Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1877-09-12

order given to pull ahead, the boats
head being laid to windward, on a
bee-line for the ship, then some
four miles off.
We were all glad enough, it must
be confessed, to abandon the whale
and consult our own safety. 1t
was very early in the voyage, and
no similar emergency had before
occurred. We had just enough of
the captain to feel that he was a
driver where the interest of the
voyage was concerned. Conse-
quently the mate, very young Of
ficer, felt keen responsibility, and
an equally keen anxiety to learn
how his course would be judged.
1t was quite dark when we pull
ed up under the lee of the Druid
within hail but the black squall
still hung threatening in the sky,
and there had been as yet no ac-
tual change in the weather. The
ship had her helm up, and was just
in the act of paying off, while the
signal lantern was swaying and
flickering at the mizzen peak.
"What in the - did you leave
him for :"
The mate made no reply to the
question until the boat was secur-
ed alongside by her warp, and he
had jumped in on the quarterback.
The ship continued swinging off
until her head was pointed in the
right direction, but, with her top.
sails on the cap, and one whale
fluked alongside, her progress was
not very rapid.
"We didn't think it prudent to
lie by" said Mr.. Andrews, in an
apologetic tone, "as the ship was
so far from us, and every appear
ance of stormy weather."
"We didn't think sir ?" retorted
Captain Gibbs. "Who is we! L
want you to do the thinking, Mr.
Andrews, in charge of your boat.
The rest didn't ship to think"
81 know it, sir, but in case of
emergency it may be well enough
to consult those who are sharing
the risk with you
Consult be -! OF course
Jack will always say, save my
precious life-cut away the whale,
and we'll pay for it! And there's
sixty barrel of sperm oil gone to
the ID. You might as well look
for needle in hays:ack now. 1t
won't do for us at the outset of the
voyage, to throw away a chance
like that. We must run little
risk sometimes-that's what we
all shipped for"
This taunting language had the
effect which might have been eX-
pected upon the young mate.
"Well, I'll bet can run as much
risk as any live man of my inches,
if you think prudent to do so.-
But l had charge of other mems
lives, as well as my own, and /
should feel just as responsible to
you and them, if had erred the
other way by venturing too much,
and any accident had happened.
Haul up the boat here, my crew,
and jump in.'
"Hold on Mr.. Andrews" said
the captain. "We can run down
the best part of the distance with
the ship
When we judged ourselves with
in mile or less of where the whale
had been left, the ship was then
brought to the wind again. There
had as yet been no increase of wind,
and, although the night was very
dark, the bank or squall appeared
to have lifted a little, and to have
less heavy appearance than at
sundown.
81 don't believe but that it'll all
pass over in fizzle," said Captain
Gibbs. 81 don't see any change in
the barometer. Now, Mr.. An
drews, l believe you can find that
whale again; l think l could, at
any rate"
"All right" was the reply, with
a nervous twitching that showed
how the young man was stung by
the words. "If You can do it | can.'
"He ought to bear now three
points off the lee bow" we're the
last words thrown at us, as we cast
off from the ship, and prepared to
out oars. "Pull right off herewsy,
and you must fall into his slick,