Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1884-08-15


der the topgallant sails with light
breeze at the rate of about forty knots
an hour. The most hardened grumble1
could not find fault with the day. AT
the fore and main topgallant crosstrees
were two men On the lookout for whales
1t was now nearly four o'clock in the
afternoon when the man in the main
sang out:
"There she blows"
He repeated tho cry regular five or
six times. Al was now exciteme nt
among the officers and men. Every
one was anxious to know if it was the
kind Of whale that was wanted.
The mate hailed the man at The mast
head:
"Where away is that whale? What
do you call her?"
"Right whale, sir, on the lee beam,
two miles off. Look out sharply for
her."
Sing Out when the ship heads for
her"
Aye, aye sly
keep her away said the captain to
the man at the helm. Boy, hand me
the spy glass"
"Steady!n sung out the man at the
mast head"
":steady It is" answered the man OF
the wheel.
The captain started to 60 aloft "Mr
A.. to the mate, "you may square in
the after yartl>; and call oil hand :"
"Forward there" shouted the mate.
"HauL the mai:2suil up aud square the
yards Bill" TO an old sailor
"Sir?"
Call I'LL hands,
"Aye, aye, sir. All hands ,thoy,"
shouted old Bill in q voice like a temp
est: "stand by the boats"
IN less than no time the deck YVES alive
with men.
Boat steerers, get your boat ready"
In O. moment the boats were in leadl-
ness, the tubs put in, and the lines bent
on the harpoons, the crew standing
by ready to follow the boat Down
went the boats and down followed
the crew, down to the water when the
WcIu C1ulG liOul WIG C&tpttIll W loHeI
away.
s'There she blows, sung out the man
at the fore, mot hai a mile Oft"
Down helmH' shouted the captain
"Mr. A., brace the mizzen topsail !
Hoist and swing the boats and lower
away!'
As tire boats struck the water, every
man on his thwart, with his hands on the
loom Of the oar, and in less time than it
takes to write it the three boats were
cutting their way through the water in
the direction Of the whale.
It was my duty to steer the mates
boat, and she happened to be the fast
est puller, SO that, although we all lett
the ship together, and for a few rods
keep nearly head and head with each
other, still we knew we'll enough that
as soon AS word clliiu from tho mate to
give way" we should drop the others
in moment. So we did not fret our
Selves but kept cool for o tight pull
when the whale should show himself on
the surface of the water again, which
he did in q moment after.
"There she is, )" cried the mate, "and
not over ten rods from the boat. Now,
my dear fellows, lay back hard, T tell
you! There she blows Only give. my
boys, and she is ours!"
The boat bounded forward like a
thing Ct lie.
Spring like tigers!" says the mate,
his voice sinking almost to a whisper
/ looked to see what kind of chance /
was to have at the same tilne pulling at
my oar with all my might. We were go
ing ON to her starboard quarter, just
the chance liked to fasten to 8 whale
''Stand up" shooted the mate, and
in moment had two harpoons to the
bitches into her.
''Stern-stern ALI" sung out the
mate, as he saw the iron in the whale.
Come here, my boy" he said to me.
We shifted ends, he to the head, and I
to the stern of the boat. Tho whale
started off like lightning. ".
Hold on hne,' said the mate, and
away we shot after her, like an arrow
from o bow. The. mate by this time
had his lnnce ready. ss =
tsHaul me on that whale. he shouted,
and all hands turned to hauling line
while I coiled it away to the stern
sheets. ,..
We had got nearly up to the whale
when she went to Sounding taking
The line right mp and down from the
head of the boat, 7 had two turns 81
the Line around the logger head, and
was holding on as the boat would bear,
when, all at once, another larger whale.
that we knew nothing about, shot up
out of the water nearly her whole
length, in q slanting position, han ging
directly over the boat. { threw Oh the
turns from the loggarhead and shouted
to the men to stern Z But it was IF no
use; she fell the whole Of her body on
the boat. I heard q crash, and as went
down I felt q pressure Of water over my
head, eaused as { then thought, BY the.