Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-01-26
SLAYING A MONSTER.
Details Of an Exciting and PerilOus
Hunt, That Resulted in
THE CAPTURE OF A Rich PRIZE.
How the Gigantic Arctic Whale is Killed
With Lances and Bombs.
AN AWFUL STRUGGLE WITH DEATH

"There she blows!"
"Where away?"
Three points off the lee bow"
| "How far?"
"About five miles"
"Down with your helm Let go the LEI
bracesl Call all handsI Clear decks to lowe
away the boatsT'
The whaling vessel is about 150 miles nortt
of Wrangel Island, in the Western Arctic
Ocean. Hardly five minutes has elapsed
since the whale was sighted, yet the men
who were then sleeping in their hunks, arr
now working with will, getting things il
readiness for the dangerous chase that is tt
come. Five minutes later eight long anC
fast boats, manned and fully equipped, arr
in the water. They carry all the imple
ments of the hunt, such as harpoons attached
to long coils of rope, lances ten feet long,
with broad, leaf-shaped, two-edged points,
keen enough to cut hair, and bomb guns,
with the necessary ammunition.
Meantime the whale had gone down, and
the sailors were all wondering whether,
when be arose, he would appear to the lee.
ward or the windward. In the former case
his capture would be almost a certainty, but
in the latter all attempts to get near him
would be useless.
A WARY MONSTER.
The Arctic whale is extremely shy and
can only be approached by sailing up to him,
as the dipping of oars, no matter how
cautiously, would drive him under water at a
miles distance. The sailboat he takes for a
piece of ice rushing through the water, and
does not mind it at all. Were it not for this
dull-wittedness, no whale could ever be
caught.
"There she blows again, straight of the
lee beaml" cries the lookout.
In moment the captain, who is perehed
in the cross-trees of the maintop-gallant
mast, has his glass pointed in the direction
where the spout appears. The whale, a
very large one, is about four miles of,
sportively rolling his enormous body on the
surface of the sea and sending thick stream
of water 80 feet into the air. The captain is
an old whaler, who has seen and caught
many piece Of blubber and pound of bone
in his days. Yet the proximity of this
great animal, which, if appearances count,
is good for $50 barrels of oil and 5000
pounds Of bone, representing in cash at
least $25, 900, and the almost certainty of his
capture makes him tremble with excite
ment. With all the force of his lungs he
gives the command: "Cast off your paint
ers and go for him!"
THE PURSUIT BEGUN.
Immediately the eight boats lying at
equal distances in the lee of the vessel,
dart swiftly forth over the choppy sea. Each
has ten men at the long oars. The Seabird's
crew of 100 men, would make q motley and
picturesque group. Almost every national
ity represented, and men of every class,
from criminals escaped from Justice to good
natured youth, bent on life of adventure;
their dress of sealskin and reindeer, the
blouse fastened about the waist by belt;
fur hats on their heads and moccasins upon
their ieet; all their garments more or less
greasy and worse for wear, these whalers
resemble wildmen more than civilized
beings. But they are we'll adapted to the
work before them, and now, with the pros
pect of capturing a valuable prize, they toll
not only willingly, but eagerly.
The boats, nearing the object Of their pur
suit, form a semi-circle, that in which it
happens to be the writer's fortune to row
stroke oar, occupying a central position.
We have gained nearly half mile on the
others, as they have spread out to each side,
and it soon becomes evident that our boat is
likely to have the honor of happening the
whale.
APPROACHING THE WHALE.
Three miles further on the order is given
to haul in the oars and set sail. The COM
mand is obeyed with the noiseless activity
that characterizes everything done in
whaleboat when nearing the game. In q
trice the sail is out and scudding square be-
fore the wind, we swiftly and silently come
close up to the monster, which seems to
have no knowledge of the impending
danger.
The next five minutes seemed an eternity
to me. 1 knew perfectly we'll that a full
grown Arctic whale measured from 70 to 125
feet in length, and that the thickness of his
body was equal to the hull of small
schooner, but had never seen one in such
close proximity before. His colossal pro-
portions were so impressive, as he lay there
not 100 yards distant, gamboling in the
water, his velvety blue-black skin glistening
as brightly as patent leather; his terrible
tail lashing the sea about him into foam,
that could not help wishing myself several
hundred miles away from that particular
spot. The boat seemed like a nutshell in
comparison with the monster.
At this moment could not conceive the
possibility of killing the huge beast. The
very attempt seemed as ridiculous as would
the endeaVor to butcher an elephant with
penknife. Ali the while the boat kept
straight on its course, lessening the distance
steadily and rapidly. Not q word was
spoken, but every man was on the alert for
what was coming. Now only 80 feet
separated US from the huge animal; then 40
and 80, and finally only 20!
'Give it to him l'' bawled out the mate in
a voice of thunder, and in the same breath:
"Down with your sall-stand by your oars"
expected a terrific shock, and caught
hold of the gunwale of the boat, so as not to
be flung overheard. But the boat went
gliding on swiftly and smoothly, one power
full stroke of the long sweep oar with which
the mate was steering having diverted its
course, when the keel was almost touching
the whale.
"Back water" SAID the mate, and we came
to stop 100 feet from the spot where the
animal had been struck.
AN EXCITING MOMENT.
When the monster felt the keen steel of
the harpoon penetrating the blubber and
entering the flesh about six inches deep, he
lay perfectly still for a few seconds, as if
trying to realize what it all meant, then,
with terrible lash of his mighty tail, that
sounded like clap of thunder as the water
was struck, the wounded animal plunged
into the deep, his whole gigantic body quiv-
ering with fear, pain and rage.
We had 1000 yards of line in the boat,
half-inch MANILA rope of the very best
make, and the whale was taking it out at
fearful rate over the little pulley in the bow
spirit.
"Look to your line there, Jim; that wheel
must be getting hot" said the mate to the
harpoOner, who was getting the lances in
shape for the bloody work, that would soon
have to be performed. Water was accord
ingly poured over the pulley to keep the
rope from being damaged, for on its dura-
bility depended mainly the success of the
chase. The other boats. some distance back,
had hoven to and were awaiting develop