The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1894-04-28
WHITE SAVAGE.

Some years ago, when Sag Harbor, at the
eastern end of Long Island, was still
resort for whales that was before the dis
covery of petroleum lowered the price Of
whale oil, all the lads of spirit Whereabouts
looked Upon voyage to the North or South
poles as essential part of their educa-
ton.
A drearier life than that of common
sailor on board whaler it would be diff
cult to imagine. The food, though abund-
ant, is coarse; the quarters are vile-smell-
ing and far from wholesome; the service is
hard, and the officers apt to be
tyrants. Whale ships find their game in
the open sea, and so never touch at a port
unless to repair the damage done by storms
or to get fresh supplies.
Henry Pearsalls father-every one called
the lad "Hen"-had been to u
whaler when boy, and so knew that the
life was a delusion and snare; that the
effect of such aSSOcia tons was damaging,
and TINT the time of his sons, he had two,
would be wasted if they left the farm for
such a career.
Knowing it would be folly to try for his
fathers consent Hen wa..ed till the night
before a whale ship was about to start for
the "SOutEern ocean,, as the South PACIFIC
was called by the sailors, and putting off
in a small boat to where the vessel
anchored he hailed the deck watch, stated
his purpose, and was taken on board.
Hen Pearsall had not been twenty-four
duct. He had been too much on the water
to be sea-sick, but he had that awful pain
at. his heart known as Inconsistencies which
is far harder to stand, and which, among
such companions, would have been laughed
at if known.
Off New Zealand a number of whales were
captured, and the excitement attending
this, broke pleasantly enough on the awful
monotony of the cruise. Twice in two years
the ship touched land, once at the Bay OF
Islands, in New Zealand, and the second
time at PongO-POngo, in the Navigator IS
lands. Here, without telling his purpose to
any one. Hen Pearsall decided to desert,
though he had two years pay coming to
him.
He dropped over the side OF the vessel one
night, and unheeding the man-eating sharks
that swarmed about, he swan ashore,
guided by the fires of the natives Without
food he hid in the woods for three days,
while he watched the crew searching for
him. 1t was not till he saw the Albatross
flying out to sea, that he came to a native
village, where he was received with the
kindness that characteriZeS those people.
Her Pearsal at the other side of the
world from his old home, and the only
white the island. He was adopted
into the tribe, married, and forgot his kins-.
men in America, and nearly forgot his
mother tongue.
And so he lived, dressed as a savage, till
he reached the age Of fifty, though in that
land OF pe1I't teial summer he never lost the
run Of the years.
One day a great storm swept over the is
land Upola, to which he had moved, and his
SIalWart brOnzed sons came him and
told him that a white mans ship was going
to pieces on the coral reef tha1 surrounded
the island Obeying his orders. the sons and
the others, all of whom were like fish in the
water, manned their oNtrigger canoes and
dashed through the 30 the 1eScue of
the first whites Hen PearSau had seen since
he deserted the AlbatrOss more than thirty
years before.
Out of a crew of twenty Eight twelve
were saved, amongst them Captain Thomas
Pearsall, the commander. 1t turned out
that this CAPTAIN Pearsall was Hens
II oJf =
taken to the sea, but with success.
The savage brother learned that his par
ents and all his family but this brother
were dead; but he had found new attach
ments and refused to leave his bronzed sons
and daughters, and go back to civilization
of which he had conceived a horror.