Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-04-18
HERE is A JONAH
A Great Yarmouth Sailor Swal-
lowed by a Cetacean
IMPRISONED FOR TWO DAYS
In the Whales Belly and Finally is Res
cued by His Companions-A Re-
msrkabie Story Of the Sea.


February the whaling ship ssaf of the
East WAS IN the vicinity OF the Falkland
islands searching for whales. which
were very scarce. One morning the
lookout sighted . whale about three
miles away on the starboard quartev.
Two boats were manned. In short
time one of the boats was near enough
TO enable the harpooner TO send spear
into the wnale, which proved TO be an
exceedingly large one. With the shaft
in its side the animal sounded and then
sped away. dragging the boat after
HIM with terrible speed. He swan
straight away about Eve miles. when he
turned and came back almost directly
toward the spot where he he'd been
harpooned. Tne second boat waited
for him. and when but . ehort distance
away from him he rose 10 the surface.
A soon rs his back showed above the
surface of the wster the harpooner III
the second boat drove another spear
into him. The pain apparently crazsd
the whale, for it tnrashed about, and It
was feared that the boats would be
swamped and the crew drowned.
Finslly the whale swan away, drag
ging the two boats after him. He went
about three miles and sounded or
sank, and his Whereabouts could not
be exactly told. The line attached to
the har ooons were slack, aud the har-
boomers began slowly to drag them in
and coil them in the tubs. As soon as
they were tautened the whale arose TO
the surface and beat about with his
tail III the maddest fashion. The boats
attempted to get beyond the reach OF
the animal, which was apparently In
its death agonIes, and one OF them sue
ceeded. but the other WAS less fortu-
nate. Tne whale struck 1t with his
nose and upset it. The men were
thrown into the water, and before the
other boat could pick them up one
man was drowned aud James Barley
had disappeared.
BARLEY Disappears.
When the whale became quiet from
exhaustion the waters were searched
for BARLEY; but he could not be found,
and, under the impression that he had
been struck by the whales tail and
sunk to the bottom, the survivors
rowed back to the ship. The whalo
was dead and in few hours the great
body was lying by the ships side, and
tine men were busy with axes and
spades cutting through the flesh to
secure the fat. They worked ell the
day and part of the night. They re-
ruined operations the nnxt forenoon
which MAS to be holsted to the deck.
The wOrkmen were startled. while
laborIng to clear it and to fasten the
L s.ko nh "A 40 I, 4
doubled up IN it that gave spasnodic
signs of live. The vast pouch was
hoisted to the deck and cut open. and
inside was found the missing sailor,
doubled up and unconscious. He was
laid out on the deck and treated TO q
bath OF sea water, which soon revived
him; but his mind WAS not clear. and
he was placed in the captain's quar-
tcr's, where he renamed for fort
night raving lunatic. He Was care
fully treated by the captain and otti
GERS OF tho ship, and he finally began
~ get possession Of his senses.
At the end of the third week he had
entirely recovered from the shock and
resumed his duties. During the brief
solourn in the whales belly Bartley's
skin, which was exposed to the gastric
juices, underwent a striking change.
His face and hands were bleached to a
deathly whiteness and the skin was
wrinkled, giving the man the appear.
ance OF having been parboiled. BAIT
ley aftirins that he would probably
have lived inside mis- house OF flesh un-
| til he starved, for he lost his senses
through fright and not through lack Of
AIT. lie SAYS that he remembers the
sensation OF being lifted Into the air by
the noss OF the whale aud of falling
INTO the water; then there was fear.
ful rushing sound, which he believed
| TO be the beating Of the water by the
| whales tail; then he was cncompassed
| by fearful darkness and he felt himself
| slipping along a smooth passage OF
some sort that seemed to move and
carry him forward. This sensation
lasted but an instant, then he felt that
he had more room. He felt about
hun. and his hands came in contact
with yielding shiny substance tha,
seemed TO shrink from his touch.
In Close Quarters.
1t finally dawned upon him that he
had been swallowed by the whale, and
he was overcome with horror at the
| situation. lie could breathe easily,
but the heat was terrible. Ii was not
OF ecorcning. sitting nature. but it
seemed 10 open the pores OF hIs skin
and draw out his vitality. lie became
very weak and grew SICK al the stom-
ach. Hs knew that there was no
hope OF escape from his strange prisoE.
Death stared him In the face, and be
| tried TO look ut il bravely; but the
| awful quiet, the fcarfui darkness, the
horrible knowledge of his environ
ments, and the terrible hcat finally
overcane him, and he must have
| tainted, for the next be remembered
was being ia the captains cabin.
BARLEY - not man of timid nature;
but lac says that il was many weeks be-
| fore he could pass night withou,
| having his sleep disturbed with har.
rowing dreams of angry whales and
the horrors of bis fearful prison. The
skin on sne face and hands of Bsrtley
has never recovefei its natural ap-
pearaHcr IL Is yellow and wfinkied
and ioogs Ike Old parchment. The
! healtA of me man does not Seem 10
have been affected by has terrible ct
perienes. he = Ia splendid spirits. and
apparently fully enjoys all tho bless.
inEs Of Iils that comes an he way. The
wnsiinx cspfsIns say that they never
kn-w ) parallel case 10 tbs before.
They say t!sat 4 frtQaentiy occurs that
men. srs swallowed by whales ~ho be.
come fnturased By the pain os The bar.
poon ard attack tha heass. bat they
have never kno~n man te 60 through
tse oras al that Hartley dfa ani come