The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1890-11-21
a PULL FOR LIFE.

It was while we We're anchored OIL I
the Farce islands IN the ship Warrior. |
commanded hy Capt. Joseph Smith, |
that this exciting event took place. Il |
was not far from the great whirlpool |
OF Snderoe that the ships boats of two |
rival whalers. one Yankee aud enc
English, pursued the same whale. |
Each had landed harpoon III the |
monsters back. and the contest grew
pxs.itise- COR the prize. The boats we're
Feing dragged directly for the whirl-
pool and our captain at once mounted
the ShipsS cutter and attempted TO
warn the two crews OF their impending
danger. In the excitement they paid
little attention Go his words. and 1t was
ONLY when the crew saw the foam of
the whirlpool that cry of horror burst
from every lip They at once severed
the lines that tied them 10 the levi
athan. but it appeared to be too late.
Then the two crews took 10 their
oars. pulling like madmen to save
their lives.
Tngging at the oars. with the per-
spiration streaming down their faces
with their officers hoarseiy bawiing
out TO them 10 pull harder. harder,
harder-did they fight against the ter
rihle current of the Suderoe.
In that fierce pnli for life they ex-
erted almost superhuman strength;
but il seemed as ii the roar of the
foaming whirlpool grew louder every
moment. and whenever they looked
toward 1t it appeared larger and
nearer. showing Them that they did
not gain.
The mates had thought when they
cut that by hard pulling they could
escape the current; aud this they
might possibly have done but for the
rapid Increase in its power caused by
rough wind which had risen, threaten
ing n gale aud driving the foaming
tide straight before H.
Az they still continued their desper-
ate efforts they saw the huge. black
form of the whale. with ontspread fms,
with the two irons sticking iu il, and
the tangled lines attached living in
bights around II. leap haif its length
from the Whirlpool in which il was
caught. vainls striving To escape.
It's struggles were terrible 10 witness.
Round aud round II went. now roii-
ing over aud over now springing np-
ward. swinging its tremendous ilnkes
10 right and left with a report like a
cannon's. until finally, preaching Qeap-
ing) the full length of its enormous
body. il came down with noise that
roar of the eddying waters in which it
now disappeared.
Meanwhile Capt. Smith had resolved
40 make daring effort TO save the inn
periled crews of the two boats.
AT his request the end OF 4 whaling
line from Que OF the boats astern Was
brought 20 him and this he made fast
10 the after thwart of the launch.
directing the whalefs to take the other
end 10 the English irigate, which. hay
ing tackled for the purpose of standing
of on the next stretch, was nearer
even than before TO the whirlpool.
though not enough so to vet he affected
BY the current The next tack would
carry her far from the perilous local
ity, but seeing the whaleboat coming
she now backed her main-topsail and
waited.
Capt Smith, heading the launch
toward the two mates, was soon close
enough 10 throw a rope. which was
caught and made fast to each.
Now. men, he said TO his crew,
.'do your best. for we will have to pull
for our livesr7
As there We're about thirty strong
fellows in the lanneh their lusty exer~
tions at the oars. assisted as they were
by the two whaling crews. were snifi-
eient 10 hinder the boats for the pres
ent from being drawn into the whirl-
pool
But il was hard struggle-a veri-
table pun for life-aud the gasping of
tine meH. with their strained eyebails
and anxious looks, as the boats scarce
IL seemed TO badge showed that, an
less the expected assistance should
soon arrive their doom was inevitable.
A1slast the face of the captain lighted
up.
ITS all right. boys! We are safer
he cried. pointing 10 the wha.ebeat he
had sent OF to the English war-craft,
and which was now met by a cutter
from that vessel. with a trailing rope.
one end of which was fast to the bow
OF the huge three-deeker. As the crew
of the British cntter made their rope
fast to that brought by the whaleboat
"a gun doomed from the English frigate
as signal that all was right and the
tired fellows in the three lately inn
periied boats gaze cheer with what
voices they had left.
Men aboard the frigate now hauled
with strong, steady pull upon the
rope. aud thus the three crews finally
were drawn out of danger.
Then the English whaler's mate
grasped the American captains. hand.
God bless yo,s, sir. he said. Il
was foolishly nealed at your firing
your national salute and wished you
away. but | can assure you | shall
never feel so again. Had YOU been
away from here my life would have
been lost, as well as the lives of the
others. l have wife and children al
home. and hereafter the little oaes
shall have jubilee every fourth day
of July.
AS the Wind and the current kept in
creasing, the boats. as soon as posi-.
bic, joined their respective vessels, and
the latter we're now headed away from
the vicinity of Suderoe to escape de-
struction. which would have resulted
to them had they remained there il
the violent storm that overlook then
two hours later. Meanwhile there wa.
not one of the 500 men aboard oul
frigate who did not honor and respect
Capt. Smith for the daring rescue ht
had accomplished on the occasion o
that terrible pull for life.-Efagttsl
Magazine.