Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1880-08-12
A Harnessed Whale.

wandering around on the whaTves a
day or two ago, among the remnants OF
what was once the scene of hustle and
activity In the good old days of whaling,
Union reporter encountered an old sea
captain who had good story to tell.
1t is about thirty-fve years ago, said
the captain, since went out from New
London as a boat-steerer. That is a
pretty lively berth, as any whaleman
can tell you, especially when a 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
huke. Sometimes you can put an iron
into a whale and he won't splash on the
surface, but will start off like a rocket,
or perhaps will go right down, and you
have to cut loose and lose your line and
irons. Still, a whaleman gets used to
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 philosophically.
They are tough fellows, and can row for
hours (and without training) and with
heavy oars resting on the "gunnel "
(gunwale) OF the boat.
We were laying becalmed one day off
the Cape of Good Hope. II was as
smooth as mill-pond for miles; you
couldn't see ripple on the water, for
not breath of wind stirred. There
were several whalers lying off the land,
close In, waiting for a wind or some
thing to give them occupation. By-and-
bye we saw two or three whales COM
ing up TO blow, about two miles away.
The captain called the watch up, and a
couple of boats started for the whales,
which were lying still as If summing
themselves. In my boat was a big
negro. Every time he rowed a stroke
the boat would shoot ahead. and he
would open his mouth and grin, show
ing wonderful display of ivory. We
raced with the other boat and got ahead,
for my men were 1.-the and tough, and
by-and-bye we got alongside of one oi
the big fellows. The steering-oar was
pulled in; the oars were packed-that
Is, pulled In so that they couldn't strik Ike
the water; then an iron was thrown
into the floating island.
The whale laid still for minute, as II
struck with amazement that any one
should dare to touch him. The rope
which was coiled up in the tub in the
bottom Of the boat, Ididn't seem to be oI
\ any use for a moment. In the mean.
time the other boat had come up. Sud.
denly the whale made up his mind what
to do. He started off like locomotive
the rope whizZing around in way "a
astonish lsnd lubber. The boat didn't
follow slow. When the rope was out
we were rushing by the captains boat
like mad. The captain took off his hat
and wav ed II Mt me. shouting: Go IT,
young man; you're going out of town
faster than you'll ever go again." AL
we could do in that double-ended boat
was TO sit still and see her go through
the water. candidly believe that We
went at the rate of mile minute, and
the water was n very wonderful sight
Ii reminds me, now that / think of 1t
of Poe's description of the interior of the
Maelstrom. where the water went round
so fast and was so black that IL mus;
have seemed like q wall Of polished
ebony. The pressure downward piled
the water up on both sides of N
so that IL seemed to be nj least thre,
feet higher than the edge of the boet
but IL couldn't run. for we were goinl
so fast IL hadn't time. Every ones eye
were blurred with the wind, which
seemed 70 be blowing hurricane
against US. The line hitched TO the iror
in the whale was rushing through III,
water as rigid as an iron rod, and ther'
must have been line of foam n mil,
long behind us. This thing couldn't II
on forever. The negro had got n httl,
scared, for IL looked rs If the whal,
would never get tired out, and we wer,
going TO sea at an amazing rate. Th.
ship went away as If by magic, and W,
had lost sight of the other boat. TIL,
negro stopped grinning, and the othel
men expected at least TO have n row nj
night in the dark unless the ship shoulC
follow US. Finally the line all at ono,
slackened. The whale hadn't stopped
and, for all I know, Is going ahead m
the rate OF mile q minute still. but tn,
iron had come out. We rowed back Il
the ship, and as we came along the cap
tain called over the rail, Where's tn
whalePn
oh" said /, "the iron melted out
he went so fast"
Just what thought" said the cap
tain; and that night we all had "plun
duff. "-NetD HdUen linton.