Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-12-28

Swallowed by a "Sparm" Whale-His
Navy Plug Makes the Monster Sick.

n OlOOhfNN OONAh
Swallowed by ssSparm" Whale-His
Navy Plug Makes the Monster Sick.
On almost any evening, says the New
York Tribune, there may be seen gath
cred in the cosy back room of a West
street hOstelry much favored by seafaring
men, a company of red-faced old ''shell-
backs" who casually drop in when they
happen to make the port of New York to
get taste of the fragrant hot Scotch or
spiced rum, for which the place is famous
among all merchant sailors. 1t is favor
to be admitted to the room, which is
rarely accorded to any one who has not
made dozen ''deep water voyages" or
doubled the two capes" two or three
times. A spirit Of the utmost democracy
perYades the place. AfOre the mast
a captain, and enjoys his glass Of steam
ing grOg just as much as his SUI
periOr in office and without the slightest
restraint. Everybody seems to know
everybody else, and if he doesn't he soon
becomes acquainted when he is admitted
to the charmed circle. Here almost any
night, amid the fragrant perfume of the
hot liquor and the thick clouds of smoke
from the Clipped ''navy plugs" in the
short pipes of the sailors, old ship
mates meet, exchange stories of recent
voyages, recall old tales OF toll and peril
that they have undergone together, and
spin sometimes the most marvellous
yarns for the editication of the assembly.
Some wonderful stories are told at times.
On recent occasion Tribune reporter
was present at one of the reunions when
one of the old salts, "Tom' Hughes by
name, tall, powerfully built Liverpool
lrishman, who seemed to be a general
favOrite, reeled off the following ''twister:''
You know, mates," he said, shat a
while back l took turn on a whales. I'd
never had any of that kind of work and
thought I'd take try at it any way. It's
a rum kind of business, any way you take
it-gOOd enough for Kanakas or Portu-
guese, but no more Of it in mine."
"Rtght you are, mate" chimed in a
weather-beaten old fellow of 80 years or
thereabouts, who looked as if he hAl been
knocking about the world for at least 100
years. .'Ive been there myself, and it
amt fit for a white man no ways"
"Well, | shipped into a tight enough
little bark, out of New Bedford, bound on
three years cruise in the South Pacific
fishing grounds" continued Hughes. Il
was before the mast on the 225th lay, that
is, got one barrel of oil out of every 225
caught. We'd been cruising around
among the South Pacific islands for up
ward of six months with varying luck,
doing pretty well on the whole, when one
day the lookout gave the cry that we was
always looking for: Thar she blows and
thar she breaches! Sparm whale three
pints on the lee bOwp" and the speaker
gave the call in the true sing-song way of
an old whaler. ''Wel, mates, if you've
never been aboard whaler you don't
know what a cOmmOtiOn that sound
makes. 1t was a beastly hot day,
h. k.H Ii, i
the deck doing all sorts Of little odds
and ends, of which you know there's
always plenty aboard ship. and princi-
pally hunting out shady places. But at
the first sound everything was alive. The
watch below was turned out. Men were
rushing to their boats. The old man ran
up to tie foremost head with lis glasses
to sight the whale, and the officers was
Tearing ground cussing the men fore-and-
aft. It's a strange thlGS. but mate
seems to think that sailor nan can't
work unless he's cussed at. l was DOW
oar in the first mates boat. We was the
first in the water, and we laid down to
our work in good fashion, and it wasn't
long before we was up to big bull whale.
Inc mate put the iron to him in good
shape. The brute sounded, and we laid
on our oars waiting for him to come up.
We waited maybe five minutes, when l
happened to look into the water, and
there right under us l saw the old fellow
coming up with mouth wide open. |
gave one yell and then l was paralyzed.
Before L knew where L was the
jaws of the whale had closed on
the boat, crushing it like an eggshell, and
l felt myself gulped down his throat like
big oyster. You can just bet 1 felt as if
the whales stomach. 'Well,' saws I TO
myself, Tom, old boy, you've got Yourself
into nice pickle and L thOr. ght of all
the bad things I'd ever done and made mn
my mind that my time b. a come. I sorter
remembered about sr'me fellow that the
Holy Joes tell abort that cot sva1iowed
oy a whale, am the whale carried him
,To,IIS 40 :, ought maybe my old hooker
=, ,,1I.S w ne same thing. 'Well,' says L
80 - HA9 elf, there's no use making any
iWs-. about it. / guess you are here to
stay, my boy, and you may as well make
Yourself as comfortable as you cam So
I a. uls out my plug of tobacco and bites
off q big chew. You know Pm
a handy sort of chap to spit.
Well alter I ba,'' chawed little while
spit. As l did it l nou,H. ed that the whales
stomach gave a sort of hah turn. Blast
me, if L amt got you, old fellow, says L,
and pulled out my plug again and cntts !
it up as fine as l could, and sprinkles it |
all over the whales stomach. Before l |
could see, l went sailing up through his |
throat Ike | was shot out of a gun; and |
just as / got to the top of the water was
hauled into the old mans boat and taken |
aboard the ship. was sick for nigh on |
to a month"
"Say, T0m," said the old man who had |
first spoken, 81 don't want to cast no re-
Elections on a shipmate's yarn, but 1 |
would like mighty well to find out what !
kind of grog they served out aboard that |
bark o. yOur's?'
''Me too" went up the chorus from all |
hands