Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1884-10-18


Like white head appeared hardly fifteen
feet away: loud puff sounded on the
the air and q faint spray for q second
caught the sunshine. If there had been
time the harpoOner would have sue
cumbed, probably to something akin to
back fever the symptoms were there
but, rallying. the harpoon was raised. and
by good luck took the ghostly creature
fair in the back just as It was diving to
return.
Bully for yer shouted the rover, as
a barrelful of water struck the harpooner
full in the face, being tossed from the
animals tail. : You've hit him good.
WET RIDE.
This was evidently the case. as the line
was whizzing out of the tub with hight
ming speed.
YOU'D better get aft afore the end
comes, said the fisherman There's SO
much sea runnin' that he might drown
US If she's down at the head.
The suggestion was acted upon, and
none 90 soon, as the flying cord was
soon exhausted and came taut with a
jerk. The bow of the boat was buried
deeply in the water, then rose bravely
on the waves and dashed off behind the
stricken whale.
ct amt particularly dry" remarked
the oarsman, wiping the spray from his
face and taking no bailer.
The boat was taking the waves as they
came, going through some and over
others, hurting the spray ten feet in the
air, all In all working up quite an ex-
element and considerable anticipation,
as every sea threatened to engulf the
little craft, and once full the occupants
and boat furniture would speedily be
floated out and left behind. In going
half mile the boat was half full of
water, and it required but little calcu-
lation to show that mile would bring
things to climax.
1--WE must get alongside or let her go, y
said the old man, as the boat dashed into
large sea. eve can't stand this. +"
The line was in notch at the bow and
getting aft, both occupants took hold
and hauled the line in whenever oppor-
tunity offered. Every haul seemed to
increase the speed of the flying animal,
and finally one was obliged to bail while
the other took in the slack. For nearly
an hour this bailing and hauling was
kept up, the whale now slackening and
then starting up with renewed energy,
until finally it preached 100 feet from
the boat and rolled over and over for
several minutes, sure sign that it was
weakening.
IF We want to finish the business, !"
said the whaler, ''I'll put We alongside
while he's rollin' and We can give him
the lance
The volunteer accordingly took the
ugly weapon, that was about foot off
the end of scythe lashed to a bladeless
oar and, with a rush, the whale was
boarded. A tremendous rush of water
nearly swamped the boat at the onset,
but the animal was alongside and it was
the work of moment to send the terri
BILE instrument into the creature. that
gave q convulsive bound. cleared the
boat and lay thrashing wildly just out of
reach.
Zone clip of that tail would finish us. !"
said the fisherman, backing water to
avoid the rushes Of the animal I've
seen 'em mash boat just like paper,
but you Just finished her, sure enough. )"
The whale was evidently dead, and,
after putting another harpoon into its
head, it was fastened asttrn and the pull
shoreward commenced.
1--WE take white whales shootin' some
times, said the rover. land the last one
took last season got a joke on rue that ain t
quite wore off yet. We went out in a
gang that day, some with rifles and some
with harpoons, and reckon there was
ten bots (boats) all told, and right down
by the mouth of the creek we struck a
school of 'em. so big that there was
nothing but heads a-poppin' up all
around. When we got into the lot the
boys began a-shootin' and strilxin, aud
got so mixed up that we didn't know
where we was for awhile. My boy had
my harpoon, and the only thing could git
holt on was alance, jest like this. and as
was standin' in the bow big white
whale come up under me- / let drive
aud sunk the lance into him about two
foot, and at the same moment one of the
other boats struck us right amidships.
lost my balance, and afore knew it
was a settin on that old whales back,
hangin' onto the pole, and goin along
like creased lightning. The boys set up
yell, and made way for me, and off
went.
sYe see, = continued the speaker, the
water was only about four foot, and the
critter couldn't dive, so jest chung to
it. First she struck in shore, snortin',
q putin and beating the water, with her
tail so't We could hear her clear across the
bay. But she couldn't shake me off.
iist chung to the handle, and let her rip,
and ,aroffv aonn when rxa came IN q ahoal