The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1876-03-17

1
GAN right" was the reply, with ner,
vous twitching that showed how the young
man was stung by the words. "Ifyou can
do it, cam"
He ought to bear now three points of
the Ice bow" were the last words thrown
at us, as we cast off from the ship, and pre-.
pared to "out oars" "Pull right off here
way, and you must fall into his slick, and
then you can follow down."
Setting our light as soon as we were well
clear, we passed away into the darkness
leaving our floating home behind, until
the dim signal at her gait faded to a nero
speck in the distance. 1t was evident
from the mir of quiet determination about
Mr. Andrews that he would cruise all night
rather than return to the ship without his
whale. We at the oars had nothing to say
about the matter; it was ours simply to
obey.
1t was long before we found any trace OF
the "slick," but after pulling back and
forth over the ground, fearful of passing
on one side of it, and getting too far lee
ward, we at last had the satisfaction to
perceive that we were in it; positive as
surance that we still had the weather.
gauge of the object of our search. At the
same time brighter light famed up from
the ship, made by burning old scraps on
| the back arches of the try-works, and we
made out that she was again keeping off
to be nearer to us.
We pulled Justify now, feeling encouraged
by the signs, and still keeping in the slick,
followed it as our guide; for so dark was
the night, we could not possibly sec the
whale until we should be very close upon
it. Old Beers stood up in the head of the
boat, looking with all the eyes in his head,
to catch glimpse, either of the waif or of
the wash or white water" which would
Indicate the whales position.
But now there was suddenly change in
the air, which l can only describe as a
sense ofdilution or rareiaction, with gh-
ing SOUND mat was omious Oh approaching
wv. hc ~ca'ho! qual'ol VI 'ho iio"y'ns'
i ,hs.eao , oi "aikehlhS more aPPcaieu W
liSnt iittie, us Ihe piack pun spii! III TWO
ano parted r,ght ana leit: ouC ol l. came
a a, IL" s'lusS,lhs ulots VI ran, anu '"e"
'ne WING loiio"eo WIFI vengeance.
The first blast struck us with fury that
the mate had enough to do to keep the
boat from broaching to, ard taking the
whole force of it broadsidc on. We ship
ped IN all the oars as fast as possible, and
let her drive to leeward, crouching down
In our places, unable to see anything, or to
change the course of our light craft, and
running blindly off into the darkness. Our
little taper in the boat lantern was extin-
guished at once, and could be of no fur
ther service. We felt, instinctively, that
the ship would huff to again, as the captain
would not run the risk of passing US; and
here we were, rushing away before the
gale, and every moment lessening our
chances of safety. There was very sud-
den flashing up OF her light, just as the
squall struck, and then we lost sight of it
entirely. The faint report of musket fol-
lowed, signal of recall, of course, but we
could neither answer nor could we obey it.
Onward we rushed before the wind.
shrinking down into the boat, and cling
ing to the gunwales and thwarts, all 80 IS
but the officer, who held fast to his sr
ing-oar to keep her head in the ONLY safe
direction. No word was spoken among
us, but each fully realized the peril we
were in, and each asked himself the @ ues-
ton of life or death, how long is this 90
ing to last
1t was answered by a shock so sudden
as to throw us all together in confused
heap. In n crash of everything movable
and cracking of the boats fabric itself
we rolled into the sea and were ovcrwhclm.
ed. | can hardly tell in words what fol-
lowed. AS soon as I lepained breath n
little. / struck ont and frrasped Nothing
but a smooth slippery surface, on which /
could get no hold, and the next instant
was rolled off again and PLUNGED under
the sea. I understood the truth now, Tn
the darkness we had run upon the whale,
without having seen it.
At nv next ATTEMPT I clutclcd rome
which felt TO be the bite of n whale
line, and undermining this, soon came
to the pole of an iron or harpoon. By This
| was enabled TO hang on. and after NO.
inc lalf drowned in NV STRUGGLES 7 suc-
ceeded in drawing n bite of th0 line under
the whales fin. until it brought nm firmly
at the "knuckle :" I could then secure nv.
sell upon the whale to avoid sliding off ot
every roll. The situation was by no means
pleasant one. as | had all could do TO
keep nv mouth entirely above water,
While | had been thus absorbed in tbe
one object of securing NV own Temporary
safety, the rest of nv sIipmates had ali
disappeared, nor was ANYTHING to be seen
or heard, either of them or the boat. A
light spruce pole and paddle were dash
cd in nv wav, and I secured them bv emf.
ting holes with nv sheath. knife and nlant-
inc them. like mosts in the bluhhor Of tho
whale, but these were all that could find.
The wait set in the whale by Mr.. Andrews,
still stood in its place, and this was i'm
portant, as it might be the means of the
ship finding me, could keep alive where
was till daylight. Within half an hour
alter secured a landing upon the floating
island the squall was all over, and the wind
again settiea down TO steady, moderate
breeze. Inc heavens were clear overhead,