The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-02-15
VIII.
sILAs' FRIEND FROM BOSTON.

plateau that sloped gently down between
two low sand-dunes toward the sea, was
erected rude shed, beneath which, set in
brick-work furnaces over bright wood
fires, were two huge kettles for the ''try-
ing out of the oil from the whales blub-
Der. Aboard whaling ships it is custom
AIRY to leave the blubber to 'ripen" for
several DAYS. in close rooms. before 1t is
put into the kettles as this, as 1t has been
ascertained. increases the yield OF oil; but
the shore whalemen rarely do this. They
Simply begin at once with the tenderest
and most easily treated portions, and by
the time they get through unsccustomed
oliactories IN the vicinity generally attest
that the "ripening" process has been per-
fected.
Half-s-dozen bows fed the furnaces
frst with wood, and later with blubber
scraps" or "crack!ings." When not do
ing that they scuiiled with each other,
wrestled on the grass, shouted with glee-
full excitement, and increasingly munched
corn and dougnnuts cooked in the boiling
OIL By the rudy light OF bonfire before
the shed men cut in strips, with blubber-
BDaQE6.
fat. stripped OF the whales carcass down
In the surf and dragged up here on a low,
broad-whesIed wagon, drawn by two
ecracvy horses. Other men carried those
strips inside the shed, where one who sat
at q raised bench. with a two handled
knife. "ninced' them Tor the kettles. Still
others tended the kettles, skinminQ out,
from time 10 time. the crisp. brown
"crscklings" and added other masses of
fat IN their stead sometimes lsdilng the
oil into barrels. When not otherwise
busy thev chewed cracklings Several
women came with pansiul OF sweet dough,
twisted IN curious shapes, which, when
thrown into the seething oil were quickly
converted into the toOthsome doughnuts
In which the bows so much delighted.
At one eide laid great pile of black,
6brous. ragged-lOOk.ng material, dug from
the mouth OF the whale the "baleln,'
which. when carefully cleaned. dried.
split, end otherwise prepared, Is known as
the whalebone OF commerce and corsets
The work went with undated vigor
all that night and a. the next day, and
gave promise OF continuing even three or
four days longer. Tor the Trying out OF
the oil from big whale, as this one was,
Is no light task.
ON the evening Of the second day we'll
operations. inuuring for Mr. Thatcher;
and upon finding the grim old veteran
who had as yet taken no rest since starring
in uursuit of the whale-introducsd him
,elf as 8 friend OF 81 as from Boston. and
EXPRESSED an earnest desire 10 meet the
young man.
why, be is in Boston" said Uncle
Thatcher
"He was. but has left there, and 1 ex-
pected to meet him here" replied the
stranger
"Here?"
ayes. / was out oil town when he went
away. rather suddenly. and so lid not see
him. unfortunately. But he eft word Tor
me that he was gong to New York to look
for better JOB, and would pay a visit to
his fathers on the way"
$50 YOU knew him well in Boston, did
you"
Yes; oh, yes; knew him very well.
He was quite friend OF nine
HE a. doing we'll, | suppose? Work
ing and keeping steady"
The fathers voice faltered slightly he
hesitated little, and picked up bit of
crack ing which he munehed as a cover 10
his anxiety. while ne looked wistfully at
the stranger.
The man from Boston seemed Just q lit
t.,
when he answered very reassuriugly:
STEADY? On, yes. Steady as a Deacon"
MutterinR TO himself. some dea ons. at
ieast"
Working ct ship-carpentering, I be-
iieve?"
'Oh. yes. Certainly. A fine ship-car-
penter be H. too"
when did YOU see him last?"
"H'm. Well, let me see. 1t must have
been-yes, it was two weeks ago yester-
day. Pm quite disappointed not to find
him here"
Ale may have stopped over somewhere
on the road a day two; and If you're ID
no hurry, and will wait Tor him, you are
welcome to stop with me. III give YOU
Silas' own room.
THANK YOU. Thank you very much,
Mr.. Thatcher; but have already made
other arrangements. / have promised TO
90 over and stop with a friend in the vii
lage. and after | have looked on a little
while at YOUR very interesting industry
here think I'll 20 back there and return
tomorrow Sllas may have come by that
time"
"Verv well. suit yourself, cir, Mr. -;
I didn't rightly catch your nAme-Mr.
pr
"Ketchum, Mr.. Thatcher, Ketchum"
"Mr Ketchum. Giad to know you, Mr..
Ketehum. Glad to know any friend of
my sOn SIlss."
THANK you. sir.
Make yourself as comfortable as YOU
can, and vii! YOU have a little something
10 take. 20 keep the cold OutT'
Mr. Ke.chum said ne would not object
10 having "a little of Fomathing TO take"
and Uncle Thatcher brought II out OF
fence corner from among the weeds, in
stone Jug. with q cOrn-cOb stopper But
silas friend from Boston was surprised TO
find the Jug contained delicious double
ranned" -. Croix rum, old and of InAgnifi-
cent favor. and very accurately and
shrewdlv thought to himself. These
beach combers never paid tho duty on
liquor ike that; smugglers here, I'd bet
my life"
He went over and stood near the ket-
ties.
"Was this considered q verv large
whsle?' he asked the man who was stir
ring the oil.
"Well, pretty fair-sized."
"What do youIcall pretty fsir-sized ?"
"Well. a whale eighty feet long 10 .
pretty fair size"
WAS this one eighty feet long ."
NO"
How long was he. then?"
about sixty-flye feet"
"Do you ever really get them eighty feet
long?"