The Dickinson press., 1896-03-28

SOuuulnS.
Sure enough, with a flash of his huge
tail the monster goes down head fore
&sza<
&A@E
Took the Light Cedar Boat in His
Jaws.
most and the men lie on their bars
and wait for his coming up.
II say, Mr.. Folger, that's a curious
whale; he don't take no sleek and he's
got a white hump"
A sleek is the oily emulation from
a whales body that makes a track six
feet wide behind and is sometimes a
mile long. 1t is a distinguishing mark
Of the sperm whale.
"Never mind that now, Abslem;
watch for him."
Well, they waited twenty minutes,
th%ree-quarters Of an hour, and then
both boats gave it up and pulled back,
The men unusually silent.
They were hoisted in and the two
mates went to report to the captain.
"a white hump whale making no
sleeck, sounding and not coming up"
This was something curious. Iwen-
ty years before, in 1919, the whalemen
had met a sperm whale known as
"Moby Dick, the White Whale" that
hO1rrfn1 fha pnASAn rv,.N,,y<l ~ <1SN
line. He never ran away, but seemed
boat crews, but in that year two Nan
tucket captains had hunted him down
and brought him to the trypots. They
lost six men, however. Buried in his
flesh were q dozen harpoons, and as
every captain had his private mark, 1t
was easy to make out who his assail-
ants had been. No less than three
captains had driven their irons into
the white whale and gone to their
death.
There was no more reckless and des-
perate officer sailing out of American
ports than Captain Sam Tilden of the
Sycamore. Among the church people
Of Sag Harber his reputation was that
of an infidel and blasphemous sinner.
And now he showed himself. Break
ing into a volley of oaths. lie swore
that his mates had fiunked; they were
afraid. He would take a boat next
time, and If he didn't bring in the car
cass of the white hump might his
bones feed the eternal flames. Rough
as his officers were they shuddered at
his wild talk. Special orders were
given to man the fore and main tops
day and night, and the a that raised
a white whale would get a $40 piece.
A week after this the Sycamore was
in the Pacific near the line, and about
twenty miles south Of Gilbert island.
1t was night, a glorious night with
bright moonlight and the Southern
Cross. Away to the leeward the waves
broke like molten silver. Under the
trade winds the ship was sailing with
out q man at work ave at the wheel.
Suddenly there came a hail from each
masthead:
"Thar she blows. on bow. She's
breeching."
There was q rush of all hands for
ward. Sure enough, there it was not
over 100 yards away, a 'midnight
spout" seldom seer and deemed by
whalemen the presage of bitter, bad
luck. 1t rose ten feet in a column Of
white vapor and beneath lay some
thing huge and underlined. Suddenly
it breeched high in the air, it's white
hump like the bow Of a ship glisten-
ing in the moonlight, and the cry went
up:
''The white whale. Let's lower for
him. Well have his hide!"
A frenzy seized the crew, and with
out orders they tumbled into the boats.
The boat headers, lances in hand, yell
ing, Give way, raise the white ash
breeze, bullies!"
In a few minutes they were on the
| spot. Down in the depths was seen q
pallid, phosphorescent light that slowly
faded out. The whale was gone, and
hearing the hail from the ship, they
rowed back.
And now for a week not even a fin
back was seen, and all hands got surly
and cross. So one morning the mast
head hail was heard with delight. The
Gay Header sprang into the fore rig
ging, and after a long look cried:
"Cappen Tilden, OATS de midnight
spouter sure. l see his hump, that he
b%reeches," and the cry went up: 1.-The
white whale! Hurrah! Well have his
blubber this time"
Three boats were manned, the CAP
tain's and two mates. "Spread out,
men; I'll throw the first iron,' said the
captain.
The whale breeched lazily, and its
size was appalling. 1t was not under
seventy feet, but the blood Of the
crew was on fire, and they pulled to-
ward the monster. Tilden was in the
head Of the boat. He sprang to his
feet not ten feet away. and with q
furious oath, buried his heavy iron in
the whale and quickly threw his sec
ond harpoon. The two mates' har-
poems darted at the same moment.
always a mailman in q boat" Capt.
Sam yelled. "Beach me on his back,
you %lubbers," and caught up his lance.
The sperm brought down his tail on
tho water, making a wave that cap
sized the second boats, and then with
a rush he sounded and churned the
water into yeast. Blinded by the spray
the captain tried to snub the line fast
10 the whale. In an instant he was
caught, and the white ghost, rising,
TOOK the light cedar boat in his jaws
n crunched 1t into chips, as a man
would a biscuit.
Fortunately the men had sprane
overheard and were picked up by the
other crew that had righted their craft
but Capt. Sam was gone. The whale
again sounded and had also vanished
A tub hoisted on a pole was seer on
the ship, and inside of an hour all
m were safe on board.
i. Mr.. FOlger took command of the
Sycamore, and with the death of hel
commander good luck came to the
ship. She soon filled her hold with oil
u never again did they see the mid
y night spout nor raise a whale with {
> white hump, and at home Capt. Sam'
! rate was made much of, as an exampl,
to warn against swearing and unbelief
st. Louis Republic.
Electric Life.Buoy, "
q The lighthouse board at Washington
has been devoting much attention t,
the question of electrically lighted ma
rtne life saving apparatus. On one o
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