Mexico weekly ledger., 1880-07-29
A uAKNEssED WHALE
That Ran Away With q Plucky Boat Crew
at the Rate of Mile = Minute.

A HARNEssED WHALE
That Ran Away With Pluoky Boat Crew
at the Rate of Mile = Minute.
.- From the New Haven Union.
Wandering around ON the wharves
a day or two ago, among the rem
nants of what was once the scene of
hustle and activity in the good old
days of whaling, Union reporter en-
an old sea captain who had
a good story to tell. Near by was
moored a whaling vessel, and casks
OF oil was ranged about, SO that the
old tar seemed at home. The con-
yersation turned on the recent boat
races and the time made for two
miles by the Harvard and Columbia
freshmen crews. The old sailor
thought that the boys rowed well and
went pretty fast; but he had gone
faster, and probably faster than many
men went In rowboat. The scribe
urged the mariner to tell the story,
which he did substantially as follows:
1t is about thirty-ive years ago
since went out from New London
as boat sterer. That is . pretty
lively berth, as any whaleman can
tell you, especially when whale is
tackled. The steerer has virtually
the control of the boat and the safety
of the men in it, and when the whale
begins to lash the water with his tail.
look out; there's danger in being
near the big tluke. Sometimes, you.
can, put an iron into whale and he
won't splash on the surface, but will
start off like-a rocket, or perhaps viii
60 right down, and you have to cut
loose and lose your line and irons.
Still, whaieman gets used to these
things, and when boat is stove by
a whale, or when the crew get into
any difficulty, they generally know
what to do, and take matters philoso-
phically. ..---.... ........ .....,, .....
In those days q different class Of
men went whaling from what 60 now.
Previous to the war-that Is, some
years previous-there was money In
both Oil and bone, though just before
the war they sold for less than you
could get them for. But when there
was money in whaling, captains
could get passably good pick Of
men for their crews. Stout young;
fellows, who couldn't make more
than their salt on farm, came down
to New London to 60 to sea. They
had heard Of the chances fora good
voyage, which, if realized, would
give them in few months more
money than they ever saw. If the
owners got the lions share of the
money, there was still good lot left
to lie doled out in s'iays" (propof-
tionate shares) to the men. In fact,
fortunes were made in one voyage, or
what would pass for an acceptable
competency for the man who was
contented to live modestly. Well,
on the ship on which was boas
steerer this time there was as fine set
Of men, pluck and endurance consid-
! cred, as you ever saw. In my boats
crew there were some particularly
good men. But what happened to
US one day tried the mettle Of several
Of them. ..-. .
We were laying becalme,l one day
of the Cape Of Good Hope. It was
as smooth rs a mill pond for miles !;
. you couldn't see ripple on the
water, for not . breath Of wind STIR
red. There were several, whslers
/ lying off the land, close in, waiting
+ for a wind or something TO give them
occupation. The captain called the
| watch up, and couple of boats
started for the whales, which were
r lying still ss il summing themselves.
e In my boat was = big negro, black
:. as the ace Of spades. Every time he
rowed a stroke the boat would shoo'
AHEAD, and he would open his mouth
. and grin, showing > wonderful dis.
e play OF Ivory. We raced with the
the other boat and got ahead, for my
: men were 1.-the and tough, and b,
j and by We got alongside tof Sone O
t the big fellows. The steerings oa'
was pulled in; the oars were packee
i that is, pulled in 80 that the,
couldn't strike the water; then Al
iron was thrown. into the floatin,
= island. .-ssti &. azYii, ,4. 81 -7
The whale laid still for q. minute
:, as if struck with smazement that an,
- one should dare TO touch him. Th
. rope which was coiled upin the tul
!. in the bottom of the boat didn't seen
a to be of any use for q moment. Il II
y y the mean time, the other .boat ha,
Il ~ come up. Suddenly the whale mad
~ ~ up his mind what to do. He starte'
~ off like locomotive, the rope whil
:. - zing around in way to astonish
:. - land lubber. The boat didn't follov
: slow. When the rope was out "
- were rushing by the Captains boz
= like mad. The Captain took off hi
hat and waved it at me, shouting
s'Go it, young man; you're goin
+, out Of town faster than you'll evs
!. go again." All we could do in th,
~ double-ended beat wss to sit still an
b. see her 60 through the water.
e, candidly believe that We went ut Il
a rate OF . mile . minute, and the wat.
- was q very wonderful sight. i 1t r
- minds me, now that I think of it,
~ ~ Poe's description Of the. interior ,
the Maelstrom, where the water wei
y, round 90 fast and &as SO black th
nc it must have seemed like . wall 4
" " polished ebony. The pressure dow
4 ~, 1,<~AL \