The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1889-12-11

Ths Way Western Man Sat Down ON y
WHALING Captain.


Whaling Captain.
We had been in New Bedford ten or
twelve days, says a writer ia the New
York Sun, and had selected our partic-
ular sea captain and listened to half a
dozen of his yarns without betraying
the slightest evidence of doubt of any
statement, when stranger from the
Tar West arrived and rather forced his
presence upon our coterie. We were
on the back veranda of the hotel, five
or six of us and the old whaler, and
the latter had just started in on a story,
when the Westerner came out of the
smoking-room and drew up chair.
Now, 60 ahead Captain" he OBJ
served, as he lighted fresh cigar.
We'll, gents, 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 bet
ter designate"
"A right whale, sir"
"Ol 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 Allan
tic ocean," put in the stranger.
"On the Atlantic, of course"
Then | am with you. l didn't know
but you were whaling on the lakes.
Better locate the spot little closer,
however"
1T was off the cost of Brazil, re-
piled the Captain, 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, as l said" con-
tinued the Captain, and he swallowed n
lump in his throat, when the men at
the masthead called"
Excuse me Captain, interrupted
the stranger, "but if all hands were
trying out why did YOU have lookout
at the masthead?"
Let him go on, called two or three
voices.
90, certainly, but he must be sure of
his facts. Go on, Captain, you had a
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 he ?"
The Captain would have retired but
we looked at him so appealingly that
he decided 10 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. Il at
once leaped-"
Say, Captain" softly inquired the
stranger, "was the lookout a man of
veracity?"
"Of course he was!"
"All right, then; but have known
lookouts who would lie like n trotting
horse about whales. Go on. You were
going to say that you leaped overheard.
What happened then?"
Gentlemen, can't stand this" pro-
tested the Captain as he rose up.
What's the matter?" asked the
stranger.
"You seem to doubt my word, sir"
LANDS alive but how did You get
that idea? On the contrary, L have
the most entire faith in what you saw
BY the way, Captain, what year, month,
and day of the week was this? What
was the name of your ship? Are any
of the crew willing to go before a
magistrate and make affidavit? /
should also like"
But the Captain had turned his
back and walked away, and our pleas
ant old liar never returned to us. He
had been smothered by the stranger,
and we had to hunt up and listen to
the yarns of mate who couldn't tell a
yarn without his face giving him away
every time he pulled leg of truth out
of joint.