The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1884-10-17
animals tail. "You've hit him good y
WET RIDE.

was WhlZZlng out OF the tub with light
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 1T the head"
The suggestion was acted upon and
none too soon, as the flying cord was
soon exhausted and came taut with
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 up 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
foated out and left behind. In going
half q mile the boat was half full of
water, and it required but little calcu-
lation to show that mile would bring
things to climax.
ave must get alongside or let her go"
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. -
eff ye want to finish the business, ="
said the whaler, I'm put we alongside
while he's rollin' and ye can give him
the lance"
The volunteer accordingly took the
ugly weapon, that was about foot off
the end of scythe dashed to a blsdeless
oar, and, with 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 a 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 give
seen 'em mash a 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 sstern and the pull
shoreward commenced.
eve take white whales shootin' some
times, said the rover. land the last one
took last season got joke on me that amt
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 EN-, 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 strikin, and
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 lance, jest like this and as |
was standin' in the bow a big white
whale come up under me. | let drive
and 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
a YELL and made way for me, and off
went.
''Ye see" continued the speaker, 1.-The
water was only about four foot, and the
critter couldn't dive, so l jest chung to
it, First she struck in shore, a snortin'
a putin and beating the water, with hel
tail soft We could hear her clear across the
bay. But she couldn't shake me off
jist chung to the handle, and let her rip,
and pretty soon when we came to shoa
place beached her. or she beached me,
| don't know which. Anyway, | reckon
Pm the first one that ever rode whale
in these diggins."
The boat was now in shore, so that
the whale grounded, and a beautiful
creature it was-a pure creamy white
about twelve feet in length, with a
graceful, rounded head that seemed more
disconnected from the body than Is gen
eral with whales, and it is said that the
white whale is the only one that car
move its head from side to side at all
: The side fins were small, tie tail broad
} and richly pointed an organ of great
power. Scientifically the white whale
, is the Beluga, and they are found il
great numbers about the Gulf of St. Law
renee and farther north. They attain t
length of twenty-three feet, and are val
| ued for their hide which is tanned into
leather, and the oil from the blubbcr
: the latter being greatly esteemed bl
workers in delicate machinery. The In
dams eat the flesh and tine Esquimau,
| use the bones, so that all in all the crea
4 ture is quite useful,
l When we landed, the box that hat
been towed into the bay was high anC
5 dry beside great hole that had beer
. excavated on previous tide. The fish
| erman now obtained several assistants
| and, the hole being made larger, the DO,
was lowered into it so that it was almos
: IN a lpVpl with tho snrroun1inor hott ON