Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-04-05
WHALING BY ssoulMAux.

A letter from New Bedford, Aass, gives the following story of an intensely exciting scene witnessed by a whaleman at Point Barrow:
 Il confess that I am very poor sports man, said George Leavitt II always felt that there was something diabolical ln thls sporting spirit, and it was not until took charge of the whaling station at Point Bar row and saw an Esquimaux whaling scene that was willing to admit that there was any thing but bloodthirsty spirit back of this gaming. Alter seeing that, however, willingly confess that there Is one kind of sport that is truly possessed of sameness-a kind of sport where the dan ger IS not all on one side.
 "As preliminary to all preparation the natives, headed by their medicine men, marched in solemn procession down to the beach, and with incantations, beating Of drums and other ceremonies formally ushercd in the spring. This lone, there was no doubt in their minds put that whal- ing would soon be at hand
 "Every thing seemed to be unusually favorable for whaling that spring. There had been but few gales during the winter, so the ice was not massed together and jumbled up as much as usual. From our lookout we could command view of the sea for miles, and none of the usual phe-
 
 "I went down to see Mung-gy the next day after he made camp and found him all ready for whaling, while none of the other natives had yet more than begun work About twenty feet from the hut and on the very edge of the foe, he had built chute of ice for his canoe. Day after day, from sunrise to sunset, ho and his men stood watch for whales. He was in the head of the canoe constantly, ready for action, and ,,tl, h,,., xx,ks s,hS gtf to a pole twenty feet long The men were near by ready at an instant's notice to grasp the canoe by the thwarts and throw it, Mung-gy and all ut the whale.
 Ut was a week or two before there was a general breaking up of the north pack. But when disintegration once began the ice receded gradually, leaving n channel a milo or so wide along the edge of the grounded shore ice on which we were encamped. With the open water came signs of whales.
 "Occasionally faint blows were heard. Now and then wo could sec spouts. But these torerunners were shy.
 "Close behind these were larger whales, that migrated more leisurely. From my | point on the lookout, with long glass in hand, 1 saw them coming, and signaled it to my men. Mung-gy read it as quickly as they watched them make all preparations for action. Mung- gy gave lis orders fast, and sandwiched in frequent anxious glances | down the edge O. the foe. "He seemed so explicit in his orders and | so deliberate lu his preparation that be- | came anxious for the sequel. | "'B-lo-w.'
 "A whale appeared from behind point of ice. Blow! blow! b-l-o-wv "The pod seemed to be large one, for many spoutings were seen and heard.
 "On they came, nearer and nearer, round | ing over lazily as they rose to spout and breathe
 "Four times the head one spouted; then, l with splash of the water with his tlukes, he sounded.
 "'How long will he be down! Where will he risea' These must have been Mung 1 gy's thoughts. Certainly they were mine and was whaling with him in spirit, eu tirely oblivious of my own crews.
 There was q commotion in the water and a huge, black object slowly rose out. I,
 was in front of the chute, but too far away | from any possible reach.
 Where would the next one rise!
 "Within the shadow of Mung-gy's erect | figure, which was cast upon the water, was l a stir.
 He carefully poised his long harpoon ant
 shook the coil of line in his hand.
 "The men, with firm grasp on the thwarts
 waited breathlessly.
 "Slowly the whale rose out as he sounded
 to go down.
 "Mung-gy shouted, but the men antici
 pated him.
 Like a flash he and the canoe were sho
 off the glassy surface of the chute at tht
 whale.
 "Such splas hing as there was
 "Mung-gy darted low and fastened hi:
 harpoon with the bunch of pokes attachel
 to it into the whale.
 "The men, shouting at the top of thei
 voices, each took other harpoonS and scat
 tered up and down the edge of the floe "The instant the whale appeared another
 bunch of pokes was made fast to him. He rounded to go down, but the poke rolled him over on his side, anu before h. } could recover himself a third bunch wa made fast But as he disappeared he swep his tukes about, smashed the canoe, an, } spilled Mung-gy into the water.
 | "Au the natives were insane with ex 3 citement, and they ran wildly up and dow . the edge of the foe, jabbing sharp lane l into the whale at every opportunity. A ) they worried him the water became dye deeply with blood.
 'At every rising of the whale it seeme as if Mung-gy was drowned The cano l was thrashed about mercilessly by tn s whales tail until only fragments were lei for Mung-gy to cling to. 9 At last, completely exhausted and wol 9 ried almost to death by frequent lancings ' the whale lay, buoyed up on topof tn = water by the pokes, and with few nor f thrusts he rolled over-dead. t Mung-gy, now completely chilled through t and nearly drowned, was rescued. Wor ' was soon begun on the whale, and by nigh r. with all the natives working together, h
 was cut in and the blubber and mes Q dragged ashore by the dogs, where it Wa 1, | slowed away in caches, as the next vii O ter's supply of food.
 II had become so intensely interested :. this struggle that I had forgotten my ow ! crew. and did not know that they, too, ha
 caught q whale. But it was a tame affai :, compared to the other, for the men sailed i -' whaleboat out to the whale, put tw '' bombs into him and rolled him over dea | without struggle"
 S New Occupation for Women. gl A new occupation for wor.an is that O superintendent of weddings. A youn
 woman in her late twenties, who makes 't success of the profession, is installed in (