The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1894-03-30

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whale it was seen that he was large
and fat one. He took no notice of our
coming. When we got within about
100 feet of the monster the harpoon
gun was fired and the barbcd weapon
took effect just behind the head and
pretty well up On the back. This was
painful, but not necessarily a fatal
shot. The other boats turned them
selves loose and made some insertions
in the fish.
"Instead of going under, as wounded
whales do, he remained on top to fight
1t out. He swished his tail and turn
cd the sea into suds, and made such Il
swell that the good people OF Alexan-
dria would not have permitted him to
pass their port without slowing down.
lie plunged headlong against one of
the boats and stove it so it would
hardly float. Its occupants were
Knocked overheard. There was good
deal of excitement. The sea around
about us was boiling. The whale was
red hot with rage, the men were
shouting and the guns were popping.
We could see that the beach away off
was fr,nged with the population of
the town, and we knew that of our
movements were being watched anx-
Iously through glasses.
"We had to fight. There was no time
to crawtlsh or back water. The fish
next hurled himself against the boat
in which | was, and it yielded to his
wishes and got smashed. 1t was
raised a considerable distance in the
air, and when it came down was not
in it. Where do you think | was,
young man? In the water? Not
much | wasn't. Twas on that whales
back just abaft his head. and holding
on to that harpoon with both hands.
''Some OF my friends were founder
ing in the aqueous brine and some
were supporting themselves by clutch
ing the gunwales. Some had climbed
into the other boats, thus oycrloading
them and crippling their efficiency.
He smashed boat No. 3, but he was
bleeding as copiously as though par
ticipating in an athlethic club glove
contest. He was getting feeble, but
he had black roof in his mouth and
an abdallah streak down his back, and
he refused to say enough The boys
in the remaining boat were handling
their guns with about the same care
as a policeman, and my sweet life was
in danger more ways than o dozen.
Above all the roar and riot it seemed
to me as though we could hear the
shouts of the people on the shore, and
felt certain that | could hear the
dulcet tone of my beloved Hannah.
"The line which had connected the
harpoon and the boat had parted, and
about 200 feet of MANILA hawscr
squrmcd and wrigglcd snake-like
around in the seethng sea. The whale
didn't seem to observe my attitude,
and continued his attention upon the
two remaining boats. There wasn't
any time to think of this. The hand
harpOOn had been showed into the
right place and the whale was blowing
his last. A column of blood was being
squirted skyward, and the scarlet
blood fell over me, dying me a CORY
hue. A few feeble swashes of the tail
and a keeling motion as though he
were going to lie on his side, an
nounccd that the fish was dead. The
rope which floated from my harpoon
was picked up, and TIE whale and his
rider were towed to shore.
"Our catch was lashed alongside the
pier, and the next day we went to
work on the carcass. The fish was 81
feet 81 inches long, and the proceeds
from the sale of his oil, bone and other
valuables were $500. l will never
forget my experience with that whale
off MOrehcad, N. c."