The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1875-12-02

lIotilli9Ht, ana 50 on, ave very IiNOftblc
In most cases tie course Of the whales
and the speed Of their travel are careful
ly noted. When ''on u course i school
OF sperm will move at the rate of about
SIX miles an hour; when "teeding' they
keep on the same ''ground.' not moving
more than a few miles a day. When seen
late in the evening, the ship is steered
during the night according to obscrva-
tions, and citen finds the school in sight
IN the morning, when the boats are 1T
once sent down.
This course was followed on the eve
l.lng in question. 1t was moi school We
saw, but Il 'ione whale, and one OF en-
tla"rdinarv size. The night promised to
be u rough one and the whales motions
We're strangely irregular, rs If he had lost
himself in an unknown stt.
There is something solemn and my 7te-
rious in the sight Of ''lone whales and
marvellous superstitions are rife among
whaemen respecting them- Through
spending year after year on the great
waters, WhalerS become more impress
sonabe to supernatural things than other
scamcn; and long observation Of the
shoals or schools Of the vast creatures
they pursue, tends to I'LL them with
amazement and awe when they meet
with 4 solitary leyiathan, who has aban-
doned all fellowship with his kind, who
lives by his own law lonely. mighty ana
terrible
soon Il ter the cry from aIolt we saw
the whale from the deck, only u short dis
tancc from the ship. and we might have
seen him long before had not his white
hHsh-llke spout been lost in the angry
WhIleneS> that was fast spreading over
lht sea
F"f 2 moment All eyes were fastened
on thc ioh9 BODY, like 4 great black tube,
over "iileh tht waves washed. livery
race WAS Wohdef-st'1cken at the immense
S'Ie "l ile WhIie
captain nIii"rd had been examining
i'''h 'hf"t@h glass, Whi'h ne handed IN
thfh TO rafh oi ms olIicefS. NV hat do
YOU StS MI. IlHSSeN ne inquired OF the
! mrs, h''tc' VINO 9l'h'ed al 'le setting sun
lnh answered, "ho down Slf; We can 40
1t.
HMf. JoS@ph and the captain turned
TO lhe second mate, an oId Portuguese Of
rNtraof"iliary SIZE, and perhaps the most
| famous Whalcnan alive.
$50 down, sir, ii we want to oct that
| fellow; we'll never see him auain.'
The two other officers were Younger,
men, and of the same mind There Was
no time lost in further consultation
'Swin9 the boatS!n shouted the old
man
The lines and irons had already been
| thrown in by the crews. \ ,.he;,ye. oh "
and :; Strainng sound, and in one minute
| the four boats struck the water. and the
men were settled on tie thwal1s with The
| long oars out
The sun was low and large and red.
and the whole western sea and ~lv were
magnificent in crimson and gold and
black lhc picture was one oi The finest
ever saw The rising sea was let black,
except where it was bloody; broad road
| "l crimson Shimmere'l from the Ship to
ihe sun the long bo"y OF the whale.
even biAc krr than the sea-, was plainly
| seen III uiF IIlddy glare; and life was
added 10 lhr immense scene by the four
Whlte Spfrks-the Notwithstanding to
point Us they drew near the motionlrSs
monster
1T was moi until the boats had left the
snip thal we reallHed how threatening
', S'', '"' =, ,,'th"r, Every momcn' t,'. A.,
...i '''N w. ''i57''''''t ''i'
We're lifted on u sea. could we catch sight
ct the brave little boats The breeze grew
stronger every minute, and before the
first boat neared the whale. was whistling
through the rigging IN the wild way that
| tells OF Il coming gale. The captain re-
GREETED The lowering oi the boats. and
soon signallcd them to return. But the
men We're excited. and refused to see the
| signals. Filled to the gunwaIe, the seas
ashing over them every moment, ON they
| went where Only a THING so nearly perfect
As IL whaIe-hoat could keep alloat. As the
first boat swung round to run down 10
windWard on the whale, the red sun stood
fairly on The black field Of ocean
Talk about the bravery ol snI,Iiars in
battle or nr men ashore IN onv antarn.;sn
Won n}rase what is if tn thn h,.,,nrv of
such 4 deed rs tnisp i thons,nd m;lrs
''i'''