Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1891-08-08
WHALES ON THE RAMPAGE.
rAles Told o. These Usually Quiet
Lrviafhans.


Lrviathans.
As most people know the whale Is
sot savage animal and any small
pratt is reasonably safe among a school
Of these leYiathans, provided they
are not mOlested. Occasionally how
ever a whale goes on the rampage.
says the New York Ledger, aud then
syen fair-sized vessels have TO get out
of the way. The coasting schooner
Cecilia had stirring encounter with
An immense hump back whale of the
coast OF Nova Scotia recently. When
the monster which the captain declares
was 10 feet long, first made its appear
lnce. the crew paid no attention to it,
but when 10 swan alongside the schoon-
or and gave it an occasional bump the
frightened sailors held a consultation.
The only weapon on board was a 80
ealiber revolver. and the captain fred
one shot from this at the whale, aim
ing at what he thought TO be a vulner-
able rart But the only effect Of the
bullet vas TO further irritate the whale
and it hit the schooner several slaps
with its tail that made the masts
shake. Then 1t began to dive under
the schooner from side 10 side, keep
ing the sailors 10 perpetual terror for
fear he would rise directly under the
vessel and turn her keel uppermost.
There was no use trying TO escape by
Sight as the whale tackled every time
she vessel did and was twice as swift,
and they did not dare 70 use the re-
volver again. SO the schooner sailed
On for two days and nights with the
anweicome visitor irisking around her
and not a man dared close his eyes.
But the great animal was either mer-
siful or ignorant Of its strength At
any rate it finally dropped asteru after
giving the Cecilia two terrible whacks
that nearly capsized her.
Another whale story, with more OF
Che spice OF danger is told OF an
American sailor named Leonard who
was one OF the crew OF the ship
Mystery, a whaler in the North Paci-
&c. One day be was stationed in the
bow OF q whaleboat, "A long distance
from the ship in hunt Of large
whale. Our hero was the harpooner,
and whom within proper distance he
threw his harpoon, striking the fish
bard and deep. The line began TO
run out, when suddenly It caught the
body OF one OF the men in such a way
as 70 haul him overheard As tho +.
man sank the harpooner transferred
bis line TO q boatman and sprang into 7
she ocean in aid Of tho drowning sail /
or, and just at that moment the whale, |
maddened by the wound made a rush (
for the boat Remarkable 20 relate,
Leonard's friend happened to regain
the boat in safety but Leonard him
SELF was caught by the whale between
Its jaws his position being inside the
monsters mouth. with nothing pro-
truding but one OF his arms. If il
bad been q shark, Leonard would have
Instantly been swallowed alive, but
whale has very small gullet, and
sould not swallow baby Still tho 4
harpooner's situation was mono the less
precarious, as he might easily be
srushed to death. The whale instant
ly plunged down into the deep but tho
imprisoned man had not lost his pres
snco OF mind. He mustered his entire
bodily strength, and he was very
powerful man, actually bracing him
self in such a position as to compel
abe fish to spread its jaws, and with
his sheath knife cut right and left
No sooner was there a sufficient orsn-
Ing than he forced his way outside and .
rose to the surface Strange TO say 1
he was within arms length OF the
boat whom he came up, and he was
soon hauled aboard considerably I
shaken up but otherwise sound and
whole After this adventure, Leonard
was known as '1he second Jonah, -
and no wonder.