Santa Fe daily New Mexican., 1897-12-24
THE RAINBOW LUCK
BY c. B. LEWIS.

During the palmy days Of the whal-
ing fleet no craft sailing out of any port
was referred to as often as the bark
Rainbow. Her history from beginning
to end was curious one, and it would
be hard to find an old whaleman who
hadn't heard it half a dozen times over
The ship Wanderer went whaling
from the port of Bristol commanded by
Captain Joseph Watkins. She was out
18 months and never took whale.
Four of her crew died of fever, three
were killed by accident, and the ship
returned SO wrecked that she was sold
for collier. The owners lost heavily,
Of course, and Captain Watkins was
called Jonah and could not get anoth
er craft. One day when he was digging
in his garden he unearthed three jars
which were filled to the brim with gold.
pieces, and which had been buried for
perhaps century. His find footed up
about 800, 900, and with the greater
portion of the money he built and fitted
out the bark Rainbow. Instead of ship
ping crew ON shares he paid by the
month, and thus set out on his first voy-
age with the best seamen of Bristol.
On the second day after leaving port
the bark came across dead whale float
ing about which yielded 80 barrels of
oil. On the fifth day, just as the decks
had been cleared up she came upon the
scene Of fight between five whales
and seven or eight Of that species Of
fish known as the killer, which is the
mortal enemy Of the leyiathan and the
only known one he has in any sea. The
bark hove to and let the fight go on,
and when it was over she had two dead
whales to tow alongside and added l5O
barrels of oil to her cargo. In four
months from the day she left Bristol
she entered port again, having cargo
Of bone and oil which sold for more
than 100000. In addition to that she
brought home the complete skeleton of
whale 85 feet long, for which the
British museum paid SIS, 900 in cash.
The lucky voyage Of the Rainbow
created much talk, and when Captain
Watkins was ready to set sail again he
had to turn sailors away by the hun
dred. This time the crew was shipped
on shares, and no man had reason to re-
gret it.. In 100 days the bark was back
in Bristol with 2,870 barrels Of common
oil, 800 barrels Of cease or fine oil,
and the largest cargo Of baleen, or whale
bone, ever brought to port by a whaler
She had not lost man, boat or sail
Everybody was astounded over the luck
of a man who had been out a year and a
half in another ship to meet with moth
ing but disaster, ,nd the name of Cap
tain Watkins WIS heard whenever two
sailors met. He had money enough tc
enable him to live comfortably the rest
Of his days, but he was persuaded to
make one more voyage. On this third
cruise the leviathans Of the deep seemed
to hunt for the ship, In 1866 days she
made the port of Bristol with cargo
worth $4,000 more than either of the
preceding ones.
When the Rainbow had completed
her third voyage, Captain Watkins de-
termined to remain ashore. There were
so many men who wanted to buy the
lucky ship that she was put up at auc-
tion. Men came from every seaport in
England and Scotland to bid on her,
and the price was run up until she sold
for IS, 600 more than she had cost to
build. She was bid in by Bristol firm,
and the command Of her given to a Cap
tain Travers. Her complement Of men
when ready for sea was 80, but so wide
spread was her fame as lucky ship that
there were over 700 applicants for the
38 places.
Three months after she arrived home
on her third cruise the Rainbow went
to sea again. Up to this time had
never seen the bark, but had heard all
about her a dozen times over from men
aboard OF our whaling ship, the Nancy
Lee Of Marblehead One day as we were
cutting in a whale to the north Of st.
Helena the Rainbow came up from the
east, and the two craft remained in com.
pany for three or four hours The lucky
ship had then been out Of port 40 days
without capture and all were disgust
ed. More than that, she had been through
q severe gale AMI had three men hurt
and lost sails and topmasts. Her luck
had changed Captain Travers was
fine seaman, an old whaler, and had
never brought an empty ship into port
but the fact remained that the Rainbow
had not yet even lowered for whale.
Just as she was ready to leave us,
however, two large whales spouted wa.
ter within half mile Of the ships
They were quarter Of q mile apart.
and while we lowered for one the bark
took the other We had but little trou-
BILE in killing our prey, which was a
female and good for 10 barrels Of oil. /
The other was a bull whale and evil
IDENTIFY in bad temper. He first led the
boats q chase Of three miles to the south
and then slowed around and waited for
them to come up. When the mates
boat WAS within 500 feet Of him, he
rushed forward and ran IL down, and
a. Il noAted astern Of him be smaahod