New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1890-11-26

bMxASSsSsasRSSs sE W1 town OF New
sHW NV M1SAf Williams, an
old seadog, with fists like the knots
on an oak tree and a tremendous
breadth Of shoulders.
This man had the reputation of
having captured the largest whale
ever caught in these seas-a hump
backed fellow" which on being tried
out yielded lao barrels of oil. ...,
The skipper was proud of his fame
as skillful whale-hunter, which, in
fact, was well-deserved. He could
throw the barbed iron further than
most men, and was always cool and
self-possessed in moments of great
est peril, whether it was during his
'<fghts'' with the monsters of the
deep or with the angry elements.
1t was aclose, sultry day. Far and
near the surface OF the sea lay I'M
broken by single ripple. s
A yellowish vapor. Or haze had,
however, for some hours been O.
ticed to windward.. It seemed to
rise slowly and to spread gradually
over the blue, unclouded concave
above u.s. The sun, meanwhile, had
assumed a singular appearance. 1t
had turned to a fiery red color, and
was surrounded by green and blue
ring, which seemed to revolve round
and round it. ~ =.
Finally a hollow, humming noise
was heard, as if some brazen instru-
ment was being blown by unseen be-
sngs far above our heads. i'll.
At the same moment, from aloft,
like the wild cry OF some distant sea-
bird, we heard the voice of Hindok-
the K.anaka boat-steerer, who kept
a lookout at the m ainmast head.
''There blows! Observation-Disclosures
blow-ow-sP' +.
"Whereaway?" yelled Williams,
through his speaking-trumpet.
At the same moment the sun
drowned faces of all the men on deck
were turned aloft.
'"Three points off the lee bow-two
miles of-a try right whale, sir.
There blows! blows! blowsH'
"Call all hahds!'' roared the cap
tain.
This was done and all hands below
came bounding on deck.
'sStand by the boats!" was the
next order.
The boat-steerers-young, active
fellows, all of them-sprang into
their respective boats to get their
lines and 'crait" in readiness.
'Lower away" ordered old Will
Jams, with lightning celebrity making
his way to the deck.
The four boats dropped splashing
into the sea and the next moment
away they went after the whale.
In about half an hour we lay on
our oars waiting for the whale to
come up.
Hindok stood in the bow, scanning
the ocean with his eagle eyes. He
was as fine-looking a specimen of an
islander as was ever seen. His frame
was tall and supple, his arms long
and sinewy, his shoulders of great
breath, and his chest round and
deep.
''Do you see anything, YETI" in
quired Williams.
Nothing yet to see SIR answered
the islander, casting du bious glance
around him.
The haze had filed all the air and
the suns light was darkened omin-
ously.
The humming noise previously al
luded to had grown louder, and we
could see a great line ofwhite water
I tearing down toward us from wind
ward.
Suddenly Hindok, pointing ahead,
whispered:
l"There, dat fellow, sir!''
"Your oars, men," Missed the cap
tain through his set teeth.
We seized the oars, and the boat
sglided swiftly and noiselessly toward
where the ripples ahead showed that
the whale was coming up.
We had not got halfway there,
when up came the leviathan, shoot.
ing straight from the sea, his whole
monstrous form revealed bis fms out.
spread like pair of wings.
A moment he remained poised ap-
parently on the very ends of his
fiukes; then down he came, striking
the sea like a thunderbolt, and send
ing the spray flying in white, blind
ing shower all around him.
snow, Hindok-give it to him!'
screamed Williams.