San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-01-05
AN0CEAN HORSE


This fan had the reputation of having
capturN the largest whale ever caught in
| these seas-a humpbacked fellow, )" which
on being tried ont yielded l40 barrels of oil
The skipper was proud of his fame as
skillful whale hunter, which, in fact, was
well deserved. He could throw the barbed
iron further than most men, and was al
ways cool and self possessed in moments of
the greatest peril, whether it was during
his flights" with the monsters of the deep
or with the angry elements.
1t was close, sultry day Far and near
the surface of the sea lay unbroken by
single ripple.
A yellowish vapor or haze had, however,
for some hours been noticed to windward.
1t seemed to rise slowly and to spread grad
ually over the blue, unclouded concave
above u.s. The sun, meanwhile, had as
sumed a singular appearance. 1t had turn
ed to fiery red color, and was surrounded
by green and blue ring, which seemed to
revolve round and round it.
Finally hollow, humming noise was
heard, as if some brazen instrument was
being blown by unseen beings far above
our heads.
At the same moment from aloft, like the
wild cry of some distant sea bird, we heard
the voice of Hindok, the Kanaka boat
steerer, who kept lookout at the main
mast head.
"There blow.l There there there
blow-owsp'
"Whereaway?n yelled Williams through
his speaking trumpet.
At the same moment the sun Drowned
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 blowsl
blows! blowsr
Call all handsy'' roared the captain.
This was done, and all hands below came
bounding on deck.
"Stand by the boatsl" 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
readiness.
Lower away!" ordered old Williams,
with lightning celebrity making his way to
the deck.
The four boats dropped splashing into
the sea, and the next moment away they
went after 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
ocean with his eagle eyes. He was as fine
looking 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 his chest round and
deep
do you see anything YETI" inquired
Williams.
Nothing yet see, SIR" answered the ISL
ander, casting dubious glance around him.
The haze had filled 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
toward us from windward.
Suddenly Hindok, pointing ahead, whis-
pered:
There, dat fellow, STRIP
Your oars, menp' Kissed the captain
through his set teeth
We seized the oars and the boat glided
swiftly and noiselessly toward where the
ripples 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 reveal
ed, his fins outspread like a pair of wings.
A moment he remained poised apparent
ly on the very end of his aukes; then down
he came, striking the sea like a thunder
bolt, and sending the spray flying in a
white, binding shower all around him.
Nov, Hindok-giveitto himw 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 backward rush the monster near
ly struck the boat. The vapor from his
spout 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 if
drawn by lightning, with the line hum
ming and drumming round the logger
head, and her gunwales nearly on level
with the water.
Nearly at the same moment the storm
struck us.
All around us the wind howled with ter
rife fury, and the foam and spray, almost
binding us, drenched every man to the
skin. The ocean seemed one mass of
white, boiling water, in which the dragged
boat was buried so often that we were
nearly swept from our thwarts, while the
tub oarsman, whose duty it was to bail,
vainly endeavored 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 phan-
tom demons 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 almost continually buried.
In fact, when we were near enough to en-