The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1875-10-27
'ate as he scrambled up the main rig

mate as he scrambled up the main rig.
ging. ,.'...f'' 'f''-s'o'
aFour points on the lee bow" was the
reply. o.. '..''.-.'
"Ahf that's just where we want EN-
Keep her of, you at the helm. There
thatll do. Steady as she goes A pull op
the weather braces, here" ..'=.'.t. as
By this time the two captains were on
deck, and running forward, they discerned
the low, bushy spout Of spern, whales right
ahead. , .'ia ..s.... .s. +.". .-a1Ef@
Captain Stephens sgnaled to his ship,
and boat came for him, already equipped
and manned for action. He sprang in
to her and dashed forward toward the
school, - ,r5s..:,.... ,"3. E.tfEfaFs..
Our boats were down in q trice; the
shipkeeper received his orders, and half Q
dozen gayly painte I, clinker-built shells
rose and fell on the billows, while the
whales were all around us
was at the tub-oar in the captains boat,
and distinctly heard Capt Stephens call out
to our captain: 49,.
"Bet you an ounce kin the first whale"
In the next momentI heard a hoarse cry
as of a number of voices, and looking in the
direction whence it came, saw all three
boats Of the other ship lying en- their oars.
while the crew Of the captains boat were
bending over something in the bottom
of it. a....... f., o.. ~
Our captain looked very grave, and
worked his steering-oar till our boat headed
for that of Captain Stephens When we
reached the latter horrible sight met our
gaze. The headless trunk Of Stephens lay
in the bottom Of his boat, and the blood
spurted in torrents from the arteries and
jugular vein. ia si4gz E,4.@.al. :. so
It appeared that the mates boat had
been nearly abreast that Of his captain.
A young bull whale had come up suddenly
ahead of the mates boat. The boatsteerer
darted both irons, and just grazed the
whale, which whirled about and with a
horizontal stroke of its hukes took of the
head of Captain Stephens. The CORY head
was thus driven forci''ly toward the mates
boat, and struck the mate on the breast,
knocking him overb ard. He was not
SO much hurt but that he quickly regained
his place in the boat; but he looked very
pale and much agi,ated when be joined
the cluster Of boats that gathered around
the scene of blood and slaughter. @ =,
AS I looked upon the body Of Capt
Stephens, divested Of i's head, felt a sud
den shock as the words Of the old witch re-
Cured to me:
aYou will be shorter before you are
longer"
The prophecy had ''een terribly fulfilled;
and yet it was a 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 night have been made
shorter.
' =. q ~. = "a. z
Even if man lives to old age he be-
comes little shorter than he was in his
prime. 1t may therefore be doubted
whether the witch really gave any tangible
meaning to her words. 5 How could she
have conjectured. that Capt. Stephens would
have his head knocked off by stroke from
whales fukes 1.s. 4..,. lsai
Slowly and sadly we returned to the ship,
while the whales, blowing fu,iously, went
of to windward like a routed squadron Of
mounted Arabs. .. ... uH0.p4ss; ssifts.
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 and children Of the departed, Of the
catastrope that had deprived them of their
best friend. - :..~ r-s.' 's5.ti, ...-: 4s...