The herald. (Big Stone City, Dak. [S.D.]) 1883-1890, 1889-08-09
He WAS A DCUBTlNC THOMAS,
Inc way Western Man Sat Down on =
Whaling Captain.

We had been in New Bedford ten or
twelve days, says a writer III the New
York SIN, and had selected our par
ticuar sea captain and listened TO half
dozen Of his yarns without bctraying
the slightest evidence of doubt of any
statement, when stranger from the
Far West arrived and rather forced
his presence upon our coterie. We
were on the back ycranda of the hotel,
hive or six of us and the old whaler,
and the latter had just started III on a
story, when the Wcstener came out OF
the smoking-room and drew up .
chair.
"Now. 60 ahead, Captain" ne
brusquely Observed, as he lighted a
fresh cigar.
well, gents,n began the Captain.
after an uneasy look around. Il was
going to tell you about whale as
'What species of Whale% interrupt,
ed the stranger. There are several
species, you know, and YOU had better
designate"
"A right whale, sir"
80! That's all right; 90 ahead
'We were lying 10 and drifting
while trying out fish captured the
day before, and tho wind was from ="
WAS this on Lake Erie or the At
lantic Ocean9' put in the stranger.
"On the Atlantic, of course
Then ann with you. didn't know
but you were whaling on the lakes.
Better locate the spot Il little closer
however"
1T was off the coast of Brazil" re-
piled the Captain, in an indignant
voice.
THAT will do, but it is q long coast.
Go ahead. and never mind which way
the wind blew"
1--WE were drifting. as | said" con-
tinued the Captain, and he swallowed
a lump in his throat, "when the man
at the masthead called-n
Excuse me; Captain, interrupted
the stranger, '.but if all hands were
trying out why did you have lookout
at the masthead?'
LET him 20 on," called two or three
voices.
%, certainly, but he must be sure Of
his facts. 10 on, Captain, You had
man at the masthead, where he didn't
belong at the time, but perhaps YOU
managed things that way. He sud-
denly sighted whale, didn't hep
The Captain would have retired but
we looked at him SO appoalingly that
he decided to make one more effort
''The lookout hailed the deck and
said that large whale was bearing
down on our starboard broadslde," he
said, after two or three swallows. Il
at once leaped-''
Say, Captain softly inquired the
stranger, was the lookout man of
veracity?"
.'Of course he was!'
"All right. then; but | have known
lookouts who would lie like trotting
horse about whales. Go on. You We're
going to say that you leaped overheard.
What happened then?'
Gentlemen, can't stand this pro-
tested the Captain rs he rose up.
whats the matter2" asked the
stranger.
"You seem to doubt NY word, sir. /"
LANDS alive. bus how did YOU get
that idca9 On the contrary, have the
most entire faith in what YOU say By
the way, Captain, what year, month,
aud day Of the week was this? What
was the name of your ship? Are any
OF the crew willing to 90 before
and make affidavit? l
should also like
But the Captain had turned his back
aud walked away, and our pleasant
old liar never returned to rs. He had
been smothered by the stranger, and
we had 70 hunt aud listen to the
yarns Of 4 mate who couldn't tell =
yarn without his face giving him away
every time he pulled q leg Of truth out
Of joint.