Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1891-10-31

one hundred barrels of whale oil, but
thus far not cask Of sperm. Wyford
was an elderly man who did not now
enter whale boat himself. Some, in |
deed, hold that the master ought never
enter one But we had u second mate |
who made up in pluck and daring for
anything the Captain lacked.
l have cruised in a good many ships, |
but never saw Cliff Andrews's match as "a
whalesman.
One morning during the tenth month
Of our cruise whale was sighted in a
mist soon after daylight In fact,
we heard him spouting before we saw
him. But the Captain would not order
the boats down till the men had their
breakfast, and the delay chafel An
drcws.
We ate our breakfast in few min
utes, aud two boats were lowerai.
Meantime the whale after blowing a few
times, had gone down to feed.
The Captain said that we should not
see HIM again for an hour; but We
pulled off 10 the spot waere he had lasc
been heard blowing, and then lay by On
our oars.
Mr. Cummings, tue first mate, was IN
one boat anl Andrews in the other. We
listened and watched for a long while,
and meantime the mist lifted :: little, al.
though the surface Of the sea was still
| dim.
Andrews declared that we had lost the
| whale, ''lkc pac,, OF duff eaters who
must needs stuff ourselves with breakfast,
whatever betlded;" but. while he was
rettng, the whale suddenly preached,
carcely cables length from where we
az.
He had been down long time. His
Dig, square head broke water like small
mountain; and he blew heavily as he
.urned. We saw his head distinctly.
! There was a semi-circular whitish mark
IN it, six or eight feet across, and as he
oiled we saw the stump OF an old iroa
n his back and another in his side.
"NIadagasclr Jack!' l exclaimed.
That the whale that killed the mate
of the Dryade.' >
"Ay, Madagascar jack 3aoed sew
eral voices from the other boat A de-
scrip ION of this whale WAS current among
whaiemen in these waters.
'I'll Madagascar jack him. exclaimed
Andrews. Give way-sharp.
He stood up, narpoon in hand, and at
he whales second spout we laid the boat
alongside him
"Another shoot, boys" whispered the
nate. Put me just past his hump"
He darted the harpoon and buried it to
he bitches, shouting, "Down to your
,ars."
Feeling the iron, tnc whale sounded
J
and ran off perhaps seventy-tive fathoms
Of our line, not mere, when the strain
suddenly stopped.
"Back water" muttercd the mate.
''He's coming up Hand me that lance
blacksmith. Haul line for ard. ~
suddenly we felt tremendous shoca
underfoot, and next moment we were al
turning sonersaults in the air. Th,
whale had preached with vengeance
In the swashing and confusion Of tn
moment, | cannot say exactly what hap
pened it was every man for himself
struck ont for the boat of the frs
mate, Mr. Cummings. Oar own boat
badly shattered, hal fallen lack bottor
up.
Three men contrivcd to dock them
selves astrlde it, and Andrews appcaret
to have cau5ht o grip on the shank o
, one Of tac irons in the whale. lie bel,
on there for some minutes.
The whale meanwhile moved slowl
forward, housing for the boat; ther
y suddenly, with single c.acA Of il
- great jaw, crushed it to fragments.
> The three men astriie it dive1 of
time to avoid the blow and swan for u
but still Andrews held fast to the la
poon, or to the line at the whales side
: One poor fellow had disappeared.
There were now fge Of rs with II
: Cummings, and his boat was crowde,
> How to rescue Andrews from his perilo,
u situation was now our onlg though
We dreaded TO attract the whales atte:
'r tioo. anl dare no. approach. Andrew
a. could SWIM like fish, rs We knew, AZ
I'd at length Cummings hailed him.
! Better take a header Ter him ar
.hen swim far as hc advised
II Pat il Pa. in, man, aud fasten
E him An ircvs shouted back, You