The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1879-11-07
The Death.Trap.

Under the guns of Thy fort on the hill.
Bret Hdrte in London Society.
The Death-Trap.
Mr.. Warren, the mate of the whaleship
Roberts. was loved and respected by
every man in the vessel, with the excep-
ton of Harry Thompson-a tall, dark
browed youth, of an evil, quarrelsome
disposition. Thompson had taken dis
like to the mate from the moment he dis
covered the latter was man calculated
to win the esteem of his crew. He
(Tbompson) had hoped to excite the
men to mutiny; but when he perceived
how kindly they were treated by the first
officer, he knew to accomplish his pur-
pose he must first remove Warren from
his path Night and day, therefore, he
watched for an opportunity to take the
life of the rlate-to strike the murderous
blow in such way as to avoid detection.
Days, weeks and months glided on; the
ship rounded the stormy Cape Horn,
bowling along toward the sperm-whale
cruising ground off the Galapagos, and
still the dark -browed villain waited for a
chance to accomplish his hellish work.
One evening, just after sundown, while
the hands were eating their supper, the
well-known cry of ''There she blowsp'
came down from the masthead. causing
every man to spring to his feet Whales
were discovered about league off the
lee bow; and the captain, having ordered
the main-yard hauled back, darted aloft
with his glass slung over his shoulder.
Soon after he was ordering his mates to
lower their boats.
With glad shout the men sprung to
the davits, the ropes slid through the
tackle-blocks, and the boats, dropping
into the water, were soon manned.
s'Give way, ladsr' cried the mate, seiz-
ing his steering oar. "Give way with a
willr'
SAY, ay," responded the crew, and the
voice of Thompson, who pulled the bow
oar, was the loudest.
A strange light shone in his evil eyes;
his teeth were compressed, he seemed to
think the moment for which he had
waited so long was at hand.
The four boats glided swiftly over the
long, heavy swells so common in the
Pacific, the mate taking the lead, and in
short time the spouting of whale was
heard few fathoms ahead.
"Your paddles men-your paddles!'
gritted the first officer through his
clenched teeth. ''Stand up, Hair
Hal was the boatsteerer or harpooner.
He sprang lightly to his feet, his iron
ready in his hand. But just as the mate
Z was on the point of giving the familiar
order, "Give it to himl" the monster of
the deep turned fukes and disappeared.
Warren fairly turned pale with dis
appointment.
''There, we've lost him!" he cried.
II think you're mistaken, SIR" said the
harpooner. HYonder," pointing to the
mast, sis the top of the moons disc just
rising above the sea. Well have light
enough, L reckon, to see that humpbacked
chap when he comes up again.
GAY, ay, you are right, Hal" answered
the mate, rubbing his hands. s'I never
before whaled it by moonlight; but we'll
have chance to do SO now, for I'll keep
on that fellows track until we get a
chance to plant an iron in his hump, if ii
takes me all night, This is our first
lowering since we sailed, and blow me if
I don't mean that it shall be lucky one
Pull aheadp'
The crew obeyed, and in the course OF
half an hour the spout of the whale was
seen rising likes jet of liquid silver about
a quarter of mile ahead of the boat.
The moon had by this time risen high
above the horizon, sprinkling water-stars
all over the surface of the sea.
Pull ahead-stretch yourselves, my
ladsp' cried the mate. "We'n soon have
an iron in that chap ahead"
The men pulled with will, and in a
short time the boat was within six faith
oms of the monster.
Stand up, Hail.
And the boatsteerer sprang to his feet.
'tGive it to him!'
The harpoon Glove the air with rush
ing sound, and was buried to the socket
in the hump. Then came the order to
''stern;" and as the whale sounded, the
mate and boatsteerer changed places.
The boat was now rushing through the
water with the speed of lightning, the
spray foaming and boiling around her
bow, and her gunwales forward almost
on level with the water.
With triumphant flash lighting his
snake-like eyes, Thompson stopped side
ways from his thwart to unlash one of
the lances secured to the side of the boat
"Quick! Quick, my man! Hurry up
with that lancet" exclaimed the mate,
stretching out his hand to receive the
weapon
.'Ay, ay, sir" answered Thompson in
hoarse voice; and suddenly rising up
with the deadly steel in his hand, he
he contriyed to stumble in such man
NCA 90 WOoAN, AAS hOpOo, S1uoC t1iC pleStC
to pierce the bosom of the mate.
The latter, however, avoided the stroke
by stepping nimbly to one side, when
with pretended anxiety Thompson quick
ly rose, declaring that he never could
have forgiven his own awkwardness if
the mate had suffered from it.
Don't mention it, !" exclaimed Warren,
Accidents will sometimes happen. You
were not to blame for stumbling" and
he took the lance from the others hand.
Fooled in this attempt upon the life of
the man he hated, Thompson quickly re-
solved to make another. The slackening
of the line soon afforded him the oppor-
tunity he craved. While the men were
hauling upon the rope, he contrived,
unobserved, to twist into several kinks,
the part which was nearest the mate,
just as the whale came looming up from
the ocean, within darting distance of the
boat.
NOW, then" Thompson mentally ex-