The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-09-22
A GREENHORN AT SEA.
LIFE ON A waALER NOT ONE
ROUND OF PLEASURE.


From the San Fhdncfsco Chronicle
II there is any experience on this earth
which rivals the torsures of the Internal
regions it is that OF q greenhorn on a
whaling voyage. Ispeak with feeling, for
led away with the romantic yarns of the
Joys and profits OF whaler's life, 1 had the
supreme folly to condemn myself to eleven
months Of such torture, the net proceeds of
which were the large sum OF S. and a store
of varied experiences which will remain
wildly in my memory until my dying day.
My ship was the Ibrig Alexander, a small
craft of few hundred tons burden. As
climbed over her bulwarks as she lay out in
the stream the first thing l saw was
drunken fellow Keeling and whooping about
the deck. When l CROPPED down the scuttle
into the little dingy forecastle stumbled
over a young Kanaka lying on the floor in
liduored stupor. NY disillusionment con-
corning the pleasures OF sea life had begun.
This little dark hole was to be my home Tor
almost year. These scottish and beastly hu-
man beings were to be my companions.
When, two days after l went aboard, a
tug came out and lowed US beyond the heads
aud turned us loose to pillow our own path
through the broad Pacific, was already
disguised and had made up my mind to run
away at the first opportunity.
Capt. Winchester took the vessel out be-
tween seasons. The actual master joined us
in Honolulu. On the passage TO the islands
Jack Ladders. a typical old seadog, was
mate; Roberto Gabriel was second mate and
TOMAS Mendez third mate
Mendez, who was aftePward dubbed by
the crew the Might King" was to be a
boat steerer after the Grew started north on
its bow-heading cruise TO the Arctic but
up TO the time he was killed by a sperm
whale of Hawaii he headed nv watch,
There were two other boat steerers q cooper
a ste ward, a Kanaka cabin boy and steer
age boy in the after guard. Fourteen men
forward, two OF whom were Kanekas aud
the rest whites, completed the ships COM
pany.
We went first to Turtle bay, little port
midway down the coast OF Lower California
There we served and bent sails, tarred down
the rigging and otherwise got the ship into
shape for long voyage. Turtle bay is a
pretty expause Of water. Hills, grotesque
in outline and as barren and desolate as the
mountains of the moon, lock it in from the
sea. l could easily have made my escape
there, for the ship lay only three.quarters
OF a mile from shore. planned to swim to
land and strike for Spanish settlements on
the eastern coast of the peninsula. l got
bold of chart from the cabin, but could
find no towns set down anywhere near our
anchorage A number of the men would
have gone with me, but the fear of starving
On that barren and inhospitaole coast ban-
lshed all schemes Of escape.
The graves OF three seamen. who had
run away from some ship and died of thirst
aud starvation, were plainly visible,
marked by rude pile of stones, on one OF
the islands of the reef. The miserable pos
siblities which that lonely oairn suggested
did much to deter any one from leaving the
ship.
Toward the close OF January we trfpped
our anchor aud stood out to sea again, We
ooasted southwark until we rounded Cane
St Lucas, and then held down the Mexican
shore line several hundred miles. At length
we turned our prov a little north OF west
and stood direct for the Sandwich Islands.
We Travelled under short sail, as We were
cruising these southern waters for sperm
whales.
We were not half way to the Islands and
the Might King" had already earned his
title. He was little colored boy, with q
face so black that it almost seemed possible
TO scrape the color off like SCOT. His eyes
were beady and as sinister as those of a
snake.
He was native of the Cape Verde Islands
and spoke English brokenly. He was
densely ignorant and could neither read nor
write. As the head Of the port watch, to
which | belonged, he was more Jealous
OF his authority than the captain himself.
In the day watches, when his superior
as quiet and unobtrusive as
church mouse. But at night, whom he
became officer of the deck and the destinies
of the little ship were in his hands, be be-
came the incarnation Of authority. The
manner In which he deported himself at
night and his Cimmerian complexion COM
bined to give him his title.
set il down in aimDla truth md vvith M
malice now that hated the Might King"
Probably hated him at first. simply be-
cause he was an llliterate colored man in
authority over me. Igrew TO hate him the
more cordially because he abused that
authority He hated me with equal fervor,
and never let an opportunity pass to show
MS enmity toward me. Whenever a disagree
able bit Of work was to be done he sang out
Tor me to do it. Oae night he or Tered me
TO go up Oh the foreyard and sit out the
watch for an offense did not commit, and
OF which. explained to him, was not
guilty. His behests, however, were law,
and was psrched on the foreyard serving
out my sentence for several hours.
1t 30 fell out that one morning, as we
were running with good breeze, a sperm
whale was sighted spouting on our beam.
Inc headyards were squared and the ship
laid aback. Two boats were cleared away,
TIE Might King" steering one. With the
oIner Doats crew remained aboard and
helped work the ship, and In consequence
had full view Of the occurrences which
followed
The whale was disporting himself, show
lnR his lazy length upon the water, The
two boats worked toward him constantly.
AT one time he would streak to wind ward
OF them; at another he would be blowing In
tnelr lee. At length the whale rose close TO
between the vessel and the boats, and the
Night King" saw him as he broke. In an in
slant his boat had veered around and was
coming straight down the wind, head
ing for the whale. AS it drew near he
grove the irons into the monster, which
turned like a flash as IL felt the lance
aud with a single motion sent the boat flying
INTO the air. As the whale was Shrashing
the water with his tail the Night King"
1erked his knife from Its scabbard and cut
Sne rope. His presence saved the lives OF
t9e rest. They scrambled upon the bottom
Oh the upturned boat and little later we're
PICKED up by the other crew. But the
wight King" was missing. A search re-
vealed him fouled among the rigging Of the
sail, and dragging dead beneath the waves
his body was recovered and taken abroad.
An the afternoon it was sewed up In a can
vas SACK and bag of bricks and sand made
tast 10 the feet. At shutdown the gang
PIank was taken out and the body brought
uOWn and laid unOn IL with its feat IN the