Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1883-01-08
A Story from a Whaler.

old, SIX feet high, and strong as an
oak tree.
He was the favorite of the ship
and no wonder. He was tender and
gentle, perhaps because he was
strong; he was peaceful, because he
was powerful. And the soft word
that turneth away wrath, with the
gentle hand to soothe a sufferer, is
often needed in the whale-fsheries.
Most of foremast-hands of the Ca
zelle were rough Portuguese lads,
from the Western Islands, on their
first voyage. They were treated
with course contempt by the few,
American seamen, and by the Off
GERS. The only "white man"-as
the Yankee sailor loves to call him.
seIf-who was kind and patient with
the rude boys was Chips; and he
was never tired of showing or teach
ing them something he knew. He
was one of those unselfsh fellows
who do not believe in keeping know
ledge to themselves. He had never
been to sea before; but, during the
first two years of this voyage, he had
attended to so many things besides
his own easy work that he was look
ed on as one of the best and coolest
whalemen aboard. Although ex-
empted from standing watch, he had
insisted on doing so from the first
day out. At night, if the weather
was good, he would sit on the main
hatch, in the center of ring of the
Portuguese lads. and with wonderful
patience teach them to make splices
and knots and to speak English. He
never tired of doing this or any 9TH
er kindly thing for them. In the
daytime, if there were work for him
at his trade, he still had them round
him, explaining every thing as sawed
or planed, just as if he wished to
made them as good carpenters as he
was himself.
On Sunday, when every one
brought his letters and pictures on
deck, Chips showed the only signs
of isolation he ever gave. He was
the only one on board-except my
self-who had neither pictures nor
letters-neither face nor word to re-
mind him of home. When the ship
touched at any port with a postotfice,
and every one else ran for his letters,
Chips remained aboard-he knew
there was none for him. In one of
| the boys albums he found picture
| of an old, white-haired woman-the
lads mother-and every Sunday
after he would ask for the album,
and always gave it back when he
had.turned to that picture.
The ship had been two years out
when I first saw Chips. Through
strange and unhappy circumstances,
/ was afoat on the Indian Ocean in
a small boat when this New Bedford
whaler hove in sight, and ran down
towards me. 1t was day of ex-
quisit pain and joy when the white
sailed ship came slowly in the light
breeze to save an outcast from
death, and worse than death. 1t
was late in the evening when the
blessed GOODNESS of the shadow of the
sails fell on my boat. Another min
ute, and the frail shell struck the
side of the whaler; and the first
man to spring out in the mizzen-
chains, to- help me aboard, was
strong-handed Chips, with tears of
sympathy in his eyes. On the deck
the captain met me with an open
hand and heart and for eight
months I sailed with the whalemen
and took part in the good and i'll that
befell them.
Chips and / were friends from the
| OF, hoB
hands is one of my natural tests of
character. Some people shake your
hand so politely that you feel they
would care mighty little about shak,
; ing your acquaintance some men
slip their hands into yours and you
feel as if you were squeezing fish
some peoples hands are so thick
fat and cold, you might as wei
grasp the fingers of leather dummy
most people, and nice people shake
hands as a preliminary to conversa
ton; but now and then ones hanc
strikes into sympathetic palm, the
fingers take full hold, the thumbs in
, terlock and close-and when tina
: friendly grasp is over, there is not /;
word to be said-it spoke all friendl,
greeting in its own good language
just such kindly and grim grip dit
Chips give me the first time we met.
$ When picked up, was in a bat
!. way for clothes; all that belonged t,
me in the world were the few brand
t ed rags that had worn in the boat
Sailors are used to such things; an,
: they know the remedy. Every on
: came forward with his little offering
I One brought hat, another a jacket
d another pair of sea-boots, a jack
d knife, cake of tobacco, and so on
/ until [ had a bunk full of marin
y y necessaries. Chips had least to Civ
of all, for he had shipped without
regular outfit. But, when he saw a
" that had been smiling at th
g. rough boys as each one handed b
:, offering-he drew me off to his ow