The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1888-01-19

| well as could be done under the Cir
cumstances, but it was evident that
the craft should be taken to some port
for proper repairing of the damage.
"Oh, father" said Maggie, who had
by this time become quite pale and
| thin, 81 should like to see, before we
! go to port, the very spot where the
boats were lowered when he was
| lost"
"Nonsensem cried the captain.
"What good can it do you? Why not
encourage Sandy?"
But Maggie shrank back, looking
much distressed; observing which, her
father continued:
.'You shall have your wish. I will
put the ship in the same latitude where
the Condor was at the time you
speak of"
This was finally done, and the young
| girl, leaning over the rail and looking
| out upon the heaving waters, darkened
with clouds that foretoid coming
tempest, sadly thought of her lost
lover, who had met his fate somewhere
near that very place.
There was at this time a pretty
heavy sea, and as she rolled and
plunged. the Neptune" which was
an old vessel, creaked dismally in ev-
cry timber.
All at once, from the man at the
masthead, came the well known cry
There she blows!"
| And although the water was rough
for lowering, the captain insisted on
having the boats down. All hands
were therefore called, and when the
ship was within league of the whale,
whose spout was seen ahead, about
four miles from one of the Navigator
Islands, every boat-there were four
aboard this craft-was lowered
As the boats were headed for the
whale, canoe, which had put off from
the island, was observed approaching,
and it was soon near enough for the
men to see the face and form of the
single occupant
He was tall, dark bearded young
man, with bright fiery eyes, and long
black hair falling to his broad shoul-
ders. Of powerful yet agile build, he
wore the usual garb of a native, con-
sisting of mantle and a sort of a
tunic of cotton cloth, the latter reach
ing little below his knees. Unable
to decide whether he was one of the
native islanders or missionary, the
captain would have hailed him, had it
not been for the whale, which now
was within darting range. 1t was a
large bull, with an enormous hump,
and four vicious looking white spots,
which-so all the sailors said-denoted
an ugly customer, cleaning like the
eyes of demons just abaft its spout
hole.
Dart" cried Captain Ogilvie to his
harpooner.
But, as the latter lifted mis- weapon,
rough sea hurled the boat directly
on top of the whale, and the man hes
itated.
Give it to him, tell your roared
the plucky skipper. and the iron was
driven to the socket into the monsters 8
| flank.
"Starn, boys, starn!' shouted Ogil-
vie.
With a sdelong sweep of his head
the whale opened his great jaw, into
which a sea dashed with hollow,
gurgling roar, while his small eyes
seemed to turn red with fury. Then
up went his back, crushing the boat
and turning it broadside on between
| two lofty waves, one of which crashing
over it, rolled it bottom upward, spill
ing out men, line, tubs and all.
| Down went the whale, and the swim
mers narrowly escaped the line as it
ran Kissing through the foaming wa
ters, ere they were picked up by the
second mates boat.
Wen pay him for that-aye, boys,
We'll have our revengep' cried Ogil-
| vie, as he shook the water from his
saturated locks.
| When next the monster came up,
the third mate succeeded in getting
fast to him., but the towed boat was
nearly swamped by the lofty surges.
AT last, when the whale again reap
peared, and the craft was hauled up
toward him, the heavy seas hindered
its being well maneuvred, and as the
officer piled his lance, the boat was
hurled under his sweeping flukes,
which came down upon it with a
crash, splintering it to fragments, its
occupants only saving themselves by
jumping overheard, to be afterwards
picked up by Ferguson.
Two boats had now been lost. and
soon third-that of the second mate
was rendered useless. This boat
had been made fast just after the third
officers was stoven. and Ogilvie him
self, who was in it, rs already stated,
piled the lance. He was doing excel
lent work, when a sea rolling against
the boat, and thus impeding the men
in their efforts to stern or back away
from the whale, the latter, dashing at
the craft with open jaws, caught the
bow and partly crushed it with his
teeth, ere the old skipper. full of venge-
full ire, drove his lance into an old Lar-
poon wound, which he saw Bullying
from the side of the monsters hump.
This caused the whale to sheer off,
and, all at once it was seen to make
for the ship!
The latter now clay to" to leeward
of him, not ten fathoms off, having
having been brought up to this place
by the ship-keepers, numbering but
five men. all the others being in the
boats. As the course of the whale was
toward the weakest part of the craft
the spot where the loose timber had
been patched and as she could not
be luffed up any further, while to face
OFT would only hasten the threatened
calamity, the startled seamen realized
the vessels danger at glance.
Maggie, who stood by the rail, and
saw the whale coming, gave cry of
terror.
"Quick, Sandy" roared the captain
"You are near enough to the whale to
do something to turn him from his
course. Remember, man-remember
my child is aboard that ship!"
But Ferguson would not make the
venture.
And so now, with a tempest APP
preaching from windward, and one of
the only two remaining boats-both
crowded with the picked up crew of
the stoven ones-so badly broken that
it could not long keep ahoat, it seemed
as if both ship and crew were doomed
to be lost.
At this tryinp moment the. younp