Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1891-09-25
A CABIN BOYS BRAVERY.

Old time New England whalers will
readily recall the events OF this story,
and the reading of il will bring back
TO their minds one of the most cold
blooded affairs ever enacted upon the
deck of whale ship
One day. away back in the forties,
the ship Tt was searching for
whales in the Pacific ocean, on what is
known as the Off shore grounds. There
was a good wholesale breeze blowing.
The wheel was hard down and took
good care of itself. The vessel was in
charge of the ship-keeper, Portu-
guese from one of the Azores and six
seamen, the cook and cabin boy. The
ships boats, four in number, were in
chase of a sperm whale, about one and
a half miles to the windward. The
ship-keeper usually ranks as fourth
mate, and has charge OF the vessel
while the boats are whaling. Four of
the six seamen left on board were Kan
akas, natives of the Sandwich Islands.
The other two were white men.
On this particular day the shipkecp-
er was aloft watching the boats. Sud
denly he called out: There he gives
1t to him. He's fast 10 him. and rs
soon as he was sure that the boat was
secured to the whale he rapidly de-
scended TO the deck, gave a quick
glance around and made n signal to
the four Kanakas and Lascars. VINO
thereupon seized the chain hooks and
drew their knives. The Portuguese
shipkeeper darted into the Storage
and returned with boat Ratchet.
Then, without a moments warning
the steward, mulatto, was struck TO
the deck with a horrible cash ON the
head, while at the same time the
Kanakas knocked down and stabbed
the two unsuspecting white men, who
were watching the boats. The cabin
boy all this time was up aloft trying
10 get good view of the antics of
the stricken whale. He witnessed.
however all that was passing below,
and quickly made up his mind what
to do. Slipping to the deck. upper
ceived by the mutineers. he obtained
a sheath knife, and darted up again
into the main rigging just as the Por-
tuguese and his allies, now joined by
the black cook, sprang to the braces
TO fill away. But before they could do
this the boy had cut the topsail hal
yards, and freed the sail so that it fell
to the cap, parting the top gallant
sheets in its descent Looking aloft
for the cause of this, the Portuguese
saw the lad ascending the top
u, l.. l.
sheath knife, the shipkeeper
darted aloft in hot pursuit of the boy.
The latter reaching the collar of the
main topmast stay, threw his legs
around it and slid hand over hand
down to the foretop, where he had just
time to cut the fore topsail halyards
close to the runner block as a Kanaka
reached the futtock shrouds under the
foretop. To jump to the topmast
shrouds and scamper up the ratlines
was but moments work. and before
the Kanaka's head was above the top
the boy was up in the top-mast cross
trees. where he instantly cut the jib
halyards and then rushed up into the
tOpgallant crosstrees and made for the
flying jib stay. AS soon as the jib hal
yards were cut the ship, which had
been paying off before the wind (the
wheel having been manned and put
hard upl, suddenly came up into the
wind, all sails shaking. The boy at
this point seized the whale signal.
which is ball made of barrel hoops.
covered with canvas and painted
black, by its long handle and frantic
ally wave it up and down, to notify
those in the boats that there was
trouble on board. Having done this
several times, he threw the signal
away and then slid down the flying
jib-stay until his feet rested on the
hanks of the sail. where he hung al
most exhausted from his exertions.
The Kanaka gave one glance wind
ward at the boats, and then suddenly
descended TO the deck, where all was
confusion. The cabin boy, from his
shaky perch. looked upon y sickening
sight. for there. on the bloody deck.
the pigs that usually roam about
whaler's deck. we're gnawing the hands
and faces OF the dead men. The ship
was In irons. with the rising wind
singing through the rigging and
thrashing the main topgallant sail
clews at a terrible rate, that threatened
10 carry away the mast
IL soon became evident that the
sigma! had been seen. for the boats
were at once cut from the whale. and
came bounding over the rising seas
until they reached the ship. When
the Portuguese devil saw that his
schefce TO seize the vessel had Jailed
he fled to the cabin and fastened him
self la. leaving his mates in crime TO
face the music.
When the boats crew cane .Gnbling
over the side Of the ship they were
by the sight thSt met
their gaze. and knew not what 10 do
aptil the cabin boy descended and
told his story. Then, with a howl OF
rage, tho crew rushed upon the mutin'