Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1897-07-12
A PESKY WHALE.

Inere's whales an whales" sale
the captain suddenly. "Some of 'em il
pesky critters an some amt SO pesky.'
Smoke went up in clouds and there
was silence.
Reckon you've got something on
your mind, cap" said the doctor.
"Oh, nothin very particular, said
the captain, "but when whales was in
troduced it reminded me. I had old Liz
up Boring sea way two years ago-old
Liz was my ship, her full name bein
Elizabeth J. Barker-an we'd had a
pretty good season. September we put
around the Horn, an as things happen
ed didn't see another whale till we
struck into the forties. Then, sir, long
II O'Clock one fine mornin, we doin
about six knots, we raised whale that
was whale"
"Big, bet," said the doctor.
No. not SO terrible big" said the
captain, "but pesky. I was standin
about 'midships when one of the men
sings out, Hi, cap, look at i'm blow
Sure 'nough, half mile off an dead
abeam to starboard he was BLOWN. He
sent up good spout an then seemed
to kinder settle himself, like he was
nappin, shown good bit of his length.
l hove old Liz to, an we put over a
couple Of boats. Rowin in the small
boat was Dutchman named Frank.
mention him, cause he comes into the
yarn pretty prominent. Frank was
good sailor, but one Of them fellers that
has dreadful little to say. He tended
right to business an kept his hatch
battened close. Well, as it turned out,
the little boat licked the big one an
got the first whack at the whale. They
put harpoon into him just over his
port fin, an down he went.
II stood a-watching things through
glass. waited an waited for the boat
to start off in tow, but she didn't do
nothin but set still, which was puzzlin.
In about five minutes somethin big an
black broke water tween us an the
boat, an there was old blower not
more'n 200 yards from the place he
went down. He warn't up long, but
enough to get his bearin's, guess, for
down he went again, an I could see the |
bow man gettin ready to give him all
the rope he'd take. Then the boat start
ed, slowed bit an come dead for the
ship at a 40 mile clip. never see a |
boat travel SO. We watched 'em, an |
when she got within quarter of mile
thinks to myself: This is gittin
blamed interestin. I wonder is that
whale goin to sheer off, or is he goin
to give us ramp That boat, sir, trav-
eled for us as true as hair, an I could
see the men in her gettin excited. On
she came, THROWN spray like liner,
and I calkilated if she held her course
shed hit us SO near 'midship it wouldn't
De worth measurin the difference. Then
see the man in the bow make pass
or the rope with the Ratchet, but he
vas nervous like an missed it, for the
ratchet went overheard, all he, losin his
balance. along with it. The rest Of the
men warn't long decidin what they'd
10. 1t was go overheard or git smashed
o flinders, an when they got within so
ards of us they all went over but
frank.
Jump, you IDIOT yells I. DO you
want to git stove?' Mebbe he didn't
ear, but I reckon it wouldn't made no
ifference, for as I'm Twin, doc, that
)utchman lay himself out on his stom-
Oh in the bottom of the boat, grabbed
foot cleat with both hands an hung
n for dear life Well, old whale kept
team on. could see the boat go down
little by the head as she got close to
8, an knew the rope was scrapin the
hips keel. We was all holding breath
n waitin to see Frank splatter his
rains against the ships side, when the
oat went nose down, starn up an UNI
er water with kerchug. She missed
sachin us by about five yard.
"All hands aboard ship leant over
, see Frank an the splinters come up,
" the boat would sure fetch again the
eel an 90 to kindlin wood. We wait ,
an waited an waited, but, by gum,
lere warn't no splinters an there ,
arn't no Frank. All Of Sudden one
the men sings out, By the holy po- /
II, lookp Whipped round, all there,
fathom off our port, was the little
hale boat, full of water to the gun
j, an Frank standin up in her, waist 1
ep, holding onto rowlock for dear i
o. So help me, doc, that boat was :
wed clean under old Liz, the Dutch
an in her, an come up sound on the :
her side.
Yes, sir, under the ship slick as a d
histle, an the Dutchman in her. That .
hale was scientist, sir. He calki-
ted right to lose the boat but, bless
q, it's bigger job than any one
anted to tackle to stave that craft, an
for foatin, she was boxed at each
q an couldn' t sink. But that amt the
d Of the story. We remembered the
lers that jumped, an we seen the big e
at would pick 'em up before we could Al
t another over, 80 we turned to look g.
Frank again. There warn't anything j,
I in the boat to bail with, an he y
lldn't do nothin but wait on the :
assure Of that whale. He travelled n
ay from the ship as fast as he come Z
1t, an he must o. gone third Of 4 Y