The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-07-27
A Maruessed Whale
THAT RAN AWAY WITH PLUCKY BOAT CREW
AT THE RATE OF MILE A MINUTE.
New Haven Union

THAT RAN AWAY WITH A PLUCKY BOAT CREW
AT THE RATE OF A MILE A MINUTE.
New Haven UnionI
Wandering around on the wbarves day
or two ago. among the remnants OF what
was once the scene OF hustle aud activity in
the good old days Of whaling, Union
repolter encountered an old sea.cap-
tain who had good story to tell.
Near by was moored whaling
vessel and casks OF oil were ranged
about, 50 that the old tar seemed at home.
The conversation 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
bows rowed well and went pretty fast; but
he had gone faster, and probably faster
than many ever went in a row.boat. The
scribe urged the mariner to tell the story,
which be did substantially as follows:
It is about thirty-flve years ago since L
went out from New London as boat
stecrer. That is pretty lively berth, as
any whaleman can tell you, especially when
a whale is tackled. The steerer has vir-
tually the control Of the boat and the safety
Of the men in il, and when the whale begins
TO lash the water with his tail, look out;
there's danger in being near the big fiuke.
Sometimes you can put an iron into whale
and be won't splash on the surface, but
will start off like a rocket, or perhaps will
| % right down, and YOU have 10 cut loose
and lose your line and irons. Still whale
man gets used 10 these things, and when
boat Is stove by whale, or when the crew
get into any difficulty, they generally know
what TO do, and take matters philosophi-
caIly. They are tough fellows, and can
row for hours, and without training, and
with heavy oars resting on the "gunnel "
(gunwale) OF the boat.
| In those days different class OF men
went whaling from what go 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 Tor. But when
there was money il whaling, captains could
get passaby good pick OF men for their
crews. Stout young fellows who couldn't
make more than salt on the farm came
down to New London to 90 TO sea.
They had heard OF The big chances
for good voyage, which, II realized
would give them In lew months
more money than they ever saw. III
the owners got the lions share OF tie
money. there was still good lot left to he
doled out in lays (propOrtionate shares 10
L
one VOYAGE, or what would pass for an ac-
ceptable competency for the man who was
| contented to live modestly. Well, on the
ship on which l was boat-steerer this time
there was as fine a set OF men, pluck and
endurance considered, as you ever saw. In
my boats crew there were some parlicu-
larry good men. But what happened to US
one day tried the mettle OF several OF them.
We were laying becalmed one day of the
| Cape OF Good Hope. IL was as smooth as a
mill pond for miles; you couldn't see rip
pie on tue water. for not breath oil wind
stirred. There were several whalers lying
of the land, close in, waiting for wind or
something to give them occupation. By
and-by we saw two or three whales coming
ND to blow, about two miles away. The
captain called the watch up. and couple
OF boats started for the whales, which
weres lying still as summing them
selves. In my boat was q big negro,
black as the ace OF spades. Every time ne
rowed stroke the boat would shoot ahead,
and he would open his mouth and grim
showing wonderful display OF ivory. VIZ
raced with the other boat and got ahead
for my men were 1.-THE and tough, and by,
landry we got alongside OF one o.
the big fellows. The steering-oar was pull
4 ed in, the oars were packed-that is, pulled
, IA so that they couldn't strike the water
|. then on iron was thrown into the floating
2 island.
II The whale laid still for q minute, as II
I struck with amazemeut that any one should
: dare ~ touch him. The rope, which wa
Q coiled up In the tub at the bottom OF The
' boat, didn't seem to be OF any use for
. moment. In the mean time the other boa