The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1894-01-13

and standing up, unshipped his oar from
the thole pin. held it ready and faced
about.
/ "Then the whale started.
"'Jump! yelled the mate.
"The next instant we were all f1oun-
dering around in the water, while the
bull caught the boat in his mouth.
crushed it to pieces and sounded.
''The third mate, who had just killed
one small chap, was not far away, SO he
came and picked us up-all but the
mate; we never saw him afterward. He
must have been fouled in the lines and
gone down.
1--WE got two out of the school, but all
hands felt sad at the loss of the officer. ]
couldn't help telling our skipper how cool
Blue Fin was through the whole thing,
and when he showed the officers ahead
he rated his own boat steerer third mate
and ordered Blue Fin to take charge of
the irons in his craft. J.. <E.J
Il tell you the boy was proud enough,
but he had nerve and good luck, both OF
which are everything to whaler. This
was destined to be an unfortunate voy
age for the After Guards. The whales
were plenty in the Ochotsk sea, and
there was hardly a day but what we
were outing in or trying out blubber.- s.
Zone afternoon the ycapn lowered
away for right whale. Our boat was
close alongside. but the skipper sung
out:
Don't you NEEDLE with him, he's
my fish, So Of course we hung back,
only standing by to lend hand in case
we were needed.
'Blue Fin made pretty dart. He
hurled his first iron about six feet aft
the bow hole, and the other he planted
in the belly as the fellow rolled. It was
a death blow. but before the whale be-
gan to spout blood he brought his flukes
around, caught the boat before the boys
could back out of the way and stove
her to pieces. We pulled in and picked
up the crew. | grabbed the old man
just as he was going down, and when l
hauled him up saw that he was hurt
badly and was unconscious. He was
smashed up in frightful manner and
never recovered.
"Next morning at eight bells we
launched the dead body of the captain
from the starb'd gangway, while the
fish that had killed him was moored
with chains to the port side of the ship.
Poor Blue Fin felt awful bad, and he
kept mourning as the mate read the
burial service, saying:
"'Oh, if | hadn't struck the whale
that last blow. Twas the second iron
that touched his life" and our cap
tain's too.
"'But, shipmate,' went on the boat
steerer. it was to be. and it's the way
of the world, | suppose. One man
mounts to a position through the death
of another. just as a new ship is built to
take the place of craft that has found
a bed on the rocks sf
'''Yes, there's great deal of truth in
what you say. Bill. But how was it
that your cap'n's loss rated Blue Fin
skipper? ~~--
He wasn't skipper in every sense of
the word, but twas this way: The Off
GERS that were left were the same as you
and l-goods sailors and good whalers-
but they. knew nothing of navigation.
Blue Fin. of all our company, was the
only one who could handle quadrant
or work up a sight," AS l said, the
whales were plenty. and we didn't want
to leave the grounds till the ice drove us
out, for we were making money, SO we
finished our cruise, and when we reached
Honolulu were fuA to the matches with
oil and bone. II al "a al ~
''There was some talk of shipping
another mantle take the vessel home,
but the agent and the American consul
said, IF. that young man knew enough
to bring the craft safely out of the
Ochotsk sea, he knows enough to- lind
his. way TO- New Bedford szEhey5.just
engaged another mate by the. run who
was navigator; and gave the boy
charge Of the ship
1884,. I'VE made quick passage around
the Horn. and the owners were so much.
pleased with Blue Fin that they gave
hinrcommand of the Race Horse on the
next voyage. and while away on. that
cruise they built hi1nzthis onehere. the
Grampus,, and that's how the lad be-
came skipper SO young. It goes to prove
the truth of what said a few moments
ago, that Its not always .gtay hairs
which cover the wisest head A boy is
sometimes more fit to command than