The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1890-09-20

and was then given command of the ship,
and "Big Manuel" became Capt Enos
In the spring of 1864 he started out
again, resolved to make a voyage which
should be the greatest effort of his life.
In order to spur him on, the owners of
his ship offered him bonus of 81 900 if
he made 800, 900 in two seasons. All
went we'll with the Java and her big COM
mander. The whales succumbed in
large numbers to the deadly harpoon and
bomb lance, and after two years sailing
the briny, he went into Honolulu and
sent his catch home as freight; then he
went on another voyage of two years and
was equally successful. He now steered
his course for New Bedford again, with
his ship loaded down with oil and bone,
and in few days after his arrival he was
once more in Cold Spring Harbor. A
strange thing had occurred during his
absence. Just after his departure his
little girl, aged four years, had died, and
a baby was born which was now nearly
four years of age. and Capt. Enos didn't
know the difference until he was told.
His accounts of the four years voyage
were made up, when it was found that
the Java had cleared 500, 200, Just So, 800
short of the sum which was named to
secure the bonus of 81 1000. Enos was
treated with great distinction by his own
ers: a carriage was placed at his disposal
while he was at New Bedford, and every
thing was done to show the high esteem
in which the big captain was held.
| Finally, letter came to Cold Spring
which proved to be from the owners of
the Java, and which said that, inasmuch
as the sum Melted came so near 800, 600,
! they had concluded TO send Capt. EuoS
; the promised bonus, ana enclosed a
/ check for 81, 900.
This was nice little addition to the
Captains already large profits on the
voyage. He built commOdious and
/ comfortable house on the main street of
the village, and he was regarded as IA
man of substance. He bought coast
ing vessel, but lost money in her. The
Captain is said to have had big heart
rs well as big body. and so he parted
easily with the money he had earned by
hard knocks in the Arctic and the South
Seas, so that in 1876 he was obliged to
take up whaling again and sailed away
from New Bedford as mate of the John
Winthrop, in which vessel he made one
or two seasons, and then joined the ship
Matilda Sears at Talcahuano, a whaling
port on the West Coast, and here all
trace of Capt. Enos disappears. 1t is
known that the Matilda Sears was sold,
and became the Machias Dramas, out
what became of Enos nobody knows, OF
if he is dead or alive, for no word has
ever come to his friends regarding him.
Mr.. Van Ausdall, of the Cold Spring
House, wrote to the United States Consul
at Talcahuano, but received no reply.
In Cold Spring Harbor there are
many reminders of the whaling days
There is the mill. where the celebrated
bear-cloth was made which the sailor:
wore The building is crumbling tC
pieces. and portion of the antiquated
machinery has tumbled into the cellar.
Along shore is the coOper's shop, where
the barrels were made which held the
whale oil; the boat -house and the store
kept by John ID. Jones, who owned 8
controlling interest in the whale ships
Now and then a company of shipmate,
of the missing Captain will meet and
talk of old times They will recall tine
time when Enos' ship was stranded up ii
the Arctic. and they were just about t.
abandon her when she slipped off with
the rising tide and they went on theil
way rejoicing. They also recall the cash
of delicious wine that the hardy whale
man was wont to bring on his return
voyage from his fathers vineyard al
Fayal in the Azores, but the old salt
wait in vain for an answer to the qucs
ton. :. Where is EnOs?"