Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1895-02-07

~ Y former met
timely end the literature of the world
might have been the richer by one
more story of stirring adventure and
thrilling incident upon the raging
main. In the two score years since the
Yankee sailor first saw the light OF
dav in the ancient port of Nantucket,
he has met with a variety OF expert
ences worthy the pen of any novelist
and unsurpassed in interest by the
fights of the most fanciful imagina-
ton in fiction.
The rare old days when the life OF
the seafaring man was one OF unend'
ing adventure have about passed away.
The remotest corners of every ocean
have long since been explored, and
their secrets given to the geographers
the gentle practice of marooning has
fallen into a worthy disuse, and the
only pirates that now infest the seas
are the slulking robbers Of the Malay
peninsula The black flag along with
the thousand other things dear TO the
man with an imaginative mind has
been rslegated into the limbo of the
past; and no adventurous cook may
ever again hope to discover second
group of Hawaiian isles and be hon
ored by queen and country for hii
daring.
OF all the once numerous classes OF
sea adventurers the whaling man
alone exists to-day. He is the sole re-
naming link between the glorious
past and the material present, says the
St Louis Republic. Sir Walter Raleigh,
stout-hearted Francis Drake, Capt.
Kidd and Lafitte, the Gulf Tiger, live
only on the pages of history; but Whale
Oil Gus, the bold mariner of Nantucket
now a resident of st. Louis, still re-
mains to gladden. the hearts of red
blooded folk with his tales of stirring
times upon the vasty deep. In
his life, Whale Oil Gus has crowd
ed enough experience to fill a
dozen volumes of adventure. The
press of circumstance still keeps the
doughty whaler away from the sea he
loves so well, despite its cruel treat
ment of him, and he reluctantly con-
sented to tell Republic young man
the following chapter of his life:
Among a rare collection of harpoon
whale guns and other paraphernalia OF
his collection Gus possesses a long
wooden handled, rusty bladcd knife,
which he counts among the dearest OF
his treasures.
"Do you see this ugly weapon?" he
asked, holding up the murderous look
ing blade and running his thumb along
the rusty edge. well, the knife has a
history. 1t figured in one Of the most
trying episodes of my career.
''It was in the spring of '33 that we
sailed away from New Bedfordtown on
the good ship Marie, bound for the
whaling grounds of the southern seas.
Counting the five officers, there were
thirty-two souls on board, the crew be-.
ing composed of sailors of every ma
tionality, but principally of New Bed.
ford men 1t is an old saying among
people who follow the ocean that out
of every complement of officers on
board "A ship one is sure to be a villain.
The truth of this saying was proved in
the case Of the Marie before we had
been two days out of port. When lot
Of men are huddled together in the
narrow compass of whaling vessel il
doesn't take them long to find out one
another's characteristics, and before
the second days sun had sunk into the
sea we men in the forecastle had de-
cided that Tom Johnson, the second
mate, was the one to be feared. Capt.
Edwards, although mighty fine sailor
and a good whaleman, was "A little bit
weak in matters of discipline. and the
second mate seemed TO take it upon
himself 10 run the whole ship.
BY the time we had got off the coast
of Brazil the men found his conduct so
unbearable that they went in body
TO the shipper and made complaint.
The captain said he'd look into the
matter, and advised the men TO go on
| about their business, and try to put
up with johnson as long as possible.
This didn't satisfy us, of course, but
there was nothing to be done except
| go back TO work, which we did at once
Matters drifted on for few days,
| while we forged southwark before q
stiff wind, and it looked like things
were going to be pleasant again. But
when we got down near the old
| Spanish town of Maranhao a little
| squall came up one afternoon which
| seemed likely to develop into storm
and we were sent aloft TO reef the sails
| One of the men who was handling the
| main topsail was new in the business
| and little bit slow, and the second
mate, watching from the deck, began
TO curse him for an awkward lubber
and ordered him TO come down. The
| young fellow obeyed orders, though
| could see his neck swollen with rage a!
he passed me in sliding down the rig
| ging, and when he reached the decl
the mate kept on abusing him anC
calling him every vile name he coulC
think Of, until the young sailor NUT
tered something under his breatl
which the mate didn't hear.
What's that, you dog? he shouted
as he advanced on the fellow.
4 didn't say anything was the
reply.
You lier cried the mate, and pick
ing up an iron bar he struck the boz
such a cruel blow that it shattered hi
left shoulder blade He was about Il
strike him again wh,n the captain ap
pcared on deck and int-rfered, doubt
less saving the young man life. Stil
holding the iron bar in his hand th'
mate walked aft, cGrsiEg a blue streal
aud damning every man in the fore
castle.
"When the men came down fror
among the shrouds they helped thei
wounded shipmate TO his hammock
and then held council of war. The
decided to again 20 to the captain an,
lay before him an ultimatum. This wa
done, the men declaring that the
would quit the shipat the first port un
less the mate was turned down. Tn
captain explained that johnson ha'
shipped undor contract, and all that
but that he would try TO get rid of hin
as soon as possible. This answer ha,
10 satisfy US, though every one Of u