Litchfield enquirer., 1876-10-19
Following a Whale.

A ship some time ago arrived at Bristol, after successful whaling voyage. Time was when thousands of vessels tracked the great sea monsters in search of oil, but the discoveries of the mineral article have made the trade no longer remunerative, or at least much less an object ot pursuit. The ship referred to was the West Wind, commanded by Capt. Parker, who had a most perilous adventure during the cruise, and which came very near costing him his life. Under the most favorable circum.
 stances the occupation of the whaler is
 one of great danger and physical trial ,and very few ships ever return to port without
 losing one or more hands by the ordinary exigencies of the service.
 It seems that Captain Parker was out from his ship with boats crew, chasing whale. and, having fastened his hat poon to the creature, it dived, as usual, and the line, coiled in the bows of the boat, be- gan to run out with lightning speed, as the monster sunk to the extreme depth of the ocean. At this critical iuncture Capt. Parker went to the forward part of the boat, to be sure there was no twist in the rope to prevent its working clear. The line was running out with such rapidity as to cause the smoke to rise from the woodwork of the boat, and the captain threw on water, as is the custom; but by an unlucky lurch of the boat he was can't ed from his position, and he naturally threw out his left hand to prevent himself from falling, but in so doing he placed it so that the rope coiled around his wrist, and he was overheard and out of sight in an instant.
 He was perfectly conscious while he was rushing down, head foremost, and with an incredible swiftness, and it appear ed to him that his arm would be torn from the socket, so great was the resist ance of the water. During these awful moments he was we'll aware of his peril ous situation, and that his only chance for life was to cut the lines. But how could he do this? He could not move his right arm from his side, to which it was closely pressed by the force of the ele- ment through which he was being drawn. The pressure on his brain grew more and more terrible, and roaring as of thunder sounded in his ears. He opened his eyes for single instant, and it seemed as though stream of fire was passing before them; and noy came that inevitable ac- tivity of the brain which characterizes all such perilous situations, where ones whole life seems to pass ill review in an instant of time. But the captain was a very practical man. cool and courageous always, and, consequently, still self-pos- sessed.
 He began to struggle with all his mus cular power to reach the knife winch he wore in his belt. He felt that he was growing weaker every instant, and it was now or never with him, though we should say. parenthetically, that what requires so long to describe, occurred in time that was reckoned by seconds rather than min- utes. Oh, if he could command but his right hand for one stroke upon that fatal linel Now his heart began to fail him. H9 dld not absolutely despair, but his brain reeled, his nerves seemed to alter nate before his eyeballs, and his head felt as though compressed in an iron wise. Were these his last moments? He thought, in spite of the agonizing pain he endured, he would make one more brave effort.
 The line providentialIy slackened for a second; he reached his knife, and as quick as thought itself, as the rope be- came taut again, the keen edge of the blade was drawn upon it, and by des- perate effort of his arm it became severed. He was freed, and then commenced his upward passage, caused by the natural buoyancy of the human body. After this he remembered feeling of suffocation, a girgling spasm, and all was over until he awoke to an agonizing pain of reviving consciousness in the arms of his boats crew. Truly one of the most remarkable escapes from death on record. .-Cleueland Sunday Times