The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-05-23
THRILLING ADVENTURE
II A WHALING SLIP ON TIE
JAPAN SEA.

Pragzed Through a Terrific Storm by
a Wounded and Angry Whale Until
the Ship Yves Almost Total Wreck.
From the Nev York Press.
We were in the Japan sea, cruising for
ght whales
Our ship was the Georgetown of New
edford, Capt. Williams, an cid sea dog,
it'll fists like the knots on an oak tree and
tremendous breadth Of shoulders.
The man had the reputation of having
,ptured tho largest whale ever caught in
lese seas humpbacked fellow"
hich. on being tried out, yielded 14o bar
is Of oil.
The skipper was proud Of bis fame as a
\ xinful whale hunter, which, in fact, was
rell deserved. He could throw the barbed
on further than most men, and was al
avs cool and self-posSessed in moments of
le greatest peril, whether IL was during
4 is fights with the monsters Of the deep or
i 18th the angry elements.
i 1t was a close, sultry day. Far and near
4 be surface of the sea was unbroken by q
4 ingle ripple.
4 A yelIowish vapor or haze had, however.
or some hours been noticed to windward
seemed to rise slowly and to spread
gradually over the blue, unclouded concave
Ibove US. The sun meanwhile had assumed
I singular appearance. 1t had turned to
iery red color. and was surrounded by a
green and blue ring which seemed to revolve
-ound and round IL.
Finally a hollow, humming noise was
beard, as il some brazen instrument was
being blown by unseen beings far above our
neaGs.
Az the same moment, from aloft, like the
- If.-e. = 4 L
the voice of Hindok, the Kanaka boat
steerer who kept lockout at thu mainmast
head.
"Tbere blows! There-there--ther blow
ow-sp
"Whereawayg" yelled Williams, through
bis speaking trumpet.
At the same moment the sun-browned
faces Of all the men on deck were turned
aloft.
Three points off the lee bow-two miles
off-a try right whale, sir. There blows!
blows blowsw
"Call all ha1dsw roared the captain.
This was done, and all hands below came
bounding on deck.
'Stand by the boatsF was the next order
The boat steerers-young, active fellows,
all of them-sprang into their respective
boats to get their lines and craft" in readi-
Tess.
Lower awayr' ordered old Williams,
With lightning celebrity making his way to
he deck.
The four boats dropped splashing into the
ga, and the next moment away they went
fter the whale.
In about half an hour we lay on our oars,
Waiting for the whale to come up.
Hindok stood in the bow, scanning the
o,ean with his eagle eyes. He was as fine
boxing a specimen Of an Islander as was
ever seen. His frame was tall and supple,
his arms long and sinewy, his shoulders of
great breadth and bis chest round and deep
''Do you see anything yetT inquired VIII
liams.
Nothing yet see. SIR" answered the
Islander, casting dubious glance around
him.
The haze had filed all the air and the
suns light was darkened ominously.
The humming noise previously alluded to
had grown louder, and we could all see a
great line Of white water tearing down to-
ward us from wiudward.
Suddenly Hindok, pointing ahead whis-
pered:
There, dat fellow, STRIP
Your oars, men," Kissed the captain
through his set teeth.
We seized the oars and the boat glided
swiftly and noiselessly toward where the
rlpples ahead showed that the whale was
coming up.
We had not got half way there when up
came the leviathan, shooting straight from
the sea, his whole monstrous form revealed,
his fins outspread like pair Of wings.
A moment he remained poised apparently
on the very end of his flukes, then down he
came, striking the sea like a thunderbolt,
and sending the sprays flying in a white,
binding shower all around him.
Now, Hindok-give it to him ~ screamed
Williams
A line Of steel blue light went through the
air, then another, and we were fast.
Hindok had put both irons in the whale at
the distance of six fathoms.
With a backward rush the monster nearly
struck the boat. The vapor from hiss pout
came into our faces, and the boat, thrown
over upon her starboard gunwale, was
nearly capsized.
Down went the whale the next moment.
sounding, and away went the boat as il
drawn by lightning, with the linz humming
and drumming around the loggerhead, and
her gunwale nearly on level with the
water
Nearly at the same moment the storm
struck us
All around us the wind howled with ter :
rifle fury and the foam and spray, almost
binding us, dreDched every man to the
Gkln. The ocean seemed one mass of white,
boiling water, in which the dragged beat
WIS buried so OFTEN tnaC we were nearly
swept from our thwarts, while the tub oars.
man, whose duty 1t was to bail, vainly en-.
deavoTed to keep the craft dry.
The air had darkened with the flying
rack and scud, which, in torn masses, were
blown hither and thither like phantom de-
mons come to seize us and drag us down to
the depths below.
At last the whale came up, and we heard
old Williams give the order to Haul line
there"
Haul we did, but it was like hauling along
under The surface, for the boat now was al
most continually buried.
In fact, when we were near enough to
enable the captain-who, according to GUS
tom, had changed places with Hindok. TAX
ing his station at the bow-to hurl Instance,
the boat was full of water.
Williams, however, standing unmoved,
threw his lance. The whale felt it, and,
writing, turned, making straight for the
boat.
Stern stern" screamed the cap sain, as
he spoke Heain planting the lance in the
monsters body.
We endeavored to obey, but great mass
Oh binding water, with spray and foam,
struck US, and over went the boat.
- The last object l saw at that time was
--3t. Williams, seated astride the cansized
ooat, churning away vigorously at the
whale. Then | lost consciousness.
When ! came to became sensible Of a
sort OF flying motion, as if | were being