The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1877-11-18
4 WHALE AND SHARK STORY.

Captain Blank was the first mate of y
whale ship cruising ont of New Bedford.
The William King wss enc of those old
fashioned tubs peculiar to the last century,
sailing equally well either way, bow or
stern. Off Telegraph Hill, near San Fran
cisco, a school of whales WAS raised, led by
an immense bull, aud steering in north
ern direction. Two boats were az once
lowered, but they had scarcely touch ID tie
water when the school parted, one part
ruuning north and the other south. Cap
tain Blanks boat followed one band, while
Jim Watson, the mate, followed the otter.
The captains boat had crew of nagHifi-
cent oarsmen they went 10 their work
with a will, and after an hours pull came
within range OF the bull. Captain Blank
got an iron into him in short order, the
tsh sounded and went down at a speed
which almost equalled that Of the I" light
ming express" train. The line ran out
with a deafeoing hom the loggeIhead
smoked, aud the boat laid her bows deep
into the water. Suddeuly the strain ceased :,
the whale w-S coming ap, and every eye
conned the seas for glimpse at the mon
ster. he came up ffkS rocket stFsek- the
boat on the keel amidship with his Dose,
and hurled it thirty feet into the air. AS
it descended, it capsized, and fell bottom
upwards. The men Immediately SWAN for
it, and, with the exception of the captain,
reached it, where they cluug to the keel.
The captain soon swan up, but finding the
keel crowded, resolved not to rick an up
setttDg by venturing upon it. So be put
aR-eaE BndeE- each arm and -treading
water, kept near the boat, cheering the
crew, who, as was natural to men in their
situation, were nervous and down hearted.
They fioated this way several minutes, aud
were gradually getting over the frat shock,
when the stroke oarsman, a gigantic ne
gro, called out, "Look dar-a shark !"
Nothing N hOrrifiaS n sailor a "a fha
auce of that ravenous fish in hours of peril.
The crew look d, and saw a huge bottle
nosed shark floating apparently not more
than fathom below the surface. The
captain saw the monster also, and felt his
chance of escape dwiadle to cipher
nevertheless, he did nos lose courage, and
instead of Fastening the event which seemed
hey oDd prevention, resolved to escape 1t if
possible. He knew that "A shark would
never bite at an unsteady bait. The nose
OF the creature is in it's way it must turn
on Its side TO snsp, and then only when the |
object is stationary. 1t may be for a sec
ond only. but that is enough; the shark |
darts like lightning, and in moment seizes
it's prey. The captain knew this, and
knew his only salvation depended ON |
his keeping constantly IN motion. The |
least pause would be fatal 30 with the two |
oars under his arms he kept atloat, moving |
about necessarily, bis eyes fixed on the dark
W wherever he moved. Eis mind WAS nnQ-
sualiy active; every circumstance Of his
life came before him with the clearness of
MONDAY. The second boat having now
rescued the wretched men, approached the
captain, who ordered its crew to shoot by
i'm at full speed, and as it passed he wonid |
grasp it and spring in, the critical moment
being when he would lose motion and the
shark would be likely to seize him. How
evers that risk must be taken. The mate
faithfully carried ont his directions. The
men strained every sinew. They were
" whalemen, and, as such, topgallant oar rsmen.
TIE boat itself was scarceiy seen, buried
n double wall of foaming spray, the oars
bending like reeds, and the gunwale quiv-
ering at each stroke. 1t took steady nerve,
an eagle glance, and q lightning grasp to
secure the flying craft but the CAPTAIN had
these. and as it passed he seized the star
board gunwae, and was thrown like shot
nto toe boat. AT the same Instant the
sharks head rose above water, aud its
avs snapped with sound audible tor
considerable distance The captain, as he !
himself remarked, escaped "only by q |
scratch"