Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1893-07-06
time, said he. Indeed he always
was; bat | hope some time to square
the yards with him.

Chill right-whaling ground after
leaving Talcahnana, and it was
some two months afterwards that
the Vesper,s lookouts at the mast
heads reported a ship in sight to
leeward .maneurering,' indicating
by this term that she had whales in
sight, and probably boats down.
Up went the helm, and the ship
was sleered of free to close with the
strange vessel, which on nearer
approach proved to be the Euph-
rates, with urgent signals flying as
If anxious to communicate. Cap
tain Barnard was on the taffrail with
his speaking-trumpet and hailed,
informing Sisson that he had struck
two right whales, which had led his
boats a hard dance; that one boat
was stoven and quite disabled; they
have been obliged to cut from one
of the whales, and it was getting
late in the afternoon. He was
afraid he should not be able to save
either of them, though the wound
ed whale was still in sight with the
irons in him. All this state of
things was of course plain enough
to those on board the Vesper; but
no whaler has the right to interfere
with the work of another ship in
such case without being requested
to do SO. Had Sisson captured the
loose whale while the Euphrates
was in sight, Barnard would have
claimed the prize in right of his har-
poons, as marked craft is always
positive evidence in settling cases
of disputed ownership. But Bar
nard was now in tight place.
Lower away your boats, Sisson,'
he said, 'and help up. We'll throw
chances together, and share all we
get out of it.
All right" answered his old ship
mate.
The Vesper rounded to, and
dropped all her boats into the water
and sent them to the rescue. This
reinforcement of fresh men made a
material change in the fortunes of
the day, and before dark both the
whales had been secured and hauled
alongside the Vesper, she being then
nearest to the scene of action. The
ships kept company while the whales
were cat and the oil boiled out, both
in the mean time taking other
| whales, but each acting for herself.
When the two captains met on board
the Vesper to divide the proceeds of
the joint days work, Captain Sis
son reported that the two whales
had yielded a hundred and forty
barrels of oil.
Pretty well,' said Barnard.
That's seventy barrels apiece
Not quite returned the other,
with a twinkle in his eye. That
eighty barrels for my ship, and
sixty for yours
How so?' demanded Captain
Barnard. How do you figure that
out:'
Because the Vesper is four boat
ship, while the Euphrates mans
only three. Consequently we are
entitled to take four-sevenths of the
joint profits-because we had more
capital invested
That's pretty sharp practice,
Sisson. Il don't think that's equi-
ty in this case, when you consider
all the circumstances
Neither do | think it's equity
but its's business, and it's whale
mans law. All's fair in trade, pro-
vided one is law-honest, eh, Bar
nard? How about the cutting-fall
in Talcahuana: Besides, in that
case, you could put the whole profit
in your own pocket, while in this, ]
am only doing what l legally ought
to do for my owners aud my crew,
as well as for myself
1t was vain to protest. Sisson
had both law and practice on his
side, though the natural impulse OF
his ree-and-easy nature would have
been to take half snd call it square.
But he could not lose SO good an
opportunity of 'squaring the yards,
as he expressed it, with his avari'
cious crony, or in other words.
getting even with him.