Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1894-03-17
WELL WON;
afterWarI


Nantucket Jack was in melancholy
mood because there seemed TO be no
chance that he would ever win May
Blossom, the captains daughter. The
preferred sutton was the mate, Boles,
who had made a record as q whaler
and stood high in favor.
So Jack longed for an opportunity
to distinguish himself and this is how
it came: The crew had pursued
whale OF great value and almost killed
it, when they saw a squall coming on.
All the boats at once cut away to
seek the ship. but Jack was for hold
ing on and refused TO lose such
prize. His crew deserted him and left
him to cope with the monster alone.
And now a truly desperate combat
took place. Alternately worKing the
light craft with skillful hand, and
plying his lance-with the spray all
around him-with the whales fiukes
whipping the air about his head, and
the white scroll of the jaw occa-
sionally almost grasping the boat,
jack fought desperately with this
old king of the sea, so close
10 him ali the time that the
whale. the boat, the fishing lance
and the nimble form of the young
man. seemed almost blended into one.
Aboard the mah-of-war crew and
officers were excited witnesses of this
combat The shrcuds, the booms and
ali the sails were alive with blue
jackets, while even those aloft, stow
ing canvas to prepare for the squall,
kept an eye upon the strange specta-
Gle of this one brave man struggling
with so mighty an antagonist.
All at once ringing cheer rose
& z. IL. l.. 4 ..
lance near the ''lifc spot" caused the
leviathan to spout blood The move
ments of the monster now were more
feeble; he swan round and round, his
spout becoming lower every moment:
and finally. with one last, desperate
furry, he rolled over stone dead
An officer-the first lieutenant
now sprang upon the ships horse
block and roared through his trumpet:
Leave your whale and come aboard
here lively, my man, pointing with
one hand, as he spoke, To the black
rack of the roaring. screa ming squall
close aboard.
But Jack shook his head: for, having
obtained his prize he was reso. we'd not
/ TO run the risk of losing it.
cay, ay," remarked an old fore
/ castle man; did ye ever see the like Of
4 that chaps pluck? But Davy Jones
| will be sure TO swallow the lad in his
NAV, though he's escaped that of
! Johnny Whale. :"
! 4 moment later along came the
/ squall. booming, shrielSing and shroud-
! ing Jack and his whale from sight in
4 the whirling rack.
! The man-of-war was hurled far
! from the spot, with the ends OF her
{ lao ~ eli nd 1v.ds al Itppsurr
I in the seething, kissing foam, and for a
=. quarter of an hour, the wind blew so
| hard that the water was beaten down
/ fiat.
| At last when the squat had passed
I far to leeward Captain Blossom and
/ his crew watched in vain for the
/ daring young harpooner, who, instead
+ of returning to his ship. as Boles and
7 the others had done. had refused to
/ cut and kept on after the whale
With pale cheeks and streaming eyes
+ May Blossom was among the watch
4 ers. A mist lay upon the ocean in the
/ direction where her lover was last
! seen. and as the Meteor kept on Jacks
4 broken steering oar and the red wool
/ len cap he had worn were discovered
/ and picked up
This tells the story" said the cap
/ tain sadly.
Poor May gave despairing cry. bnt
/ just then a shout was heard coming
I from the mist, and the girl with
/ flashing eyes, arched her neck and
reared her head like young colt
That was jack she said.
And she was right. As the ship
forged on the wind partly blew aside
/ the misty curtain, showing the gallant
I fellow standing bareheaded in the
/ stern sheets Of his boat BY lashing
/ the latter securely on the lee side OF
! the whale to the barbed irons sticking
4 in the body of the monster, be had
! prevented the craft from swamping in
/ the squat. He was soon picked ~.
( when the captain, in his Joy at secur-
/ ing so valuable whale after he had
\ thought it was lost, fairly embraced
( the young harpoouer.
| II see now" said the skipper, that
I / mistook your character; that quiet
! mana man of few words-may nave
as much energy and pluck as noisy
I one, and sometimes more. Boles was
\ for cutting from the whale, but you
I held on, even in the face of death.
I You deserve reward. Here il is
To the side of the young man he
I drew blushing May Blossom, now hap
/ pier than words can express and
! placed her hand in that of brave Nan
I tucket Jack