
ton of the shoals or schools of the vast
creatures they pursue tends to fill them
with amaze1nent and awe when they
meet with a solitary leviathan, who has
abandoned all fellowship with his kind
who lives by his own law-lonely
mighty and terrible
Soon after the cry from aloft we saw
the whale from the deck, only short
distance from the ship, and we might
have seen him long before had not his
white, bush-like spout been lost in the
angry whiteness that was fast spreading
over the sea.
For moment all eyes were fastened
on the long body, like great, black
tube, over which the waves washed.
Every face was wonder-stricken at the
/ immense size of the whale. Captain
Clifford had beet examining him through
glass, which hehanded in turn to each
of his officers. "What do you say,
Mr. Hussey ?" he inquired of the first
mate, who glanced at the setting sun,
and answered, $50 down, sir; we can
do it.
'Mr. Joseph" and the captain turn
ed to the second mate, an old Portll-
guese of extraordinary size, and perhaps
the most famous whaleman alive.
$50 down, sir, if we want to get that
fellow; we'll never see him again
The two other officers were younger
men, and of the same mind. There was
nd time lost in further consultation.
'sSwing the boats p shouted the OLD
man
The lines and irons had already been
thrown in by the crews.
A ''heave, oh !" and a straininp
sound, and in one minute the four boats
struck the water, aud the men were set.
tied on the thwarts with the long oars
out
The sun was low, and large, and red,
and the whole western sea and sky were
magnificent in crimson, and gold, and
black. The picture was one of the finest
| ever saw. The rising sea was JET
black, except where it was bloody; q
broad road of crimson shimmered from
the ship to the sun; the long body OF
the whale, even biacker then the sea,
was plainly seen in the ruddy glare; and
life was added to the immense scene by
the four white specks-the whaleboats
closing to a point as they drew near
the monster.
It was not until the boats had left the
ship that we realized how threatening
was the weather. Every moment the
seas came wilder and heavier against
the vessel. Only now and again, as they
were lifted on sea, could we catch
sight of the brave little boats.
The breeze grew stronger every minute,
and before the first boat neared the
whale, was whistling through the rig
ging in the wild way that tells of a com
ing gale. The captain regretted the
low ering Of the boats, and soon sig
nailed them to return. But the men
were excited, and refused to see the
signals. Filled to the gunwale, the
seas flashing over them every moment,
On they went where only a thing so
nearly perfect as whale-boat could
keep afoat. AS the first boat swung
round to run down to windward on the
whale the red sun stood fairly on the
black field OF ocean.
Talk about the bravery of soldiers in
battle, or of men ashore in any enter
prise yof please, what is it to the BRAY
cry of such deed as this? A thousand
miles from land, six men in a twenty
eight-foot shell, coolly going down in a
stormy sea to do battle with the might
est created animal It is the extreme
OF human GOODNESS a.. courage, be-
cause it is the extreme of danger. The
soldier faces one peril-the bullet. The
whale-man, In such case as this, has
three mighty enemies to fght-the sea,
the gale, and the whale.
We saw the harpooner of each boat
stand up as they came within hearing
distance. and send In his two irons. Ali
the boats were fast before the monster
seemed to feel the first blow. Then
came the fght-the cruel and unnatural
fight between vast power and cunning
skill. The black water was churned
white as the fukes stroke out in rage
and agony. The sun disappeared, and
the gale screamed wilder in the rigging.
We could no longer see the boats from
the ship. The few men on board clewed
up the light sail and took reef in the
topsails, and by this time the night was
daak as pitch, and the gale had whipped
and howled itself into hurricane.
It was fearful to think of the four
small boats out in such sea as was then
running. We on the ship had to cling
to the rail or the rigging; the terrific
strength of the waves swept the heavy
vessel about like cork. I saw the
captains face moment as he passed
the binnacle-lamp, and it was absolute
~ deformed with grief and terror-noi
for himself, brave old sailor but fol-
his boys in the boats.
"Who's that at the wheel?" he
shouted; send steady man to the
WHEEL"
lay, ay, sir :" answered a deep,