The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1877-04-04
A Terrible Dye 10 the Bottom Of the

A ship some time ago arrived ~ DTS
tol. after q successful whaling voyage.
Time was-when- thousands -ef-v vessels
tracked the great sea monsters in search
of oil, but the discoveries Of the mineral
article have made the trade no longer
remunerstive, or at least much less an OBJ
iect of pursuit. The ship referred to was
the West Wind, commanded by Capt.
Parker, who had most perlious adVen-
ture during the cruise, and which came
very near costing him his life. Under
the most favorable circumstances the &C.
cupation 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 exi-
gencies of the service. -.
1t seems that Captain Parker was out
from his ship with a boats crew, chasing
a whale, and, having fastened his har-
poon to the creature, it dived as usual
and the line, coiled in the bows OF the
boat. began to Nn out with lightning
syeed. and the monster sunk to the ex-
treme depth ofthe ocean. At this cri!i-
cal iuncture Captain Parker went TO the
forward part OF the boat to be sure that
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 arise from the woodwork OF
the boat, and the Captain threw water,
as is the custom; but by. an unlucky
lurch of the boat he was cantod from his
position, and he naturally threw out his
left hand to prevent him from falling,
but in 30 doing he placed it 80 that the
rope coiled around his wrist, and he was
overheard and out OF sight in an instant.
He was perfectly conscious while ne
was rushing down, head.foremost, ana
with an incredible swiftness, and II ap-
pesred TO him as if his arm would be
torn from the socket, so great was the re-
sistance of the water. During these
awful moments he was we'll aware OF his
perilous situation, and that his only
chance for life was to cut the lines. But
how could he do this2 he could not re.
move his right arm from his side, to
which it was closely pressed by the force
of the element through which ne was be-
ing drawn. The pressure on his brain
grew more and more terrible, and
roaring "a 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 now came that inevitable activity OF
the brain which characterIzes all such
perious situations, where ones whole lie
seems to pass in roview in an instant OF
time. But the captain was very prac-
tical man, cool and courageous always,
and, consequently, still self-possessed.
He began to struggle with all his mus
cular power to reach the knife which no
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, psrenthetically, that what re-
quires so long to describe, occurred in time
that was reckoned by seconds rather
than by minutes. D, if he could COM
msnd but his right hand for one stroke
upon the fatal Incl Now his heart be-
gan to fall him. He did not absolutely
despair. bat his brain reeled, his nerves
seemed to alternate between his eyebslls,
and his head felt as though compressed
in an iron wise. Where these his last
noments2 He thought, in spite OF the
sgonizing pain he endured, he would
make one more brave effort.
The line provldentially slackened for
second; he reached his knife, and as
quick as thought itself, as the rope be-
came tsut again, the keen edge of the
blade was upon it, and, by a desperate
effort of his arm it became severed. he
was free, and then commenced his up
ward passage, caused by the natural
buoyancy of the human body. After
this he only remembered feeling of suf-
location, q gurgling spasm, and all was
over until he awoke to an sgonizing pain
of reviving consciousness in the arms OF
his boats crew. Truly one of the most
remarkable escapes from death on record.