Connecticut western news., 1880-06-02

caught them, the margin opposite the days record showed only disappearing '.fukes," standing straight up, as the great "sea-beast " took to the ocean's depths.
 Bound to the Indian Ocean, we passed the Cape of Good Hope after 8 long pas sage of one hundred and three days j; having, in the meantime, taken four sperm-whales, making altogether one hundred and seventy barrels; one of the four turning out eighty, and the other three about thirty barrels each. Standing along the eastern shore of Africa, and catching fifty barrel whale, we soon found ourselves in Mozambique Channel, which has length of thou sand miles, and varies in breadth from two hundred to five hundred.
 Here, early one morning, it being my "look-out" at the main-topgallant-cross- trees, while there were others at the fore and mizzen, was fortunate enough to "raise a big whale about five miles off. As the trade-wind had died to calm, 1 we could not work toward him with the ship, and in moment the three boats were pulling for him.
 He was having good time all by him. self-now turning fukes and going down, now preaching and falling upon the water with 8 mighty splash, as he came to the surface, and then blowing with 8 most inspiring sound.
 He went under and came up almost in the same place, and not far from him there lay brig, the crew of which had all mustered at the bulwarks to enjoy his | antics. ..-. This brig we had no time to observe with much attention, and it was sufi- | cient for us that she was not whaler 1; otherwise, she would have had that fel- low in spite of us.
 I was in the captains boat, and the ex- citement felt as we lay to our oars, with the other boats trying to get ahead of us, may be imagined by my young readers. | It will be remembered that each officer whether he be the captain or one of the mates-always steers his own boat till the whale has been fastened to; the regular "boat-steerer," so called, having the bow-oar and throwing the harpoon, but going aft and taking the steering-oar as soon as he is fast, while the superior officer goes to the~bow with lance. On we went, the three boats almost flying; but the whale turned fukes just before we reached him, and lying on our oars, we awaited his coming up.
 I now had an opportunity to look at the vessel near us. She was large for 8 brig of that day-about four hundred tons with remarkably long yards, and was altogether very handsome vessel.
 There seemed to be fifty or sixty men on board of her, and what she could be, I was, in my simplicity, at loss to i'm agine. That she made beautiful ap- pearance, however, lying there becalmed upon the oily waves, no one could have | denied.
 'sStand up, Sam!" said the captain to the boat-steerer. "Look sharp, all hands! I think he'll come up between us and that brig. That fellows slayer, MT: Jencks," he added quietly, addressing the mate, whose boat WIS close to us. "He's going in here on the Mozam- bique coast to slip aboard his wool and ivory or perhaps he has it aboard now, and is off for Rio Janeiro. At any rate, he'll make more in three months than we shall in three years"
 So the mystery was solved for me, and 1 in looking at that saucy slayer almost forgot the whale.
 "Hold easy, now! there he comes p Captain Wilder said in whisper. I And in moment the square head, with about third of the body, shot out of the water and fell like tower, splashing heavily.
 "Pul ahead softly" said the captain, in low voice. "Half dozen strokes, and we have him ! Now, Sam!'
 The whale had risen trife nearer to us than to the other boats. Old Sam poised his weapon, and then, with pro- digious force, hurled it at the monsters shining back. .,.-.-
 Instantly stopping for 8 second iron, he let fly that also. Both harpoons were deeply buried in the animal, and at the cry of "Stern all p the boat was shot back out of reach of the great fukes. The captain now exchanged places with Sam, and as he did so the line com menced going over the bow as if steam engine were at the other end. It was soon checked little with 8 turn around the loggerhead and then the boat began to make the water boil from her sides, while the captain, turning to his mates, bade them "good-by."
 "Coming back to-day, captain P we heard MT. Jencks sing out, as weleft him astern.
 And then what exclamations came from the brig, as we passed close under her counter:
 "Bravo !" "Mucho bono p "Cuida- do Hombres!'' "Cuidado, poco bungo!' "Viva los Yankeros P
 We secured the whale without diff culty, for he ran only half a mile. When hauling up to him, so that the bow o1 the boat touched the big creatures back the captain, with his lance held almos straight up and down, gave him thrus which ended all uncertainty.
 Next day, as we were boiling out, tht wind sprang up and we saw the strange brig stand to the northwest, giving us { wide berth as she passed. What beau tiful vessel she was, with everything sci from the courses to the skysails! ) Of course, it was the number of mer