Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1889-07-06
DOUBTiNG THOMAS.
The Way - Western Man sat Down ON
Whaling Captain.

Whaling Captain.
We had been in New Bedford ten or
twelve days, and had selected our par
ticular sea captain and listened 20 half
dozen of his yarns without bctraying
the slightest evidence Of doubt OF any
statement, when IA stranger from the
far West arrived and rather forced his
presence upon our coterie. We were
on the back verauda of the hotel. live
or six Of us aud the old whaler, and
the latte" had just started in on Il story.
when the Westerner came out of the
smoking room and drew up a chair.
Now go ahead. Captain. be
br,,squely observed, AS he lighted
fresh cigar.
We'll. gents" began the captain.
after an uneasy loo, around. Il was
going to tell you abouta whale n ----
What species OF whale'" Inter
rupted the stranger. "There are sew
eral species you know, and you had
better designate"
"A right whale, sir
''Oh! That's all right; go ahead. -
I'VE were lying to and drifting while
trying out fish captured the day be
fore. and the wind was from
Was this on Lake Erie or the At
lantic Ocean? put in the stranger.
Goa the Atlantic. of course.
Then am with you. didn't know
but you were whaling on the lakes.
Better locate the spot little closer
however"
.'lt was off the coast of Brazil" re-
piled the captaiu, in an indignant voice
That will do but it is long coast
Go ahead. and never mind which way
the wind blew"
We were drifting, a. | said. con
tiuued the captain, as he swallowed
lump in his throat. ''wheu the man at
the masthead called --'
Excuse me, captain. interrupted the
stranger. ''but if all hands We're trying
out why did you have lookout at the
masthead?
Let him go on.'' called two or three
voices.
20. certainly. but he must be sure OF
his facts. GO on. captain. you had
man at the masthead. where be didn't
belong at the time, but perhaps you
managed things that way. He sudden
Is sighted whale. didn't he?'
The captain would have retired. hut
We looked at him so appealingly that
he decided to make one more effort.
The lookout hailed the deck and
said that large whale was bearing
down on our starboard broadside, he
said, after two or three swallows. 81
40 once leaped --"
Say, Captain. softly inquired the
stranger. was the lookout man o;
yeracity?'
OF course be was
"All right. then; but have known
lookouts who would lie like trotting
horse about whales. Go on. You were
going to say that you leaped over
board. What happened them
Gentlemen. | can't stand this, y
protested the captain, as lie rose up.
Whats the matter?" asked the
stranger.
You seem to doubt my word. sir.
LANDS alive! but how did you get
that idea. On the contrary. | have the
most entire faith in what you say. BY
the way. Captain, what year, month.
and day Of the week was this? What
wa. the name of your ship? Are any
Of the crew willing TO 90 before
magistrate aud make atfidavit' ]
should also like"
But the captain had turned his back
and walked away. and our pleasant old
liar never returned to us. He had
been smothered by the stranger. and
we had to hunt up and listen to the
warns of mate. who couldn't tell
warn without his face giving him away
every time he pulled leg Of truth Out
Of joint. Y. Sun.