The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1883-06-23

taIlOn were lolloNlDS, the SnoulS Vi llllS
marine battle field.
Gradually the skipper had been keep
ing away and gainin. on the fish, and
now, with mighty turn of the wheel,
the little vessel fell away with rush,
the jib being hauled hard to windward,
and the fish was across the bow. The
long pole hung stiffly in mid-air, the filled
barbs of the steel lily glistened, then
with a splashing thud were buried in the
body of the fish.
STAND clear the line;'' shouted the
mate. Captain Sam was winding down
the wheel, and the schooner fairly groan-
ed with the suddenness with which she
was brought up into the wind, the line
shrieking and signing as It tore from the
tub in its flying race after the fish.
That was master hit, " said Cap
tain Sam. Fright afore the side-fin;
sent in tew stay"
81 calculate twas" replied the har-
pooner, who had dashed the pole and now
took in hand the barrel and held it aloft.
"All ready and with a jerk the last
coil leaped from the tub, and the key at
the end OF the rope was thrown into the
sea, to follow and eventually wear out
the gamey fish.
The fore, main, and gaff top sails were
now clapped on to the Thumbscrew, and
with the white spot moving ahead for
bearing, she plunged on in pursuit.
"Starn chase" said the captain; "but
We'll hev him in half an hour, you mark"
We were gaining on the key, and now,
at word from the skipper, the dory
that was bounding along astern was haul
ed alongside, the painter tossed in, and
the entire port watch, numbering two
souls, and the writer as volunteer, liter
ally tumbled in, and were soon moving
toward the jumping buoy, that was now
almost stationary.
Yaou clap on to the key, mister"
said John, the veritable Hanson of the
great parch, land We'll lay you along
side"
A few sturdy strokes, and the dory
swung by and was secured; oars were
jerked in, and not a moment too soon
was the line slipped into a crotch in the
bow, for the gamy fish, feeling the line
tauten, leaped into activity, jerking the
volunteer ANONYMOUSLY among the bail
erS.
The word "stern all " WAS not needed;
we were all there, and, with bow half
under, were headed out taking every
thing as it came. \ fair sea was running
and soon our small craft started an oppo-
sition wave, that, curling several feet
ahead, seemed leading US to victory or a
capsize.
"Shc won't helf many O Them said
John, as big wave came slashing in
upon us. "We'll have to get in that
slack" And Selling the line he passed
it aft. The struggle, three to one COM
menced. To gain fathom of line was
hard work, the fish now using desperate
efforts, making long surges to the right
and left. or cleaving the waves its entire
length, in vain endeavors for freedom.
In twenty minutes we were in sight of
the monster, and, with shout, all hands
laid on, and the game was alongside.
i" Pass the line astern! yelled John,
and in the struggle down we went with a
crash, quickly climbing to windward to
avert the catastrophe threatened by the
line fouling on row lock. For mo-
ment We were upon dizzy height on the
upper rail; then the line slackened and
cleared, and with a rush was passed to
tie scull hole in the stern.
"9-ay on naow, hard ~ shouted some
one. ana Icy on we did, knee-deep in the
water shipreA during the furry One
good pull all togethes, and the line was
"chocked up" and the fish fast astern.
The volunteer venturing t? prospect the
field, the ugly sword came &ying over
the dory, creating a down-bridge move
ment. The sinewy form bent in great
curves, Strengthening out with extreme
y.gidity, making slashing blows against
the s-cat, while the sharp tail quivered
and giavS2d, cutting the water like a
knife.
To the disinVe- e..ted observer it would
have been sublime. p,ke volunteer, be-
ing in the front row was moved from
not altogether humanitarian feelings to
cut the rope, but this now proved unnec-
essary; the game was up. The gallant
swordsman was weakening; the slashes,
rushes, and bounds became less-frequent,
and finally, as the sharp sword came
against the gunwale, John Hanson
caught it with round turn and securely
dashed it high out of water; the gamy
fish was hOrs de combat.
Its kind of question in my mind y
shouted Captain Sam, as the Thumb
screw rounoed to, whether you caught
the fish or he caught yeu.''-LtppincoHs
Mya=ine.