Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-07-08

From the Nelo York Su7.
uDid 7 ever tell YOU about the way Ben
c,ouqb saved the whaleship sharon|
.,id ship broker, formerly sailor, as ne
sattbe other day in his cosy office on the
East river water front. "Ben was
Now Bedford sailor and shipped as third
nsta ont of his home port in 1871. was
hsfore the mast as a youngster IN the
same shin. We had fairish run of luck
FIR the first year, and on October 10 the
next wear put into Ascension for wood,
rgotar and recruits. We got our supplies
INIT instead of increasing our crew eleven
men deserted, and on October y we sailed
away for Port jackson, having only II
men on board. including four natives of
the Kings Mills group and Dago boy
named Manuel. We were out little
over a week when the lookout reported a
scbooI of whales on the lee bow, and
Can't. Norris ordered out two boats, leaY-
inc no one on board except himself, three
of the islanders, and the boy Manuel. The
boat I was in made fast to a whale after
an exciting chase, and we soon had it
snouting blood, for Ben ClOugh, who was
.
master hand at the lance, and the mate
wasno slouch at giving orders. The ship
soon ran down to us, and we made the
whale fast alongside and then away we
vent for another whale. We had pulled
about a mile and halt away when Mr..
Smith, the mate, who had just looked at
the ship. said:
",What's the matter with the ship?
SAL bands stopped rowing to look. The
maint0pgalantsail was coming down on
the run, some one was alott, and the ship
was yawing around as if she was trying
H. sail three ways at once. While we
looked We saw the signal hauled down to
balf-mast, and then we laid ourselves to
the oars and pulled for the ship. We
weren't over 20 minutes getting within
hail Of her. Manuel was in the maintOp
throwing his arms around wildly, and
shouting that the islanders had killed the
CaDtaln. just then a big native, stark
naked, Jumped on the rail with cutting
spade in his hand, and danced about in
wild way to show US that he wasn't
afraid of us. We could see that his COM
panions had stacked up axes and all sorts
Of weapons and tools at both rails ready
10 keep us of. There wasn't a gun or a
pistol in our boat, and as the saVages were
above us they had a great advantage.
Pretty soon the fellow on the rail spoke to
the native that was in our boat, but was
answered with a shake of the head. In
stantly jumping to the deck, he threw the
cooks ak with such precision that the
native in our boat had to dodge, and even
then got q slit cut in the back of his shirt.
The ak was followed by a heavy bone be-
laying pin, which was shattered TO pieces
on the rail of our boat. Ben ClOugh had
darted his lance at the fellow twice, but
no oil, 70 Al,,
lance, and we found it more comfortable
to consider the case at longer range. Ben
wanted to pull in, but Smith was too eau
tiOus.
'IO prevent accidents in case of a flaw
of wind, the mate told Manuel to cut the
sheets and hallidTds on the fore and
main, so that the sails would hang flap
ping, but when Ben ClOugh wanted the
fOreroyal kstay cut so that it would drop
over into the water and give him some
thing by which he could climb to the jib-
boom, the boy had got so badly tuckered
out that he couldn't do it. 1t was q
o'clock when we first saw the trouble on
board, and we finally waited for night to
come to enable Ben ClOugh to try plan
which he proposed. 1t would have been
better il we mad waited until midnight,
but Mr.. Smith had to use his authority
even TO keep the man from plunging into
me water and shining up the cutwater.
Meantime the sharks had come around
for the dead whale that was alongside, and
were streaking through the water aud
making great stir to leeward. When
night bad fully come Ben took knife in
MS mouth and slipped over the stern of
the boat, which was then Just beyond the
end Of the iibboOm. He did not dare to
strike out lest the stir in the water should
Attract the attention of the watchful saw
ages, so he tTGd water slowly toward the
stern Of the ship. Two big sharks came
around, bat did not seem to understand
me vertical figure in the water, and gave
MN no occasion to use his knife. IL was
nearly Two hours before he ended his sus-
pelise by diving under the ships quarter
anu coming up alongside of the rudder.
linen no easily reached the open cabin
WIDOW aud crawled inside. Here he
stripped himself, so that in case Of
Vussle with the saVages they would have
nothing TO get hold of, and then he hunt
ed up tue muskets. Two only were in
uider 10 load, and when charged were put
AZ Tue foot OF the cabin stairway. 1t was
absolutely dark in the cabin, but he man
aged o get his work done. While getting "A
'atlasS he heard fOOtstep ON the cabin
STAIRS, and the next minute some
ming knocked over the arms stand
~ al iub lOOL OF LuB stairway.
Ben, Win his cutlass in hand.
giaWled over that way, saw the dim out
me OF The savage against the sky over
the companiOuway, and plunged the cut
iasb through that outline. As he drew
~ out the savage seized the blade, and
laeh hogan Il desperate struggle for lis
possession. The savage, although desDe-
lnaVeiy wounded, was y powerful man.
laSplng the weapon with both hands, he
Nv Ioted the blade around, cutting Ben's
it-hl pam TO tue bone. But when he
FUSED IN TO throw Ben he made mis-
,,a1e' Ben had him on the floor in no
e'lle ana one eye guuged out, and was
9aM ihg ms neck with the dull blade Of the
tga W. ~ "A vain effort TO cut his head on
L. many lne savage ceased % struggle and
NJ arose, supposing his opponent dead.
9pohef mad he done 80 THAN the savage
peu up, cutiass IN hand, but he was
'' much exhausted by the loss OF blood
Gu' more Than strike one or two blows
'u". qid but little harm.
Alhough the two men never uttered "A
M uufing tue tieht,tho sounds of the con
o, .'l must have attracted the attention of
' " rue saVages On deck. AS Ben went
,.'ol 10 the cabin stairs he saw one of them
hiih6 Gown with cutting spade in his
n,,u. ben picked up a musket, and aim-
oi' S at me savage, pulled the trigger. The
Hluu"ck snapped and missed IRE. The
,. axe was unable 10 see down In the
,|h ana probably did not understand
rae, 'luhn 81 NE musket lock. Al any
vst, NY "id not move, aud Ben tried again
" tuphi success I'D fire tina muat,t 11nl